Homecoming

Chapter 3

Two weeks had passed before I finally got my paperwork in order to start work with Rachel's firm. I spent most of the time wandering around Rachel's house and trying not to touch anything. Many of the heirlooms she had were our great grandparents and when I accidentally knocked into a vase, nearly making it crash to the floor, I realized she wasn't playing around.

"Watch it! You're just like a bull in a china shop. These are important!" She had yelled angrily.

So I was trying not to be a bull in her china shop, but along with that I had to endure her book club sessions. Katie and Lorraine were more than noisy about my "juicy reasons" for leaving Jason and I felt exhausted at the end of the night when I remembered Jason in my mind. Such and hunk in high school and now, I had fallen fast for him. We had our ups and downs when we were younger, but college was the real peak of our love. I still remembered when we took me to Hawaii for a vacation and told me how much he loved me right there on that beach. The way his blue eyes dazzled when he looked at me and his smile beamed brighter than anything southern moon.

"I'll always love you, Julia. I'll always care for you." He had promised, those baby blue eyes making me believe every word he told me.

Our latest book club had ended on a sour note when Rachel involved herself in the knit picking of my life. She stared at me with those judgmental eyes and pointed her finger at me in a scolding manner. Much like Grandmother.

"A fight is never one side, Julia. Jason wasn't always a bad guy. I mean how long has he been helping out that homeless shelter?" Rachel had asked with her nose turned, making Katie and Lorraine snicker under their breath.

It had bothered me when she said it, but she was right at the end of the day. I was just as bad as he was in some ways, but no one is completely perfect. Of course, I knew that eventually my family would question it. Hell, my grandmother was probably rolling in her grave by now. I shook my head as I gathered my keys in my hands to leave the house for my first day of work. I was more nervous than excited since I hadn't really been out of the house. Rachel did everything so I wouldn't have to. She had already told me some people were talking. How they knew I was home already is a mystery, but in this small of a town, nothing was ever a surprise.

∞

I left Rachel's home and arrived to the firm around eight. The streets were quiet this early in the morning, but the town crones were walking around with their coffees, gossiping in the streets the way they have since I was a kid. I got out of the car as Mrs. Cole, an older woman who once used to teach me piano, passed by my car. I beamed a smile as I recognized her and waved to her eagerly.

"Mrs. Cole, is that you? I haven't seen you since 09's fair round up!" I said happily, extending my hand out to take hers.

She looked at me for a long moment before a nasty scowl covered her face, crinkling it up in wrinkles, "You should be ashamed of yourself."

I stared at her in disbelief and stood frozen to the ground before I blinked and cleared my throat, "What?"

"You should be ashamed of yourself. Prancing around here all happy after what you done did to that poor Campbell boy. His mama done told everyone just what she thinks of you at church." Her words cut into me like a hot knife, and I stared at her with confusion before realizing Jason had called his mom.

"You have no idea what you are talking about." I lashed out firmly, tears springing to my eyes quickly.

With a long, hateful glance she waddled off in an angry flurry. I watched in shock as tears slid down my cheeks in broad daylight. I had been out of the loop for two weeks and the moment I leave the house, this happens? I clenched my fists and went into the firm to clock in. Rachel sat in her office as I passed back by the door and she looked up and called my name. I froze and took a deep breath before entering and smiling at her.

"Good morning, Rachel." I said after I cleared my throat and strained the vibrant tone.

She eyed me quietly before clearing her throat, "An old friend of mine approached me at the grocery store this morning and was telling me about Jason. I want you to be clear that I do not want whatever is happening between you to affect this office. We have very professional lawyers here who do not need their reputations tarnished."

I chuckled in panic and touched my stomach, "I completely understand."

I stared at her in shock and felt like pins and needles were crawling across my skin as she spoke. No regard to the situation I was being faced with but concerned with people's reputations. Her tone had been changing over the last two weeks and today it was a voice I did not recognize. It was like she was talking to a stranger. Just another employee. I gave her a curt nod and headed to the front desk. Several files were stacked there already, and I sat down with a weight so heavy on my chest I wanted to cough to make sure my lungs still worked. It didn't seem my fresh start was starting off so fresh.