Backwoods Barbee

Chapter 5

Kelly's P.O.V

" You did great tonight" Aaron said as we were cleaning up the bar and it was closing time. " Thanks, it has always felt like second nature to me doing this" I replied as we finished washing the glasses. Aaron nudged me as I put the towel down. " You still have an admirer..." as he pointed at the end of the bar and there sat Glynn, on his phone then looking up at me and smirking. " Whatever, the guy can forget it" as I walked down to where he was sitting. " You do realize it's past your bedtime, right?" I smarted off to him. " Haha, actually I'm a night owl. I prefer staying up late..especially when there is someone worth staying up for" as his perfect smile entranced me. " Well I'm sure all the ladies are lining up at your door, so if you will excuse me. I have to clean up and go to bed after this" I said as I grabbed his beer glass and took it down to the sink and washed it. Glynn got up and put some money in the tip jar and then left. I blew out a breathe I didn't know I was holding.

" Go on, get some rest Kelly. I'll finish up here" Aaron said as I nodded. I went into Mac's office and grabbed my purse. As I was walking out of the bar, only a few vehicles were still here. Some people probably left their car, to drunk to drive. As I got closer to my Jeep, I felt a presence near me. " Well... Well... lovely daughter of mine...let me help you in"

My father Daniel said as I turned around and there he was staggering all over the place. " Get the hell away from me!" I shouted as he pushed me back into my Jeep. " Kelly, I know you've got money, I need some now!" He roared at me. " No, leave me alone, you think you can just show up and beg for money! Forget it!" I said as I fumbled for my keys to open my door. My dad came charging at me again and before he got to me, another person pushed him to the ground. " Glynn?" I said. " Hey you okay?" He asked me as my father just laid on the gravel driveway. " Yeah.." I stammered out. " Hey let's get you out of here" he said as he held his hand out towards me. Being shook up and angry, I took it not thinking anything about the danger I could be in with him. I was more scared of what my father could do. Glynn led me to his lifted Jeep and opened the passenger door. I was still in shock, he put the seatbelt on for me and closed the door. I just held onto my purse, shaking. Glynn got in and placed his large hand on mine, " It's going to be okay " he said as I felt myself trying to calm down. " Where are you staying?" He asked me as I just couldn't speak. He started driving away from Mac's Bar and I still couldn't get my head around what had happened. " Why did you help?" " Well, I heard the shouting and when I saw you in distress, I figured you needed some help." He smiled at me.

" Well..thanks...I'm not used to being helped " I said sadly. " You're welcome, anything to help a damsel in distress" he joked as I laughed. " So where to?" He asked once more. "Wherever your staying" I said boldly. He just looked at me and he looked taken aback. " Umm yeah, sure..." he stammered out. He didn't seem to be one that would nervous with a woman, but maybe he was with me.

Glynn's P.O.V

When she suggested my place, I was nervous. I wasn't one to bring a girl back to anyplace that I was staying. I usually rented a room or went to their place. I wasn't sure what was going to happen but this was way better than getting her phone number. We pulled up to my cousins house and we stepped out. " Wow this place is beautiful, your related to Bradley Harris?" She asked. " Yeah how did you know?" I replied as I opened the front door for her. " When you live in a small town, you know pretty much everyone especially on the lake" she said as she took in the open layout and walked out towards the back porch. I left her alone with her thoughts as I grabbed two beers from the fridge and walked outside with her. " Here you go" as I handed her a beer. " Thanks" as she took a long pull and then sighed. " I normally don't do this..going to guy's houses..or drinking" she blurted out. " Don't worry about it, I wasn't expecting anything " I said and she just glared at me. " Ha, yeah right" as she took another swig. " No, I'm serious, you're different...." I said as her blue eyes moistened in the moonlight. " Thank you.. " she replied as a lone tear went down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away and I motioned for us to sit down on the patio couch that overlooked the lake. The water was shining against the quiet starry sky. She sighed and took another swig of her beer, tapping her finger against the glass. " So.." I began not sure what was a good topic to start with but then Kelly cleared her throat. " He wasn't always this way" she said as she looked over at me. " What do you mean?" I asked as she turned towards me and I watched her tan legs glistening against the moonlight. I couldn't help but where my thoughts were going, so I tried to stay focused on her by looking up. She smiled, " He was the best dad, always at my softball games, always willing to help others." She smiled then turned sad,

[ ] " After my mother passed, it was like his whole world had been taken from him. It didn't matter that I still needed a parent, he just gave up. He lost his job at the chicken factory, went through his savings and credit cards. I ended up having to get a job just to make it by. Then he started threatening me that if I didn't bring him money, he would sell all my mother's jewelry " she began sobbing. I got up and got her a tissue , " Thanks, I just wish I still had her here and that he hadn't lost himself in the process" as she took another drink and I pondered about what to say. " Losing a parent is hard, I'm sorry you had to go through all of that " I said sincerely. I knew what it was like to have one parent try to raise you and feel like there was always something missing. " My mother would come and visit from time to time but it wasn't the same. After she left, my father quickly remarried someone younger but she was more interested in the money not his sons. Our nanny, Sylvia she was the real deal. She was my mother" I said as I felt her gaze on me deepen. " It never gets any easier huh?" She said as I nodded in agreement.

We sat and watched the water ripple on the top of the lake as the crickets chirped in the distance. " I never realized how quiet it is out here" I said. " Yes it is, but the best part of the country is the place we first met" she said quietly. She looked down as she was deep in thought and had something else to say.