LOVE OF MY LIFE | SWEET MAGNOLIAS [1]

CHAPTER TWO

Making their way inside Maddie's house, Abby and Annie parted from their mother and Aunt Helen to meet the other kids.

"We've got dessert!" Annie exclaimed carrying a Sullivan's bag.

"Yay! Chef Erik brownies!" Katie cheered.

"Mom knows they're your favourite."

"So, margarita night underway?" Ty asked.

"Yeah, uh, Aunt Helen came in with Mom, Abby and me." Annie replied sitting down next to Kyle. "They're in the living room."

"As always." Ty chuckled.

Annie held out a brownie for Ty but he shook his head. "Uh, no thanks. I gotta bounce. I'm meeting Luke."

"You mean we're meeting Luke." Abby laughed.

"You know what I meant." Ty smiled at her.

"Should I put it in the fridge?" Annie asked.

"I'll take that." Kyle cut in, grabbing the brownie from her. "Would you like to go-"

"Trollhunters!" Katie exclaimed again.

"Captain, you have the comm."

"Wow, great power and great responsibility."

"I believe in you."

"All right, y'all. Don't have too much fun." Ty laughed standing up.

"What about you Abby, want me to put yours in the fridge?" Annie asked. "But you gotta make a decision fast before Kyle steals yours too."

"Oh, I'm taking mine with me." Abby chuckled grabbing the brownie from her sister. "See ya later."

"Bye."

The two teens left the room as Ty grabbed his jacket. Making their way through the kitchen and past the living room where the three magnolias sat, they quickly waved goodbye to the adults.

"So, how's training going?" Ty asked.

"It's good, Coach is helping me get back on track" Abby replied as they walked down the stairs.

"That's good. I can't wait to come see you at a competition again."

"I can't wait too." Abby chuckled. "The first one is in a couple of months. So at least you won't have to wait too long."

"Well, when it happens, I'll be cheering you on from the sideline."

"Good, because I can't imagine doing any of it without you."

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Abby and Ty made their way across the lawn and over to their two Moms and Aunt after church.

"Mom," Abby said gaining Dana Sue's attention.

"Yeah, baby?"

"Ty, Gabe and some others are going to Whartons to get some food and stuff. I was wondering if I could go with them?" Abby asked playing with her hands behind her back. Something she always did when she was nervous.

"Abby-"

"Ty will be there. Watching me." Abby cut her Mom off smiling nervously. "And I'll be back in time for my shift."

"I promise I'll keep an eye on her," Ty spoke smiling at his best friend's Mom.

"Please, Mom." Abby gave her best puppy dog eyes.

"You're not tired?" Dana Sue asked her daughter.

"Nope. Perfectly awake."

Dana Sue looked sceptically at her daughter.

"Aunt Helen, Aunt Maddie," Abby said turning to the two of them. "Tell Mom to say yes, it's Whartons. Please."

"Uh excuse me, young lady. Don't use my friends against me." Dana Sue chuckled.

"Come on Dana Sue, she'll be fine," Helen spoke up.

"Yeah, Ty will take extra care of her or I'll have his head," Maddie said making everyone laugh.

"Okay, go." Dana Sue said. "Before I change my mind."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you. You're the best Mom!" Abby replied hugging and kissing her mother quickly. "Bye Aunt Helen, bye Aunt Maddie."

"Bye."

Abby and Ty quickly turned around and made their way away from the trio. They did their mini handshake as they made their way over to Gabe and the others.

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Abby had got back from Whartons early to help her Mom at the restaurant. Her shift wasn't supposed to start for another hour but she offered to help out, seeing as they were short-handed, and her Mom was too busy to say no.

"We have laughed, we have cried, we have eaten popcorn," Helen said entering the kitchen with Annie. "Meanwhile, y'all look like you've played eight quarters of football around here. How's life sans Brad?"

"It sucks," Abby stated as she stacked plates into the sink.

"Hectic." Dana Sue replied at the same time.

"I should get ready for my shift. Thank you, Aunt Helen." Annie said hugging Helen before walking off.

Abby quickly followed after her sister seeing as her Mom and the rest of the staff were distracted.

"So, still want to ditch Serenity?" She asked her sister giggling a little.

"I don't want to 'ditch' Serenity, I just want to see something other than this town." Annie rolled her eyes.

"Look, I know how you feel. Because I've felt the same way for years. But Serenity isn't the worst place to live." Abby said holding eye contact with her sister. "Just don't focus on all the negatives of Serenity. Because the people here are our family. And this place is our home, it always will be."

"I know. I'll try, okay?"

"Promise?" Abby said holding out her pinky finger.

"Promise."

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Abby followed her Mom down the stairs and towards the rubbish bins carrying two full bags. They were just about finished for the night and Abby couldn't be happier. She was so exhausted, and knowing she had school tomorrow didn't help.

Throwing the bags in the massive bin, Abby turned around to find her Mom running her fingers along a long line that must have been keyed into her car.

"What's that from?" Abby asked walking closer.

"Uh, it's nothing. Someone must have accidentally done it. Probably one of the staff or something." Dana Sue said looking at her daughter. "It doesn't matter."

She didn't want to worry her daughter. After everything that had happened, the last thing she needed was Abby to get worked up about anything. Plus, she was the Mom. She wasn't going to tell her daughter about her problems.

"Are you sure? Cause it doesn't look accidental." Abby ran her finger across it examining it closer.

Abby felt like her Mom was hiding something from her, but knew she was probably doing it for good reason.

When she finally stood back up, her Mom was staring at something across the street. But when Abby looked she didn't see anything there.

"Everything alright Mom?"

"Yeah, everything is fine. Let's go inside, we need to get home." Dana Sue ushered her daughter up the stairs. "Come on."

"Okay." Abby looked at her Mom weirdly as she made her way up the stairs.

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