House Divided (10 page)

I quickly got in my car and drove right
back to the hospital. What a very strange day.

My aunt seemed pleased with my report; she
even seemed happy that I was having dinner with the Benjamin Jackson family.
“Do you know them well?” I asked her.

She just smiled mischievously. She was
behaving very oddly, which only added to my strange day.

“Also, did you mean to have Benjamin and
Brady on your Christmas list?”

She sat up straighter and smoothed out her
pajamas. “Yes, of course.”

“Of course? Why?’”

She just turned from me back to the news.
They were talking about her beloved Auburn Tigers. I guess they should have
been beloved to me too, but I never loved them the way my aunt did.

“One more question,” I tried to avert her
attention. “Do you have any suggestions on what to get them?”

She didn’t even look at me. “I trust your
judgment, Ella Lu.” Then without warning she said, “War Eagle” enthusiastically
in response to something the newscaster was blathering about. I think it had
something to do with the playoff game Auburn would be in the next weekend.

After our frustrating conversation, I was
almost glad to be leaving to go back to the house to change. The only solid
information to come out of my visit was that her procedure was scheduled for
the next morning at ten o’clock.

I ran to the house to change out of my
dress. As I changed, I was reminded I was either going to need to go shopping
or go back to Atlanta for a day and gather some more of my clothing. I was also
going to have to reschedule some signings. My publisher wasn’t going to be
happy, but they would have to deal with it. I would just tell them I was being
blackmailed by a fine old dame who just happened to be the inspiration for Aunt
Calliope.

On my drive over, I realized where I was
heading. They lived by the elder Jacksons out on the lake. I also remember
Brady mentioning he lived out there too. I obviously didn’t ever go out this
way much. The closest I ever got to the Jackson mansion was their driveway,
once when Brady forgot his math homework. He used to pick me up for school
sometimes, when we could get away with it. I would meet him a block from my
house. I remember sitting in his truck, feeling nervous, while he ran in to get
his forgotten homework. I wasn’t sure what I thought would happen, but I knew
his parents hated me, and from their looks today, that hadn’t changed. I wished
I knew the whole story and why they hated me so much. I mean, Mrs. Jackson got
her man. I have a feeling that not even my Aunt Lu knew the whole story. She
never really talked about it, but I could tell she still seemed confused about
the whole situation. Kind of like how I felt confused about why Brady started
dating Amber so quickly. His little revelation on Friday cleared that up, well
sort of. I still couldn’t believe he would think that of me.

Oh well, I needed to quit thinking about
it and him, but he was making that difficult. I knew it was just a kiss on the
cheek, but I’ll admit it felt just as sweet as it had ten years ago. And if I
knew Brady, that was only the beginning for him. I was just going to have to
avoid him at all costs.

I passed the Jackson mansion in all its
glory. It looked like it came right out of the pages of Southern Living. Where
our house was classically southern, their house was contemporary southern. I
had always wanted to go in, just to see what it looked like on the inside. I’m
sure it was beautiful. It seemed so weird to have never been in the home of the
only person I had ever loved, but that was how dumb this town was. I drove a
half a mile past it and turned into the drive of the Benjamin Jacksons. I
wondered if Kendra liked living so close to her mother-in-law. If things had
been different, we would have shared the same mother-in-law, but I would have
refused to live this close to her. Kendra and Benjamin’s home wasn’t as grand,
but it was still beautiful. It was a two-story gray brick home with a sweeping
large porch lined with square columns and a gabled roofline. The landscaping
still looked fantastic although it was winter time. My favorite part was the several
pine trees that dotted the property—it felt very Christmassy.

As I walked up, I realized I should have
offered to bring something. I’m not sure what. I really lacked some domestic
skills, but I could shop and decorate like no one’s business, and I could still
play the piano and sing, even though I rarely got the chance to anymore. It
reminded me that I should tickle the ivory of the grand piano at Aunt Lu’s.

I didn’t even get to knock on the door.

My favorite five-year-old opened the door
and gave me a huge hug. “She’s here, she’s here,” she yelled.

Kendra and Benjamin both came out from the
kitchen to greet me. I think we were all a little nervous. I think we may have
even been making Kaysville history. I don’t know the last time an Eaton ate at
a Jackson home. My aunt never talked about when she and Mr. Jackson were
dating, so I didn’t know if she was welcome at his home growing up or even how
long they dated or were engaged. The only thing I knew was that they both grew
up here like Brady and me.

“Thank you so much for inviting me. I’m
sorry I didn’t think to offer to bring anything.”

“Nonsense,” Kendra replied.

“Brady said you weren’t much of a cook
anyway,” Benjamin teased and winked at me.  Wow, he looked like an older,
slightly grayer version of Brady.

Kendra smacked his arm. “Please excuse my
husband.”

I laughed. “Honestly, it’s ok, and it’s
all true.”

She smiled graciously. “Well, we certainly
can’t write books, and we also hear you’re quite the musician. None of us can
carry a tune or play an instrument.”

Obviously I’d been talked about quite a
bit. It also made me wonder what they did in the talent portion of their
pageants. Maybe I would find out later. I smiled at the compliment. “We each
have our own talents, and by the smell of things, I see you have some that lie
in the kitchen.”

They welcomed me back to the kitchen and
eating area. I looked around. It was decorated in very warm tones, and it was
tasteful and cozy. “You have a beautiful home.”

“Thank you,” Kendra said.

“This may be a dangerous proposition, but
can I do anything to help?”

Both Kendra and Benjamin grinned.

“She can help me set the table,” Caroline
offered.

I looked down at her sweet little face.
“Something I’m actually good at. I would love to help you.”

