Picture Perfect Deception

Chapter 1 July 1, 2017 Darby "Omg Darbs, this place is amazing!" Syd said as we walked into the house.  "I love it, but I really don't want you guys to leave."   "Oh come on, you don't need me and the kids getting in your way."   "You guys aren't in the way.  It's YOUR house!  Besides, I love story time with Micah and Chels, even though she swears she's getting too big for it," we both laughed.   "That girl," I said, shaking my head.  "Anyway...Syd, you and Cole need your space.  It's okay.  It's time.  Really!"   Let me back up a little bit.  Almost three years ago, my world was rocked and changed forever when my husband Terrance passed away pretty unexpectedly from prostate cancer.   Terrance Lockhart and I met online.  I swore up and down that I would never do the online dating thing.  I know it's worked for some people, but it made me feel...desperate.  It's only for weirdos, I used to tell myself.  Then one night, I was I don't know...bored, lonely, horny, all of the above.  Add to that I was tired of the club scene and I decided, what the hell, can't be worse than what I've already met.   I went out with several major losers before Terrance.  I was literally on the verge of deleting my account when he messaged me.  I almost didn't even read it, but something told me to go for it.    I'm so happy that I did. It changed my life for the better.  The message was nothing super spectacular, but his tone right off the bat was different and I liked that.   Our first date was a complete disaster.  I can be a bit of a klutz and I ended up spilling drinks all over both of us, ruining his pants then later, I ripped my dress when it got caught on a door handle.  I was so completely embarrassed and figured that he would speed off as soon as I was out of his car, but when he dropped me off, he said, "I can't wait to see what you have in store for our next date."  I spent the rest of the night and the next day smiling.   When I saw him the next time he not only had flowers for me and a small teddy bear for Chels and he hadn't even met her yet.  He said, "I know who really runs things and if the boss isn't happy then nobody is happy.  I'm, trying to get in good with the boss lady."  I knew he was the right one then.   It was a pretty whirlwind romance, within eight months we were married.  He was truly my gift from heaven.  About a year later Micah was born.   Right around Micah's first birthday, Terrance started having some issues.  "Babe, something's wrong," he said waking me up one morning.   "What's wrong T?"   "I don’t know.  It hurts when I piss." Of course, my first thought was, this ass has cheated on me and caught something.   "There's blood when I pee too, he said."   I instantly shot up out of bed.   "T, baby, how long has this been going on?"   "A few months, I guess."   "A few months! Terrance, what in the world!  You need to call the doctor and I mean ASAP! Please!"   "Calm down babe, I'm sure it's nothing major.  I'll be fine."   How those words haunted me.  He was diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer, which was unusual for someone his age. We tried different treatments but it was too far advanced.  He deteriorated so quickly.  In a matter of months, I watched as my tall, broad-shouldered former college football playing husband became this frail, weak man that I barely recognized.  My whole world came crashing down when I lost the love of my life.  So now I was a young widow with two small children.   Shortly after Terrance passed, my brother Colton gave up a job and a life that he loved to move back home to help me with my two kids.  When he came back, he said, "It's no big deal.  It's just what you do for family."  His girlfriend at the time, Imani, told him that she completely understood his decision and promised him that they would make it work.  He wasn't back home more than five months before she broke it off with him.  I felt awful.  He never even let on that it bothered him.  That's my big brother, truly one of the most amazing men I know.   A little over a year ago, Colton met Sydnee at his friend Wyatt's wedding and he fell head over heels for her.  Things were a little rocky at first, but they finally got their s**t together.  I adore Sydnee and so do the kids.  She's this gorgeous redhead bombshell with a personality as fiery as her hair.  Honestly, she fits right in with us.   About six months ago Colton asked Syd to move in with him.  She said yes, but this meant she had to leave her best friend Stephane behind.   Syd and Steph were really more like sisters than best friends and had been inseparable since childhood, so it was a little rough for her at first.  It was Stephane that ultimately encouraged her to make the move, she told Syd that she didn't want her to miss out on something great, especially now she was married.  It was obvious to everyone that Sydnee was completely crazy about Colton, but she had never been "on her own."   I wasn't there when Syd first left Nashville, but Colton said it was pretty rough.  Lots of crying, "I love you's" and "I'll miss you's."   The first two weeks she was here, she alternated between crying, moping and crying some more.  I really thought that at any moment she might say "I can't do this," and pack up and leave.  Colton was so sweet and patient, just saying "Give her time, she'll be okay."  Steph called every day.  Wyatt told Cole that she was taking it pretty hard as well. During the third week, her "mom" dropped in to check on her.   "Syd, baby girl, you have to snap out of this!"   "I know Ma Viv, it's just hard, you know.  I feel like I lost a piece of myself."   "Sweetie, I know.  Imagine how I felt the year that both of my girls moved out and left me behind," she smiled.  "Here's the thing baby, life moves forward.  You still have each other, it's just that now you both have other people that want to be involved in your lives, to help you flourish and grow.  It can't be just the two of you forever.  Just like we adjusted when you two left for college, you'll adjust again.  I promise!  Besides, you have that gorgeous man worried to pieces about you.  You're lucky he's so into you, if I was younger, I might snatch him up."   "Eww…umm no Ma that's disgusting. Stop it before I call Pops."   It was the first time that Syd had laughed in three weeks.  By the end of the month she seemed back to her normal self; laughing and joking and playing with the kids.   I knew as Colton and Syd's relationship developed, they were going to need their space, so I decided that it was time for us to move out.   Mama and her gentleman friend, as she called him, Bernard were getting along really well and he stayed at her place most of the time, so staying with her was out of the question.  I took it as a sign that it was time for me to pick up and venture out on my own, once again.   "I'm really going to miss you guys!  So much change in such a short time, ugh."   "We'll miss you too Syd, but it's not like we are leaving the state.  We aren't even leaving the city," I laughed.   "I know, but I really liked having you there. Now I'll be stuck all alone with that tall, sexy brother of yours.  Who knows what kind of trouble we'll get into," she winked.   "Eww Syd, TMI okay," I chuckled.   "So have you definitely decided on this place or are you going to look at a few more?"   "No, I think this is it.  It's plenty big enough for us, plus it has a really nice yard in the back.  Maybe I can convince Cole to put up a swing set for the kids or something."   "I don't think it's going to take much convincing.  He probably already has one picked out."   "So true," I said and we both laughed, knowing that it wasn't a far-fetched statement.  "I pick up the keys early Monday morning and the movers come Wednesday."   "Holy crap, that's fast!"   "It's the beginning of the month.  Best time to do it!"  I sighed deeply, remembering my last place with Terrance.   “Darbs, are you okay?” Syd asked, shaking me from my memories.   “Huh? Oh yeah, I’m good.”   “I can’t wait to see the rest of the house,” she said, walking down the hallway toward the living room.   “It’s not much, but it’s mine, plus the kids will have their own rooms.”   As we walked around my new townhouse, I laid out my design plans for Syd and she promised to help me move and unpack.   I love her to pieces.     Chapter 2   Darby MOVING DAY! Jesus take the wheel if my Mamadoesn’t go somewhere! She needs to have several seats.  Where are Cole and Bernard when I need them?