Page 31 of Words from the Heart
Chapter 23
Delilah had forgotten about the letter from Momma Belle. Her morning tryst with Parker had left her more confused than ever. She’d been back home a couple of months and her feelings for him were more than she could comprehend. Pulling on some clothes, she decided a visit to her grandmother’s attorney was in order. Maybe he could shed some light on what she’d meant to tell her.
When she came out of the house, her vision was assaulted with a shirtless Parker and Hank. Both men were sights that took your breath away. Chiseled perfection that glistened in the afternoon sunlight. And although Hank was a fine specimen in his own right, her eyes couldn’t stay off Parker.
“Parker,” Delilah called out, “I’ll be back. I need to go in to town to see my grandmother’s attorney.”
“Be careful,” Parker stalked toward her as she slipped into the driver seat of her green truck. Leaning into the cab, he pressed his lips to hers, “I have to work tonight, so I’ll stop by on duty.”
“Ok.” Delilah pulled the door shut and backed out. This man was going to wreck her.
∞ ∞ ∞
“Hi, Don,” Delilah smiled as she took a seat across from the older man.
“Delilah, it’s great to see you. How have you been settling in so far?”
“I’ve been good. Look, I don’t want to take up all your time, so I’ll just get to the point.”
“Wow, just like your grandma – no wasting time. Alright, what is it?”
“Did you know if there was something wrong with Momma Belle?”
Don shifted in his chair, “What do you mean?”
“Well, I found a box of letters she wrote me. And one of them made it sound like something was wrong. But she said she’d tried to call me – of course I found out that my ex-fiancé had been blocking her calls and deleting my voicemails, so I never got the message.”
Picking up a glass filled with water, Don swallowed. He wiped his forehead, obviously nervous. “Were there any other letters?”
“Well, yeah. But I got sidetracked and didn’t read another one yet. I thought maybe you could just tell me.”
“Delilah, you need to finish those letters. She left them for a reason.”
“So, you don’t know or just won’t tell me?”
“Can’t.”
“Can’t?” Delilah questioned.
“Your grandmother made me promise to let you learn things on your own. The only thing she asked me to do was get the finances taken care of and if you didn’t find the box, to tell you where to look. But it looks like you found it.”
“Wait… this makes no sense, Don. She’s dead. How will she know what you told me? Please. This is driving me nuts.”
“She was clear, Delilah. And I loved that woman, more than she will ever know – so the last thing I intend to do is honor her wishes. Go home. Read the letters. All will be answered and revealed.”
Delilah pushed her chair back, “Thanks for nothing, Don.” She turned on her heel and stalked out of his office.
“Delilah,” Don called after her.
“What?” she glanced over her shoulder.
“Read the letters. When you’re done. Find me – ok?”
“Sure… Whatever.” Delilah rushed out of the office and hurried to her truck. She couldn’t believe Don refused to help her. He knew something, she was sure of it. She was so lost in her head, she was pulling into her driveway before she realized it. Parker and Hank were gone, leaving her alone in the house. Sadness filled her when she glanced towards the barn, suddenly remembering Ed wasn’t there waiting for a ride made her eyes burn. She should have never left Alabama all those years ago. Maybe things would be different.
Hurrying up the stairs, she anxiously pulled open the box and pulled the next letter free. Slamming the lid shut, she tucked it under her arm. She needed to be outside, breathing fresh air as she read her grandmothers words.
Dear Delilah,
Remember the curve ball I told you about? Well, I must be the unluckiest human on the planet because I had another one thrown. For your entire life I knew nothing of your father. Your mother had been so tight lipped and after she died, I found nothing. For years I couldn’t understand how I’d missed her being in a relationship. But she had been, or else you wouldn’t be here today. A few days ago, I was going through some boxes in the barn, and I found her diary. I couldn’t believe all these years the key was buried in a damn box – right under our noses. Delilah, your father’s name is David Brighton. He was a Marine, like Parker. From what I could gather, he was a captain and had been deployed. They’d dated for a few weeks, and the day after he left, she learned she was pregnant. Her entries were a bit sporadic, but it seems as though she lost contact with him when he went on a mission. The last entry she talked about trying to locate him because you were turning one. She wanted you to know your dad, but she died. Baby, I wish I was able to locate him. I haven’t talked to Parker about it, I want to talk to you first. Maybe he can help find your dad.
I love you,
Momma Belle.
Delilah couldn’t stop looking at the name penned on the paper. Her father. David Brighton. All these years her dad was in the barn… well, not really. But she could have searched him out long before now had they just gone through the boxes sooner. Rapping her fingers on the wooden lid, she tossed the folded sheet inside and pulled out the second to last letter.
Part of her was nervous about opening it as it was the only connection to Momma Belle she had left. Once she read them all, what would there be to make her feel Momma Belle’s presence? She flicked the envelope, slipped it back inside the box, and closed the lid. For now, she needed to talk to Parker. Maybe he could help her locate information about her dad.
