*Author's Note*
Thanks for reading, faving, following, and reviewing.
Yea that last chapter was intense. And Nancy's up to no good so be worried when it comes to her…
Stop Overreacting, Everything's Fine
Novella POV:
I was still a bit shaken up whenever I made it to my car. I still couldn't believe that Randall had grabbed me and yelled at me, refusing to leave me alone until Jim Vance showed up. I was grateful to the large man that looked like he stepped out of time from an episode of Deadwood for helping me, if it wasn't for him I'd still be getting manhandled by Randall.
It made me question if Randall ever laid hands on Sally, I knew he believed in belting his kids but…Also it made be wonder if Tolbert laid hands on his ex-wife. Once when I was 16, when me and Tolbert first started dating, he got shitfaced at the bar down the road from my uncle's firm and when I went in to drag him out I said something that pissed him off and he smacked me across the face without thinking. We broke up for a few days, I talked to my Uncle Perry and he said he's supported whatever choice I made, but after a very long apology and swear he'd never do it again we got back together. Tolbert never did smack me again.
I shook my head, clearing it, as I opened my car door and got inside. Cap's sporty black car was still parked next to my classic pink and black one, most likely he was in the judge's chamber's talking to his Uncle Wall. I mean I didn't see him walk out with everybody else, so… Right as I cranked my engine my phone rang. I grabbed it from my purse, that was on the seat next to me, and looked at it. Uncle Perry flashed on the screen. Great, bet his best friend Randall got to him and told him about Jim Vance already.
I took a deep breath before answering me phone with a, "Hey, Uncle Perry, what's up?"
In an instant my uncle's slick voice filled up my car with, "Tolbert's being held in jail overnight. Ole Rand'l's very upset with you, given how you handled the case and how Jim Vance meddled between you two's conversation."
Without much thought I replied, "Jim Vance didn't meddle, he stopped Randall from manhandling me and yelling at me like an irrational fool."
"Novella, he would never do that. He's a good man, even when emotionally distraught. Don't try to make that vile Vance man seem better then he is." Is my uncle serious right now? He's really not believing me?
"Mhm…" I muttered before asking, "So, are you on your way back to the office?"
"Yes, but after the way you choked up in court I think you need to take the rest of the day off. Clearly you weren't as ready as you thought you were to have a showdown with ADA Hatfield and it cost us a walk on grounds of no charges call." Uncle Perry told me, disappointment in his slick voice.
"Okay. I'm going to spend the weekend with my friend, the one that's going through a hard time."
"Novella, dear, do you have to? You'll be gone next Friday thru Sunday for that wedding in Florida. You should be spending more time with the family and with the McCoys." My uncle lectured me like I was a child instead of an adult.
"I know, but I just need to get away from everything for a bit. Today's just too stressful." I honestly told him, hoping that he'd understand.
"Stressful for you, what about Tolbert and his brothers? Don't you think they're stressed?" Uncle Perry rhetorically asked me before going on to say accusingly, "Damnit, Novella, dear Tolbert needs you and you're running away because you feel like you let him down and disappointed him."
"I'm not running away and Tolbert doesn't need me. He's fine, he needs to spend time with his daughter." I told my uncle, my flowing voice loud and high pitched. "I told you, Uncle Perry, I need some me time away from Pike to think and unwind."
"Fine, you decompress for the weekend at your friend's if that's what you want. Bye, Novella, and be ready to work come Monday." He spat before the line went dead.
Dear lord, everything's a mess. I had just placed my phone back into my purse whenever there was a tap on my window. I rolled down my window and looked out it, only to see Cap bent down so that he could face me. I lifted one of my brows at him silently. With a smirk he told me, "See you're still here. Thought you'd have gone back to work by now."
"I got a call from my uncle. I got the rest of the day off." I explained to him, one of my hands gripping my steering wheel.
"So, you'll be headin' up to my place." He stated, not asked, as a smirk crossed his face.
I nodded, a small smile gracing my lips. "Yea, after I get some things for the weekend."
"Jesus, what happened to your arm?" Cap asked me, his rolling deep wave of a voice sounding a bit alarmed, as his eyes looked between the hand print sized forming bruise on my arm and my face.
"Randall McCoy got ahold of me whenever I was walking down the hall. He was upset about how the preliminary trial went." I honestly told him since there was no lie to tell that he would buy. Plus Jim Vance knew the truth so…
"The fuck?! Where's that prick at, your uncle's office? I'm going to-" Cap began to rant and rave in a cold deep rumble before I cut him off with, "You're not going to do anything, Cap. Your Uncle Jim took care of it. He helped me, made Randall leave me alone. Everything's okay, I'm okay."
