Promise Me (Book One of the Kirkland Family)

Promise Me: Chapter 47

Chapter 47

"I know, I know," Hannah said, rushing through the front door at half past five o'clock.  "I'm late, I know.  Kim started talking about adding a nursery to the greenhouses for her baby, so she can bring it to work, and then some of the guys heard her, and the next thing you know, plans were being drawn up for an indoor/outdoor play area, and I had to step in before their wishful thinkings turned into Disneyland."  She pecked him on the cheek as she dashed by.  "Give me ten minutes to change--"

Justin quickly grabbed her elbow and tugged her to a stop.  "It's dinner with my parents," he reminded her.  "You're perfect, just like you are."

She looked down at her grease-stained jeans, dirty boots and the same tank top from that morning.   Then she looked at the clothes he wore.  His favorite pearl snap shirt and lightweight sport coat, paired with fresh-pressed jeans.  His face was clean-shaven and his hair was gelled and styled as best as he could manage.  Okay, so he had a little more time than her to get ready than her.  He was nervous.  Cut the guy a break.

Hannah glanced at her appearance again and grimaced.  "Really, just ten minutes.  A quick shower and I’ll throw a dress over my head," she argued, pulling away from him.  Justin sighed and let her go.

Since he planned to coax her out for a walk in the moonlight tonight and ask her to marry him -- no moaning, it's the best idea he could come up with at the last minute -- he figured, she might would like to clean up before she got herself engaged.  He had.  And he had the ring box tucked into the inside pocket of his jacket.  Besides, women liked to remember themselves as being pretty when something important in their lives occurred.  

But Hannah barely got halfway up the stairs when Justin's cell rang out...Josie's ringtone.  "We're coming, baby," he said when he answered.  "Tell Grandma we'll be there soon."

Josie's voice cracked as she replied, " Can you get here quicker than that?  Mom just showed up."

Justin's blood froze.  "She's there?  How long ago?"

Hannah heard him, understood exactly what was happening, and her quick shower was forgotten.

Josie answered, "She just pulled up.  Grandpa tried to scare her off, but she's refusing to leave."

Hannah nodded at him to get out the door as she grabbed her house keys, and the two of them ran across the yard to his truck.

"Where are you, baby?" he asked over the phone.

Josie breathed out with exasperation.  "Inside, watching through the window.  Grandma won't let me go out there--"  

Staticky grappling followed, and then his mother was speaking, "Justin Lewis, I don't care how many laws you break getting over here, but you better do it soon before your father is forced to bury that woman’s body out in the south field.  You know how much he's always despised her."

“Mom,” Justin began as he started the engine and yanked back on the gear shift.  “You shouldn’t say such things with Josie standing right there.”

“Nevermind that,” Mary Alice Kirkland said.  “Get your butt over here.  I’m not letting Josie go near her until you’re -- Josephine Elizabeth Kirkland!  Get back here!”

Justin closed his eyes -- thankfully, they were at a red light -- and groaned.  “We’ll be there as soon as we can.  Go after her!”

“Hurry up, young man,” his mother scoffed and the line went dead.

Hannah laid a soft hand on his arm and he flew through the next intersection.  “Justin...slow down.  Josie’s a big girl, and she knows her mother well.  Nothing bad will happen.”

“You’ve only had a taste of what Beth is like.  ‘Bad’ would be a blessing.”  He looked over at her.  “Don’t let anything she says get to you.  She’ll be cruel, without a doubt.”

Hannah laughed.  “Oh, don’t worry about me, Justin.  I don’t plan to be nice to her, either.  If she’s anywhere near Josie, then I’m right there, too.”  She crossed her arms stubbornly under her breasts, ready to challenge his b*tch of an ex-wife for Josie, and silently dared him to say another word about it.

Damn...I love this woman!

