Southern Seduction (33 page)

“He was my mother’s brother.” He shrugs.

“You’re shrugging like this is not a big deal!” I jump from the bed.

“Well ... that’s because it’s not a big deal, Red.”

“Do you not understand that we are officially first cousins?! We have been—oh God ... oh God!” I scream and run to the bathroom. I make it just in time for the contents of my stomach to splay all over the inside of the bowl.

“Shelby, it’s not such a big deal,” he calls through the door. “Look at Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt! They were cousins!”

“Are you kidding me?!” I whip the door open. Kip starts laughing. “How is this funny?! How?” I smack his chest.

“Okay. Okay,” he gasps. “Listen to me for two minutes and I promise you won’t be flippin’ out anymore.” He seems to take some control over his laughing as he holds his stomach and steadies his breath.

“I doubt it, but please go ahead.” I cross my arms.

“Mama is not my birth mother. She’s raised me from day one just like your mama raised you. My birth mother, Deidre, died just before I was born. She got into a terrible accident. Had they gotten to me any later, I would’ve died, too. My father was left alone with a new infant. Come ... sit down.” He gestures to the bed. I follow his lead and sit next to him, letting him grab my hand. “My mom—Alma—had just come back from living with her grandmother. She and my dad had been high-school sweethearts, but they, like most kids going off to college, didn’t survive the separation. Mama went to school in Wyoming, but only because her grandmother was there and needed somebody to live with her full-time. Granny didn’t want strangers, and Mama’s family don’t believe in nursing homes. Granny passed away just around the same time I was born. When Mama came back home and heard what happened, she knocked on Daddy’s door to offer to help him out, and, well, they realized their feelings never really went away. It didn’t take long for them to rekindle, though they did wait until a year had passed before acting on their feelings out of respect for Deidre. They married when I was two and started building our family.” He shrugs with a pleased smirk on his face.

“When did they tell you everything?” I ask, completely in awe of this story.

“I’ve always known. I grew up knowin’ about my birth mother and how happy she was that I was comin’ along. I always felt real lucky and just plain extra special.”

“Why?”

“Because I have two angels watchin’ over me—my biological mother in heaven, and my mama here on earth. Twice blessed, you see?” He brings my hand up to kiss.

“I do. That’s amazing and wonderful, Kip. I’m sorry about Deidre, but I can’t begin to tell you how relieved I am.” I exhale forcibly.

“Um, me too!” He laughs. “Shelby, we have to tell Mama. She’s going to be so happy to hear this. She loved her brother so much and misses him terribly. To know that you are her niece—a part of her brother,” he says as he gets a little teary-eyed, “will mean a lot to her. You know, she told me the first day that you arrived that she felt a connection to you?”

“She did?” I ask, amazed because that’s exactly how I felt about her.

“Yes. She said there was just somethin’ about you. She felt she needed to look after you. Mama’s a good-natured woman, but she don’t take to people like she’s taken to you. And so quickly, too. She’s gonna be mighty proud to be your kin, Shelby.” Now I’m the one tearing up, but he kisses my hand again and I laugh.

“What?” He chuckles lightly with me.

“Sometimes when you talk, you sound like an eighty-year-old Western movie,” I say, then repeat his last sentence with his twang. I’m always catching him on this and teasing him, and I actually think he likes it. He nudges me playfully.

“C’mon, Yankee girl, let’s go give Mama the good news.” He stands up and pulls me with him.

“Yeah, then maybe she can help me figure out what I’m going to do about Aunt Bea. I’m really not sure how to handle this. You know she’s barely said two words to me since I arrived? She won’t even look at me.” My heart breaks at my own words. How could she treat me like this?

“Oh, Shelby, she just ain’t right in the head. I don’t think it’s you at all,” he offers as he throws his arm over my shoulders. We get no more than a few steps down the hall when he stops me and cups my face in his hands, wiping my tears away with his thumbs. “I’m sorry for how sad this is making you. I will do whatever it takes to help you through this, Red.” He leans down and covers my mouth with his.

