To the guest reviewer yes, she did know how to cook, I totally forgot about that, so I changed a few things in the previous chapter. It's nothing major so you don't have to go back and read it. I also realized that in the first story that Zoe and Candice had already made amends to a certain extant so this chapter is them going from there. Enjoy and have a good weekend!
The weeks had quickly passed them by. They had spent the fourth of July in town enjoying the festivities, letting Eliza play a few games which whether she won or not she still got some sort of prize. When they got home Eliza was tuckered out and easily went down for bed. Wade and Zoe sat outside on their roof watching the fireworks light up the night sky changing it different colors.
The rest of July moved past them quickly, having time to themselves had became easier to manage as long as they took the time to do it, it was easy to get lost in work and fall into a rut but both of them were very eager to keep things fresh between them.
August had been the slowest month with summer coming to an end. They had so much to do and get ready for that it should've passed them by but it felt like each day dragged on. It didn't help that one thing after another needed their attention at home. If it wasn't one thing it was another. Pipes burst, the plumbing needed fixed, the washer stopped working; it was one thing after another. It was frustrating.
"Look who I found wandering the dangerous side of town," Wade announced walking into the house behind his mother-in-law, a smirk firmly in place.
"Don't tell me Dash got her!" Zoe exclaimed, walking over to her mom giving her hug. It didn't matter what issues they had between them it was her mom and she is always going to love and care for her. Hugging her mom was a natural thing to do.
"He did corner me and to tell me all about the Broadway play he's putting on next week and I must stay to watch it because a lady from the big Apple knows Broadway and I'd be blown away," she recapped for her daughter.
Zoe found herself laughing. Dash was putting on the play Cats. The play was the last big summer event. Wade kissed her temple letting her know that he had to get back to work, that he had only left work to save Candice from Dash and the rest of the crazies in town.
Candice watched how tender he was with Zoe and how gentle he was with Eliza. She felt guilty for ever thinking the worst in him. It wasn't that she disliked him; she resented him for taking her daughter and granddaughter away from her. She honestly thought they would've found their way home to New York if love wouldn't have stopped them. But she was happy that her daughter had found someone that treated Ariel like she is his. She couldn't ask for more because that was all she wanted for her daughter.
"Where's your stuff?" Zoe asked her mom, noticing she didn't have anything with her.
"It's at the Whippoorwill Blossom B&B. I thought it would be easier that way. I didn't want to impose on you," Candice told her daughter.
"You didn't have to do that," Zoe told her. "Want some tea or coffee?" She offered.
"An iced tea would be divine in this heat," she let her daughter know, sitting down on the floor where her youngest granddaughter was playing at. Eliza looked at the stranger that sat down by her and froze up some ready to cry for her mom when Zoe had reappeared.
Zoe walked back from getting two cups of ice cold tea along with a cup of water for Eliza. "I forgot just how fast they grow up," Zoe commented, setting the glass of tea for her mom down, handing Eliza her own cup, sitting down on the floor by her daughter, putting Eliza at ease as she drank her water and went back to playing.
"Seems like just yesterday," Candice commented with a smile. "I know I haven't been the best mom to have growing up our even now, I missed out on a lot of things, but you were loved and cared for, Zoe."
"I know. I can understand it better now that I've gotten older and I had to raise Ariel as a single mom for 9 years. Finding that balance isn't easy," Zoe said, picking a soft block up to play with Eliza. "But you have to know coming here and deciding to live here, it was never about taking Ariel away from you or replacing you, I wanted to know my father and I wanted Ariel to have the same chance. We fit better here and I never thought I would say that," she finished explaining with a soft giggle, watching Eliza play.
"I knew that from the start too, Zoe. I just wasn't expecting you to fall in love. I used some dirty tactics to get you and Ariel home, which I couldn't see you already found everything you needed. And I'm sorry for everything that I have done and for staying away. Not only was I hurting you but Ariel and myself and I'm not going to do that anymore."
"Does this mean more trips down here to visit?" Zoe questioned. She had come to terms with the rest of it and she didn't see thee point on keeping it open. She really did hope that her mom had plans of coming down more to see them more.
"I know how hard it is for all of you to come visit; I do know it can be done. I will be here more often to visit my family but in return I do want to see you all in New York at least once or twice a year, think you can manage that?" Candice asked. Even if they weren't able to come and visit her didn't mean she would stop coming down to Alabama to see her family. She had missed them and she was being stupid about it all. She had learned her lesson.
"I can't guarantee anything, but I do believe we can make that work," Zoe told her mom. It would be a bit of a challenge with Eliza but she wanted all of her kids to experience the things that Ariel has already had the chance of experiencing in New York she wanted to show her family that part of her life.
On good terms once again they focused on playing with Eliza. Zoe had taken the day off knowing that it would be the day her mom showed up and she didn't want to leave her mom alone with very little things to do in Bluebell without getting bombarded by someone. But with Brick and Harley being called away with two different house calls, Zoe had to go in for a few hours until one of them made it back. Candice had assured her it would be fine because she was going to spend the time getting to know her youngest granddaughter.
Leaving proved to be a bit difficult when Eliza started to cry when Zoe was getting ready to leave. She had got Eliza calmed down enough that she wasn't screaming the house down that she felt good enough with leaving the two of them alone. She didn't like it but she knew that they would both be fine.
"How'd you get away?" Wade asked walking into the practice, surprised to see his wife was the only one there.
"What happened to you?" Zoe questioned ignoring his question when she noticed the blood on his shirt.
"It's just a scratch," he replied nonchalantly with a shrug. It was just from some glass that had broken.
"A nasty scratch," she responded, pushing him to lie down so she could clean it up and bandaged. It wasn't deep enough to need stitches or anything like that. As she got to work she explained things to her husband. He wanted to go home and check on his little girl, but he didn't want to set her off by showing up only to leave again so it would be best for Eliza if he stayed away until he was done with work.
After Wade left Zoe got busy doing some paper work with the practice empty. Not wanting to go all the way up to her office, she sat at her dad's desk, which she often did when he wasn't there working, sometimes it was easier for her to use his desk and he didn't mind.
"Hello Sweetie," Harley greeted entering his office. Zoe smiled at him telling him hi. "How are things with your mom?" He asked sitting down.
"Better than I had expected them to be, but good, really well," Zoe answered. "I would love to sit here and chat, but when I left Eliza didn't like the idea of getting to know her Grandma." Harley chuckled a little at that finding it amusing. He hugged his daughter and let her go home.
Zoe smiled walking into her home to see Eliza sitting on the couch as Candice read her a book. "Mama," Eliza giggled.
"Is grandma reading you a story?" Zoe asked, sitting down next to the two of them, kissing her daughter's head. Eliza in reply, smacked the book with her little hands getting Zoe to laugh. She settled back on the couch as Candice started to read again. Zoe smiled, seeing now that she had nothing to worry about to begin with.