Home Again

chapter 10

“I don’t care the cost, Ruby!” Elizabeth shouted “I want the first plan out to Pikeville at once and I will not take no for an answer. My grandson is in danger.”

“Mrs. Singleton, I do wish yous reconsider. There’s an awful big snowstorm gonna be headin’ that way right soon. You don’t do so well in cold weather. Why your arthritis will be working on you for the plane be landin’”

“You just let me handle my own do goodins and you get those tickets! I want to be there by tonight.” She walked over to her armoire and pulled out a box of letters.

“What do that miss?” The small dark woman questioned watching the other old woman cradling the small box.

“This Ruby is History! History that is gonna rear its ugly head and destroy the dynasty that I built. My family’s reputation and that of my grandson. Did I ever tell you about him? My Bradley, oh my goodness” She sighed holding the box close, “My darling boy is the spitin’ image of my Jasper, my son” She clarified. “That died years ago, his father. Jasper and his w***e of a wife died on their way on vacation in an airplane crash. Regina” She spat her name, “Just had to go to the Bahamas, and he had to fly her there.” She swayed across the room sarcastically, “She said it would be more romantic and it cost my precious boy his life.” She sank into the chair with a mist in her eyes. “My son loved to fly, Ruby. He was an expert you know.” She watched the old woman pat her hand.

“What happened miss?” She asks.

“The plane malfunctioned over the ocean” She wiped at her eyes with a handkerchief, “Nothing was recovered from the wreckage. I was left to raise my grandson Bradley who was in high school, a junior to be exact and his sister Dena who was a freshman.” She stood back up enraged “Well the story goes that Bradley was following in his father’s footsteps, the same track of life, the love of bad women who could never understand the importance of out stature and care for him the way he should be cared for.” She looked at herself in the wall mirror and threw her shoulders back proudly, “So I had to make sure the trollop wouldn’t be a problem. These letters are the truth. A truth that must never come out. That is why it must be tonight.”

“But miss whys come you to thank this bad woman be after your grandson for? Why it been years since theys seen each other ain’t it?” The woman fidgeted with her pink dress. “Besides your grandson got a child don’t he, surely he not gonna take in trouble with a child in da house.”

She paced over to sit beside her one the couch, “Ruby don’t be so naive. They were on the news together, that gold digger is after my boy again.” She looked back over her shoulder at the television and seen him whispering in her ear.

The anchor laughed “Looks like a rekindled romance in store for our beloved Melanie”

“Like hell!!!” The old woman darted to her room to her suitcase “Over my dead body!!!”

She opened the box and removed a letter and skimmed through it...

Dearest Bradley,

I hope this letter finds you well. I have missed you something terrible. I tried to call you many times, but I keep getting hung up on and then your phone numbers seemed to have changed. I really wanted to talk to you in person or on the phone, but I have been left with no other choice. I am pregnant Bradley! I hope I wouldn’t have to say it but Its yours. I am roughly four months won’t even know the gender for a little while longer. I am hoping you care enough about me to put our difference a side to at least be here for them. I love you Brad and I’m sorry.

Love you always,

Melanie Michael

She sat down on the edge of the neatly made bed, she did feel guilty to an extent, but she also knew deep down what kind of person she was dealing with. Those children could not be Brads. Knowing Bradley, he would have married the tramp and made an honest woman of her, paying for someone else doings. She couldn’t get away with it and she wouldn’t.

Bradley

He pulled into the parking lot and his phone had already been ringing nonstop. He seen her standing in all the arrogance that was Elizabeth Gielding Singleton. He opened the door on almost a sprint to get to her side, “Granny,” He kissed her cheeks.

“Get my luggage Bradley” She instructed and Like a good boy He did as he was told. He began to put her bags in the back of the truck.

“What are you waiting for dear help me in.” He took her hand and assisted her to the passenger side door opening it for her and practically lifting her in.

“That’s my strong boy.” She patted his face with one little cold hand. “Can we go? I am tired I have been standing in front of the airport for some time.”

“Of course, Granny.” He closed her door and slowly walked around the truck. Why? Oh why? did she have to show up now?

As they drove Brad prayed the drive would be in silence so he could keep mentally planning the date with Melanie for tomorrow night. She watched him as if, seeming to Brad that, something was on her mind. “So, Granny, what brings you home?”

“You do Bradley!” She smiled “I’ve missed you, my pet”

“I’ve missed you too Granny” He hated the way she said “Pet” made him feel like a Pomeranian.

“How is my charming Annie? Becoming more like her gorgeous mother every day, I hope. Such a tragedy Daphne’s passing. I know you must still be aching darling.” She reached out and touched his shoulder.

Every time he thought, “Yes, she does get more like her every day.”

“You know baby, not to push to soon but that child needs a mother and I know some lovely women...”

