Hello Sweet November

In-6 (Part 1)

“In Tennessee” chapter six//hello & goodbye

One more chapter to go and let us say goodbye because I’m not sure if I should write an epilogue—

Anyways, thank you for reading and for supporting and for voting and commenting. I’m afraid this will be the last of it because I’m not very sure I can continue much of my works (with the trailers, too, of course) with this one ‘loose end.’

I won’t leave Bryan without a Diane and I can’t leave Diane without her mother, Annie.

So this is one chapter before the end. I hope you’ll find the simple sequel worth reading.

And this will be a long ride.

Sorry for that. Love always, though.

\\Katherine.

<3 <3 <3

Everything Country

{CITY}

I called in Annie and wished she was prepared for this. I stopped in front of the church. And Diane gave me a strange look.

“What are we doing here?” She demanded and got off the car.

“Geez, I’m not going to propose,” I reassured her. Then I added. “Today, that is,” and she rolled her eyes at me.

“Seriously, Bryan, why are we here?” She asks again as she went up the steps.

“Just wait for it,” I said and counted to three. The church doors opened, revealing Sam.

“Oh thank God!” Diane exclaimed and hugged her. “I have missed you a whole darn lot!”

“I’ve missed you, too, sweetie.” Sam replies and they started back at the car. “Well, how’s Mr. Albright?” Sam asks, winking at me.

“How’s Portugal?” I snickered and Sam, sitting in the back seat, hit my arm. “Hey, watch it. I’m driving.” I laughed and she leaned back in.

“Thanks, Bryan, really,” she groans and Diane finally looked confused. “Jesus! You haven’t told her yet?” She yells at me and I laughed again. “Dear lord, Bryan, you have to tell her.”

“What’s there to tell?” I asked, feigning innocence and Sam just rolled her eyes.

“Thanks for making me feel like a third wheel, guys,” Diane muttered and Sam laughed this time.

“Sorry, honey,” and then Sam kicked the back of my seat. “Now tell her.”

“Okay,” I resigned and glanced at Diane. “She lives with me. For the past couple of weeks, I think, we’ve done nothing but argue who’s going to wash the dishes.”

Sam laughs and kicks my seat again. “Shut up,”

Then I looked at Diane. Her expression isn’t actually amused but it isn’t mad. It’s just like a shock well-hidden, pain well-hidden…it was—

“Bryan, watch it!” Sam yelled and I swerved a dog in the middle of the street. I stopped the car and got out.

I found the dog and breathed a sigh of relief.

“Simon!”

I’ve left this dog with Johnny boy during my Surprise Birthday Party. That was the day my heart was pounding like hell, thinking Diane was dead.

Thanks a lot, Jonathan. I groaned to myself and petted the dog I’ve missed for so long. “What’re you doing out here all alone, buddy?”

“We were just playing fetch.” A woman’s voice answers and I turned to find Annie a few feet away from me. “Hi, Bryan,”

<3 <3 <3

Everything Country

{COUNTRY}

Am I seeing who I think I’m seeing? I asked myself and got out of the car. I stood close to Bryan and the woman in a green cashmere sweater.

“Bryan,” I called without really looking. “Can we go?” I asked and turned to him.

He looked like he didn’t know what to say till the mysterious woman intervened.

“Diane,”

I looked at her and felt like I might faint any time soon.

“I’m, uh, I’m Annie.” She began as she walks towards me. She extends her hand to me and I tried not to take it. But I did anyway. And then I felt a sudden zing. She seemed to have felt it, too. Smiling, perhaps a slight laugh, really, was on her lips and tears began to well in her eyes.

And I knew. For certain, I knew. “Why? After all these years, why show up now?” I demanded, pulling my hand away. It seems a little weird for me to start an emotional breakdown—especially to a stranger who may or may not be my mother.

“I think this isn’t the appropriate venue for that type of conversation, D.” Bryan says as he stands up, pulling me away. I shrugged him off. Now I’m really, really, triple sure I’m correct. She’s my mom.

She’s her.

“I don’t care what’s appropriate.” I muttered and turned to her, everything I’ve been feeling for thirty five years rushing to me. “Tell me, please, what was I in your life?” I asked her, the woman who abandoned me when I wasn’t even a year old. “I beg you to tell me.”

Her tears were falling. And I couldn’t help but cry a little, too. “I’m sorry.” She whispers and I covered my eyes. “Diane, I’m sorry.” She repeated but I couldn’t take it right now.

I didn’t expect to feel all that emotion till I saw the reason for all my loneliness and misery in the flesh. I head back to the car and Bryan follows. I heard him say something like ‘Let me handle it.’ And he got in the car, driving towards my house.

I see the pond through my tears and before the car could stop, I bolted to it.

Sam swore under her breath as she walked to me. “Sweetie, c’mon, let it out.” She whispers in my ear and pulls me to a hug.

I give in. And the world swallowed me.

<3 <3 <3