I promised myself that I wouldn't start a new story till I finished the other two that I haven't finished. But this has been sitting there for a long time and I want to know what y'all think of this. so please read and let me know what you think of it and if you are interested in me continuing it.
Laurie stood in front of the full length mirror and admired herself in the white dress. She couldn't believe she was getting married in fifteen minutes; she couldn't believe how nervous she was, the butterflies in her stomach were doing back flips. She grabbed the towel from the back of the chair, dried her hands and then started twisting it.
"Is he here, Mother?" Laurie asked Kitty.
Kitty smiled at her daughter, she reached up and fluffed up Laurie's hair. "Your brother told me he is here and getting ready. He also said that he's very nervous."
Laurie looked at her mother. "I wish daddy was here to walk me down the aisle, why does he have to be so stubborn about this?"
Kitty frowned at this and said, "I'm sorry honey, I tried to talk some since into your father, but he can be a very stubborn man."
"Why can't he see how happy I am?" Laurie sat down on the chair and looked down at the hand towel and dabbed at the corners of her eyes, trying not to ruin her make-up. She wasn't going to let her father's absence ruin what is supposed to be the happiest day of her life, well next to the day her son was born.
Laurie turned back to her mother and asked, "Where is Timmy?"
Kitty smiled. "He's been following Betsy all over since she came through the doors."
Laurie shook her head and smiled. "Is someone at least watching them?"
"Of course there is, do you think that Michael would let his daughter out of his sight?" Kitty asked as she made some minor adjustments to Laurie's Vail. "Plus your brother and sister-in-law are keeping an eye on them too."
Laurie chuckled and said, "I still can't believe those two got married, hell I still can't believe he managed to land her of all people."
"You're not the only one." Kitty smiled as she remembered the day Eric brought home his future wife. There was a lot of discussions and questions. She worried about the fallout that might occur when a certain person found out. When he did find out; she later learned, it wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. They just never spoke again unless they had to, and even then it was strained.
Laurie was happy for her little brother. She just wished her daddy was happy for her. She looked into the mirror and thought about the events that brought her here, to this place and time.
Grits and Cast Iron Skillets
Laurie stood there leaning against the counter holding her right cheek, she couldn't believe he just hit her. A tear ran down her cheek as she looked at her longtime boyfriend, the father of their son. The man she followed to New Orleans to be with, just struck her for burning his bacon. She didn't know what had gotten into him recently. He has never yelled as much or been violent the entire time that she has known him. But these last two weeks have been the worst she could remember. He has never laid a hand on her, ever.
When she woke up that morning, she found him sitting at the kitchen table, still in the clothes that he was wearing the day before. He just scowled at her and told her to make him something to eat for breakfast. So she got out his favorite, eggs, bacon and grits. She started the grits cooking. After a few minutes she got the bacon going. That's when their son Timmy started crying, her boyfriend scowled and told her to go take care of her son. When she returned with Timmy, she set him down in his chair and ran to the stove but the bacon was burned, that's when her boyfriend got up and started yelling at her, about wasting money and perfectly good food. She told him that he could have watched the bacon while she took care of their son. That's when he smacked her across the face, and told her never to talk back at him again. Timmy got scared and started crying, when Laurie's boyfriend turned he started yelling at his son to shut up or else.
She watched as he turned towards their one year old and started yelling at him to shut up, all that did was make him cry more. Then she saw him raise his hand and something snapped in her, the tears stopped and she got angry. Without thinking about it she grabbed the pot of grits and flung them onto his back, as he screamed from the pain and before he could turn, she snatched up the cast iron skillet and hit him in the back and kicked him in the back of the knees. When he went down she hit him with the skillet again. When he was laying down she kicked him in the side. She threw the skillet across the kitchen then picked up her son and started for the front door.
Before she walked out she turned to the man she once loved and said, "If you come after us I swear what I just did will be nothing compared to what I will do to you." She went to the front door, grabbed her keys and purse. She looked back and sighed, she loved this place but there was nothing left here for her after what he did to her and almost did to her son. She didn't need anything from here, she had everything she needed in her purse, from Timmy's birth certificate to her social security card and anything in between, she was going to put all those documents in a safety deposit box at the bank for safe keeping that day, now she was glad she had those items. The rest of the stuff here she could live without. So she left and didn't look back. Before she completely left the city she stopped at the bank and cleaned out both their accounts, then headed to New Orleans International Airport.
