Peace in the Valley

Peace in the Valley - Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Brent regretted leaving the moment the door closed behind him. But, maybe he thought as he drove, he needed to give Tonya space for a few days. Maybe he needed to give himself space for a few days. Standing in the kitchen with Tonya he wanted to let her know everything was OK, and he thought he could. Until she put up her wall. Maybe this was a lost cause, but he could not change the past. Only reassure her that the future could be different.

Tonya hated herself. She had never pushed a boy away and now she felt terrible for not only how she treated Brent, but also how she felt. She wanted him to hold her and love her and all of her imperfections. But how could he do that? Her past was too much a part of her present!

Winter was cold on the farm, the first snow started falling the night before. The drive to town was a little slippery with patches of ice for Tanner. Charlie sent him to town to pick up some supplies for the farm. Julie wanted to go with him, but he told her his plans to talk to Brent so she kissed him good-bye and went to check on the horses. Several mares would be delivering new foals in the next few weeks.

After the supplies were picked up, Tanner drove over to Brent's house. Both his parents were at the church setting up for the Christmas Eve service. Brent and Tanner went to the living room to watch TV. But, Brent knew Tanner was not the watching TV type in the afternoon.

"OK. You might as well say it." Brent asked looking over at Tanner.

"What the hell happened last night?" Tanner asked.

"Well, just come out with it. I wouldn't want you to hold back!" Brent said smiling. Tanner laughed too.

"Last night, I was torn. A part of me wanted to strangle Tonya for being so stupid and building up this wall. But, then another part of me, a very large part of me wanted to take her in my arms and kiss her until she came to her senses." Brent said shaking his head.

"Why didn't you do option two. That might of straightened her out! From what I understand, she has been horrible to live with today. In a bad mood."

"I am sorry. But, I thought if I walked out, she might realize that the choice is hers and she needs to make it."

"So, you are not going to come and fix this?"

"Not right now." Brent said shaking his head. "As much as it kills me not to see her. She needs to decide if she can forgive herself or if she is going to live in the past forever."

"Honestly, can you overlook her past? I mean, I was here and I saw what she was like with Heath."

"Right now, I hate Heath Mitchell and I have never hated anyone in my life!" Brent said letting his breath leave his body as his head slumped down feeling ashamed of his hatred.

"Me too!"

"Oh, Tan! I am sorry. I wasn't thinking."

"It is OK. I don't like hating him either. I have hated and been angry at a lot of people in my life, especially my parents. But, I can't change the past, even the way I felt, but I can change the present and future."

"So, what are you going to do if she doesn't come around?" Tanner finally asked after sitting in silence for a few minutes.

"Well, I guess it is a choice she is going to have to make." Brent said. "I may not like her choice, but I will live with it and still be her friend."

"Well, at least she has not broken anything today!" Nana said to Julie as Tonya stormed out of the kitchen and upstairs again. She had been in a bad mood since Brent left the night before.