Almost Home (NG2)

Want?

Nash felt like it took forever for Savannah to settle her children in bed. He only had one room to offer to his guests. Savannah looked defeated when she emerged from the hallway which led to the bedrooms. He once again saw how she looked older than her twenty-four years.

He had been sitting with his guitar, working out a melody on some lyrics that have been in his head.

"What are you playing?"

He shrugged. "Just fooling around, hoping for a song."

"Hoping for your magical touch." Her mouth turned into an unconvincing smile.

"It takes hard work. Vanni, why are you here?"

"Things have been bad since his arrest. I needed to get away."

"Being here isn't going to make it any better. Where's your momma? I thought you lived with her."

"I need a break from her, too."

"Who knows that you're here? Are you safe?"

"No one knows. I told momma I was visiting a friend. He's on the road, so he doesn't know we're gone."

"Are people safe on the highway when he's driving his rig?"

"Yeah. He only drinks like that sometimes."

"He did when he got arrested."

"Yah, well, he was angry."

"At me. I have left ya'll alone for years. I just saw my walking and talking nieces for the first time today."

"You wrote those songs."

"And he got you. I can't unwrite 'em now. Can't he let it go?"

She shook her head. "Law gets angry when he drinks. He's angry at the lawyer for wanting him to admit he started it. He's angry at you."

"Which is why you should put those little girls in your car and drive home tomorrow."

"He's not happy with anything. I don't know if he still wants me."

"He married you."

"Because I was pregnant." She looked down at her hands.

"Why? I never understood why you kissed him that night."

They never spoke of it. He and Lawson fought, but Nash ended up with a split lip and a bruised jaw to match his heart.

"You and I were close, but we weren't romantic. You were leaving."

"I was still there sitting on the dune."

She nodded. "Playing your guitar. You were so good. I knew you'd make something of yourself, but I was destined to stay there. When I went to Law crying, he promised to stay with me."

"Momma says he's a good daddy, and he loves you."

"He's not happy. I try to make him happy."

"Maybe it's got nothing to do with you and I don't know he needs to make changes, so he is happy. He has a family. Your older one's all Kirkland."

She smiled. "That's what your momma says."

"Van, only you know if you love him, but you can't run away unless he's hurting you."

"He's not like that. He would never, but he's so jealous of you."

"That's why you can't be here. He'll find out. Little girls will talk. You can't lie to him."

"I know, but I'm nervous about his court thing."

"I doubt he'll go to jail. He'll get probation."

"Lawyer wants him to plead guilty. He says if he gets help and does his steps, it'll go away."