Linley Floyd left Pigeon Creek, Alabama and all she was, including the name she was born with, in the rear view mirror seven years ago when she moved to New York. When her boyfriend and she's sure, the love of her life, proposes, she finds herself r...
Warnings: Carole being, Carole. She's a warning in and of herself!
A/N: Here we see the aftermath of Bradley's time in Pigeon Creek. Linley's really not feeling great about Bradley anymore. This chapter is where we start to see it.
I'm sorry this chapter is late!
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Your heart feels like it's shattered into a billion pieces as you find your dad and let him take you home. There's no way you're going back to New York today. You feel like you should stay away from the city and lick your wounds in peace a while longer. Carole will be all up in your face, and so will the press, you're sure, the moment you set foot in your apartment. There's so much you'll have to do now. Apologize to Bradley and Carole, return the ring to him, and possibly draft a statement for the press. It makes your stomach roil and your head ache thinking about it.
"Hey, kiddo, I'm making a batch of that plum jam you love so much. Do you want a jar to take back home with you?"
You don't respond. You're draped over the sofa with a wet rag over your face. A part of you is hoping it will fix all of your problems like it's fixing your migraine. But they don't go away. Right now, you have two problems you need to solve. The problem between your dad and Bradley, and the problems between you and Bradley.
"Yeah, I'll take a jar." You sit upright with a sigh, letting the rag fall into your arms.
"Dad?"
"Hmm?"
"What happened between you and the Bradshaws?" You start pacing back and forth in your living room, one, two, three, four steps, about turn, repeat.
"It's not an easy story to hear. It's not an easy story to tell. Before I say a word, I need you to know. I wanted to protect you from the man I was when I was in the Navy. I regret so many of my actions during that time. The only thing I don't is having you." He sounds exhausted, but you have to know.
You sob a little. "Please, daddy. I have to know. I love Bradley. I'm marrying him. I want him to be my family. I want him to be your family, too."
For several moments, it is quiet between the two of you, only the sharp snick of your dad's knife cutting through ripe plums punctuating the silence.
"This all happened in 1986, only a few months before I met your mom. Goose was my best friend in the whole world. I met him on my first rotation aboard ship when I joined the Navy. I've told you about my dad, right, kiddo? About how he was considered MIA in Vietnam?" You nod, because you are more than aware. "They used to haze me, beat me up, blame me for every problem. I learned pretty quickly after joining the Navy to never trust another soul. There'd be nobody who could look out for me like I could look out f0r myself. I went through RIO after RIO. Nobody wanted to work with a traitor's kid. Until I met Goose. Goose protected me from those in my squadron who considered Duke Mitchell's kid to be as traitorous as his father."