Cap reluctantly nodded his head, letting go of the fighting spirit that had just overtaken him. His anger filled voice turned soft as he deeply said, "I gotta get back to work, but I'll try to get off early. Just head on home as soon as you can. Okay?"
"Okay." I told him, nodding my head.
Cap just smiled and patted the roof of my car before leaving and heading to his car's driver's side. While he was getting in his car I pulled out of the parking spot and drove off.
"Perry called, told me 'bout what happen and how you're leavin' for the weekend." I heard Roseanna's gentle bell like voice drift into my room from the doorway as I was in my closet, grabbing some things off of the hangers.
"Yea, so?" I remarked, walking out of my closet and over to my bed where my duffel bag was it. It was already filled with my underwear, socks, and a work outfit.
"Maybe ya should stay in town, spend the weekend with Tolbert and Sally Elle, instead of takin' off an hour down the road." She suggested as I dumped an armful of clothes onto the bed.
"Roseanna, I know you mean well, but please stop right now before you even go any further. The last thing either me or Tolbert needs right now is being trapped in his doublewide together for a weekend." I told Roseanna as I folded a couple of shirts, tossing them into my bag.
"Leavin' him like this'll hurt him, ya know that?"
"Oh my god, no it won't." I countered, snapping my head to look at her while tossing another shirt into my bag. "We're not datin', we're just friends." I reminded the gentle blonde standing in my doorway before going on to say, "I don't see why me spending the weekend with my friend to calm down and unwind is hurtful to him."
"Maybe everyone else's blind to who you're spendin' time wit', but I know it's Cap Hatfield an' not some college friend." My face paled and my jaw dropped. My body started to shake involuntarily in fear. How'd she figure it out? She's so naïve and gullible. As if she could read my mind she sighed, "Ya knew him in Bal'more an' then told me ya we're 'bout t'move on with a man back there. I was once with a Hatfield too, I know how charmin' and sweet talkin' they can be." I turned my back to her and grabbed a pair of jeans from the pile on my bed while she advised, "You need to leave him be. End it now 'fore it's too late." I said nothing, just folded my jeans and stuck them in my bag. As I grabbed another pair to fold Roseanna told me, "Hatfields bring nothin' but heartbreak an' sorrow. Cap'll just hurt ya an' betray you in the end."
With the jeans clutched tightly in my hand I quickly pivoted on my heel and looked at Roseanna a bit harshly. Before I could stop myself, my mouth opened up and out came pouring, "Cap's not his brother Johnse. Unlike that pussy he's got a set of brass ones an' told his daddy off. Walked out on his family for me." My usually classical flowing voice was unrecognizable as I barked, "Our situations are like apples and oranges, don't go comparing the two."
"That's a real hurtful thing to say, Novella." Roseanna told me, heartbreak crystal clear in her blue eyes. "I'm just trying to be helpful cause I care." She told me, her voice about to break. "Maybe you'd be better off with Cap this weekend after all. My brother doesn't deserve the attitude that you've clearly learned from your bed buddy. And I won't tell nobody 'bout ya sneakin' 'round with Cap, it's not my place to say, but I do hope ya get him out of your system for both Tolbert an' Sally Elle's sake." She told me, her voice sounding like broken glass, before rushing off down the hall.
I pushed everything aside, refusing to think or feel, as I finished packing my bag. I needed out of Pike before I drowned in a pool of misery and persecution.
I had been at Cap's house for a couple of hours sitting on his couch, stewing over the things Uncle Perry and Roseanna told me along with the events that transpired at court, with CSI: Miami reruns playing on the tv whenever the door opened and shut signaling the arrival of the man of the house. Within a minute or so I heard his rough rolling voice say as he walked into the room, "I managed to get off early, like I said I'd try to do."
"Yea." I said, my voice not as enthusiastic as it should be.
"Babe, what's wrong? The trial results got ya down?" Cap asked me, his cold mask of a face melting away to show concern, as he quickly glued himself to my side on the couch.
"My uncle's disappointed in me, Randall's pissed, Roseanna figured out that I'm spending the weekend with you and she's upset plus we got into it, and to top it all off Tolbert and his brothers are probably feeling stunned and hurt that I didn't do more to get the charges dismissed. I'm such a shitty person." I rambled, nearly falling into tears, as I kept my eyes trained onto the tv in front of me.
"Nova, baby, look at me." Cap softly told me in his deep tone, placing his fingers under my chin to tilt my head in his line of sight. "You're not a shitty person. We both agreed at there was no way around the charges. We both know they're guilty too, so don't let it eat ya up." He assured me, a gentle, but firm look in his lone ice-blue eye. "You were smart in how ya did everythin' today in court. You knew Wall's mind was made up and didn't fight it, opting to save your fight for a jury."
