Country Life by Brenda Kennedy

Author:Brenda Kennedy
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: love, suspense, drama, country, family, cowboy, situations

Chapter Four

Savannah Mae

After dinner, I grab my sketch pad and a pencil and sit in the chair by the window. I watch as Sawyer Jackson, Abel Lee, and Johnny play Monopoly at the dinin’ room table. I could sketch Abel Lee from memory, but I like watchin’ him. He looks over at me and I look away and continue to sketch his beautiful face.

The game doesn’t last as long as it should. When Sawyer Jackson brags about winnin’, I know they let him win. I peek over my sketchpad and Abel Lee is smilin’ at me.

He says, “You look like you’re up to no good.”

I bat my eyes and hide my smile behind the sketchpad. “Who, me?”

He stands up and slowly walks towards me. “What are you up to?”

Lowerin’ my sketchpad but holdin’ it closely to me, I say, “Nothin’.”

He gets closer to me so I stand and put the sketchpad behind my back.

“Let me see.”

I back away from him, grinnin’ ear to ear. The sketch isn’t done, and I don’t want him makin’ fun of my artwork. “It’s not done yet.”

“Are you drawing me?”

I’m still grinnin’. “Maybe.”

He smiles and his eyes crinkle in the corners. “May I see it?”

“It’s not done yet.”

“When you’re done with it, can I see it then?”

I sketch for fun. I don’t usually show people my work. “If you promise not to laugh.”

His smile fades and his voice is soft. “I won’t laugh, I promise.”

“You say that now.”

His mood changes and he asks, “Do you wanna walk Johnny home with me?”

“Sure. Let me get me and Sawyer Jackson jackets.”

I hide my sketchpad in the closet and get the jackets. I also get Abel Lee a hoodie. I wonder why Abel Lee’s mood changed so quickly when I mentioned he might laugh at my sketch of him. We walk Johnny home and take a stroll around the neighborhood together. Sawyer Jackson walks in between us and we hold his hands. This feels normal. Like a real family. I remember when Ethan and I were together and how great it felt. I never would have imagined things would have ended up the way they did. I never once thought that Ethan would cheat on me. Was I naïve to think that? Am I naïve to think that Abel Lee won’t do it? I trust Abel Lee, but am I stupid to put so much faith into this relationship?

“What are you thinking about?”

“Just enjoyin’ the walk,” I lie. I don’t want to tell him I’m havin’ an internal battle within myself, or that my head is fillin’ up with doubts about what this relationship could be.

We put Sawyer Jackson to bed and we sit down to watch the news together. I’ve avoided the news and the newspapers since Heather Sue’s death. I still haven’t told Sawyer Jackson. I’m not sure how, and I’m not sure how much to tell him. He’s so young. I don’t want to fill his head up with the ugliness in the world. All of us need to recognize the good that is in the world despite the evil that is also in it.

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