Laurie and Timmy stood in front of the home she grew up in. She squatted down so that she was just about eye level with her son, she smoothed out his cloths and hair. She licked her thumb and rubbed a smudge off his cheek.
"Are you ready to finally meet your grandparents?" Laurie asked him as she tried to tame the wild growth that was his hair. 'Of all the traits that he could have gotten from her, he had to get her hair.' She thought.
He gave his mommy a smile and nodded his head vigorously. As she stood up she took his hand in hers and just entered the house like she hasn't been gone since the late seventies. When she entered the living room she didn't see anyone. If anything, she knew that her mother would be in the kitchen, it was her domain since she could remember. One thing she would admit to, was that she missed her mother's cooking. She wasn't a slouch in the kitchen these days; she picked up a lot while living in New Orleans, but she missed her mother's cooking.
She pushed open the swinging door and silently entered the kitchen, her and her son quietly watched as Kitty slowly stirred something in a pot that smelled like heaven. Even though Laurie tried to be quiet her mother still heard the door and without turning said, "Red, honey can you get the dining room table set, dinner is almost ready and the kids will be here soon."
Laurie had to smirk at that, but she still didn't say a word. She squatted down and whispered in her son's ear. Timmy nodded his head then headed over to the lady and tugged on her dress.
Kitty felt a tug on her dress, so she looked down and back. Her eye's got big at the sight of the cute little boy that was looking up at her.
When the woman made eye contact with him he held out his arms and said, "Up, maw- maw."
Kitties' eyes got big in shock and she gasped. She looked up and saw her way ward daughter smiling at her. "Well mother, aren't you gonna hold your grandson?"
Kitty, looked back down at the precious little boy, and picked him up and hugged him tight. She felt the little boy pull away and plant a big wet kiss on her cheek and Kitty laughed her laugh, she planted kisses all over his cute face then hugged him again and twirled around.
Laurie saw the happy tears running down her mother's face. She sighed and was glad that for once she could make her mother happy. Then she heard the glass door open, she turned and saw her father enter the kitchen. She felt so many emotions upon seeing him. She was happy to see her father but she was also scared that he would hate her for not staying in contact. All her fears where laid to rest with his first words to her in a long time.
"Hello kitten." Then Red walked up to Laurie, he planted a kiss on her cheek and hugged her. Laurie hugged him back as tight as she could. She still felt safe in his arms and he still smelled the same and that is when she knew he still loved her and she was finally home.
Kitty, came over adjusted Timmy to her left hip and gave her daughter a kiss and hugged her. "We missed you Laurie."
Laurie smiled at her mother, "I missed you guys too."
Timmy reached over and grabbed Red and gave him a big wet kiss. Red gave him a kiss too and took the lil boy from Kitty and hugged him.
Kitty looked at Laurie, "Where's the father?"
Laurie bit her lip and asked them to sit down and she proceeded to tell them about what happened and how she never wanted to see him again.
Red reached across the table and took his daughters hand in his. "You did the right thing, I'm proud of you. If I was there I would've put more than my foot up his ass."
Laurie was happy she had both of their support in this.
Kitty pat her daughter on the arm. "You two must be tired from that long trip. You can have Eric's old room and our grandson can have your old room." Kitty saw the look on Laurie's face and said. "Don't worry we put all new furniture in both rooms, so you don't have to worry about sleeping on spider-man sheets and looking at his old posters." Laurie was relieved at this, so after her mother took Timmy from Red she took her mother's hand and let herself be led to her new accommodations.
Red sat at the kitchen table alone and thought about how happy he was that his baby girl was home. He wished it was sooner and under better conditions, but he was still happy she and his grandson where finally home. He reached up and wiped a tear from his eye. He also prayed he never saw Laurie's ex, he didn't know what he would do if he came looking for Laurie and Timmy. All he knew was, it wouldn't be pretty.