"Yea, but maybe I shouldn't have let you rile up and badger Tolbert as bad as you did." I told Cap, second guessing myself as guilt and doubt ebbed at my mind.
"Even if ya backed up Perry instead of me on my hostility, Uncle Wall would've ignored you and let me continue. We both know that." Cap reasoned, his deep rolling voice going a tone softer then usual.
"I know…" I trailed off in a sigh. I still felt like shit though.
"I'm gonna go get changed." Cap told me, his hand dropping from my chin. He kissed me on the forehead before getting up and asking, "How bout we just spend some time together watchin' something funny on tv before we gotta head out to meet Uncle Jim and Cotton?"
I just nodded my head at his suggestion, a slight tug crossing my lips, as I let out a small, "Yea, I'd like that."
Cap bent down and gave me a quick peck on the lips before wordlessly leaving the room and heading upstairs to change. As I waited for him I grabbed the remote and opened up the Netflix app, browsing through comedies. As I scrolled through titles I couldn't help but think that Roseanna was wrong about Cap. He really cared, if he didn't he wouldn't have comforted me just now. The only problem was I had to sort out my feelings for both Cap and Tolbert. Try to figure out who I cared about more.
It was a little after seven whenever we pulled into the parking lot of the tavern. Cap seemed tense, but when I brought it up during our drive he just blew it off with the excuse that today had just been a taxing one. The sound of the radio died out as Cap turned the car off. Silently we got out in unison, shutting our doors in sync too. It only took a few seconds for us to walk away from the car and fall into step next to each other.
As we began to walk across the parking lot Cap's voice broke the silence a bit roughly and unevenly as he rambled, "Um, before we get inside I want to warn ya 'bout my cousin. Cotton's um innocent and childlike. He's…uh…he's a bit slow…"
"Cap, it's okay. I understand where you're coming from. Cotton's slow mindedness won't bother me, I promise." I told him, trying to calm him down since he was more stressed then an android on one of my brother's PS4 games ready to self-destruct.
"Don't make a promise ya can't keep." I heard him mutter under his breath.
Then it dawned on me, Cap must be so used to people judging and making fun of his mentally slow cousin. He must've seen a lot of people outside of his family pick on him and that's why he was so tense right now, he was leery about me meeting Cotton for fear that I would be mean.
I just laced my fingers with Cap's, gently holding his hand, while shooting him a warm smile. I would never make fun of somebody that was a bit slow, I wasn't heartless and it wasn't their fault that's how they were. Cap let out a shaky breath before giving me a tentative smile.
When we reached the door to the tavern Cap dropped my hand, opening the door for me to walk thru. I went inside with him hot on my heels. I saw that sitting in the exact same table as Monday night was Jim Vance, except this time sitting in a chair across from him was a young man that was in his late 20's. I knew it was Cotton, who I assumed was called so due to his light nearly white blonde hair. As we headed over to the table I noticed an extra-large platter full of buffalo wings, fries, and sliders on the table along with a bottle of whiskey and some hot glasses. Jim Vance also had a pint of draft beer while Cotton had what looked like ginger ale. I assumed it was since I learned the man had a childlike demeanor.
"Ya'll got 'ere right on time. Food just got served minute or so ago." Jim announced, grabbing a few wings and plopping them on a small plate, as me and Cap arrived at the table and took our seats. Cap next to Jim while I was between Cap and Cotton.
Cap just nodded at Jim before turning his head towards the direction of the bar and shouting, "Cog, bring couple more beers!" Poor Cog, forever getting yelled at by Cap in this place. Guy must hate his job when we're around.
Cotton looked at me with a huge smile as he said in a mellow boyish like voice, "Hello, I'm Cottontop Ellison Mounts. Are ya Cap's Miss Nova?"
"Yes, I'm Cap's Miss Nova. It's nice to meet you." I told him with a smile. While grabbing a small plate from the middle of the table and filling it with wings and fries I told Cotton, "I know that Cap calls you Cotton. Can I call you that too or do I have to call you Cottontop Ellison Mounts?"
"Ya can call me Cotton too, just like Cap does." Cotton answered me right as Cog, the mullet rocking bartender in a tuxedo printed t-shirt, set the beers in front of me and Cap.
"Okay." I simply said while Cap began to eat one of the sliders that he had grabbed from the platter as he watched me interact with his cousin.
"I'm gonna call ya Miss Nova cause my daddy always said to call nice pretty girls miss." Cotton said in a tone that was a bit sad, but informative.
Poor Cotton, he didn't deserve to lose Ellison the way he did. Now wonder Cap acted so hostile towards Tolbert, Ellison Hatfield's son needed round the clock care and his number one care taker was murdered. I doubt the boyish man fully understands what happened like other people would. I'm shocked that Cap didn't shove Tolbert's face into the witness stand after he called his cousin a mush-head.
