Chapter Three

Waking up the following morning in a room that hadn't changed since the day I moved to this town was quite funny in a way. Opening my eyes to see a unicorn painted on the wall beside me had me giggling as I gripped onto the pillow and buried my face in it. I remembered Arianna trying to get me to change it all and my mother offering to repaint, but I never gave in. I was stubborn and wanted to keep that childhood wishful thinking alive. Then, all that I wanted was to get the job of my dreams. I guess fantasies don't die out with age, the hope just shifts. 

I stretched, taking in the fact that I hadn't slept that good in ages before I forced myself to sit and make use of my day. My feet slid into house slippers my mother had so graciously left at the foot of my bed and I began my journey in search of her, only to find a handwritten note instead.

When you wake, come to your sister’s. Breakfast will be waiting.

My stomach growled at the mere thought of a homemade Canyon breakfast. That man could cook like no one else. It was a tough decision, but one look in the mirror as I brushed my teeth made my hunger pangs take a back seat. My hair was out of control and a foul smell confirmed what needed to be done. It very well may have been the fastest shower in recorded history but I felt at least presentable when I walked the distance between their house and ours.

Summer in Montana had to be my favorite. The high temperatures reached the seventies, making it perfect to open all the windows and let the outside in.  By the time I made it to the back of the house, it was obvious they were taking advantage. The sound of them all in the kitchen could be heard as clear as day when I rounded the back corner. 

Amelia was laughing so loud I was amazed I didn't hear her beforehand. My speed quickened from the need to catch her so happy before the moment was over. Passing through the screened porch, I got to the house seconds later. They never kept that door closed during a day of beautiful weather and I was so glad to still be able to see her open mouth letting out the sweetest sound while her stomach jerked from the laughter she was releasing. But the cause of it stopped me from advancing. The man standing in the center of the kitchen with my niece in his arms, tickling her to the point she could possibly wet herself, shouldn't have been there. It was impossible he would be in my sister's home, comfortable enough to fit in as family. 

Immediately, my left foot took its first step backwards followed by my right. Seeing as no one had noticed me yet, I felt confident I could slip back through the threshold and be out of sight, until Gabriel called out, "Auntie Shelby!"

All eyes landed on me, including the ones I was definitely trying to avoid. Yet, they were the only ones I was focused on. 

"Shelby, come in and eat. We waited as long as we could, but we promised the kids a ride this morning."

Arianna knew full well I wasn't staying as she sat in her chair at the table alongside my mother while Canyon was still manning the skillet, obviously avoiding the situation he knew was happening.

"I forgot something at home. You guys go ahead. I can just grab something later."

I turned to walk out when Canyon spoke for the first time. "You will do no such thing. Have a seat. I made plenty. Whatever it is you forgot can wait."

I was so angry at that moment that I jerked the chair out from under the table and slammed my body down into it.

How could they do this to me? was all that was going through my mind as I stared down in my lap, refusing to look up when the plate of his famous breakfast casserole was set down before me with a side of fresh bacon—all my favorites. 

"Why aren't you eating, Auntie Elby? We made your favorite." Amelia was standing right next to me talking in my ear.

Scooping her up in my lap, I answered, "I'm just not that hungry, hun. Would you like a bite?"

I picked up a piece of bacon and handed to her, still refusing to make eye contact with anyone around the room.

"Well, I'm going to head out. Thanks for breakfast." God, that voice! My upper body went stiff as soon as he started to speak. Why is he even here? Ugh!

I waited until his footsteps hit the last of the stairs outside before my head snapped up to look at the three faces who knew the reason for my mortification.

"What the hell?" 

"Um, you said a naughty word!"

Forgetting there were little ears taking in what I was about to say, I asked, "Could you guys give me a second to talk to your mom and dad? If you do, I will go riding with you. I'm sure Nyah needs a good workout anyways."

The two beamed the smiles they inherited from their father and then tore out of the house, leaving me to face the guilty party. 

Placing my hands on the table, I leaned forward to get my point across when I asked the same question again.

"What the hell?"

Canyon looked at Ari and my mother realizing they were tight-lipped and not about to answer me, which only led to infuriating me even more. When his gaze came back to me, he began, "I know it's not the most practical of ideas, but he needed a job and I needed a hand around here. What was I supposed to do? He comes home from Afghanistan after serving our country and I turn my head?"

I had no idea he went into the service. It still didn't take away from my anger. He was in freaking Afghanistan? Focus! 

"You could have sent him to anyone else's farm, or hell, an even better idea, you tell me!"

"That's enough, Shelby. You need to stop acting like it's our fault that you and he don't see eye to eye. We didn't do anything, and your attitude is beginning to sound like the little girl who used to stomp to her room and slam her door when she didn't get her way."