I can’t tell you how many times I have paused in the past two weeks to really look at him and realize that I had him pegged all wrong. I thought he was this careless, shallow player, but he really isn’t. He has been so gentle and pure with me. I’ve never thought about my dream boyfriend because I wanted nothing to do with the opposite sex, but I can say right now—I couldn’t imagine somebody more perfect then Kip.

“C’mon, you two. Your brothers will have a field day with this.” I hear Alma from behind Kip.

“Yes, ma’am,” he says before he gives me another peck. He turns on his heel, facing his mom. “Mama, you got a minute?”

“Sure, son, everythin’ all right?” She tilts her head at us, probably trying to figure out what we’re up to.

“Let me take that, Alma,” I say, grabbing the laundry basket from her. “I’ll put these away while you start bringing her up to speed, Kip.” I smile and wink at him before heading to the linen closet.

I put away all of the towels ... slowly. I need to let this shit sink in, too! I don’t even know where to begin or how to process it all. Despite the sadness and confusion, though, I’ve realized something wonderful! That connection May talked about? Well, now it all makes perfect sense—she’s my sister! I have a sister! Holy shit—I have three sisters! I love them all to death, and I know them already. But, the biggest jackpot? Alma is my aunt! This news excites me as much as it saddens me. What if Kip and I don’t work out? What will that mean for her and me? I can’t bear the thought of losing her after I’ve just “found” her.

“Baby?” Kip’s concerned voice pulls me out of my thoughts. I look over my shoulder at him. “You all right? You’re takin’ a long time puttin’ those things away.” He walks up behind me and slides his arms around my waist. I close my eyes and lean up against his hard chest. Have I mentioned how nice his chest is? All natural build, this man. My favorite part? The area right beneath his belly button. I bite him there, playfully, quite often. “What’s the matter, baby?” He squeezes me.

“Just processing everything, Kip. This is a lot, even though half of it is wonderful.” I crook my neck to look up at him.

“We’ll get through this together. We’ll figure everythin’ out, you and me. You’re not alone, baby. You’ve got me, and you’ve got Mama.” He drops a few kisses on my lips.

“You’re right. Thank you.” I turn to him for a full hug.
So safe.

“C’mon, I’ve got Mama on the edge of her seat in the kitchen.” He pats my butt.

I nod in agreement and we head to the kitchen.

“Now, what is the big news? Kip told me about the envelope, but not what’s in there.” She glances over at it. Kip and I sit down across from her. He grabs the envelope and pulls out my mother’s letter.

“I think it’s best if you just see for yourself, Mama. That all right, Shelby?” He looks at me before handing it over.

“Yes, of course.”

We both sit back, watching her as she reads. The moment she gets to the part that affects her, her hand comes up quickly to cover her gasp. She looks at me, tears welling in her eyes. “I had no idea he was with your mom, or that they were going to have a baby.”

“He wasn’t. They didn’t. Keep reading,” I encourage her as I try not to cry myself. Within seconds, she’s gasping again. She reads a bit more, then jumps up quickly.

“I knew there was something about you!” She pulls me up from my seat and crushes me in the warmest, most loving hug. “My niece ... my beautiful niece,” she cries, then pulls away slightly. “How did I not see it? The red hair ... his eyes ... his chin. I’ve been without my brother—my best friend—for so long, and now here you are, a part of him. Like a gift. The best gift I’ve ever received in my life. I knew there was somethin’ about you, Shelby. I knew from the moment I met you that I was supposed to love you and look after you. Oh God ...” she trails off and pulls me into another tight embrace. I can’t help it—I cry with her. She feels like “home” to me, more so than ever.

“All right, Mama, let up for air.” Kip chuckles.

“Oh hush, you!” She swats at him, then looks back at me. “Look at you, you gorgeous girl, you.” She palms my cheeks and shakes my head back and forth.

“I second that! She’s definitely gorgeous—and every other name in the book that defines beauty.” He winks at me.

“All right, stop it,” I say, feeling overwhelmed.

