A/N: Thanks so much to those who keep on reviewing - I so appreciate it! :)

(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)

Chapter 17

"I had a visitor last night."

Zoe had just taken a bite out of her buttermilk muffin and so couldn't have immediately replied to her friend's sudden remark, even if she had wanted to. Wade had gone into the Rammer Jammer early this morning to set up for breakfast, so it was just her and Lavon, and frankly, her best friend was looking at her funny.

"A visitor? That's nice," she said, the moment she finished swallowing, "or not?" she tried when he scowled at her. "Okay, what's up, Lavon?" she asked eventually, setting down her muffin and giving him all her attention.

He didn't smile. He looked kind of pissed actually, which wasn't something Zoe was used to from Lavon. If she could help him with whatever was bothering him, she absolutely would, though until he told her what had happened, she couldn't really do anything.

"Somehow, it seems to me that a certain doctor may have been poking her nose in where it doesn't belong," he said sharply. "Maybe with the best of intentions, at least, I would hope so. Fact of the matter is, I might even appreciate the attempt at help," he continued, softening just a little, "but what I can't figure out is how this certain doctor even come to know in the first place that I... that we..."

The light suddenly dawned in Zoe's head and she gasped. "Lemon was here, wasn't she?" She literally face-palmed. "Oh, Lavon, I'm so sorry."

"Okay, you're sorry. We'll get to that in a minute," he assured her, "but first off, Zoe, how did you even know?" Lavon asked her in earnest. "I thought I covered myself pretty well when I told you about my... well, my secret love."

"You did," Zoe admitted with a sigh. "At least, I guess you did, because I don't think I ever would have guessed Lemon in a million years. It was Wade."

"Wade? Now, how in the heck would he tell you 'bout all o' that. He didn't even know himself."

"Yes, he did. Lavon, come on," she said, rolling her eyes at the incredulous look on her friend's face. "He lives here on the plantation and he's not blind, or stupid, despite the fact he can do an excellent impression of it sometimes," she admitted. "He knew what was going on, more or less anyway, and since we got together, he just... he thought I should know."

Zoe hoped Lavon wouldn't be mad. She and Wade both had the best of intentions, after all. He had to know that, surely. At the same time, she was sure she could easily be angry about anyone meddling in her life, romantic or otherwise. She was certainly braced for impact as she waited for Lavon's response.

"Anybody else know the details of my private life?" he said with a look.

"I have told no-one," Zoe told him definitely, her hand raised as if she were swearing her words were true in some way or other. "And Wade just told me, nobody else, I swear. The only person I mentioned it to - and it was vague, since we were in a semi-public place - was Lemon. I'm guessing that's why she came around last night?" she checked, wincing on realising she may have made matters worse rather than better.

"She was plenty mad, thinkin' I had gone ahead and told you all about our... time together," said Lavon crossly, folding his arms across his broad chest. "I had no idea what to say to her, since I never told a soul."

"I am so, so sorry, Lavon," said Zoe, desperate to have him understand. "I really did mean to help. It was just... well, I can't tell you the details, but Lemon has been kind of impossible with the Belles lately. She's not just causing a little stress, we're talking serious anxiety here, with actual physical side effects. So, anyway, I was suggesting that maybe she could try to be a little nicer and to maybe not take out her own frustrations on others, even though I could understand why she might have said frustrations. I swear, I never mentioned your name," she said definitely. "I guess I just wasn't quite so subtle as I could've been."

She hoped he understood. He ought to. Of all people in Bluebell, Zoe was sure Lavon knew her best, or maybe second only to Wade, at this point. She and Lavon were so much brother and sister, and she would hate to think he could ever believe she would do anything to upset him on purpose. She absolutely never would.

"Okay, I get it," said Lavon then, heaving a sigh. "You were tryin' to help, I see that. I guess Wade was too when he told you what went on."

"Yes, absolutely," Zoe confirmed. "We both just want good things for you, Lavon. You know that."

"I do," he agreed, nodding his head. "It's just... well, the whole thing is just... I don't even know."

He did know, Zoe was sure that he did, it was just tough for him to talk about. At the same time, she had to wonder if it wouldn't do him some good to really get it all off his chest. If nobody else knew about his love affair with Lemon, he couldn't ever have had anyone to share with. That wasn't good for a person, it just couldn't be.

"If you want to talk about it some more, I'll listen," she offered in a small voice.

Zoe wasn't really sure whether he would want to tell her any more about it or not, but she was fine either way. She just wanted to help, she truly did. Hearing Lavon heave another sigh, she watched him lean down onto the counter opposite her, his eyes over her shoulder, almost as if he was looking into the past he started to talk about.

