Small Town Girl
*Chapter 8*
The closer we got to my house, the more nervous and scared I became. So many thoughts and questions were running through my head. The guys must have sensed what I was thinking/feeling because it was silent the whole ride. Brent held my left hand and Jimmy my right. I was so lost in my own thoughts that I didn't even notice we had pulled up to my home. Jimmy squeezed my hand lightly and I looked at him. "Baby Girl, go inside. We'll get the bags." I nodded and Brent helped me out of the car. "It'll be okay." He said gently and kissed my forehead and turned me toward the house. I couldn't help myself, as soon as he let go, I took off running as fast as I could. I reached the house and raced inside. "Mama? Aunt Mel? Where are you?" "In here, Baby!" I took off toward her voice until I found her. "Hi, Baby! How was Vegas? I wanna hear all about it! Did you have fun? Was the concert everything you ever dreamed it would be?" Before I could say anything the guys came in. "Mama!" She looked up and smiled that big beautiful smile. "Jimmy! My baby boy! How are you? Did you have fun?" "Yes, Mama." "I'm so glad." She smiled then continued. "Elizabeth? Honey? Are you going to introduce me to the very handsome young men that we listen to every day on YouTube?" She asked and winked at them. I blushed and chuckled.
"Mama, this is Eric Bass, Barry Kerch, Zach Myers, and Brent Smith. Guys, this is my mama, Ava Marie Sheppard." They each shook her hand and said it was nice to meet her. Jimmy walked over and sat at her feet and she started playing with his hair like she usually did. They had a mother/son bond that could never be broken. It was quiet for a minute before Mama spoke again. "Elizabeth Jane, are you gonna tell me which on of these young men gave you his last name?" Everyone looked from me to Mama then to Brent. Mama laughed. I don't know how she always knows theses things but she does. "So Liz, are you gonna tell me how it all happened?" I nodded and explained everything. "Brent?" "Yes Ma'am?" "First off don't call me ma'am. It's Mama. Especially since you're my son-in-law now. What are your plans for this marriage? Are you two going to try and end it? Or are you gonna try and make it work? What is in the cards for you two? You plannin on breakin my baby's heart because if so it's only fair to warn you, we're country girls and we know how to use a gun. And we're a very good shot. I'll protect my girl until my last breath." "Mama, I have kind of talked to Elizabeth about it. We still have to talk more to hammer out all the details but I would like to try and work things out. If she's up for it that is. Like I told her in Vegas, drunk or not I made a vow to be faithful, to protect and care for her, and to be there for her whenever she needs me. I am going to continue to be there for her until she tells me to leave her alone. I will never break her heart. And for the record, I grew up in Tennessee and my mama was a country girl herself. She and my father raised me to be the kind of man that I hope my future daughters find one day. I want to get to know her and see where this goes. Even if we didn't do things the traditional way." "Lizzie? What's your view on things?" "Honestly, Mama, I'd really like to get to know him too. I'd like to think God had us meet and drunkenly get married for a reason." I said and everyone chuckled.
Mama looked at me and said, "are you sure it wasn't just because he's a sexy beast?" She asked with a deadly serious look on her face. I couldn't even answer, however I could once again feel my face heating up. I think she's tryin to kill me from embarrassment. "Mama! I..you..he, Mama, do you have to do that?" "Do what, my love?" "Embarrass the hell out of me!" She simply looked at me and smiled and replied, "Yup!" Everyone was laughing as they watched our little banter. "Oh, Baby, you need to stop being so innocent. And Sweetie, stick with this one and you'll never wanna be innocent again. I can tell just by lookin at him." She winked at us both and this time I noticed I wasn't the only one blushing. He was too. She saw this and burst out laughing. I looked over at her and couldn't stop the tears from welling up in my eyes. I certainly couldn't stop them before the cascaded down my cheeks. "Oh, Honey, what's wrong?" Mama asked me as she pulled me into her lap. "It's nothing. I'm just being silly and emotional. It's just been so long since I've heard you really laugh like you use to." She smiled softly and pulled me tighter to her.
"Mama? I know I just joined the family but can I ask what news the doctor told you? Elizabeth has been a ball of nerves. And that in turn is making the rest of us nervous too. You, Elizabeth, and Jimmy are not only family to me but to Eric, Barry and Zach as well and we already care so much for each of you." Brent said with concern in his voice. "Okay, my sweethearts. You better sit down. Brent, Honey, once I tell you all this, Lizzie is gonna be upset and she's gonna need you. Elizabeth. My beautiful baby girl, this is going to be very hard to take in and you are going to have to let every single one of these people help you through it. You're going to need to not be stubborn and let them in. Especially Brent. And be sure to continue to be strong. Even when you feel like you can't anymore but remember, every single one of these young men are family and they're going to be here for you."