I'm glad that Cotton thought I was pretty even though I wasn't dolled up. A t-shirt, sweater, and jeans with my hair messily pulled back wasn't what I defined as pretty, but the innocent-minded man clearly felt it was.
I just nodded and smiled. "Okay, that sounds good."
"Ya know why you're nice?" Cotton asked before smiling and quickly answering his own question to me with, "You're nice cause you're not a whore and Cap brung ya to meet us. He's never brung a girl to meet the family ever before til now."
"Out of the mouth of babes." Jim loudly laughed through a mouthful of chewed up chicken. Ick, not very appealing or mannerly. A bit of the chew up chunks of chicken spitted on his straggly tobacco-stained beard too. Dear god he reminded me of Jeremiah Johnson or something.
"Cotton…" Cap sighed out, his cheeks flushing a bit, as he shook his head. He was embarrassed by Cotton's remark, it was cute cause I've never seen the cool as a cucumber man flustered before.
"Well, on that note Cotton, I'm honored to be the first nice and pretty girl Cap's ever brung around to meet you." I kindly told the man next to me before biting into my buffalo wing, which tasted a bit mild.
Cotton ate a fry off of his plate before informing me, "Aunt Levicy's gonna like ya cause she don't like whores and you're not a whore."
"Cotton!" Cap barked, nearly choking on his beer, as his eyes fixated on the man next to me.
Cotton looked like a sad scolded puppy, his chin tucking into his neck and his eyes dropping, as he picked up another fry while innocently saying, "What, Cap? I was just sayin'…"
"Calm down, Will." I gently placed my hand on Cap's shoulder, rubbing it lightly. Softly I told him, "It's okay, no harm done."
Cap smirked at me, the anxiousness in his mismatched eyes fading away, as he told me in his deep waving voice, "Ya called me Will."
I could feel Cotton and Jim's eyes watching us. Oh shit, I did call him Will didn't I? "It was a slip of the tongue. It won't happen again, Cap." I quickly remarked, pulling my hand off of his shoulder.
Grabbing another chicken wing and pointing it at me Jim chuckled, "I don't think he minds ya callin' him Will whether it's pokin' or just talkin'."
"Cap must really like ya since ya know his real name. Nobody knows it anymore 'cept for family." Cotton told me in a stunned, but light, tone while I grabbed my beer and took a sip of it.
While placing my pint glass back down I said, "Okay, that's good to know that your cousin really likes me."
"Do you really like him back?" Cotton asked, his eyes wide and curious as he looked at me.
With a smile I simply answered, "Yea, I do."
"Okay cause Cap needs somebody nice that won't make fun of his eye. Lots and lots make fun of him for it." Cotton blurted out while we all ate.
"Well, I don't cause doesn't bother me." , Honestly it didn't. At first when I first met Cap the eye took me by shock since I've never seen someone with a milky capped over eye before, but after our first sinner date I got over it. I like him for him, not his damn eyeballs. I looked between Cap and Cotton before saying, "In fact, it makes him even more handsome."
Jim and Cap shared a look with each other before the latter grabbed a deck of cards and asked, "Cotton, ya wanna play Texas Hold 'Em?"
"Yea." Cotton answered before going on to ask, "Are we all playin'?"
"Of course, we're all playin'." Jim told Cotton while he poured himself a shot of whiskey.
Cotton just nodded his head before grabbing his glass of ginger ale. After taking a sip of it he looked at me and said, "Do ya know how to play? If not, I can help ya."
"I haven't played in a long time. Maybe you could help the first few rounds?" I told Cotton with a warm smile. I lied, it wasn't that long since I played and I didn't really need help, but I wanted Cap's cousin to feel important and special.
Nodding with a huge grin, Cotton excitedly said, "Okay, Miss Nova, I'll help ya."
Cap shot me a very grateful and joyful smile before he started to divvy out the cards. After the cards were set up we played the game, Cotton helping me like a gentleman. It was cute how excited he got whenever one of us had a good hand. The next couple of hours was spent playing cards, eating, and drinking. Honestly, I couldn't be happier then I was in this moment. I actually felt at ease and normal, not under pressure and confused like I felt so many times around my family and friends back in Kentucky.
AN:
Yea, a lot went on in this chapter huh? Wasn't Cotton and Novella cute tho? Do ya'll think Roseanna's right and that Cap's using the Hatfield charm and sweet talk with Novella or is Novella's instinct right that Cap's just being honest and really does cares about her? Anyways Anse will react to Jim's report of how Novella treated Cotton in the next chapter. Oh boy...