A Snapshot of Dixie

4: Have a Little Faith

DIXIE

Feeling like I'm caught in a conflicting wind, my thoughts blow me in every direction as we wait behind the red velvet curtains for the introductions to begin. Rubbing my fingers against the satin fabric of my gloves, my stomach twists in knots. My mother's harsh words crawl up my throat, scraping through me like an abrasive piece of sandpaper. Images of Tucker's arm candy follow up my icky feelings while visions of the two of them dance through my mind.

"Is everything alright, Peaches? You feel a little warm." My father asks, brushing the back of his hand across my forehead. Maybe I am sick. Sick to my stomach of letting everyone around me control my moves and not living my life for anyone but me.

Glancing at him, I reveal the look of wonderment that's written on my face. "I thought I could do this for Mom, but I'm beginning to think she doesn't want me to succeed in anything, Dad."

"For corn picking sake, what did she do now?" Daddy's defensive tone eases my doubts.

Usually, I'm able to shake my mother's nasty words, but there's something about how she spoke about Tucker that leads me to believe there's something more at play here.

"Dixie Mae, you're up first." I hear a woman shout through the crowd of debutantes. Taking a deep breath, I try to focus my thoughts on nailing my entrance. Lord knows if I don't, I'll be the talk of the town by midnight.

Choosing not to disclose everything I'm feeling right now, I offer my father a warm smile. "It's nothing I can't handle, Daddy. Are you ready?"

"Of course, but before we step out there, I want you to know how proud I am of you, Dixie Mae. Despite everything that comes your way, you always face it with so much courage and I'm a proud man to be able to call you my daughter."

"Awe, Dad. You're so sweet! If it weren't for your guidance, I wouldn't be who I am today."

"I can't take credit for all of it, Peaches. You've come into your own naturally. You're such a hard worker and you value your family even if one person in particular tries to bring you down. I know deep down that your mother does what she does out of love. I don't know if I've ever told you this, but the day you were born was the day something changed in Gracelyn."

"What do you mean?"

"Gracelyn has always been set in her ways, but the second you came into this world, she threw her rule book out the window. You were the most precious thing to her and everything else took a backseat. She quit the guild and vowed to be the best damn mother she could be. It was at that moment when she held you for the first time that I fell in love with her all over again. I had never seen someone's eyes filled with so much love and determination before."

Grinning from hearing the story, my built up anger dissipates, realizing how right my father is. Although my mother has annoying ways of showing that she cares, that's exactly what it is. Sometimes it's hard to see past her overbearing character because it's so damn stifling, but I know she loves me. Leave it to my amazing man of a dad to clear my thoughts on the matter.

"I love that! Thank you for reminding me, Dad. You're the best!"

Wrapping my arm around his waist in a side hug, he kisses my forehead. I close my eyes and take in the love I feel at this moment. I'm most definitely a daddy's girl and knowing that I have him in my corner has been more than enough to get me through losing the love I once had with Tucker.

"Dixie Mae, if you and your father would step in front of the curtain, please?" The older lady instructs. I hook my father's arm and walk toward her.

"Before I forget, since you didn't have a younger male escort, I took the liberty of assigning you one, Dixie Mae. Truthfully, it fell into my lap when I was talking with another committee member and he overheard me. I'm sure you'll be pleased with your dashing young man this evening."