Sand In My Boots - Morgan Wallen Story

Chapter 27

"Mom?" I asked. This couldn't be real, I had to be imagining things. I felt as though I had just seen a ghost.

"Well, don't I get a hug?" She smiled, opening her arms.

"Why are you here?" I asked dryly.

"Do you need me to get security?" Katie whispered. I shook my head no.

"I came to see my favorite daughter. And where is this granddaughter of mine? I ought to meet her!" She said, looking for Ellie left and right.

"Why are you here, mom?!" I snapped. "I haven't seen you in over five years. You've never even asked to see my daughter. So, why are you here now?!"

Morgan thanked the crowd and got off the stage, running towards me and pulling me in for a hug.

"Did you like it? Did Ellie like it?" He asked, placing a soft kiss on my lips.

"You must be Morgan," she stated, interrupting our kiss. "I'm Stevie," she said, pulling her hand out to shake his. Morgan looked at me confused. "Aubrey Jean's mom."

Morgan shook her hand, still confused.

"No one calls me Aubrey Jean anymore."

"Well, when you push a kid out of your vagina, you get to call her whatever you like, don't you?" She said, laughing by herself. I rolled my eyes.

"You didn't tell me your mom was coming," Morgan said, laughing awkwardly.

"Oh, that's because Stevie didn't tell anyone she was coming," I answered, smiling at him while my eyes were screaming help me. Morgan looked around uncomfortably.

"How did she even make it past security?" he whispered into my ear. I shrugged.

"I was a groupie in the 80s, spent my teens and early twenties following bands around. I know all the tricks," she said, winking at him. I sighed, seriously embarrassed by her behavior. "So, I read online that you got my daughter pregnant," she told Morgan.

"Mom, why are you even-"

"You oughta get her a ring too," she told him. My jaw dropped to the floor. "Take it from me, son. No woman wants two babies from two different men and not one ring."

"And no woman wants her absent mother to show up unannounced, yet here you are," I snapped.

"Always so feisty, Aubrey Jean. I wonder how you could even get a man like him to have a baby with you with that mouth of yours."

"Don't speak to her like that," Morgan intervened calmly.

"Oh, boy. You still have a lot to learn about my daughter. Trust me, once she's done playing with you she'll toss you to the side just like she did me."

"Cry me a fucking river," I mumbled.

"What a girl wouldn't do for money and fame," she added.

"A girl like you, maybe," I snapped.

"So, little girl or little boy this time?" she asked, putting her hands on my belly. I took a step back.

"We don't know yet," Morgan said. "We're finding out tomorrow."

"Well, isn't this exciting! Either way, that little shrimp in there got you settled for life," she laughed, winking at me. I stared at her, my gaze filled with disgust, too shocked to even say anything back.

"We should go," I told Morgan. "Your mom's already waiting in the car with El and I'm pretty sure Indie left-"

"Before you go, don't you have a few bucks for your mama? I don't even know where I'm gonna sleep tonight. Or, I could come home with you, help take care of y-"

"Absolutely fucking not," I stopped her. "And we don't have any money to give to you."

"Really, Aubrey Jean? After all I have done for you, not even a few bucks to spare?"

Morgan waved at Seth, asking him to come see us.

"Good show, man. The fans seemed pretty happy and-" Seth babbled before Morgan cut him off.

"Get her a hotel room for tonight, put it on my card," he told him, pointing to Stevie.

"Babe, you don't have to-" I started.

"It's alright," he said softly, kissing the top of my head. "It was nice meeting you, Stevie. Have a good night," he smiled faintly before grabbing my hand and turning around. We walked towards the exit, followed by security, and made our way to the car where Lesli and Ellie were waiting for us. Ellie had already fallen asleep in her car seat by the time we got there.

"What took you two so long," Lesli asked. "Actually, I don't wanna know-"

"Nothing like that," I assured her. "My mom showed up."

"Oh," she said. "And, is that good news or bad news?"

"Bad news. Very bad news. And you should not have put her into a hotel room," I told Morgan dryly.

"What was I supposed to do? Leave her out on the street?"

"She never took care of me, why should we take care of her?!" I snapped.

"Alright, calm down, Aubrey Jean," he chuckled.

"Do not fucking call me that. God, you can be such a dick sometimes, I-"

"I'm kidding," he said softly, taking my hand into his. I pulled it away instantly.

"You have no idea what it's like to be forced to live with a parent who doesn't care about you! I was six years old the first time that woman left me alone, Morgan! That's three years older than Ellie. She left me alone for two weeks with no food and no money. I had to fend for myself at six years old and that was only the first of many times."

"You poor thing," Lesli said softly.

"And she'll never leave!" I continued. "They're gonna charge your credit card until the day she dies because good luck getting her out of that freaking hotel room you put her in."

"It's not like that's what's gonna put us on the street," he said calmly.

"That's not the point! She doesn't get to just come back and mooch off of us, not after everything she's done to me. I don't want to do shit for her!"

"It's fine, you're not. I am!"

"Seriously?" I asked, baffled by his comment.

"Morgan," his mom warned.

"I don't mean it like that. Just, like, you don't want to do anything for her and I get that but you don't have to worry about that, it's not you-"

"Boy, shut your damn mouth!" His mom snapped.

"I thought what's mine is yours and what's yours is mine, but I guess we're past that now." I snapped.

"That's not- Just cancel the damn credit card, they'll throw her out, I don't care. I don't wanna fight with you!" He argued.

"Do whatever you want, Morgan. Not my money," I said, looking out the window. I heard him sigh but refused to look at him.

"Aubrey," he said while I ignored him. "Aubrey!"

"What?" I asked dryly, not taking my eyes off the window.

"Look at me," he said softly. "Please."

"I don't even wanna see your face right now."