“I think it’s fairly simple,” Clementine spoke up. “Addy is tired of being told what she wants, and she’s finally making choices for herself. And it’s about time. Women have been repressed long enough, am I right?”
“Oh Clem, please. I am in no mood for one of your ridiculous speeches. Can you save it for later?”
“Mama, if everyone stayed silent and waited for a convenient time, there would never be change.” Clementine rolled her eyes before winking at me.
“You okay?” I asked, looking at Adelaide who sat completely still in her seat. She nodded.
“She’s fine. What’s that on your wrist, next to the dirty rope?” her mother asked, staring at her daughter.
Adelaide stiffened and looked up to meet her mother’s gaze. “It’s a charm bracelet from Jett. Isn’t it beautiful?”
“Ah, so nice. Very thoughtful.” Her father nodded. But it was obvious that everyone was on edge.
“What are the charms?” Clementine asked, cocking her head to the side, and smiling.
“There’s a willow tree, a little jet,” Adelaide said, turning to look at me. I pulled my arm back and started eating again since everyone at the table had gotten back down to business, as if they hadn’t just had a huge argument. “A book because I love to read and a laptop because I want to be a writer.”
Clank.
Now it was her mother’s turn to drop her fork on her plate and cross her arms over her chest. Her face flushed red, but she didn’t speak. She looked like she might explode, and her husband put his hand on her shoulder.
What the fuck was her deal? This was all because she wanted to be a writer? Why the fuck did that piss her off? Mrs. Edington was three shades of southern crazy. I wanted to tell her that arranging a marriage for your child and deciding how their life would play out before they were even born was an ass-backward way of thinking. But it wasn’t my place, so I fought the urge to call her out.
“You’re a great writer, Addy. You could lead the charge for all women,” Clementine said over a mouthful of chicken.
“Manners, dear,” her mother hissed. She didn’t eat again and stayed quiet the rest of dinner, as she continued to sip her wine.
Adelaide’s father asked me some more about my plans with school and football, and my girl relaxed a bit beside me.
We all cleared our plates, and Savannah Edington brought out a chocolate cake with sprinkles all over it. “Happy Birthday and Happy Valentine’s Day, Adelaide. I love you.”
“I love you too, Mama,” she said, and I saw the sadness in her eyes.
There were a whole lot of head games going on at this table, and I knew that her mother was not done with the conversation, but she’d wait until I was gone.
We ate cake and Clementine told us all about her argument with Principal Walker and how he declined her offer to host a women’s rights protest on campus. I laughed my head off as she called him a pretentious, stubborn jackass.
“I’ve had enough, Clem. Help clear the table and head up to take your shower, please. It’s been a long day.” Adelaide’s mother pushed to her feet and started clearing the table.
We all stood, and I helped clear my plate, but Mrs. Edington shooed me off and told me she had it covered. I definitely got the vibe she wanted me to leave.
“Addy, you need to get your homework done and get showered as well. It’s getting late.”
Adelaide rolled her eyes and pushed up to kiss my cheek. “Let me run to the bathroom and grab my coat, and I’ll walk you out.”
I made my way toward the front door, ready to get the hell out of this house.
“Thanks for having me,” I said to her parents and her sister, as Adelaide ran up the stairs and I grabbed my leather coat.
“Thanks for coming, Jett. Please come by more often,” her father said.
Clementine hugged me and her cheeks pinked. I ruffled the top of her head because the kid was fucking adorable. A little hellion, but charming as hell.
“I’ll walk you out, I’d like to speak to you,” Adelaide’s mother said, reaching for her jacket. Wow. She wasn’t waiting for her daughter to return. She wanted me out of the house now.
We stepped out on the front porch, and she crossed her arms over her chest. “Listen, I don’t know what game you’re playing with my daughter, but it’s run its course.”
Her hard stare had me squaring my shoulders. This wasn’t a goodbye-thanks-for-coming-to-dinner, this was a goodbye-get-the-hell-out-of-my-daughter’s-life. Jesus, this woman could give Wren a run for his money when it came to intimidation. Lucky for me, I didn’t intimidate easily.
“Not playing any games, Mrs. Edington.”
She nodded. “All right. You want to do this. Let’s do it. Addy tells me you’re a smart kid. You and I both know you’re not good enough for my daughter. Your mother got knocked up as a teenager, and you don’t even know who your damn father is. Sorry, but family matters to me. And I want a hell of a lot more for my daughter.”
Holy shit.
The woman doesn’t mince words.
And my mother was off-limits.
“You know nothing about me. Nothing about my family.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, Jett. I know exactly who you are. And you may have dazzled my daughter because she’s a little lost right now, but your shtick doesn’t work on me. You’re only going to college because you can throw a ball. And I’m sure you’ll manage to screw that up too and follow in your mother’s footsteps with a dead-end job. There’s nothing more I need to know. The apple never falls far from the tree.” She shrugged.
My hands fisted at my sides. “Thankfully the apple falls far from the tree in your home. Your daughters are nothing like you, and you can’t stand that she has a mind of her own. Tell Adelaide I had to go. I’m done with this conversation.”
“You best be done with a lot more than the conversation, Jett. Stay away from my daughter, or I promise to make your life a living hell.”
I jogged down the steps and didn’t stop until I got to my bike. I was still in shock. Savannah Edington had never been kind to me, but this attack was a stretch even for her.
I started up my bike and saw Adelaide running toward me with confusion. “Hey, my mom said you had to run. But I wanted to say goodbye to you.”
I didn’t meet her gaze. “Gram’s not feeling well. I need to get going.”
She reached for my hand and moved her head in front of mine to meet my gaze. “Okay. Text me and let me know she’s okay. I love you.”