*****

The drive out to the farm was a quiet one...and fast, regardless of Hannah’s attempts to calm Justin.  He whipped around other cars when he could, while drumming his fingers impatiently on his thigh.  Beth wanted something, other than Josie.  He was sure of it.  It wasn’t because she had a burning desire to get custody of their daughter.  No, there was another reason -- there had to be, and it nagged the back of his brain during the whole drive.

She said something once before...what was it?  

“...Now that I know how incredibly talented our daughter is...”

Why would she say something like that?  Had she seen those videos of Josie and Hannah on YouTube?  Was that her angle?  Why should Beth care that Josie was talented?  She never cared about anything in Josie’s life before.  Why now?  What had changed?  What was going through that evil, black mind of hers?

As he pulled up into the driveway of the Kirkland farmhouse, he groaned to himself, seeing how his dad tried to scare Beth away.  Unfortunately, all Ronald Kirkland had managed to do was keep Beth from leaving.  But then again, she couldn’t take Josie away with a flat tire.  Hannah saw the damage to Beth’s rental car, too, but she giggled.

“I love your dad,” she said, smiling at the pepper of gunshot by the wheel wells.

“Yeah, well, brace yourself.  This won’t be a good time,” he said, getting out of the truck with a frown.  Beth burst out of the house, just as hideously beautiful as always, but purple with rage.

“Justin!” she yelled, “This has gone too far!  I’ve called the police.  Your father shot my car!”

“I can see that,” he replied, the calm in his voice belying his own rage.  “I’m sure he had a very good reason.”

Hannah followed him stiffly by his side, her face a mask of concern when Josie appeared behind Beth and Mary Alice right there with them.

“The only reason is that you are all a bunch of crackpots!” Beth snarled.  “And I see you brought your slut of a girlfriend with you!”

Justin grabbed Hannah by the arms as she rushed forward, her claws bared.  Beth flipped her blond hair over her shoulder, her telltale of gathering her composure, as she laughed, “Oh, yes, hold back your little pet.  I can’t wait to get you into court.  Your extracurricular activities are going to rip you apart in front of a judge.”

Josie, her green eyes filled with distress and determination, ran down the porch and by his side, despite her attempt to be brave and tell her mother to “buck off.”  Justin held her close.  

“You will never get custody of Josie,” he said.  

“Oh, yes, I will,” Beth replied, her icy demeanor back in full force.  “You have too many strikes against you this time.”

“How do you figure?”  He handed Josie over to Hannah, gazing at both of them for a moment to see it they were okay, and then walked up to Beth.

“Well, let’s see,” Beth began with a cloying voice.  “One, you’re a single father who travels way too much in your job, and you are forced to leave your -- our daughter alone with an immigrant housekeeper.  Two, I am currently married with a good husband--”

Justin snorted.

“-- and I live in a wonderful home and can provide lots of attention and a stable life for Josie, which you seem to struggle with.  Three, your father shot my car, and once I get the police report of that, I can use mental instability of your whole family against you.  Four, you’ve apparently been abandoning your -- our daughter to go off and f--”

“Watch what you say, Beth,” Justin warned her carefully.  

Beth narrowed her eyes as she smiled lusciously.  “To go off and enjoy the attentions of an unmarried woman, with no family of her own, and was once the plaything of your baby brother.  How’s that, Lovemuffin?”

Apparently Beth didn’t have a clue as to the recent change in events concerning himself and Hannah.  That made him feel a little better.  He hated that Beth even knew about Hannah.  At least, his ex-wife wasn’t digging any further into his life than she had.  Justin glanced over his shoulder to see his dad walking around the side of the farmhouse, still toting his shotgun and muttering about coyotes prowling around.  Hannah gave Josie a kiss on the forehead and whispered something to her.  Then she marched up to him and Beth.

“Don’t you have any decency?” Hannah hissed under her breath, her green-gold gaze firmly fixed on Beth’s face.  “How dare you act this way in front of your daughter?”

“Don’t tell me how to behave properly,” Beth shot back.  “I’m not the one running around looking like the redneck version of a five-dollar hooker.”

