*Author's Note*

Thanks for reading, faving, following, and reviewing.

Well, here it is. The awaited for Tolbert chapter. YAY! This is going to show Tolbert's afternoon after he parted ways with Nova at Peggy's Dinner. Hope you guys like it.

Oh, and I hope that everyone who celebrated American Thanksgiving had a happy one last Thursday.

Now, onto the story…

How My Day's Been…

Tolbert POV:

I weren't too happy 'bout Ella ridin' off wit' Cap to his damn house, but she claimed he wouldn't give the shit back unless he brought her over. Said he had a goddamn cow an' kicked Perry outta the house when he'd come home early. Damn fog-eyed bastard would come home early.

After Ella put her leftovers in a foam container and poured her sweat tea in the to-go cup she asked for, she left our table an' went out front to wait for her ex on one of the benches that's 'gainst the window. When the kids asked where she went, I just told 'em that she had'a go do somethin', but would meet us at Gran'pappy an' Gran'mama's house. The kids et all their food, so they didn't need a doggie bag. I wasn't let 'em take no to-go cups wit' us either cause they didn't need it. There was plenty to drink at my folks' house.

'Fore leavin', I needed to have a lil talk wit' Shaw. The no good fuckin' bastard. Slidin' out of the booth I was in, I pointed t'my kids an' told 'em, "Stay right there an' don't 'cha move. I gotta go pay an' talk to the cook."

"Ok, poppy." Sally Elle chirped while Brett nodded silently.

Quickly, I went up to the front counter and paid my bill, only to lean forward on the counter an' shout at the large window (where the kitchen was), "Shaw, I need'a talk t'ya."

"Shit, Tolbert, can't it wait?" The smug bastard groaned, wavin' a metal spatula at me, as his sister walked out the kitchen's swingin' doors wit' some platters in hand.

"No, it can't wait. I need'a talk t'ya now; it's important." I barked while 'nother waitress came outta the kitchen wit' a food order.

"Right…course it is…" He drawled 'fore placin' down his spatula an' tellin' his ma, "I'll be back in a sec, gotta talk to the Tolbert McCoy 'bout something."

"Go on, see what he wants." Peggy Eldridge waved her son off, causin' him to emerge from the double swingin' doors.

He made long strides over to me. His brown eyes showed he didn't wanna be bothered wit' my ass, but I didn't care. He needed t'know that my woman was off limits. Nobody, but me, was touchin' Nova now. Stoppin' right in front of me an' leanin' a hip 'gainst the counter. Crossin' his arms ov'r his chest an' tiltin' his head at me, he asked, "What'cha need to talk to me 'bout so bad?"

"Ella."

"Oh, so you found out 'bout us hookin' up." He had the nerve t'say. Fuckin' bastard.

Gettin' right up in his face, I seethed out the promise of, "Y'ever an' I mean ever touch her 'gain I'll fuckin' blown yer goddamn brains out."

Shaw uncrossed his arms an' held his hands up in surrender. "Calm down Tolbert." Pattin' my shoulder, he said, "You want her then she's yours." Inchin' back from me, he smirked, "'Sides, I'm workin' a job for Bad Frank to scare Cap Hatfield into droppin' your case so reckon I'll let ya have your love story since we're on the same side."

"Oh hell…" I grumbled under my breath. Frank would be usin' Shaw t'blackmail Cap. Problem is now the shifty bastard thinks he's gonna be my friend. Goddamnit.

"Hey, ain't that your woman gettin' into Cap Hatfields truck?" Shaw said, pointin' to the window 'hind me.

"She has to get her shit from his place." I explained cause I didn't want him thinkin' that Ella weren't wit' me no mores or somethin' like that.

"You know they're married, right? It's her place too."

"Shut up, Shaw."

"Bet they're gonna have a goodbye fuck or fight, or both." The shifty bastard darkly chuckled.

"I said shut up."

Watchin' that one-eyed bastard's truck take off with my woman in it, Shaw had the balls t'goad me wit', "They're both lawyers so they got that in common. Plus, she loved him enough to say I do. So, I wouldn't be lettin' her go off wit' him alone if I was you, Tolbert, buddy."

"I'm not your buddy." I snarled 'fore stormin' off to get my kids an' head out to Poppy an' Mama's. I was ov'r Shaw's shit. I warned him 'way from my Ella; now I needed to tend to my family and talk to my folks about how things are gonna be here on out.

Pullin' up to my parents' place, I saw that Perry's car was parked 'hind Poppy's truck. I also saw that him an' Poppy were sittin' on the porch, rockin' an' drinkin' coffee (goin' ov'r the day's events no doubt). I knew that they'd be bombardin' me 'bout Ella bein' wit' her goddamn ex an' I didn't wanna be bothered wit' it. Not after what happened t'my son's mother this mornin'. Wit' a heavy sigh, I put my truck in park an' cut the engine. Lookin' into the backseat at my chil'ren, I told 'em, "We're here at Gran'pappy's an' Gran'ma's house."