While I helped Caroline set the table,
they asked me about my aunt. I told them she was having angioplasty in the morning
at ten, and hopefully, if all went well, she would be home on Tuesday.

“So,” Kendra asked. “How long will you be
in town?”

I looked at her. The way she asked was
like she was fishing, but she was so darn nice. I hated skirting the issue, and
outright lying was out of the question. “Well, my aunt asked me to stay through
the holiday season, well more like she blackmailed me. So I guess until the New
Year.”

Benjamin and Kendra laughed.

“That sounds like your aunt,” Benjamin
said.

I looked at him curiously. “I feel like I’ve
been missing several pieces of the puzzle since I came back. How do you know my
aunt? Besides the obvious.”

Kendra and Benjamin both looked at each
other. Ok, this was getting weird. What was the big mystery?

Benjamin looked at me thoughtfully. “Why
don’t we talk about that over dinner?”

“Ok.”

Caroline and I set the table while she
told me all about what she learned in Sunday School. She talked faster than
anyone I knew. By the time we were done, dinner was ready and being placed on
the table. It smelled fabulous. I rarely had home cooked meals, so this was a
treat. Kendra had made roast beef with roasted potatoes and carrots and it even
looked like homemade rolls. It was probably good we weren’t sisters-in-law, I
could never compete with that, and of course the in-laws would’ve hated my
guts. I should stop thinking about that stuff.

“Wow, this looks and smells fabulous.
Thank you again.”

Kendra took my hand and squeezed it.
“We’re really glad to have you here, Ellie.”

Why did her saying that, and looking at me
like that, make me want to cry? And I can’t imagine why they cared so much
about having me there. They didn’t even know me. I squeezed her hand back and
smiled and tried not to let my eyes water.

We all sat down, and Benjamin blessed the
food. It was short and to the point, the way my aunt liked prayers. I still
couldn’t get over how much he reminded me of Brady. All I knew was Brady was
going to look great when he was in his forties.

As the food was being dished, Caroline
kept chattering, which was super cute until … “Did you know that Uncle Brady
and Miss Ellie were boyfriend and girlfriend?” She looked at me and smiled,
like I would be so happy she shared that tidbit.

I smiled back, because what else was I
going to do? And of course her parents already knew.

But her Daddy seemed a little embarrassed.
“Yes, darlin’, we knew that.”

She seemed disappointed that this was not
news to them, but she wasn’t done. “So how come you’re not anymore, Miss
Ellie?”

I felt my cheeks turn pink. I really
didn’t know what to say. The truth didn’t seem to be the best way to go. I
could only imagine what their reactions would be if I said, “It’s because your
grandparents hate me and your uncle left me for a beauty queen.”

I could tell Kendra and Benjamin were
uncomfortable and a little tense, but Kendra saved me. “Caroline, I don’t think
that’s something Miss Ellie wants to talk about.”

Caroline was not giving in. She looked
right at me. “Don’t you like Uncle Brady, because he told me he really likes
you?”

“Of course I like him, sugar.”

“Then you can be his girlfriend.”

I wanted to say, “If that’s all it took,
then I would love to be his girlfriend.” I loved her innocence, and I hoped she
would keep it as long as possible. I hoped she never had to learn the rules,
and I hoped she could grow up and marry the person she loved the most without
having to worry about whose heart she was breaking in the process or that she
would be hated for the rest of her life by her husband’s family. I hoped she
never had to see the man she loved be in love with someone else. Anyway …

“Caroline, let’s talk about something
else, darlin’,” her daddy said firmly.

That worked for me.

Kendra and Benjamin both looked at me as
if to say they were sorry.

I smiled to say it was ok.

“Ok … How about puppies?”

I couldn’t help but laugh. So did her
parents.

“How about we talk about Miss Ellie’s
aunt?” Benjamin suggested.

She just shrugged her shoulders.

I was waiting for this. I was all ears.

Benjamin set his silverware down and looked
over at me. “So, Ellie, when I came back here over seven years ago to take over
as president of the bank, the economy was in a nosedive and the bank was losing
more money than it was making. People were defaulting on their loans left and
right, and we were losing our reserves, therefore unable to loan to those that
were still in good financial shape. We plugged along my first year, but your
aunt is no dummy, and obviously her money, and now yours too, make up a
substantial part of our reserves. At the time, her money was the only thing
keeping our bank afloat, but it also came at a great risk to her. She knew this
and made the decision to move her funds, which in turn would have required us
to dissolve the bank and sell any remaining assets.”

“I had no idea,” I said quietly.

He smiled half-heartedly. “I don’t blame
your aunt for her decision. I can’t say if I was in her shoes that I wouldn’t
do the same thing. But I will say this, and I hope it won’t offend you, I think
it gave her great satisfaction knowing what she was doing.”

I shook my head. “I can only imagine.”

“Yes, well, I will admit, at first I was
very ungracious toward your aunt, given the history between our families.”

I narrowed my eyes and set my fork down.
What
does he mean, the history? You mean the history of the Jackson men being
unfaithful to the Eaton women, that history?
Or the one where you all
ganged up on me and made the only man I have ever loved break up with me?

I think he must have noticed the coldness
in my features. “Please, Ellie, I think that came out wrong.”

Kendra touched my arm. “Ellie, what my
idiot of a husband means is that he came to realize how wrong he had been,
especially in regards to you.”

In regards to me?
“How did that come about?”

Benjamin cleared his throat and looked like
he was carefully constructing his next words. “Well, Ellie, during all of this
uncertainty I met Kendra, who at the time was helping Brady with some torn
ligaments, and let’s just say she was not my parent’s idea of a suitable
match.”