Dandelion

Eight

The next few days seemed to fly without any rhyme or reason. Jimmy, Cordy, and Hal caught a plane to Nashville two days after they made it to Elba. Though Greyson got the sense Jimmy didn't want to leave. Quinton stuck around, but made himself scarce, trying to find out more information for Greyson on Carrie-May and what the hell that ridiculous lie about them was about. Myrick went to his parents to see how they were while Greyson's mother wasted no time putting him to work on the farm. Greyson by no means was weak or unfit, however, he severely forgot how difficult it was working in the Alabama sun on a hot day. Mucking stalls, bush-hogging the field, helping his mother check her vegetable garden and her apple trees. Greyson had swung by the diner twice, mostly to see Briar. The first time she had been there and been her prickly self, but was busy and couldn't really stop to talk. The second time he had gone, she wasn't there, but he wasted no time in sitting and talking to Lani about Briar. Lani was somewhat forth coming about Briar, but ultimately refused to tell him to much, which he respected.

As the days drug on through the week Greyson couldn't complain, it was like he stepped back into a life he at one time wanted to run from, but now it was refreshing. Thursday night finally rolled around and while he was washing the dishes, his parents' house phone rang. Ada came into the kitchen and answered it.

"Hello?" She paused and then sighed and looked up to Greyson, "it's for you."

"Who is it?"

"Leon." She said flatly.

"Hang up," Greyson turned back around to finish the dishes.

"I'm sorry, but he's in bed, call back tomorrow, okay, buh-bye dearie," his mother said with a sickeningly sweet drawl. She clicked the phone off and then set it back on the mantle.

"I don't like that man, never have, never will," she sighed.

"I'm starting to be on the same ship, mama," Greyson sighed as well as he put the last dish up and turned around.

"You look tired," she gave him a sad look.

"I forgot how hard it was to work out here," he chuckled. His mother smiled.

"No, son, you look tired. You looked tired the day you got here, and you look tired now, is there something else going on?"

Greyson shook his head. He had a lot going on in his mind, one of the things was what the hell he was gonna do about his date tomorrow with Briar. However, he knew what his mom wanted to talk about. It's something he knew would lead to a fight and he didn't want to fight now. The last time they fought, they didn't speak for almost a year and Greyson didn't like the feeling it left on his heart for hurting his mother that way. The musician life, running off with that woman... it broke his mother's heart, and though she was too prideful to admit it, a part of her was still hurt to this day.

"I'm okay, mama," he said and paused for a moment and then huffed a laugh as he rubbed his eyes.

"Do you think you can help me with something?" He looked at her and her face lit up with joy.

"What's that?"

"I have no idea what to do tomorrow for my date with Briar," he confessed. His mother smiled.

"Is this the waitress from Joe's?" She asked softly.

"Yes ma'am. I want to do something nice, but I have no idea what she likes and doesn't like. I tried getting her friend Lani to give me some insight, but had no luck," he sighed.

Greyson's gaze wandered off as his mind drifted to Briar's stormy eyes and bright smile; she was all he could think about the last few days. The first thing that came to mind when he woke up and the last thing he thought about when he fell asleep. Greyson just met her and wanted nothing more than to make her happy. When Ada didn't immediately answer, Greyson looked up to her. She remained quiet for a moment more and just watched him and shook her head.