For Her, He Will

Chapter Fifty-One - Those women will help figure it out.

Oakley purposely dropped Tate off late to school Monday morning. She didn't want anyone to have enough time to ask him anything about his dad or grandpa before the school day started. Selfishly, Oakley also didn't want to be hounded herself.

As soon as Tate walked through the doors, Oakley was out of there, headed back to the ranch. Kayce was with the twins until she'd be back, then he'd head down to the main house and deal with whatever was to come today. The officials never gave them a time frame for this. They had no idea how long this would last; would it be over today or next month?

Oakley sighed out of frustration when her phone rang. She eyed the name and decided to answer anyway.

"Hello?" Oakley said.

"Hi," Beth's voice came through the speaker. "I figured you'd be driving back from school now, possibly?"

"Good guess," Oakley answered.

"I know you're angry," Beth sighed.

"That's one emotion I've felt over the past six days," Oakley snapped. "There are a few others...murderous being my personal favorite."

"How are you?" Beth asked after a few seconds.

"I don't even know how to answer that," Oakley felt tears in the corner of her eyes.

"Try," Beth said. "Because you sound like you're about to break."

"I g-guess..." Oakley bit her lip. "I feel like Kayce told me the other night...like there's a loaded gun to our heads, but my husband thinks he still has one bullet left, but f-for some reason I feel like we've g-got n-nothing."

Tears slipped down Oakley's cheeks.

"Kayce talked to Jamie," Oakley sniffed. "Said it wasn't him, but Kayce thinks it might be, but it wasn't because of us...it was your father, or the race, or...I don't remember, but now it's hurting us...Kayce and me...and he won't turn him in...and I get why, but I can't help but think Kayce's running out of time..."

Oakley used her sweatshirt to wipe under her nose.

"And I don't know what to do, I feel s-so alone right now and I'm trying to be a mother and wife," Oakley cried. "And I f-feel...I feel...like I'm about to lose Kayce and I can't be alone without him."

Oakley pulled over on the highway and put the truck in park. She was sobbing into her hands now, hot tears tasting salty as she tried to calm herself down. In all honesty, she forgot Beth was on the phone with her for a few minutes as she let all her emotions, she kept inside over the last few days out. She didn't want Tate to be scared and she wanted the twins to feel calm and peaceful next to their mother...so Oakley had pushed everything down.

Oakley took a few deep, shaky breaths as she started to slow down her cries. She leaned back in her seat as she ran her fingers through her hair.

"Oakley?" Beth's voice came through the speakers.

"I'm sorry," Oakley whispered. "I just don't know what to do."

"What does Kayce say?" Beth asked.

"To trust him," Oakley sighed.

"Do you?" Beth asked her.

"Yes," Oakley wiped under her eyes. "But I trust that he will do what's right...not that he'll do what's best for us...I don't even know if those two things could be the same?"

"What's best for you?" Beth pushed.

"To be together," Oakley answered. "I can't raise twins and Tate alone...Tate can't lose his dad right now to some stupid family bullshit, Beth."