Over the Hedge: Part 2- The Finale (Lucky in Love) Read online

  “It was just very uncomfortable listening to you guys talk about that couple who were getting a divorce. I didn’t think it was fair to cast a negative light on her husband because he was having a hard time finding a job. I mean when Crystal and I got together I wasn’t working so…” Brian’s words trailed off.

  I sighed heavily, looking at the little boy sitting before me. Yes, Brian was an adult by standards of age, but the way he carried himself, there was hardly anything adult like about him. Again, I had to wonder what Crystal was doing with him.

  “Why would you even suggest Lashawnda was pregnant? Did you think it was gonna magically make us forget you were mooching off my daughter?” I walked around the room and sat behind my large oak desk.

  “Mr. Price, I don’t think—”

  “I didn’t ask you what you were thinking,” I said, cutting him off. “The time that was given to you to say your peace about the situation at the dinner table. Instead of discussing it, you decided to stick your foot in your mouth. Boy, you’re lucky Sean didn’t stick his foot up your ass for talking out of turn.”

  I chuckled at the mental image. Sean was a nice young man. Always courteous and kind whenever we had him over the house. I’ve even seen him blush when Lashawnda gave him adoring looks. Never thought the young man would turn into a raging bull. But it was nice to know he was just as protective of my daughter as I was.

  Brian looked past my shoulder, and his body sagged. I followed his line of vision and caught a glimpse of Crystal through the window walking out in the backyard.

  She was highly agitated and was attempting to kick something out of her way. I looked back at Brian and noticed his eyes lacked any care or concern regarding Crystal’s emotional state. It shocked me. He looked at her as if he was watching a stranger. This wasn’t how a husband was supposed to look at his wife. This wasn’t how I wanted any man to look at my daughter.

  “Son, do you love my daughter?” I asked.

  “Yes, sir. I care very deeply for Crystal,” Brian answered quickly.

  I didn’t miss the fact Brian said, ‘he cared for her’…not that he loved her.

  “Why did you ask her to marry you?”

  Brian sat for a minute, obviously thinking extremely hard about the question before he answered.

  “I don’t know, Sir. Honestly, at the time, everything just happened so fast, and I was beyond ecstatic when she gave me the time of day. I guess I figured I would never find another woman like Crystal, so I married her.” His voice wavered as he explained himself.

  “And, do you still feel that way?”

  “No, sir I don’t.” Brian paused and took a long breath. He scratched at his brow, rubbed his hands down his jeans covered thighs, and chewed on his lip as if it was a tender piece of steak. “Sometimes…sometimes I just... I feel like we are too different. She’s too much for me to handle. I can never do anything right in her eyes.”

  Brian shamelessly admitted. “When we get into arguments, it’s like no matter how right I am, she can never be wrong. She’s into more of a party life than I am, so I always feel uncomfortable whenever we go out with her friends. Plus, she…”

  “Okay, I’ve heard enough. I don’t give a damn why you married my daughter. But, the fact of the matter is that you did. I’m glad you finally grew some damn balls and admit you overstepped your bounds with a woman that was too much for you to handle. Now, you will release my daughter from this marriage.”

  “I understand sir…but Crystal—”

  “I don’t give a damn what Crystal wants right now. She is hard-headed and hates to admit when she’s wrong. Y’all are gonna end this shit.” I stood up having the urge to slap Brian in the back of the head. “Boy, get the hell out of my face, so I can find out what’s going on with my other daughter.”

  “Okay. Y-yes, Sir.” Brian scrambled from the chair, making his way toward the office door.

  “Brian…” I called when he had the door open.

  “Yes, sir?”

  “I don’t have to tell you to apologize to my wife for acting out of turn at her table; do I?”

  “No, sir; you don’t.”

  “Good,” I responded before following Brian down the hallway.

  Maybe God was right in giving me, three daughters. I couldn’t deal with an idiot for a son.