Hannah glanced down at herself, but she lifted her face with a fiery stubbornness Justin had always admired in her.  “That does not excuse your choice of words where a thirteen-year-old girl can hear you!”

Beth laughed out loud again, her brown eyes dancing with obtuse merriment.  “Oh, Justin!  Where did you and Luke find her?  She’s like a little ragdoll!  Oh, yes, but I can see the appeal.”  She stepped gracefully down the steps, causing Justin to tense from her close proximity, and she tipped Hannah’s face up with a perfectly manicured fingernail.  “I’ll bet you suck d*ck like a pro, don’t you, sweetie?”

Hannah jerked her head away from Beth, but she didn’t back down.  “You’ve got some nerve, lady.”

Beth shrugged.  “It doesn’t matter.  I’m still taking you back to court, my love,” she said to him again with an appreciative sweep of his body.  “My, Justin...I think you’ve become even more handsome than before.  Country air and dirty sex agrees with you.”

Through the whole exchange with Hannah, he’d been turning over in his head Beth’s possible reasons for coming to Arkansas, all the while, keeping half an eye on Josie behind him, thankfully far enough away now to not hear everything her mother said.  His parents were letting him handle this, but he knew that if things got out of hand, they’d step in without hesitation.  

“What do you want, Beth?  I know it’s not Josie, so don’t even try to convince me of that.”

“What I want?” she echoed, pausing dramatically.  “I want our daughter to be a star, Justin!  To be famous and adored!  And for me to be right there with her when it happens.  She’ll be the next Taylor Swift, and I have everything arranged.  Together, we’ll be the most loved mother and daughter couple in the world!  I just know it!  She’ll be the pretty little girl with the talent, and I’ll be the beautiful mother that everyone wants to know!  And since I know you would never allow that, I’m taking her away from you.”

*****

The approach of a sheriff's vehicle halted the rest of the conversation with Justin's demonic ex-wife.  Good Lord!  He voluntarily married this woman?  No wonder he and Josie were royally screwed up in the heads...or they had been, before Hannah took them into her heart.

She was beautiful, Hannah had to admit.  Her thick, honeyed hair fell to her shoulders.  The red dress hugged every slender curve.  And she had great calves, Hannah groused, sweeping the hateful woman with a glare.  

If she thinks for one second she’s getting her hands on Josie...Hannah restrained the rest of that thought.  This wasn’t her fight, she knew that, but Hannah refused to sit on the sidelines and allow Beth to corrupt Josie more than she had.  She would stand with Justin on this.  She didn’t know how, since she had no claim on Josie -- yet -- but Beth was not getting that girl.  Suddenly, a year of waiting seemed too damn long.

As Beth swept by her and Justin like a queen attending a ball, Hannah glanced at Josie, who stood back with her grandparents.  She was old enough to know who she wanted to live with, and she had filed the documents for that, but Beth mentioned making Josie a star.  How tempting that must be for a child like Josie, who had once yearned for the loving attentions of her mother.  Hannah could empathize.  She’d been there.  She’d followed her own mother’s footsteps to becoming a star, just to gain some kind of pride from Lawna.  Would history repeat itself in Josie?

Hannah didn’t know what Josie would decide.  Beth had been right.  Justin would never allow Josie to move into that world of celebrity status, and Hannah -- having already seen many jaded young girls in Hollywood -- didn’t blame him.  It wasn’t a life for Josie.  But Josie’s expression suggested she still wanted her mother to want her, to love her, for who she was, not for who she could become, and Hannah was afraid that Josie would do anything -- even become a famous singer -- to have that love.  Josie had chosen her father, but now Beth was dangling the proverbial carrot in front of her daughter, and Hannah could see Josie was tempted.

Looking at Justin, Hannah felt his pain.  Though he hid his torment well, she saw the intense fear in the set of his jaw and the hardness of his eyes.  He recognized Josie’s quandary, too.  

While Beth beamed a fetching smile at Sheriff Spokes exiting his vehicle, Mary Alice took the opportunity to herd Josie toward the house.  Justin immediately pulled his daughter against him and asked, “Are you alright?  Did she say anything to you?  Hurt you in any way?”

