A Snapshot of Dixie

22: Replenish Me

DIXIE

"Hi, Peaches. Is everything alright? It's gotta be like 2 AM there."

"Hi, Daddy. I'm fine. I was just missing our late-night conversations over a bowl of Blue Bell Butter Crunch ice cream."

"Me too, Dixie Mae. That's been my favorite ritual since you learned how to climb out of your crib. It seems like just yesterday you were parading around the house in your rain boots."

I giggle and my chin begins to tremble as my emotions get the best of me, recalling the moments. From about the age of two, until I was five, I lived in a pair of ladybug rain boots. They were my first set and I loved following my father around our farm in them. I made my mother buy me the same pair every year until they stopped making them in my size.

"I miss you, Daddy." I sniffle, admitting how hard it is to be away from him. Not only is he the world's greatest dad, but he's my best friend. There isn't anything that we don't talk about.

"I miss you too, Peaches. Where are you? Your voice sounds echoey."

"I'm in the dorm bathroom. I didn't want to wake..." Pausing, I acknowledge that I could go with a lie and tell him I don't want to wake my roommate, but that would go against everything I believe in. Not once have I lied to him and I'm not about to start now, even if it means he'll be upset that I let Tucker back into my life.

"Tucker came to visit. He had a show in New York that got cancelled so he decided to stay for a few days. I couldn't sleep and I didn't want to wake him. I assumed you were up, and well, here we are."

I take a deep breath from saying that so fast. I know my father would never be upset about me following my heart and that's precisely why I've always had such a fantastic relationship with him. He had a significant impact on the woman I've become.

"I see. And how's Tucker doing these days? I spoke with him briefly at the Rose Ball and he seemed a little lost. If I know the two of you like I think I do, I'm sure you've helped him find his way again."

"Honestly, he's in a bit of trouble, Daddy. Certain things got brought up and I couldn't sleep because I needed some answers."

"What kind of trouble? Anything I can help with, Peaches?"

Taking a deep breath, I blurt out the words that have been on the tip of my tongue ever since I became aware of the situation.

"Why were you, mom, and Walker arguing the night he disappeared?"

Hearing a silence on the other end, I realize my question might have come as a shock.

"How did you find out about that?"

"Tucker said he followed his dad to our house that night. What happened, Daddy?"

"I suppose you're old enough to hear the truth now. I know you've heard me say it before, but things weren't exactly a fairytale when your mother and I got married. We were young and she wasn't too fond of my farming life. Her constant desire to be in every pageant across the United States put a lot of stress on our relationship. She grew tired of my responsibilities at one point and we separated for a while. During that time, I discovered that she was having an affair with Walker..."

I take a seat on the wooden shower bench and cover my mouth, feeling lightheaded. How can this be true? Now I feel sick to my stomach, thinking back to earlier today when I saw the two of them hugging. Has she been deceiving my father all these years?

"...Still to this day, I don't know the lengths of their relationship, but your mother was prepared to run away with him. Word around town was that Walker got a record deal with some label a million miles away and he asked Gracelyn to go with him. Neither of them ended up going because Felicity dropped the bomb that she was pregnant and shortly after, Gracelyn found out she was pregnant with you."