“I don’t think that is gonna be a problem anymore Granny” He was smiling. “I have a date tomorrow night”

“Is that right? With whom?” Her voice graveled, was she too late?

“Melanie,” He announced her name like she was a queen, The charlatan, she thought.

“Melanie?” She pretended to ponder the name, “I’m sorry pet I don’t recall the name. Did she attend the club with us? Oh, I know Melanie the darling little number that lived just down the road Or was that little blonde that’s father use to ride horses with us at the trail ride?”

“No, Melanie Michael, Granny” He raised one eyebrow. It was no secret that his grandmother had never been one of Melanie’s biggest fans, but they were all adults now.

“Michael… Michael…Oh yes, the high school crush,” she was silent the rest of the way home.

Brad pulled up to Dena’s porch, which was on the outskirts of the main ranch. “What are we doing here?”

“You will be staying with Dena and the girls because as I said Granny, I have a date.”

“Now Bradley, Granny won’t get in the way and I fully intend on sleeping in my own room. Although I live in Florida for the moment I still live here too. I will not stay here with Dena because you want to frolic.” She raised her head a little higher.

“Granny, I know you would love to get to know your darling Annie and Jessica a little better and they are both here. I am going to frolic to my heart’s content and hopefully bring home my fiancé tomorrow night. So, Granny, I’m sorry you didn’t give me notice you were coming, or I could have made reservations somewhere. Dena missed you terrible as she didn’t get to spend time with you as much as I did. You know Annie has been talking about that doll you bought her at Christmas last year and would love to hear more about why you thought it would be the perfect gift.” He stepped out of the truck and took a breath stabilizing himself, but who did she think she was popping up out of no where and trying to ruin his chances with Melanie.

Her baby was going to act like a man now and buck her well sometimes a grandmother must do what must be done, “Oh goodness Bradley” She held her chest. “I need help,”

“Granny?” he blew his horn rapidly and ran to the other side of the truck jerking her door open. “What’s wrong?”

“I just lost my breath and had a few pains in my chest. I think the excitement I guess, but I’ll be fine. You Could just help me child; get to the house and rest. I’ll stay here as you suggested and let you have your fun. After all you’re a grown man now and you can make you own decisions.” She creased her eyebrows and fluttered a tear; softly touching his face.

“I’m sorry Granny I didn’t mean too…”

“Shh, don’t worry about it darlin’. Defiance is part of growing up. Standing up for oneself is respectable.” She wrapped her arms around his neck allowing him to lift her.

“What happened?” Dena asks

“Granny, she’s sick”

“No baby, Granny’s gonna be fine I just need to lay down.” Bradley packed her into the house and up the stairs.

Dena was biting her nails gripping the receiver so hard she thought she might break it when Bradley suddenly reentered the room. “You know the rules. No, I don’t wanna talk about it. What else Is there to say? You got your slut, and I got my divorce. Leave me alone and don’t call me back. If you wanna talk to me, do it through my lawyer.” She slammed the phone down.

“You want me to pulverize his face for you?” He smiled slamming his left fist into his right palm, “Hell, I owe him one for the hell he put you through.”

“No but thank you. So, how is she?”

“She seems to be fine. I’m sure it was just the trip taking a toll and the tiff we had.”

“Tiff?”

“She wanted to stay at the main house with me and I told her about my date. She wasn’t pleased.”

“So, what did she say about Melanie?”

“Nothing, it wasn’t like that. She just said that I needed to find Annie a mother. Why?”

“No reason! I just think it’s strange that Mel is in town and so is Granny. I mean no love loss there”

“What are you talking about? The only thing granny has ever said was that we were too young to get married” He sat on the couch.

“Oh, come now Brad; you never saw or heard the temperament that Granny always extended to Melanie.”

“No and Mel has never said anything about it either.”

“She wouldn’t because she has always worshiped the ground you walk on and knows how close you are to her.” She sat down too. “Just do me a favor if anything is said, from either side will you come and talk to me before you overreact.”

“What do you think I am going to hear?” Brad straightened his hat.

“I’d rather you just come talk to me if something comes up. After all, these two are very combustible.”

“Combustible? Dena, you are talking about our Grandmother; the woman who practically raised us. She only wants the best for us.” He stood.

Not wanting to be out done, she stood too, “The best for us Brad; we are not in high school anymore, we are already grown. We have both made mistakes, as all people do. All I am asking is for you to think about how easy it is for Granny to manipulate situations, as she has always done to get ahead.”

“Manipulate! That’s rich. You are talking about our grandmother. The woman laid her life on the line to give us everything; food, toys, education, and Hell a roof!!! She is our family; The matriarch of our family. She loves us and I can’t even understand you right now.” He stormed out.

“Brad wait please.” She stood in the doorway watching his truck speed out the distance. That went well!! Poor Melanie!!! This is going to end in distress long before we see a happy ending; She shut the door.