"It happened so fast, I can't even explain, but somehow, in the space of days, Lemon just became everything to me. I fell so hard and fast for her, it was crazy. We had six months together. Six amazing months, but then, George came back, and Lemon, she didn't know what to do.

"She got real upset about the whole thing, torn as she was between our new love and the old one she had for so long with George. I kept on thinking, after everything, she was bound to choose us, choose me. Turned out, I was wrong. She went back to the man she had loved for almost half her life.

"Worst part is, that man is my friend. I see him all the time, talk to him, act like everything is normal, but it's not. I'm in love with George's fiancée. I went behind his back with her and I feel bad about that, I do, but what can I do now? To tell him the truth is to destroy the happiness of so many, including Lemon, and for what? She would never be with me after that."

When he looked at Zoe then, all big, soulful eyes and a kind of desperation for help that she couldn't ignore, she had no idea what to say. She only wished that she did. Lavon was the best, just the absolute best, and he was hurting so much. Sure, he did wrong, having an affair with Lemon when he knew she was still technically with George, but he had fallen for her. He was so full of love for Lemon and at the same time guilt over George. It was one hell of a mess and, as far as Zoe could tell, there was no good way out of it.

"Oh, Lavon," she said with a sigh, her hand grasping his forearm on the counter. "I'm so sorry."

"Not your fault, Z," he assured her, patting her hand with his own. "I guess maybe talking this out ain't gonna do me as much good as either of us hoped. You can't fix it anymore than I can. Pretty sure I'm just gonna have to learn to live with it all, however long that takes."

Zoe nodded along, knowing it was probably true. Like Lavon had said, if he spilled about the affair, then everybody was going to get hurt, Lemon as well as George, and for what? It wouldn't help. It wouldn't make anything better in the end. In fact, it would only make matters worse.

"So," said Lavon then, "let's talk happier things. How'd it go with you and your Uncle Brando?"

That question made Zoe smile in spite of everything else. "So good," she admitted happily. "He's such a nice guy and he has all these stories about Harley. Plus, he thinks I'm amazing."

"Well, that means he's a good judge of people," said Lavon, managing what seemed to be a genuine smile back at her. "You two gonna meet up again soon?"

"Tomorrow night actually," Zoe explained. "We're having dinner at the Rammer Jammer. Wade's going to be there too. Hey, you should come!" she said suddenly, the idea sounding so good in the moment.

"Nah, Z. I mean, thank you, but you don't want me hangin' around..."

"Why not?" she challenged him, keeping a hold of his arm when he tried to move away. "Come on, Lavon. Brando wants to meet Wade, or re-meet him I guess, because he's my boyfriend. It's suppsed to be a family meal, and you... you've been nothing less than a brother to me since I moved here. What could make more sense than you getting to know my uncle?" she asked, shrugging her shoulders.

It was nice to see that genuine smile again, perhaps even brighter now than it had been before. "Alright, then. I guess I'll come along to dinner. Thank you, Zoe."

"No, thank you, Lavon," she insisted with a grin.

Zoe couldn't be at all sorry that she invited Lavon along to her dinner with Uncle Brando and Wade. Three of her favourite people in the world all getting along, talking and laughing, it made her feel so good. It was particularly nice to see Lavon happy after their conversation over breakfast, but also, she kind of loved how well Wade got along with her uncle too.

They talked about the old days a lot. Uncle Brando had a couple of sweet recollections of Jacqueline Kinsella that seemed to mean a lot to Wade, while Wade only spoke highly of Brando's late wife and how kind she always was, offering him cookies and lemonade when he worked hard at their home in his teen years. Lavon seemed glad to be there, to hear all the stories and to be included in a family situation. Zoe couldn't exactly say she was sad about it either.

"You okay there, honey?" Uncle Brando asked her then. "You've gone awful quiet this last while."

"I'm sorry," she apologised, shaking her head slightly. "I'm fine, I was just... well, this is just great, all of us here together. I guess I'm not used to it. You know, feeling like part of something? A family," she explained with a smile. "For a long time, I've only really had my mom. Now, there's all of you, and apparently, I have a whole lot of other Wilkes to meet. It's great, but it's a little weird too. I never thought I'd find a way to fit in down here."

"Well, I think you fit in just fine, doc," Wade told her, leaning over to kiss her cheek. "After all, half your blood is from Alabama, right?"

"No offence to your Momma, but I'd say that's the better half of your blood." Uncle Brando winked.

