Playing with fire

Meeting Mama

I could feel Raegan tense up once she realized where we were. I couldn't wait to introduce her to Mama. I knew she was the one since she had me all twisted up inside for months. I squeezed her hand as we walked toward the house and told her it'd be ok.

"Hey Mama" I drawled out as I hugged her. "And this must be Raegan" she stated. Raegan was visibly nervous, but I just knew Mama would love her.

"Hi, Ms. Gilbert. I'm Raegan" just replied extending her hand to shake Mama's hand. "Honey, put that hand down and give me a hug and call me Mama Becky, everyone does" she proclaimed as she wrapped Raegan in a hug. "So, you must be the one who had my boy in his head for the past few months" Mama said with sheepish grin.

"Mama, really?!" I exclaimed. Leave it to my mama to go straight for the kill. She don't bullshit around, I guess that's where I get it from. "Yes, young man, really. Don't you sass me boy!" she proclaimed pointing her finger at me.

Raegan giggled "Yes ma'am, I hope that I am, otherwise Brantley here has some explaining to do." She replied raising an eyebrow at me.

"Baby, trust me, it's you. Ask mama, course you already knew that thanks to PJ" I replied as I kissed the top of her head and squeezed her hand. She smiled at me, as did mama. About that time Kolby wheeled around the corner of the house not paying attention because he was paying too much attention to his phone, and smacked right into the front of my bike almost knocking it over. "Ouch, dammit, what the fuuu..." stopping mid sentence because mama had reached up grabbing his ear and yanked, hard.  "Language, Kolby Porter.  There are females present." "Yes, ma'am. Sorry mama." 

"I'm gonna have to remember that Mama for when Brantley here gets outta line" Raegan responded smiling sweetly.    "Trust me honey, it works, but you gotta give it a little extra twist for good measure. See?" As she twisted Kolbys ear, ensuring she got the earring. "AAAHHHH, mama!" He screamed as she let go then he was rubbing his ear cussing under his breath. Raegan and I busted out laughing.

"Kolby, have not you learned by now to pay attention when you're walking, you little shitbird.   Your brother's bike about toppled over because that phone was more important"  Mama scolded him.  I could already tell he was in a mood earlier when he was pounding on my door this morning, now it seemed to have gotten worse. Probably the ex had gotten in his head again is why he was banging on my door this morning.

"Hey, bro. Got a minute?"  I asked him. ""Uh yeah" he replied as he stuffed his hands in his pockets.  "I'm gonna go talk to him, think you'll be ok with Ma for a minute?" I asked Raegan and gave Mama a knowing look causing her to nod in agreement.  

"Yeah, B, I'll be ok. Go ahead, Mama and I'll go and have some tea and get to know each other" Could she be anymore perfect? I thought to myself.   Kolby and I walked around back and Mama and Raegan went into the kitchen.

Mama Becky POV

"Thank you for that sweetheart. Kolby has been in quite a mood lately and wont talk about it. It was even worse this morning when he got home."  I told Raegan as I poured us a glass of tea.

"It's no trouble really, although I think I may know what got him so worked up when he got back this morning."  She replied. "You do?"

"See, someone was banging on Brantley's door for a Good five minutes this morning. He had locked it last night, I assume he don't usually do that.  Well, he had stormed downstairs with his gun ready to shoot whomever it was, threw the door open with the gun drawn. Kolby was white as a ghost.  Brantley told him we were busy and to come back later and slammed the door in his face."  I couldn't help but laugh at the story, because this was my son we are talking about.

"So, how did you meet Brantley?"  I asked her, since I never really did know the story of how they met, just that he came back off tour a few months ago and was in his head and was more brooding than usual. 

"We met a couple of years ago when he came to Lexington, but we reconnected when he came for another show back a few months ago.  I was working the shows, I work for the local radio station covering local and national talent, I also have a midday segment" she explained then took a drink of her tea. 

"How did you get back in contact?"  I asked. There had to be something special about this girl, because my son don't associate with people in the public eye much, we all know how well Jana worked out.  No one liked that primadonna, I tolerated her because of Brantley, moving my boy to Nashville and keeping him away from his family.

"I was at work and got an email from Rich at Hard 8 asking me specifically to play Brantley's new EP Let it Ride.  I knew immediately when I heard that song it was about us, and I had tears streaming down my face.  I played it, it got the highest requests in Bull history in a 24hr period.  Next thing I knew I had a Georgia number calling me, I thought it was our sister station here, it was Brantley.  A couple days later I was coming around the corner from a meeting at work, and I ran straight into him and knocked him backwards into PJ."

I couldn't help but laugh, which caused her to laugh as well.  Brantley hadn't let me hear anything from his new record, just told me it was personal and I'd hear it soon enough.  Sure enough, I was driving to the grocery the other day and thesong came ovln the radio, this song was more emotional than all the Amber songs had been.  I knew that just from hearing it she was the one. 

"How long are you here for?" I asked about that time my two hellion sons walked in.  "Two weeks, then I have to get back"  "or longer" Brantley interjected.  "Now B, I do have a house and job to get back to" she replied causing him to raise an eyebrow.  "Fine" he replied poking his lip out like a baby, that's how he got his way with me as a kid.  "Brantley Keith, the girl does have responsibilities back home, if you want this to work, figure it out!  Shes not that far away, and you are always through Kentucky.  Man up son!" I told him shaking a wooden spoon at him. "Yes mama."