"Did Gran'ma make cookies?" Sally Elle asked while Brett asked, "I got a gran'ma now?"

Oh yea, I forgot that Misty weren't close t'her folks no more. They 'disowned' her once I knocked her up. Whoops. If I remember correctly they live 'bout half a mile down the road from Ma an' Poppy. Reckon I should pay 'em a visit; tell 'em what happened to their daughter an' let 'em meet their gran'son. Maybe I'll do that now instead of dealin' wit' Poppy. Yea, that's what I'll do.

"Sally Elle, I'm gonna let'cha out so ya can see Gran'ma an' Gran'pappy, but I gotta run a quick errand down the road wit' Brett real quick. Ya make sure ya tell 'em that too, ya hear?" I told my lil girl 'fore openin' up my truck door.

"Okay, poppy." Sally Ella nodded as I got outta the truck.

Quickly, I went to the back door an' opened it. Sally Elle was smilin' wide at the prospect of seein' her gran'parents. Unbucklin' her carseat, I told her, "Now, be good til I get back. A'ight."

"I will, Poppy." Sally Elle chirped as I picked her up.

Closin' the truck door an' settin' my lil girl on the ground, I told her, "Good. Now go on an' see Gran'Pappy an' Uncle Perry."

I swatted her lightly, causin' Sally Elle to run straight towards the porch while shoutin', "Gran'pappy! Uncle Perry!"

'Fore either of 'em could ask what was goin' on, I climbed back into my truck and peeled on outta the drive. Brett was quiet as I drove down the dirt road, headin' to the Holway house. I looked at him thru the rearview mirror an' asked, "Y'okay back there, boy?"

"Yea." He squeaked out and nodded, his eyes not meetin' mine in the mirror.

Well, there wasn't much to do if he didn't wanna talk. Goddamnit, that's why I need Ella here. She'd know what to say and do to make him feel better. Hell, she'd been doin' it all day so far, an' it'd been workin'. Leave me 'lone wit' the damn kid for a good half hour an' everything's gone t'hell. I just shook my head an' lept drivin' since there wasn't nothin' I could do nor say t'make my boy feel better. I felt like shit too; I wasn't full of sunshine on good days let 'lone bad ones.

It only took a few minutes 'fore I was pullin' into the driveway of the Holways'. Their place was a small farmhouse that had better days. Looked like it needed some fixin' up. Guess Mord ain't up to it these days. Hell, if I care; I ain't doin' it.

"Where we at?" Brett asked as I turned off the truck.

"Mord an' Phylidia Holway's. I needa tell them 'bout Misty-uh-your mama up in heaven." I explained 'fore gettin' outta the truck. Quickly, I rounded it an' got Brett from the back. Holdin' him close, I assured him, "We won't be 'ere long. A'ight." My lil boy didn't say nothin', just nodded his head 'gainst my chest as I started trekkin' up to the front door of the old farmhouse.

Once I reached the front door, I knocked on it an' waited for someone to answer. I was standin' on the porch, holdin' my grievein' kid close, for a few minutes when the door opened; revealin' Mord. "What the hell you doin' here, Tolbert McCoy?"

"I came by to tell-" I began, only to get abrutbly cut off by Mord's hard words of, "Tell us 'bout Misty? Yes, well, the authorities already called;we know. So sad, but if you never would've made her your whore years ago, she'd still be alive right now." Did he just blame me for Misty's death?! What the hell?...

"It ain't my fault she's dead Mord. She had a rollover accident."

"She kept up a friendship with those other whores that worked with her at that bar you corrupted her in, so I say it is your fault she was on that road to hell this morning." Hell, he's determined t'blame me for his only child dyin'. Damn asshole. "So, just take your son and go. He's nothin' to us; never had been and never will be, so don't come knockin' ever again." Mord snapped, only t'slam his door shut right in my fuckin' face.

Well, looks like I came ov'r here for nothin'. Nothin' at all.

"Who's that?" Poppy asked as I walked up the front porch steps, carryin' Brett.

"Yer gran'son, Brett." I answered while walkin' up to poppy.

He let out a deep sigh an' gave me a disappointed look. Holdin' his hands out, he ordered, "Hand 'em here, Tolbert."

"That's yer grand'pappy, Brett." I told my boy as I passed 'im ov'r to poppy.

"Hi." Brett shyly said, sittin' in poppy's lap as I took a seat in the rocker next t'him.

"Hello, gran'son." Pa simply greeted my boy. Pattin' him on the back, he turned t'me and said, "He sure does look like ya, son. No denyin' he's got the McCoy blood in his veins."

"Yea." I nodded, agreein' wit' poppy that Brett was a McCoy in looks, not just name.

