Page 22 of Darling Bride

Outside, I hear truck tires crunch up the drive. Across the table, Sovereign shifts in his seat and unfurls his legs, stretching out. Our eyes meet.

The clock over the stove ticks. Sovereign clears his throat and I clear mine. Diane is by the sink, leaning back and watching the percolator bubble. The scent of coffee fills the warm kitchen. I get up and circle the table, leaning across the counter to pull the window over the sink open. A light breeze comes through, smelling faintly of newly cut grass.

“I don’t know if you should be here,” Diane says tentatively, looking right at Sovereign.

He lets out a deep sigh. “I had business.”

“Or you’re worried you’re going to get embarrassed,” she quips.

He grunts, cracking his neck. I circle the counter and reach past Diane to get one of our whiskey glasses down. It’s the same one Sovereign and Keira gave us as a wedding gift. I pour a splash in the bottom and carry it to the table, sitting back down.

Outside, a door slams.

“You sure you don’t want to leave out the back?” I ask.

Sovereign shakes his head. “I came down here on business. I got as much right to be here as any.”

He’s made up his mind. Upstairs, I can hear Allison’s feet pattering. I sent River over to my mother’s for the night to get him out of the way.

“Sure you don’t want to go have a cigarette on the back porch?” I ask.

He shakes his head.

Boots crunch on the gravel. Then they come up the stairs. A hollow knock splits through the house.

“You’re on,” says Sovereign.

Downing the rest of my whiskey, I set the glass aside. My feet sound heavy as I move down the hall and pull the latch up. I open both doors and there’s a young man with blue eyes and dark hair standing on my porch.

“Hey, Cash,” I say.

He clears his throat, shifting his weight. There’s a bit of sweat on his temple and I know he’s all knotted up inside. He holds out his hand and I shake it.

“Came to pick up Allison, sir,” he says.

“I know,” I say, stepping aside. “Come on in.”

He steps over the threshold. I take his arm as he moves past me.

“Your dad’s here,” I say in a low voice.

He freezes, giving me a deer-in-headlights stare. “My—my dad’s here? Why?”

“I think he just wants to make sure you’re behaving,” I say. “He said he came down to get some papers for the horses we traded, but that’s bullshit, you know.”

“Thanks for the heads up,” he says.

“As long as you act right, we’ve got no problem with each other,” I say.

He nods, a quick jerk of his head. “Yes, sir. I mean, I will.”

“Alright, you go on into the kitchen.”

His throat bobs as he swallows. I give him a firm nod and he uses his palm to smooth his hair down on either side. Then he goes down the hall and I follow him. He trips up on the floor, right as he enters the kitchen, but manages to catch himself quickly.

Sovereign shifts in his chair. His pale eyes rest on his son.

There’s a long awkward silence. Diane clears her throat and turns off the stove, grabbing a mug and filling it up. She circles the table and hands it to Sovereign, but other than taking it, he doesn’t move. Awkwardly, she wipes her hands on her skirt.

---