Josie squared her shoulders.  “No, Daddy,” the girl whispered.  “I’m okay.  But is that why she’s really here?  Because I can sing?”

“I don’t know for sure, baby,” Justin choked out, holding Josie close.  He looked at Hannah over the girl’s head, and there was so much confusion and anger and dread in his eyes.  

Josie sighed as tears spilled out of her eyes.  “Daddy...why can’t she love me for me?”

And with that question, Hannah knew everything will be okay.  Josie wasn’t truly seduced by Beth’s lure of glory and fame.  She was smarter than that, and Hannah felt such pride and love for the girl, it was tearing her heart out to see Josie’s mother so unconcerned about Josie’s feelings on the matter.  

Pushing Josie gently back, Justin smoothed her hair from her cheeks as a relieved smile crossed his lips.  “I want you to go inside with Grandma, okay?  I’ll take care of your mother.  It’s not going to be pretty, and I don’t want you to watch.”

A wan smile graced Josie’s lips as she snorted.  “You fighting with Momma has never been pretty...but I’m still on your team, Daddy.  I don’t want to live with her.  I don’t want to be famous.  I just want to be happy and loved.”

Hannah’s throat felt thick as she watched Justin swallow his own lump.  A sheen of tears glazed his eyes.  “Thank you, baby...I love you so much.  I’ll never let anyone hurt you, I promise.”

“I love you, too, Daddy,” Josie said and went into the house with Mary Alice.  Justin turned to Hannah, his mouth cracked open as though to say something, but then he shook his head and sighed.  For a moment there, Hannah thought, maybe, just maybe, he would try to tell her to go inside, too.  But that was ridiculous.   He knew she wouldn’t go, even if he hogtied her to the kitchen table.

"Are you okay?" he asked her instead.

"Me?  Oh, she called me a ragdoll, so I'm just peachy," Hannah answered shortly.  "I'm about to go Ragdoll Diva on her ass, but otherwise, I'm good.  How are you?"

A tiny grin tugged on his mouth.  "I'm picturing you in pig-tails and lace bloomers."

Hannah cocked an eyebrow, wondering how he could joke at a time like this.  "Bloomers?"

"White ones," Justin said and draped an arm across her shoulders as they headed down the driveway to where Beth, the sheriff, and Mr. Kirkland faced off over an invasion of wily coyotes.  

"I'm glad you've still got your sense of humor," she retorted, and Justin stopped to face her.

“Hannah...”

“What?”

He placed his palm along the curve of her cheek and stared down into her eyes.  “I’ve got everything now.  Beth...she’ll never get anything from me ever again.  When this is over, we’ve got some talking to do, you and me, because--”

“Are you f*cking kidding me?!” Beth shouted, and Justin’s mouth clamped shut on whatever he was going to say next.  Both him and Hannah turned to peer at Beth angrily challenging Sheriff Spokes in front of her damaged car.  “He shot it on purpose!”

Sheriff Spokes and Mr. Kirkland shared a look between them, but then the sheriff said, “There’s been a lot of reports on coyotes in this area, ma’am.  Now, I can write up a report for the insurance, but unless you were standing near the vehicle during the incident, then I don’t see any cause for an arrest.”

“You don’t see any cause?  What are you, a moron?” Beth retorted, her face contorting viciously.

Sheriff Spokes stood up to his full six-foot height.  “Ma’am, I am going to ask you to calm down, or I will have to take you in for verbal assault.”

Beth glared at him, but she wisely kept her mouth shut.

“Now,” Sheriff Spokes said, “like I said, I’ll write up a report for the damage.  What’s the name of the rental car place?”

“Choice A,” Beth spit out.

“That’s Bud’s place, isn’t it?” the sheriff asked Mr. Kirkland, who nodded with a wry smirk.

“Bud?” Beth asked.  “Who the hell is Bud?”