  In the middle of my steps toward the dining table, I paused, watching Brent devour the last crab cake. It was like witnessing a wad of money sitting next to an open flame. You just knew something terrible was gonna happen, and you couldn’t stop it. Watching him take that last bite was brutal. It hurt to the core, and there was nothing I could do about it.

  Right then I made a mental note to bar Brent from coming over to my house.

  I’d seen it happen to some of my friends. Their children invite a friend over for dinner one time, and before you know it, you end up seeing them every morning, noon, and night at your dinner table. I liked the young man, but I’d be damned if I let him eat me out of house and home. Worst of all he looked like the type to walk around another man’s kitchen in his boxers eating breakfast.

  I was putting my foot down. I’ve had it up to here with these young men.

  CHAPTER 11

  SEAN

  When Lashawnda and I walked into the dining room, I noticed a few things. Mrs. Price had a worried expression on her face. Brent was busy demolishing a piece of smoked salmon. Poor Crystal had her head propped up on her upturned palm, looking as if her world had just been flipped upside down. Two people were missing. And, Ma was peering at me like she was ready for an interrogation.

  Lashawnda smiled at everyone reassuringly and pulled me farther into the dining room. She stepped around the table to stand beside Crystal as I made my way back to my seat. I squeezed my mother’s shoulder in comfort, letting her know everything would be okay.

  “Where are Daddy and Brian?” she asked Crystal.

  “Daddy pulled him into his office.” Crystal was pushing her peas around her plate and kept her head bowed low. “You know if Daddy pulled Brian into his office to have a private conversation, it’ll seal the fate of our marriage.”

  “Crystal…” Lashawnda said, giving her sister a soothing hug.

  She took the seat next to her, the same chair Brian had just vacated, and reached under the table to hold her hand.

  “Lashawnda? Is everything okay?” Ma cleared her throat and looked at the two sisters. “Seeing you upset like that was very disconcerting.”

  “Yes, Mrs. Colcord, everything is perfect,” Lashawnda answered quickly.

  “Come here.” I motioned for her to take her seat next to me. Although she was reluctant about leaving her sister’s side, she came. Our mothers had questions, and rightfully so. I didn’t want Lashawnda having to divulge something that was supposed to be between us by herself.

  Because she was so upset earlier, I needed to reassure her this wasn’t just about her. This was about us as a unit. Lashawnda looked at me questioningly, and I nodded my head in assertion. She took a deep breath and looked around the room before speaking. Brent had stopped eating long enough to listen to what she was about to say. But, the fork full of seasoned rice was at the ready for when she finished.

  “Umm…we…” She stopped and took a deep breath. “I thought I might be expecting after being a week late. But this morning it became clear I wasn’t. So, Brian calling Sean and I out was just a low blow to what I knew wasn’t possible.”

  “Oh, Sis. I’m sorry if what he said upset you.” Crystal reached across the table and grabbed Lashawnda’s hand, urgently apologizing for her husband’s outburst. “I promise you I never told him you suspected that you might be pregnant. He must have overheard one of our conversations. You know I would never violate your confidence like that.”

  Lashawnda squeezed her sister’s hand. “It’s okay. It’s not your fault,” she said reassuringly.

  “Hey, don’t take up for him. He was out of line and just wanted to be hurtful,�
� Brent said gruffly pointing his now empty fork at Crystal.

  Mrs. Price and Ma both looked at each other and smiled. These two have only been in each other’s company for a few hours, and I can already see they would be good friends. Ma desperately needed a friend. She spent so much time catering to me as a kid and working that she barely had a social life. I’m pretty sure she’d drive Mrs. Price crazy, but I could see the two getting along.

  “So, were you hoping to be?” Ma asked warmly. That perfectly sweet southern charm rearing its head again. Definitely not the same woman that called me, ‘a retard’ during prayer.

  Lashawnda simpered under the stares of everyone in the room. I pressed a kiss to her forehead and picked up where she left off.

  “If we were, we would have been thrilled about it,” I said taking the spotlight off Lashawnda. “But we talked about it and it gives us an opportunity to take care of a few important things first before we start a family. Lashawnda needs to think about finishing school, and I need to make a few career decisions of my own. Plus, there are other things to consider, such as marriage and a home.”

