Page 82 of Steadfast

I’m the villain in everyone’s story.

“Oakleigh, wait.” Maeve’s voice called out to her from the kitchen but it was too little too late.

She went through the house and out the front door. There was a break in the dark clouds, and the emerging sun felt warm. The muddy earth was cracking and drying, preserving the deep tire ruts that scarred the ordinarily smooth, dusty driveway.

Pulling the heavy barn door open, she grabbed a pitchfork off the wall. It was a chore that had to be done by someone, and it might as well be her. She dug the prongs of the pitchfork deep into the hay and lifted the matted mess into the wheelbarrow. She shoveled the damp, smelly barn floor until it was clean and bare. The job went by in a blur while Oakleigh’s mind spun wildly over everything she wished she could say to her mother.

I wish Crew was here.

The boys were still out looking for Lil’ Slim. Crew had texted her that they had found some tracks and were hopefully getting close to locating the little lost bull. All she wanted was to tuck into Crew’s strong arms while she vented all the issues weighing heavily on her mind.

A shadow appeared in the doorway. Oakleigh smiled at the irony that Crew would appear after only thinking about him just the moment before.

“There you are. I was just thinking about you.” When she turned, it wasn’t Crew standing there waiting to scoop her into a hug.

It was hermother.

Harper leaned on the door frame with a smug smile pasted on her face as she noticed Oakleigh’s disappointment.

“Sorry.” Harper shrugged.

Oakleigh knew it was the only apology she would probably ever receive.

“Why do you keep rushing out of the room like a coward?” Harper leaned on the doorpost and folded her arms. “That’s certainly not the way I raised you to be.”

Oakleigh stabbed the hay bale with her pitchfork a little more aggressively than she usually would. “Paisley was right about one thing. All you ever raised me to be was a fraud.”

Harper scoffed, “I taught you to be a winner, like me.” She shook her head in utter disappointment, “To think. My daughter, knee deep in horse filth.”

“Classy as always, Mom,” Oakleigh replied as she sprinkled the fresh hay over the clean barn floor.

“Oh yes, and I was horrible to you, right?” Harper’s voice dripped. “That’s the big narrative you’re spinning?”

Oakleigh slammed the steel prongs of the pitchfork into the concrete barn floor with a loud clang, bending them ever so slightly. “When I found out what you did, I wanted to tear your church down, brick by brick, with my bare hands.”

“And you did. Congratulations,” she seethed. “Now you’re a victim, just like Maeve.” Harper ran her tongue over her teeth. “I promised Delia I would try with you, and I did.”

Oakleigh couldn’t help but smirk. “Are you Delia’s errand girl now?”

“Private planes don’t pay for themselves, dear,” Harper spilled in a rare moment of honesty. Catching herself, she pivoted into the lies she had even convinced herself to believe. “Delia is my closest friend. She asked me to bring Mia home, and that is all. Which brings me to my next request.”

What Harper called a request was usually an innocently cloaked demand, and Oakleigh knew this one would be no different.

“Your Mercedes is in the ministry’s name, Oakleigh. I want it back,” Harper said, casually examining her nails.

Oakleigh felt her mouth drop open. Out of all the things, she had not expectedthat.“You want my car?”

“I want the money for your car, so sell it and wire me as soon as possible,” she snapped her attention back to Oakleigh. “No funny business. Make sure it’s at market value. I know what it’s worth, Oakleigh, and I want every penny,” she ordered, pointing her index finger toward her to mark her final word. “And no news about it on the internet. Have I made myself clear?”

Harper turned on her heels, taking her leave from the barn and the conversation as quickly as she had appeared.

Now that Oakleigh was alone there, she finally took a moment to breathe. She steadied herself, leaning hard on the pitchfork. Her racing heartbeat began to slow, and her anxiety faded until all she was left with was a harsh stomach ache.

Chapter 26

Lucky Lady

That Sunday afternoon, word spread that the storm had compromised the famed bridge into town. When Maeve talked it over with Dallas, they agreed it would be a shame to cancel church when so many were struggling and could use the support of their community.

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