Both Canyon and Arianna stared at my mother with their mouths open. It wasn't often she scolded us.

"I never said anything about it being your fault. The point is, he is here and I won't be as long as that continues. You might see this as a tantrum but I promise you I am doing everyone a favor."

My chair slid across the floor before I stood and walked from the room. I made it several feet from the house when Ari called out for me. Looking back over my shoulder, I watched her come down the steps after me.

"Wait up. I can't run after you like I used to. Well, at least not right now." She rubbed her hands over her belly, wearing a smile I could never tire of seeing. When she reached me, her hand extended and landed on my shoulder.

"I'm sorry I didn't come over this morning and warn you. You would at least have had a chance to put on a bra …"

I smacked her hand off my shoulder in a playful manner and laughed. She was right about the bra for sure. In fact, I was wearing lounge pants and an oversized t-shirt with my hair knotted up in a bun on the top of my head, only giving him more ammo to use against me.

"Why him?"

It was a simple question, but it held more meaning than any other two words, and Ari knew it.

"We knew it wasn't a good idea, but for him to come to Canyon only meant one thing: if he was willing to have to see you, he was desperate."

"Well, this isn't something I want to revisit. He's just … Ugh. I can't. So, I guess you will find me at Mom’s if you would like to visit."

I turned to walk away, but she grabbed my arm, that time not playful in the slightest. 

"I will walk with you but you will listen, okay?"

She didn't release me until I agreed to her terms.

"Fine."

I was allowed silence until we reached the road, but then she began talking about something she had never shared with me before. 

"I understand what you're going through. Believe me, I do. There are people in the world that have the power to hurt you and being forced to deal with them is something you would rather die than deal with." Her expression fell into a place I was certain I had caused by my own feelings. 

"You don't have to do this. I can handle him. I have for thirteen years, so it's not like I can't, even if I don't want to."

"The baby wasn't his."

It came out on almost a whisper, and the shock it caused me was indescribable. 

"What do you mean wasn't? You cheated on Canyon? There's—"

"No, Shelby, Brooke. Brooke's baby was never his."

I was speechless, completely lost for any words. 

"We got to the hospital, but it was too late. The baby had passed away and his actual father was in the waiting room talking to the doctors. Can you imagine the confusion we had? She had deceived us both the entire time to get money. What kind of person is capable of doing something so terrible?"

I didn't have an answer because processing all of the new information was tough enough. 

"Canyon was destroyed. Not only from the deception but for the loss of a son that was never his. And then the woman had the nerve to come here four months later begging for forgiveness. You think you have a hard time being around him? Canyon was still in the wheelchair or I am sure that he would have tackled her to the ground or at the very least, chased her off the property. I wasn't too much better off physically and to have to stare in the face of the person who single-handedly destroyed my husband—"

I cut her off unintentionally but I needed to know how. I mean how could Brooke get away with doing that, and what did Arianna do or say to her? I always hated that woman and never understood why I didn't trust a thing coming out of her mouth. 

"What did you do?"

"What could I do? She knows what she is because that's how God works. He reminds her every day just how awful she is, to the point it compelled her to seek the forgiveness she will never be granted. She can suffer for eternity, and it still won't be long enough. What did I say to her? I told her to leave and that she was never welcome again anywhere near me or my husband. But that doesn't change the fact that her parents still own the store in this town. That I have to be reminded of what we went through, even if she did move across the country. What I'm trying to say here is, your past doesn’t define you. I think that you and Jase have grown up quite a bit, so you might want to take a chance and see if you can move past this yourself."

"I don't know how you could have kept this from me. I'm not mad by any means; I just can't believe I didn't know."

"You were a child who didn't need to know the evil that lurks in the world yet. It was hard enough for you that the baby didn't make it, but add on the year that it took us to get back to health, you didn't need to know. The only reason I am even telling you now is for you, not us. We have grieved, but more importantly, we have moved on. It's time for you to do the same."

She was right. How could I compare Jase and me to what they had to endure? 

"Mommy, Auntie Elby! Is it time yet?"

Amelia came running up to us with a smile as big as the sun, exuding more excitement than I had seen in a long time as she jumped into my arms.

"I have to change my clothes, but I will be ready in about ten minutes. Sound okay?"

She wiggled out of my arms and grabbed her mother's hand.

"Come on, Momma, let's go saddle them all up."

"You can leave Nyah. She and I have some catching up to do."

"Okay. See you in a few minutes!"

Ari looked back at me over her shoulder, searching for the reassurance I would keep my word. 

"I will be there."