Sweet Southern Haven

Dinner

{Noelle’s POV}

I wasn’t sure what to wear for this dinner and a talk, so I pulled on some old jeans and a tank top, throwing on a button up overtop. I walked downstairs as I heard a knock on the front door. I looked and could see Silas with some bags standing at the front door. I opened it up, and motioned for him to come in. He was wearing a pair of plaid red, and black pajama bottoms and a black t-shirt. He took off his boots at the door and had on some black socks, with red paw prints on them. I couldn’t help but chuckle as he walked into the kitchen setting the bags on the counter.

“Are you laughing at my socks?” He asked, trying his best to sound offended, but the chuckle in his voice told me that he was embarrassed.

“No! I would never!” I giggled. “I wasn’t sure what to wear, I didn’t know this was going to be a pajama party!” I said, closing the door. “Hang on, I’ll be right back. I turned making my way back up to my room, and quickly changed. Into a tank top and high waisted shorts pajama set. It was black, wool knitted, and had a matching robe. I left the robe hanging open, and put on a pair of pink and black fluffy socks.

I made my way back downstairs and sat down at the island, watching as Silas had already gotten out the dishes that he needed and began preparing dinner. “There, now I feel like I belong at this pajama party.” I chuckled, walking to the fridge and grabbing a beer. I cracked it open on the side of the counter and handed it to him. “I know I can’t drink, but I figured one wouldn’t hurt you.. and I also thought you may need it.” I said, before walking around to the other side of the island and sitting down.

“Thank you.. I think I could use it actually.” He said, taking a long drink before setting it down and getting back to mixing up some ingredients in a bowl.

“Are you sure you don’t need any help?” I asked, watching him carefully mix up some dry ingredients in a bowl.

He chuckled, “I’m sure, but I think that it’ll be fun if we take turns cooking. So I’ll cook a dish this week, and next week you cook a dish. What do you think?” He asked, looking over to me.

“Hmm.. sounds like a plan to me.” I said, smiling at him. For the first time in a while, I feel completely comfortable around a man. It’s been hard after everything with Parker.. but Silas.. he’s nothing like Parker.. he can be stubborn, and demanding, even infuriating.. but I know that he wouldn’t hurt me. He began pulling some other items out of the bags, potatoes, corn on the cob, cornmeal, and chicken. “What are you making Silas?” I asked, looking up at him with fascination.

“Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, Mac and cheese, and cornbread!” He smiled, beginning to peel that potatoes.

“Let me at least peel the potatoes!” I said, grabbing the knife from him and pulling the potatoes to my side of the island. “That way you can focus on the other stuff for now.” I smiled.

“Fine.. but that means I get to help you with something next week!” He chuckled, grabbing some pots and placing them on the stove, beginning to boil some water. He placed the corn in the pot, and salted it, before salting the water for the potatoes. He handed me a bowl to put the potatoes in, I decided to peel and dice them, to help this go by a little faster. I placed the diced potatoes in the bowl, and once they were done, I carried them to the stove, tossing them into the pot. I sat the bowl in the sink, and turned to Silas who was now dredging the chicken. He began placing pieces in the fryer, and I could see he had already gotten the cornbread on the oven. Once all the chicken was on, he washed his hands and cleaned up the island. “Now, all we do is wait.” He said, flipping the chicken, and stirring the potatoes.

“It smells amazing already!” I smiled. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had fried chicken.. that was always mama’s favorite meal.”

He chuckled. “It was Roy’s favorite too.. he talked about how he used to make it every Sunday.. sometimes he’d invite us over and we’d all eat together, he was a great cook.”

I froze, thinking for a moment. “D-Did he ever talk about me.. or my mom?” I asked, looking up at him.

He smiled, and nodded. “He talked about Maria and you all the time.. he would say that sometimes he thought he made the wrong choice.. but he couldn’t bring himself to leave the ranch. Your mama was so dead set on leaving, on selling this place, and he just couldn’t imagine doing that. This ranch was passed down for generations through the Bennett family, now, it’s been passed down to you.”

“Wait.. wait.. mom left him?” I asked, trying to figure out what was going on.

“That’s how I’d always heard it, mama, daddy, and Roy all said that Maria wanted to leave and go to the city.. that she begged Roy to sell the ranch and go with her, but he couldn’t bring himself to sell this place.. or to leave. Apparently, after months of arguing, Maria packed your alls bags and took you, leaving the ranch, and your daddy behind.” He said, flipping the chicken again.

“Mom always said that dad abandoned us..” I sighed, rubbing my temples. “Alright.. not the trauma I need to unpack tonight. I turned to Silas. “So.. you wanted to know about my scars right?” I asked, letting out a deep sigh slowly.