Out of the Blue

Sunday Dinner

I sat in the passenger side of my mama's car, fidgeting with my fingers. I twirled a silver ring my daddy had gotten me the year he passed around my right middle finger. The delicate floral design cool against my hot palms. Mama kept eyeing me from where she sat, but stayed quiet. She had her opinions. Ones she made abundantly clear the day I moved away. Those words cutting my spirit like a hot butter knife. I never told her, but I always thought she was right. However, I was not about to swallow my pride and admit it. So I continued to watch out the window as we rounded the corner. A large brick house coming in to view. A sprawling ranch style that was beautifully cased by Magnolia trees. The white petals so fragrant. 

Mama slowly pulled in to the full driveway and put her car in park. Mama Becky must have invited the whole Church this morning because there was not an empty spot in the long paved driveway for even a mouse to scurry through. 

I followed mama up the old stone steps of the front porch, contemplating whether I should grab the keys out of her hand and make a run for it. 

"Don't even think about it Alexandra Blaire." She warned in a hushed tone. You knew she meant business when she pulled out the middle name card. 

I sighed, huffing. Just as I was about to protest, the large oak front door opened. Mama Becky stood there with a pale yellow tea towel over her left shoulder. Her smile beamed as she greeted us, stepping aside quickly to let us in. The smell of homemade peach cobbler straight out of the oven hit me. I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. 

"Oh, I know that face." Kolby chuckled as we made our way in to the kitchen. 

I flicked my eyes open, staring up at him. He placed an arm around my shoulders and brought me further in to the room. A group of people sat at the long dining room table, shooting the breeze. A card game in the works. I scanned the faces. 

"He isn't here. He had an important tour meeting he couldn't miss." Kolby whispered as he leaned close to my ear. The hair on the back of my neck standing on end as his warm breath graced my skin. 

I must have released all of the tension in my shoulders because he laughed as he removed his arm from around them. 

"All right, time to clean up the game and get ready for some dinner." Mama Becky announced as she finished stirring her famous chili in the crock pot. 

A couple of hours and a glass or two of wine later, and I was the most relaxed I have been since Church this morning. I tipped my stemless wine glass as far as it would go to finish the last sip of my Moscato. 

"I'm glad you finished two full glasses of wine because I wanted to pass something by you." Kolby replied, walking up behind me on the couch. 

"The answer is no, I will not sleep with you." I giggled. 

"Well good thing I wasn't going to ask you anything remotely close to that." Kolby shook his head, rolling his eyes. "Plus, I am sure my brother would not be too happy with that idea." 

"And good thing it doesn't matter what he thinks." I sneered. 

Kolby stared at me for a second before continuing. "Alright, drunky. I was going to see if you wanted to take a ride with me over to his house. He is having some people over to watch the baseball game after his meeting was done." 

"Absolutely not." I laughed out loud, throwing my head back. My light brown hair falling all around me. 

"Why not, Lex? It has been a few years now. Maybe we throw feelings aside for old times sake." 

"Fuck you, Kolby. You sat there and watched as I packed up my shit and left this town. And you know good and well why." I placed my empty glass on the coffee table in front of me, lucky enough to not break it in to a million pieces. 

He was out of his ever loving mind if he thought that I would go anywhere with him that involved his brother.