Sheriff Spokes grinned.  “Ronald, Bud and I are all elders at the same church.  We’ve known each other for years.”

The suggestion behind that tidbit of knowledge bloomed in Beth’s enraged eyes.  “Oh, I see how it is,” she hissed.  “Justin!  Get over here and tell them that your father shot my car on purpose because you told him to!”

Justin’s eyebrows rose.  “Now, why would I do something like that, Beth?”

Beth whirled around, glaring at him.  “Because if you don’t you’ll never get to see your daughter again!”

And with that statement, all three men and Hannah crowded close to Beth, who eyed each of them carefully.  “The only reason I’m allowing you to stick around for as long as you have, Beth,” Justin said darkly, “is because Josie needs to see you how you really are.  And you’ve done a wonderful job of making sure she wants nothing to do with you.  You can take me back to court all you want, but you forget, that I’m richer than you, I also have a new lawyer, Josie has already signed her parental declaration -- choosing me --  and I have government connections that can take this to the top courts, publicizing your every fault as a mother, and there have been many, Beth, and very well documented.  So, make all the threats you want, but you’ll never get Josie.”

Beth’s brown eyes narrowed dangerously.  “You honestly think that’s supposed to scare me?  Yes, I got a copy of her declaration, too, but I’ve seen the videos of Josie singing.  She’s going to be a star one day, and I can give her that.  When I’m done talking to her today, she’ll willingly come with me, we’ll get those papers revoked and there will be nothing you can do about it.”

Justin began to argue that point again, but Beth turned away from him.  “Write up your damn report,” she told the sheriff.  “It makes no difference.”  Then she brushed by everyone to the back seat of the rental, removing a large rectangular package, wrapped in glittery pink paper and a giant bow.  She held the present in her arms, although it must have weighed a ton, seeing how it was nearly as tall and as wide as a fourth-grader, and she smiled sweetly.  

“What is that?” Justin asked.

“It’s a present for my darling daughter,” she answered and stuck her nose in the air as she marched past him on her high heels, heading toward the house.  Justin growled, and Hannah touched his arm.  He squeezed her hand briefly before following his ex-wife.  Hannah was left with Sheriff Spokes and Mr. Kirkland.

The sheriff whistled.  “You know, I can arrest you, Ronald.”

“I know,” Mr. Kirkland said.  

“I’d suggest putting the shotgun away while that woman’s here,” Sheriff Spokes said, and gave a smile to Hannah.  “Hannah, it’s always a pleasure to see you.  But I haven’t seen you in church in a while.”

Hannah returned his smile.  “I’ve been kind of busy lately, but would you add my mother, Lawna Miles, to the prayer list when you get a chance?”

“Mary Alice has already seen to that,” Sheriff Spokes said.

Hannah made a mental note to give Mary Alice a big kiss.  “Thanks for understanding about all this, Sheriff.  If Beth had taken Josie while Justin was gone today, we’re not sure what would have happened.”

“Not a problem,” Sheriff Spokes replied.  “I’ve shared many a prayer with Ronald and Mary Alice over the years, concerning Justin and his little girl.  I hope you stick around.  That young man could use a nice girl like you in his life.”

Hannah glanced at Mr. Kirkland for a brief moment.  Mr. Kirkland’s eyes delved into her.  She blinked even as she opened herself up to a hopeful grin.  “Oh...I don’t plan on going anywhere just yet.”

Mr. Kirkland gave her a nod of approval, and her heart expanded.  She loved Justin, but she never really knew if his parents would accept her, considering their history of daughter-in-laws.  Mr. Kirkland’s miniscule gesture meant the world to her.  That was all she needed to make sure she and Justin never ended.  

But for now, they had to get rid of Beth.  The woman was like cancer.  Spreading tumors of hate and spite everywhere she went.  Hannah’s shoulders sagged as she ambled toward the farmhouse.  Between Beth, her own mother, Mark, Kim, Justin’s renovation gift of her house and all the traveling she’d done recently, she was weary to the bone.  They could all use a few days of peaceful nothingness.  But Josie needed her, so she gathered her remaining strength and entered the house.