  “Well, don’t wait too long,” Mrs. Price and Ma spoke simultaneously.

  I shook my head at our mothers’ urgent plea. “Don’t worry, ladies. You’ll get grandkids.”

  Just then the door to Mr. Price’s office opened. Brian came walking out with Mr. Price behind him. The older man’s mouth was set into a hard line. Brian walked around the table to where Crystal sat. He leaned down and whispered something in her ear and kissed her on her cheek. I wished I knew what he said because Crystal’s frame looked deflated afterwards.

  Brian walked toward Mrs. Price and gave her a parting hug. I noted how he did his best to stay out of my arms reach.

  “It was great of you to invite me to dinner, ma’am. Everything was wonderful as usual.” His voice cracked as he spoke. “Umm…and I…I just w-wa-anted to say I’m sorry for disrespecting your home with my bad attitude and poor manners. I hope you’ll forgive me.”

  “Oh, don’t worry about it. We all have bad days,” Mrs. Price assured him.

  “Okay, then. Umm…Lashawnda, I’m sorry if I said anything to upset you. It wasn’t my intentions,” Brian said. He turned to everyone else in the room. “Enjoy the rest of the day.”

  “I’ll have Crystal bring some food home for you,” Mrs. Price offered, ignoring the heated looks her husband was tossing her way.

  She was the true definition of a southern lady. No matter how much of an asshole Brian was she wasn’t about to let him go to bed without a good meal. I could clearly see where Lashawnda got her amiable demeanor from.

  “That’s unnecessary, ma’am,” Brian protested. His dead lifeless eyes meeting Mr. Price’s irritated scowl on the other side of the table.

  “Nonsense, it’s no trouble at all,” she pressed.

  Brian said his final thanks and walked out. Mr. Price followed close behind him. The sound of the front door shutting loudly echoed through the quiet house. Everyone left sitting in the dining room were all busy trying to figure out what Mr. Price could have said to Brian to make him change his tone so swiftly.

  Mr. Price walked back in and resumed his seat at the head of the table. The room was quiet until he spoke.

  “Sandra, I’d like to apologize. As a lady and a guest in my home, that was something you should not have had to experience,” Mr. Price said smiling apologetically at my mother, who waved off his need to justify what just happened.

  “Lashawnda, is there something you need to tell me?” Mr. Price asked with his eyes on her. “And, before you tell me it’s none of my business, you can just forget it. It is my business. You’re my child and I am your father. I have every right to get upset if you got knocked up while you’re not married. Call me old-fashioned, but I don’t care.”

  “No, sir; there isn’t anything to tell. Lashawnda is not pregnant,” I answered. I was a grown man, not needing my woman getting reprimanded by her father for something that involved the two of us. “But, if she were, there is no doubt we would announce our engagement right now.”

  Mr. Price gave me an intimidating glare. I held his gaze, determined not to look down or shift uncomfortably in my chair. I understood what it meant to be a man in my own right. I learned early in life what being the man of the house meant. I respected my woman’s father—but cowering with my tail tucked between my legs was not my way.

  “I admire the fact you would do the right thing for my daughter. As her father it is my responsibility to ensure you do the right thing for the right reasons. I know your generation has a different view of marriage than my own. Marriage isn’t just about putting a ring on a woman’s finger because it’s the right thing to do,” Mr. Price said looking at all the young people at the table. His gaze settled on Crystal.

  “I understand that, Sir,” I replied.

  “Do you? Because let me tell you there is nothing like waking up every morning with the same woman by your side. As a young man, you will have your single friends who are still living the party life while you’ll be home with a wife and children. That is difficult for some people. Think about all you’ll be giving up when you settle down. When you get older, it is easier to deal with because most, if not all, of your friends are married with children. But young love is more complicated than any other love.”

  Mr. Price kept his eyes moving between Brent and I as he spoke.