"Amen to that," Lavon agreed with a grin.

Zoe couldn't help but laugh. She loved New York, she always would, and truthfully, she wasn't sure she could ever fully let go of being a city girl. That being said, she wasn't averse to embracing her Southern side too. It seemed to be working out for her so far.

The laughter died in Zoe's throat when she noticed Lavon's expression suddenly get serious. While Wade and Brando talked among themselves, she noted her friend was staring beyond her at something that was clearly troubling him. Turning around to see what was up. The moment her eyes landed on Lemon and George at a table a ways away, she knew what was wrong. When the couple seemed to snipe at each other before Lemon got up and stalked off towards the bathroom, Zoe made a quick decision.

"I have to go to the ladies' room," she said fast, up on her feet and gone from the table before anyone could comment at all.

Maybe it was a dumb thing to do, maybe it would be better to leave the whole love triangle topic alone, but Zoe just couldn't help herself. At the very least, she felt the need to apologise for putting her nose where it didn't belong before. She owed Lemon that much. She owned Lavon that much too.

"Oh, it's you," said Lemon, catching sight of Zoe in the mirror over the handbasins the moment she stepped in the door.

"Yup, it's me," she agreed, moving to stand next to Lemon. "I, uh... I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry about before. Not what I said about being nicer to the Belles, because they really need you to go easy on them, believe me but," she continued, quickly and pointedly, before Lemon could interrupt, which she obviously wanted to, "I never should have even vaguely mentioned your relationship with Lavon. It wasn't my place, but you should know that he didn't tell me anything. Not until today, anyway. It was Wade, he told me, and for the record, Lavon didn't tell him either. He just... figured it out, I guess. I mean, he lives on the plantation."

"And unfortunately, I forgot that Wade Kinsella is not half so dumb as he let's everybody thinks he is." Lemon sighed heavily, bracing her hands on the sides of the sink. "Oh, this is just wonderful. You and Wade knowing all about my affair, the both of you getting along so well with George."

"We're not saying anything," Zoe insisted fast. "Come on, Lemon, if Wade was going talk, he would've done it weeks or months ago, and I have no reason to want to hurt George or Lavon or even you that way. Your secret is safe."

Lemon turned to look at Zoe properly then, narrowing her eyes a little as she stared.

"What else?" she asked after a while. "Zoe Hart, I am nobody's fool. You have somethin' else to say to me and neither one of us is leavin' here until you spit it out, so you may as well have at it."

It was true and Zoe wasn't prepared to deny it. Clearly, Lemon was very, very good at reading people. At least it gave Zoe a chance to speak her piece without concern that it was the wrong thing to do.

"I meant what I said, I won't spill your secret and I'm sure that Wade won't either, but Lemon, did you ever consider that maybe you should?" she suggested carefully. "These things have a habit of coming out in the end. I should know. I just found out a few months ago that my mom had an affair, thirty years ago, with Harley Wilkes, that resulted in me," she reminded her. "Someday, something could happen, something so simple, and your whole world could implode. Is it worth it? Don't you think it might be better if you just told George the truth now?"

Lemon scoffed loudly, tears evident in her eyes. "You think I haven't thought about it?" she said sharply. "You think I haven't gone over and over this situation from all angles, wonderin' if I should be truthful with George, if I should leave him and go back to Lavon, if I shouldn't just pack my bags and run for the hills to get away from this ridiculous mess I have created for myself? Lord knows, Zoe Hart, I have gone through hell tryin' to make the right choice in all of this, and still, I'm not so sure I found it."

Zoe's heart ached to see Lemon so upset, even though most of the blame for the whole situation could be put at her door. After all, she was the one who cheated. Of course, Lavon had been more than willing, and George had left her behind for the sake of his career. It really was the most colossal mess.

"Have you ever been in love, Zoe?" Lemon asked then, swiping under her eyes.

"Um, I don't think so," she said honestly, shaking her head.

"Well, I have. I am," she insisted sadly, "only I have managed to fall in love with two completely different men at the same time. Let me tell you, it is the hardest thing in the world, and I have not one clue what to do about it, but I know I have to figure it out soon, because time is just runnin' out on me."

When she broke down then, Zoe hesitated only for a moment before putting her arms around poor Lemon and trying to be as soothing as she could. Comforting people ought to come naturally to a doctor, to a GP anyway, but Zoe hadn't been one for long, and a surgeon rarely required much of a bedside manner, in her experience. Still, she did her best with what she had learned so far from being in Bluebell and hoped it was enough. It seemed, for the moment, at least, she was all Lemon had.

To Be Continued...