Storms had come and gone, had torn buildings to pieces, but not Mer Drace’s house. Tempest and Autumn’s uncle, Damon would board up the windows, but did nothing else to reinforce it. Her house was always left unscathed. She knew when someone was coming to visit her. No one seemed surprised when they arrived and she’d already laid out their favorite treat.
“Girl, quit talking about my grandmother. She knows when you talk about her, Mona.”
“I ain’t scared of your grandmother. The woman is ninety. She can’t catch me. So there.” Mona grinned like a little kid who just won a dare.
Mer Drace was seventy-one, and she looked better, and had more energy than a woman or man thirty years younger. “She is not, Mona, and I bet you any money you wouldn’t say this to her face.”
“Now I’m crazy , but I ain’t that damn crazy.” Mona stuck her hand on her hip. “I like Mer Drace and I wouldn’t do anything to hurt her feelings.”
“You can’t hurt Mer Drace’s feelings, so save , it little girl. You’re scared of a beat down,” Erica interjected. “Now, let’s get going. It’s a long drive back to Lockport.” Mona would drop her off in Raceland, where she lived, before she reached her own house in Lockport.
Once Erica and Mona were on their way, Reggie and Autumn settled in the family room to catch up. They hadn’t been alone since she arrived. Curled up on the leather couch with her feet tucked underneath her bottom, Autumn sipped herbal tea Reggie had made before they settled in the cozy room. Reggie handed her a white envelope.
“What’s this?” She sat the cup down on a coaster before she accepted the envelope from Reggie’s hand.
“It’s got your name on it. It was on top of the pan you put in the refrigerator last night.”
Autumn frowned. She didn’t remember putting an envelope on the pan of food last night. And then it dawned on her. Travis had given it to her the night before as they’d left his parents’ house. She looked at it for a moment, and turned it over. It was sealed, so no one knew what was in it.
“Well , aren’t you going to open it? Aren’t you the least bit curious about what’s in it?” Reggie badgered her.
Autumn looked at the envelope , and then at Reggie before she stuck her finger through a tiny slit and ripped the top open. She pulled out a single sheet, which was folded in half, from inside, paused, and then carefully unfolded the paper.
Please call me, we need to talk.
She scanned the note a second time. Maybe she missed something. The note included his request to call him, his phone number, and signature; nothing else. It was generic enough to mean they needed to talk about the plans for the wedding, but Autumn had the sneaky suspicion that Travis had something else on his agenda. At that moment, she planned to ignore his note.
“Well, what does it say?” Autumn handed the note to Reggie, who looked at it, read it, and then looked up at Autumn. “So you two are going to work out your plans for next week?” She smiled.
Autumn stood and reached down for her cup before she stomped off to the kitchen. “I don’t think your brother-in-law is interested in talking about wedding plans.” She looked back at Reggie.
Curious where the conversation was headed, Reggie followed her into the kitchen. “And exactly what is it you think he wants ?” She grinned from ear to ear.
Autumn rolled her eyes before turning to fill her cup with pre-made tea. “You know him better that I do ,” she replied without turning around.
Reggie nudged her from behind. “I know you better than I know him and I’ll say you’re just as interest ed in Travis as he is in you.”
Autumn turned and faced Reggie. “Regina, you know I’m not getting involved with your brother-in-law or anyone else. I’m just not going to do it.”
“That’s crazy. Why not? He likes you, you like him…”
“You know exactly why.” Autumn headed back to the cozy
“Girl, quit talking about my grandmother. She knows when you talk about her, Mona.”
“I ain’t scared of your grandmother. The woman is ninety. She can’t catch me. So there.” Mona grinned like a little kid who just won a dare.
Mer Drace was seventy-one, and she looked better, and had more energy than a woman or man thirty years younger. “She is not, Mona, and I bet you any money you wouldn’t say this to her face.”
“Now I’m crazy , but I ain’t that damn crazy.” Mona stuck her hand on her hip. “I like Mer Drace and I wouldn’t do anything to hurt her feelings.”
“You can’t hurt Mer Drace’s feelings, so save , it little girl. You’re scared of a beat down,” Erica interjected. “Now, let’s get going. It’s a long drive back to Lockport.” Mona would drop her off in Raceland, where she lived, before she reached her own house in Lockport.
Once Erica and Mona were on their way, Reggie and Autumn settled in the family room to catch up. They hadn’t been alone since she arrived. Curled up on the leather couch with her feet tucked underneath her bottom, Autumn sipped herbal tea Reggie had made before they settled in the cozy room. Reggie handed her a white envelope.
“What’s this?” She sat the cup down on a coaster before she accepted the envelope from Reggie’s hand.
“It’s got your name on it. It was on top of the pan you put in the refrigerator last night.”
Autumn frowned. She didn’t remember putting an envelope on the pan of food last night. And then it dawned on her. Travis had given it to her the night before as they’d left his parents’ house. She looked at it for a moment, and turned it over. It was sealed, so no one knew what was in it.
“Well , aren’t you going to open it? Aren’t you the least bit curious about what’s in it?” Reggie badgered her.
Autumn looked at the envelope , and then at Reggie before she stuck her finger through a tiny slit and ripped the top open. She pulled out a single sheet, which was folded in half, from inside, paused, and then carefully unfolded the paper.
Please call me, we need to talk.
She scanned the note a second time. Maybe she missed something. The note included his request to call him, his phone number, and signature; nothing else. It was generic enough to mean they needed to talk about the plans for the wedding, but Autumn had the sneaky suspicion that Travis had something else on his agenda. At that moment, she planned to ignore his note.
“Well, what does it say?” Autumn handed the note to Reggie, who looked at it, read it, and then looked up at Autumn. “So you two are going to work out your plans for next week?” She smiled.
Autumn stood and reached down for her cup before she stomped off to the kitchen. “I don’t think your brother-in-law is interested in talking about wedding plans.” She looked back at Reggie.
Curious where the conversation was headed, Reggie followed her into the kitchen. “And exactly what is it you think he wants ?” She grinned from ear to ear.
Autumn rolled her eyes before turning to fill her cup with pre-made tea. “You know him better that I do ,” she replied without turning around.
Reggie nudged her from behind. “I know you better than I know him and I’ll say you’re just as interest ed in Travis as he is in you.”
Autumn turned and faced Reggie. “Regina, you know I’m not getting involved with your brother-in-law or anyone else. I’m just not going to do it.”
“That’s crazy. Why not? He likes you, you like him…”
“You know exactly why.” Autumn headed back to the cozy
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