“Mama, c’mon and sit down again.” Kip gestures. “What do you think we should do? Should Shelby approach Bea about this?”

“I’d like to tell the girls that I’m their sister.” I sigh and sit as well.

“May will be thrilled!” Alma clasps her hands.

“Nobody’s heard from May since she left.” Kip furrows his brow.

“She and Shelby write each other all the time!” Alma looks at him as if he’s crazy.

“What?! Why didn’t you tell me that?” he asks, seemingly annoyed. “Where is she? Is she okay?”

“Kip,” Alma breathes in a warning tone. He looks at her and she shakes her head. I feel like I’m missing something here.

“Mama, she’s my friend. I want to make sure she’s all right,” he responds. “Is she all right, baby?” He turns his focus back to me.

“Um ... yeah. She’s doing really good, actually. She got a job and a nice place to stay, and she’s getting ready to start back at college. She’s going to become a doctor. Her latest letter mentioned a resident she’s just met. They’ve gone on a few dates. She really likes him.” I smile, feeling so happy for her—until Kip shifts uncomfortably in his seat, pulling my smile away. “What’s the matter with you?”

“She’s datin’ somebody? Is he good to her? I want her to be happy. She deserves it.”

“Well, so far so good,” I answer, but continue to study him curiously. You ever get an uneasy feeling, but you’re not quite sure why? Well, that’s me right now. I turn my focus back to Alma when she clears her throat.

“What do you want to do, Shelby? This has to be about you and your expectations. Do you want a relationship with Bea?” She reaches across the table and takes my hand.

“I’m not sure. How can I have a relationship with someone who won’t even look at me? She hasn’t asked about my mother. She wasn’t there when she died. She wasn’t there to protect me when I needed her the most.” I get choked up. Yeah, I am
damn
mad at her! Her weakness has done nothing but hurt herself and the people she supposedly loves.

“What do you mean, Shelby, honey? Did someone hurt you?” Alma’s face contorts with concern and ready alarm.

“It’s the past. I don’t want to bring it up. But she should’ve been there. How could she become so weak?” I shrug Kip away when he tries to comfort me. It’s nothing against him, I’m just used to handling my feelings by myself. Sometimes when he gets too close, it makes me feel weird or more irritated. It’s difficult to explain.

“Oh, honey, Bea hasn’t been right since my brother died. That bastard she married has done a number on her.”

“Maybe you need to go over there, baby, and just put it out there. If not for anythin’ but to give yourself peace.”

“Oh, Kip, I don’t know if she should go in there with guns a-blazin’,” Alma says as she puts my mother’s letter back into the envelope.

“Mama, I think the truth should be laid out! Bea should face what her weakness has done, and Shelby needs a clean slate. She’ll get that knowing she did her part by giving Bea a chance to redeem herself, or at least apologize. Hell, at least tell her side of the story! Shelby deserves that much, at the very least.” He smacks the table.

“So, Shelby deserves the truth?” Alma raises her eyebrow at him.

“Hell yes!” He jerks his head back.

“Then, son, maybe the truth should start with you.”

“Mama, what are you talkin’ about?” he seethes.

“You
know
what I’m talkin’ about, son,” she says pointedly.

“I’ve never been dishonest with her. And I have never done
anythin’
dishonest to her. Now
drop
it!”

“First of all, you watch your tone with me! Secondly, if you really believed that, you wouldn’t be getting’ so bent out of shape right now.” Alma cocks a mean brow. I have a feeling that eyebrow has gotten many a point across.

“Mama, don’t do this,” he says, almost in a whisper. A defeated-sounding whisper.

“She deserves the truth,” she says.

I stare back and forth between them like I’m at a tennis match. Their interaction has me feeling so uneasy, I think I may lose my breakfast.

“You need to own up to your past behavior, son. You want to have a future with her, don’t you?” she asks.

“Of course, Mama,” he says shakily, then brings his eyes to look at my confused ones. I can see he’s fighting back some tears.
Oh God, this is not going to be good.

Kip