"Mommy? You're scaring us." By this time Jimmy was at my feet, Brent was holding my hand left hand as Mama held the other. Eric, Zach, and Barry were behind us each with their hand on my shoulder for extra support. She looked me dead in the eye and began relaying what the doctor had said. " They told me the cancer has spread and stopped responding to the level of treatment I'm on."
"Mama, this is Eric Bass, Barry Kerch, Zach Myers, and Brent Smith. Guys, this is my mama, Ava Marie Sheppard." They each shook her hand and said it was nice to meet her. Jimmy walked over and sat at her feet and she started playing with his hair like she usually did. They had a mother/son bond that could never be broken. It was quiet for a minute before Mama spoke again. "Elizabeth Jane, are you gonna tell me which on of these young men gave you his last name?" Everyone looked from me to Mama then to Brent. Mama laughed. I don't know how she always knows theses things but she does. "So Liz, are you gonna tell me how it all happened?" I nodded and explained everything. "Brent?" "Yes Ma'am?" "First off don't call me ma'am. It's Mama. Especially since you're my son-in-law now. What are your plans for this marriage? Are you two going to try and end it? Or are you gonna try and make it work? What is in the cards for you two? You plannin on breakin my baby's heart because if so it's only fair to warn you, we're country girls and we know how to use a gun. And we're a very good shot. I'll protect my girl until my last breath." "Mama, I have kind of talked to Elizabeth about it. We still have to talk more to hammer out all the details but I would like to try and work things out. If she's up for it that is. Like I told her in Vegas, drunk or not I made a vow to be faithful, to protect and care for her, and to be there for her whenever she needs me. I am going to continue to be there for her until she tells me to leave her alone. I will never break her heart. And for the record, I grew up in Tennessee and my mama was a country girl herself. She and my father raised me to be the kind of man that I hope my future daughters find one day. I want to get to know her and see where this goes. Even if we didn't do things the traditional way." "Lizzie? What's your view on things?" "Honestly, Mama, I'd really like to get to know him too. I'd like to think God had us meet and drunkenly get married for a reason." I said and everyone chuckled.
Mama looked at me and said, "are you sure it wasn't just because he's a sexy beast?" She asked with a deadly serious look on her face. I couldn't even answer, however I could once again feel my face heating up. I think she's tryin to kill me from embarrassment. "Mama! I..you..he, Mama, do you have to do that?" "Do what, my love?" "Embarrass the hell out of me!" She simply looked at me and smiled and replied, "Yup!" Everyone was laughing as they watched our little banter. "Oh, Baby, you need to stop being so innocent. And Sweetie, stick with this one and you'll never wanna be innocent again. I can tell just by lookin at him." She winked at us both and this time I noticed I wasn't the only one blushing. He was too. She saw this and burst out laughing. I looked over at her and couldn't stop the tears from welling up in my eyes. I certainly couldn't stop them before the cascaded down my cheeks. "Oh, Honey, what's wrong?" Mama asked me as she pulled me into her lap. "It's nothing. I'm just being silly and emotional. It's just been so long since I've heard you really laugh like you use to." She smiled softly and pulled me tighter to her.
"Mama? I know I just joined the family but can I ask what news the doctor told you? Elizabeth has been a ball of nerves. And that in turn is making the rest of us nervous too. You, Elizabeth, and Jimmy are not only family to me but to Eric, Barry and Zach as well and we already care so much for each of you." Brent said with concern in his voice. "Okay, my sweethearts. You better sit down. Brent, Honey, once I tell you all this, Lizzie is gonna be upset and she's gonna need you. Elizabeth. My beautiful baby girl, this is going to be very hard to take in and you are going to have to let every single one of these people help you through it. You're going to need to not be stubborn and let them in. Especially Brent. And be sure to continue to be strong. Even when you feel like you can't anymore but remember, every single one of these young men are family and they're going to be here for you."
"Mommy? You're scaring us." By this time Jimmy was at my feet, Brent was holding my hand left hand as Mama held the other. Eric, Zach, and Barry were behind us each with their hand on my shoulder for extra support. She looked me dead in the eye and began relaying what the doctor had said. " They told me the cancer has spread and stopped responding to the level of treatment I'm on."