Second Chance Romance (Southern Nights) Completed

Chapter 4

 “Second Chance Romance”


2011 Copyright All Rights Reserved


Chapter 4


Jade was exhausted by the time that she arrived at the grocery store late that afternoon.  Since she and Libby had woke up this morning, they had been running ragged. 

 They had been down town, spoke with the lawyer to set up her father’s estate, talked with the bank to close her father’s accounts, ran by Home Depot and picked out both paint and new carpet for the house, spoke with a Realtor and they had just left the funeral home after setting up arrangements for the funeral that would be in two days.

Two days.  In just two days she would be burying her father.  When she had to choose the casket it all came crashing down on her like a ton of bricks.  

Her father was gone. The man that had raised her would never yell at her again, he would never lecture her again and he would never smile that quirky smile either.  In the end their relationship was strained but he was still her father and she loved him.

“Mama?” Libby said worriedly and pulled on her mother’s hand to get her attention, “Why are you crying?”

Jade quickly wiped the dampness from her cheek.  She hadn’t even realized that she had been crying.  

Pasting a smile on her face, she reached up and brushed the hair that fell on Libby’s forehead back and looked her in the eye.  She was always honest with her daughter and felt that now should be no different.  “I’m a little sad baby girl.   I miss my dad, that’s all.”

“Grandpa?” 

Jade pulled out a cart, picked up her daughter and placed her in the seat.  “Yes, baby. I miss your grandpa.” 

Libby nodded her head, seemingly deep in thought for a four year old girl.  Jade collected herself, knowing that it was best just to keep moving and strode towards the produce first.

“Mama? “ Libby started again, while Jade weighed to cantaloupes in her hands, testing them for ripeness. 

 “Hmm?“

“Who’s my daddy?” She asked curiously.

When her daughter asked that question, Libby fumbled both of the cantaloupes, actually dropping one of them to the ground.  The tan ball exploded on impact, causing the peachy flesh to stain both her self and the floor.

“Damn,” she cursed and after hearing Libby’s laughter Jade realized that it was too late, Libby had heard her little slip up.  

Looking up at her daughters smile and then back to the mess she had made,  Jade couldn‘t stop the laughter that bubbled up from her chest.  After the day that she had experienced, this was just fitting she thought while shaking her head.  This was the icing on the cake so to speak.

“Just beautiful, absolutely beautiful.”

Jade’s laughter came to an abrupt stop when she heard that all too familiar voice coming from behind her.  Her body froze and her heart beat picked up, drumming at a staccato pace.  

“Please don’t stop on my account,” Austin replied, watching both Jade and her daughter together.  It was such an innocent picture, Jade and the little girl laughing while Jade was covered in what looked to be cantaloupe.  Innocent and yet endearing at the same time.

A clerk came over to the group, carrying a roll of paper towels and dragging a mop bucket behind him.  He handed the paper towels to Jade who was facing away from him and then went to work on cleaning up the floor.

“I’m sorry,” Jade told the clerk several times and she offered to pay for the fruit but the clerk only smiled a school boy’s grin and waved her off, telling her “Don’t worry about it, it happens all the time.”