  “I don’t mean to lecture you boys, but I don’t want both of my daughters to end up in situations like that young lady Megan we were discussing. I’ve got good girls who deserved the best men in the world.” His gaze softened as he looked between Lashawnda and Crystal. I didn’t miss how they lingered just a bit longer on Crystal, whose eyes hadn’t left her half-eaten plate.

  “There is a lot more to being a husband than asking a woman to marry you. It is a rite of passage that not everyone completes successfully. Unlike getting your first car and learning how to drive, the lessons just don’t end once you’ve gone through it. Every day brings new challenges and rewards. Take this day as a lesson. When a man enters your home, he’s required to treat your house with a certain level of respect. Now how much respect is determined by you and the people who live there? That woman is my wife, and when I said my vows, she became my responsibility.” He pointed to Mrs. Price sitting at the other end of the table. “No man gets to disrespect her, especially not in my presence. And, if by the grace of God it happens outside of my presence, and I found out, then I will have to deal with it, so it doesn’t happen again.”

  Mr. Price leaned forward, elbows on the edge of the table, and pressed his hands together; looking first at Brent and then at me.

  “Having a woman in your life is more than just about a title. It’s a blessing you must choose to nourish and protect…own it. Love is the sweetest reward we as men can ask for. I’ll tell you a little secret; women can live without us and be happy. They can be financially successful and independent without us. They can raise children that turn out to be good people, without us.”

  He nodded at my mother, acknowledging how well she raised me.

  “So, when one of them makes a choice to be with you, know it is a privilege and an honor. Because, she could easily be with someone else. I wake up every morning knowing the happiness of Elizabeth Price is my main reason for living.”

  He then looked to his daughters. “Lucky, Crystal. I can’t tell you how to be a woman; I can only tell you what to expect from a man.”

  Finally, Mr. Price sat back in his chair. “I’m done lecturing for now.”

  I listened intently to every word Mr. Price said, soaking it all up. The older man was right; marriage seemed to mean something different for many people my age.

  I looked at both ends of the table, noticing how Mr. Price spoke with conviction about being responsible for his wife and the effect it had on Mrs. Price. This was real love. The smile on the older woman’s face reminded me of the smile my mother had when she s
poke of my father. I felt a little saddened for all that she had lost when my father passed away. On reflex my arms went around my mother’s shoulders. I pulled her close and placed a loving kiss on her forehead.

  “Thank you, Ma,” I said, watching her face soften into a smile.

  “It’s been a blessing, my boy,” she replied.

  When I looked at Lashawnda, and found her looking back at me, I knew exactly what kind of love I wanted. I wanted the love our parents had. Anything less would be intolerable.

  Dinner ended on a low note. But the time we were spending together as a family wasn’t over.

  Mrs. Price served dessert in the sitting room and the mothers did their best to lighten the mood by telling stories about all of us as we were growing up. Brent wasn’t left out, since he had spent a few years in our house as a permanent guest. He’d confessed a long time ago that when he spent time with Ma and me, it was the first time he felt like he was part of a real family. Hell, he even called my mother, ‘Ma’.

  Afterward, Brent, Mr. Price, and I went out to the garage to hang for a bit. We drank a few beers and mainly talked about sports, fishing, and other random stuff. In truth, I was glad to get away from my mother’s storytelling. I could easily admit it was nice having an older male figure in my life. I was man enough to admit that I liked the feeling of hearing Mr. Price say how proud he was of Brent and me for our career achievements. I knew that meant a lot to Brent too. His parents thought his job was beneath their family stature.

  The last few months, life was good and getting better and better each day. Having the Price’s as part of my immediate family was one of the highlights.

  As we were heading back inside, I overheard the tail end of the women’s conversation.

  Lashawnda and Crystal were cleaning up the kitchen and Ma was speaking. “Ellie, I hope we become close friends.” She pulled the other woman into a tight hug.

  “I feel like we are already heading in that direction,” Mrs. Price responded as she pulled out of the hug. They went over to the island in the kitchen and sat down.