Country Love

Chapter Fifteen

Bradley led a nervous Garth and Natalie into the diner. Isabelle stood to greet them and felt her confidence rise just a little. She had never seen either of these people look nervous or flustered and right now that is exactly how they looked. The four of them sat down in the booth. Garth and Natalie on one side and Bradley and Isabelle on the other. Trisha had gone to the back table and taken a seat next to Edgar.

"You know why we are here, Isabelle." Natalie said while doing her best to only look at Isabelle. Natalie had been threatening and intimidating Isabelle for years and knew how to do it well.

"I wanted you to come so I could let you know how good Sara is doing here." Isabelle replied. Natalie laughed harshly.

"Our granddaughter will never be doing good as long as she is with you." she spat.

"I am a good mother." Isabelle said and Bradley was angry to hear the uncertainty in her voice. He wrapped his arm around her and kissed her temple.

"You are an amazing mother." he said and this earned a snort from Natalie. Garth still sat there in silence as he looked at Bradley. Clearly he had not forgotten what had happened outside as quickly as his wife had.

"I should call the police and have you arrested for assaulting my son." he said. Bradley shrugged.

"Go ahead and call them. You are familiar with who I am right?"

"So you think that just because you are some famous singer, that gives you the right to commit crimes and not pay for them?" Garth demanded. Bradley nodded.

"When the crime I'm committing is knocking out the man who tried to rape an innocent woman then yes."

"My Dennis would never…." Natalie gasped her voice full of outrage.

"He did Natalie!" Isabelle cut in. "But you never believe anything bad about your sons. You still call me a liar when I tell you that Joe cheated on me the entire time we were married and he was not afraid to knock me around to get me to see things his way."

"You are a no good lying whore!" Natalie spat. Her face was growing red in her anger and her voice was loud and harsh.

"I don't see any reason to start calling names." Bradley said. His voice sounded calm but Isabelle could feel the tension in his body.

"We want to see our granddaughter." Garth said matter of factly. Bradley shook his head.

"Given how tense and upset everybody is right now I don't think that would be a good idea." he said. "She's spending the day with my sister."

"So what have you been doing since you've been gone, Isabelle? Shacking up with this man? You are such a positive role model for you daughter." Natalie said with a sneer. Bradley hated putting Isabelle through Natalie's accusations but he knew it had to happen for his plan to work.

"I am a good mother, Natalie." Isabelle said again only this time Bradley could hear a little more conviction in her voice.

"No you're not. When my Joe met you, you had nothing. He took you in and he took care of you and what did you do? You made his life miserable! He had to drink just to put up with you and it is your fault that he wrapped his truck around that tree!" Natalie exclaimed. Bradley didn't hear any sadness in her voice as she talked about her son and he realized that Isabelle had not been exaggerating when she had called these two people monsters.

"Natalie, I didn't make Joe go to that bar every night." Isabelle replied. "I was busy taking care of Sara."

"Sara would be better off with us. We actually know how to raise children." Natalie said smoothing out her blouse.