Josie had unwrapped her present, while Beth perched elegantly on a chair and watched with a pleased smile.  Hannah stepped into the dim living room and met Justin’s eyes.  He stood back, vigilant and suspicious, as Josie chewed on her bottom lip, clearly torn between the joy of getting such a large gift and not wanting to hurt her father’s feelings by showing it.  Hannah glanced around to see where Mary Alice had run off to, and spied her standing in the doorway to the kitchen, the end of a thick wooden rolling pin sticking out of the folds of her apron.  Hannah and Mary Alice shared a small, knowing smile.

The lid of the box came off, and there, nestled in thick tissue paper, was a white leather guitar case.  “Oh, um, thank you,” Josie said.  “I don’t have a case yet.”

Beth laughed pleasantly.  It was like scraping a fork across porcelain.  Hannah’s neck pricked with chills.  “Silly girl!” Beth chimed.  “The real present is inside the case.”

Josie’s eyes widened with trepidation and more uncertainty.  “But...but I already have a guitar.”

“Oh, yes,” Beth said, immensely pleased with herself as she opened up the case for Josie and lifted a brilliant pale-hued instrument with a rosewood bridge and fretboard, adorned with mother-of-pearl inlays.  Hannah’s breath caught.  It was a beautiful guitar, and she could only imagine the cost of such a thing.  It seemed Beth was pulling out her arsenal earlier than expected.   

“I know you do, darling,” Beth went on, handing the guitar over to Josie, “but this is a Gibson, designed specifically for a girl your size, and I wanted you to have the best.”  Beth shot Justin a smile, clearly implying he had lost this round.

But Hannah knew better.  She really, really wanted to say something, but Josie beat her to it.  “But...I bought my guitar with my own money.  I don’t want another one.”

Beth’s smile faded for just an instant, but then it was back in full force.  “Nonsense...just wait until you hear how this one plays.  You’ll never want to go back to that cheap one.”

Josie’s face deadened.  Bruised, indignant tears filled her eyes, and Hannah took a step toward her, but Justin held her back, shaking his head.  “I like my cheap one,” Josie asserted.

“That’s because you don’t know any better,” Beth went on, completely oblivious to Josie’s growing animosity.  “Here...play something.  You’ll see.  Just give it a shot.”

Josie thrust the guitar at her mother.  “I don’t want to give it a shot.  I like mine.  I worked very hard to pay for that guitar.”

“Josie, you’re being unreasonable,” Beth said, getting irritated quickly.  “This is a four-thousand-dollar instrument.  You will love it if you would just play it!”

“I don’t want to play it!  I love my guitar,” Josie said, her voice tight.  Hannah felt Justin tense by her side, but he wasn’t interfering.  Hannah was a ball of anxiety.  God, she wanted to slap some sense into that woman.  How dumb can one person be?  Josie doesn’t want the damn guitar!

“Josie, be reasonable,” Beth said, an edge to her voice as she shoved the guitar back into Josie’s arms.  “You’re acting like a child!”

Oh, that’ll do it, Hannah thought, watching Josie’s green eyes blaze.  Beth didn’t seem to notice as she added, “What twelve-year-old doesn’t want something this beautiful?”

Josie slowly rose to her feet, reminding Hannah of Justin when he was extremely angry.  “I -- am -- thirteen,” she hissed at her mother.

Beth blinked.  “Thirteen?”

“Yes,” Josie said, quietly, insolently.  “I am thirteen...not twelve, not a child, and I am not playing this guitar!”

A nasty glowered covered Beth’s features.  “Yes, you are,” she said.  “I am your mother, and I demand that you play it!”

“Well,” Josie breathed out, and dropped the four-thousand-dollar bribe to the floor with a resounding crash.    “Get over it.”

Hannah grinned.  That’s my girl.

But then Beth reared back and slapped Josie across the cheek.

And all hell broke loose.