First, let me remind you how important to me you are. You have been the light in my life – a beacon of hope when I thought all was lost. You were the last connection I had to my daughter. I am sorry I never told you the truth about her. Delilah, sometimes in life we are thrown a curve ball that we didn’t see coming. This is my curve ball.
I’ve made peace with the fact I cannot control life or death. I am eternally grateful for you and the life I have been able to live. When you left, I felt empty. Then Parker came into my life and filled the blackness left behind when you left. Delilah, he is going to need you when he learns my truth as well. He will feel betrayed, angry, and sad. He was like my son after all.
“Delilah?” Parker interrupted her reading, “You ok? I’ve been calling your name for the last couple of minutes.” He noticed the worn paper clasped between her hands, “Another letter?”
Delilah nodded. “Parker, was something wrong with Momma Belle?”
“What do you mean – something wrong with her?” Parker sat on the bed next to her, pushing the box out of the way.
“I don’t know. Her letter… it’s not making any sense.” Delilah glanced back down, to continue reading. Parker placed his hand on her back, peering over her shoulder to see what had her so confused.
Delilah, I love you with all that I am. You know what… I can’t do this through a letter. I am going to call you. I pray you answer. Hearing your voice will soothe my soul and heal my heart. And I don’t want this to be the way I tell you.
Please answer, my beautiful girl. I need you to hear me.
Love,
Momma Belle
“What in the ever-loving fuck!!” Delilah turned the letter over and over. “That’s it… what did she need to tell me? Parker…” Delilah looked into his eyes.
“I swear I don’t know what she’s talking about. She never told me anything was wrong.”
Delilah turned around frantically searching for the box, “Where is it?” she pushed passed Parker.
“Whoa… hold up, Delilah. Let’s think about this for a minute.”
“Think about it? Parker… her letter sounded ominous. She never called me.”
“Now that ain’t true. Delilah, that woman tried to call you almost every day.”
She stopped dead, “What?”
“Momma Belle tried calling you every day. It always went to voicemail. Didn’t you get any of her messages?”
“NO!” She bolted up from the bed. “I never got any messages or missed calls from her. I thought…” she pressed her fingers to her forehead, “I thought she was disappointed in me and didn’t want a relationship.” Pacing the floor, she grabbed her cell phone from the dresser.
“Delilah…” Parker stood, “What are you doing?”
But she had the phone pressed to her ear, signaling him with one finger. “John… did you fucking screen my calls and messages when we were together?”
Parker couldn’t hear his response, but he could read her body language, and she was pissed.
“No John… that is not what I asked you. DID. YOU. SCREEN. MY. CALLS?”
Delilah erupted, “WHAT THE FUCK!! YOU HAD NO RIGHT TO KEEP ME FROM HER!”
Parker snatched the phone from her hand, John was trying to convince her why he had done it.
“Baby… I just felt like she would take you from me. She called every day. It was obsessive.”
“Listen, John,” Parker barked into the phone. “You don’t call Delilah baby. You don’t call her, come see her – hell, you don’t even mention her name ever again. Momma Belle would have never taken her from you. But listen and listen well. Delilah is not property. She’s a person who deserves to be treated like a goddess. And if she will let me, I’ll be the one to take her heart – and guard it from assholes like you.”
Parker disconnected the call, slamming the phone down on the dresser. “Come on,” he grabbed Delilah’s hand, “you need to eat. Then we can see what secrets she had to tell you. But not on an empty stomach.”
Delilah shook her head and let Parker drag her downstairs, the letter from Momma Belle temporarily forgotten.
Chapter 22
Delilah couldn’t contain the moan from escaping when she closed her mouth around the warm, fluffy, sweetness. “Jesus Christ, Parker, I didn’t know you could cook like this!” She mumbled through her mouth full of pancakes.
Parker quirked an eyebrow, “Thanks…” his smirk caused Delilah to blush. As Parker started to say something, a knock at the door startled him, “Shit. Let me see who it is.” He stood, his chair scrapping across the floor, the sound echoing in the silence.
“Delilah,” Hank tilted his head as he walked into the kitchen, “sorry to interrupt your breakfast.”
“No,” she pointed towards the huge stack in the center of the table, “help yourself. I owe you for helping yesterday.” Delilah turned away, tears glazing over her eyes.
“Thanks, I’d love some.” He pulled a chair out and sat down. Spearing the fluffy cakes in front of him, he shoveled a huge stack onto a plate.
“Hank,” Parker sat down near Delilah, “What brings you by this morning?”
“Well… I do have your truck, and I figured we’d finish the fence out back today. Since you’re off.”
“The fence?” Delilah asked confused, “I didn’t know there was anything wrong with the fence.”
“Yeah – a few boards had rotted, and the tree…” His voice trailed off, causing Hank to glance up from his plate.
“It needed some repairs, Darlin’. And since your boy here is letting me crash with him, I’m going to help him get these repairs done.”
Parker nodded, silently thanking his longtime friend for finishing his thought. That tree was still a source of contention for him.
“Hank, I don’t think I’ve really asked what brought you here to Alabama.” Delilah shoveled another bite into her mouth, completed unashamed of making a pig of herself.
“Well, Parker and I were in the military… and when my time was done, I needed somewhere to land. A fresh start so to say.”
“Oh. Well, this is certainly the place to start over.”
“You say that as someone who knows.” He smiled, glancing from Parker to her.
“Yeah… Anyway. I owe you a thank you. For helping with Ed.” Her voice cracked, “Sorry.” She pushed her chair back and stood, “I need to shower. If you’ll excuse me.”
“Delilah?” Parker stood.
“Parker, we’ll talk later.” She turned hurrying off, leaving the two men to stare at her backside.
“Damn brother… You have it bad.” Hank laughed.
“Shut up.”
“She’s gorgeous. I’ll give you that.”
“That’s not the reason I love her, Hank.”
“Whoa? You love her? Seriously, Parker? You’ve only known her, what, a few months?”
“In person, sure. But it feels like an eternity.” Parker sat back down. “I fell in love with her before I met her. The stories Momma Belle told me had me hooked, even before I’d met her. She’s special.”