"I talked wit' Perry while y'were gone." Poppy informed me as he rocked Brett, pattin' his back soothin'ly like he does countless of times wit' Sally Elle. I didn't say nothin', just locked my jaw an' nodded. "Can't say I liked or agreed wit' all he said, but I do understand where he's comin' from." Lookin' at me, he said, "I dropped my pursuit of charges on Moses, for Perry's sake an' the sake of Novella. As I understand she ruined her rep'tation, good name, morals, an' career tryin' to free yer unusually moody ass; she doesn't need a brother in jail on top of her troubles."

"Perry tell ya that we're back t'gether now." I stated, knowin' my 'Uncle' most likely did. I wanted to tell Poppy myself, but since he brought up the subject of everythin' Ella gave up for me, well, I just knew that Perry beat me to the punch.

"Yes, he did." Poppy nodded. "Don't know if I really b'lieve in it since she did marry that man who wants t'see ya dead, but Perry said she did it for ya. Wanted to get you freed or at least in home arrest, but nothin' ever came of it." He told me, his richly accented tone holdin' a bit of pain in it. The corners of his mouth tighted up an' crows lines formed 'round his eyes as he sighed, "Reckon yer chil'ren need'a mama an' wit' the history 'tween ya'll, well, Novella seems to be the best fit for the task."

"Yea." I solemnly nodded. Honestly, I was expectin' poppy to put up more of a fight 'bout me an' Ella. I wasn't expectin' him to act like this tho. I was odd; I didn't know how to feel 'bout it.

"Perry's inside talkin' wit' yer Ma. Why don'tcha send him out here so we can talk somemore while I bond wit' my new gran'son."

"Sure, Poppy." I nodded 'fore risin' from my rocker an' headin' to fetch Perry for Poppy.

I opened the door an' stepped inside the house, only t'see soe of my siblin's huddled 'round the tv in the livin'room. I assumed my younger siblin's were out back playin' wit' my daughter (cause that's what they usually did when we were ov'r visitin'). I heard Ma and Perry's voices echoin' from the kitchen. They were talkin' 'bout me an' Ella. Perry seemed t'be tryin' very hard to convince Ma that she did everythin' wit' that one-eyed demon ADA for me; for my freedom, but ma didn't seem to be believin' it. In fact, I overheard her tell Perry, "That's just your denial talkin', Perry. You just can't accept, like I have, that Novella married that Hatfield lawyer cause she fell in love wit' 'im before she ever came back to these woods."

I decided to make my presence known 'fore mama'd say anything else that's piss off me an' Perry. She's talkin' foolish now. Ella loves me; wouldn't me wit' me if she didn't. Like hell she fell in love with that Cap Hatfield. Nobody could fall in love with a cold, one-eyed demon like 'im. "Perry, Poppy wants ya back on the porch wit' 'im. Wants ya to help 'im bond wit' Brett." I told the laywer, who was sittin' at the large kitchen table, while walkin' thru the archway into the room.

"Sally, Tolbert, I'll leave you both to catch up on things while I help Ol' Randall with Brett, even though I doubt he needs any help." Perry said while rising from the table.

Ma didn't say a word, just continued peelin' potatoes as I went ov'r to the table while Perry walked outta the kitchen. She remained quiet as I sat down too. She looked at me as the door loudly closed, indicatin' that Perry'd gone outside. She dropped the potato an' peeler that were in her hands as her eyes glazed ov'r. Aw hell…she's gonna go actin' all crazy an' creepy now. Just what I don't need right now.

After a minute or so, mama blinked an' her eyes went back to their normal color. A sad, but sympathetic look appeared on her face as she cupped my face in her hands. "I'm so sorry, Tolbert, my dear, but Novella won't ever divorce her husband. You won't marry her; your son will be his as soon as it's born as well."

"What the fuck, ma?! Are ya crazier than normal?!" I roared, pullin' her hands off my face. How could she tell me those lies. Of course, Ella's divorcin' her husband. She's filing for the annulment as soon as the DNA test results come back. Fuckin' hell…why would my son be claimed as a Hatfield as soon as it's born when the DNA test an' annulment's gonna get me a mistrial; free me.

As if she could read my mind, Ma sadly sighed, "You're not gonna be free, son. Your fiery temper's gonna have ya rottin' in jail while Novella lives her life in the arms of that Hatfield husband of hers."

"Pa needs to take ya to get yer head examined cause ya ain't actin' right." I told my ma 'fore stormin' out the back door. Since ma was talkin' crazy talk, I'd rather watch my kid an' younger siblin's play til Ella gets here for dinner. I can't handle mama's bullshit ramblin's right now. Not after how my day's been.

AN:

YIKES! Sally had another seer vision, and it was quite different than the one she had in the courtroom many chapters back. What do you guys think about what Sally said? Anyways, a tiny time jump (like maybe a week) with the DNA tests results for Novella's baby will be in the next chapter.