Scoring the One by S.E. Rose

Author:S.E. Rose [Rose, S.E.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: S.E. Rose Author

Chapter Fourteen

BISHOP

I’m not sure how Bailey and I went from zero to sixty in the course of a single day, but here we are, sitting on the back porch of her mom’s house sipping tea and listening to her mom tell us stories about the farm and the town.

“And that’s how I met Mrs. Miller and Mr. Thomas,” she says, ending one of a dozen stories she’s told. The sun is starting to go down, and we fall silent as we watch it.

“Your property really is magical,” I murmur as the sun falls just below the horizon, the Blue Ridge Mountains growing darker blue in the distance.

“It’s got its own personality,” Iris agrees. “God, look at that meadow. You know how many times Dad and I went out there after you kids went to sleep.”

“Mom!” Bailey yelps.

“What? How the heck do you think you got here? I’m pretty sure you were conceived under that poplar tree.”

Bailey grimaces. “Anyhow, Bishop and I should probably get home.” She gets up and takes Iris’s glass.

“You kids are more than welcome to stay out here. I don’t mind. And your old room is clear across the house from mine, so don’t worry about me hearing anything. Lord knows Colt snuck in enough girls in high school without me finding out until another mom let me know. That child was pure trouble as a kid.”

Bailey pauses and a look of sadness falls over her face. She glances back at her mom. “I’ll come out and stay next weekend, OK?”

Iris pats Bailey’s arm. “That’d be nice.”

A dog comes bounding up the stairs. I sort of recognize him. He was playing with a goat when Iris gave me the property tour.

“Murphy! Where’ve you been?” Iris says as the dog places his front paws gently on her thighs and smiles happily up at her. He’s some sort of mutt but I can tell there’s some springer spaniel in there.

Murphy barks and leans forward to lick Iris’s face.

“Murphy, get down!” Bailey scolds.

Iris bats Bailey away. “He’s fine.”

“Mom…” Bailey gives her a worried look, but Iris ignores her and pats Murphy’s head.

Bailey heads inside to the kitchen. And I turn toward Iris.

“She worries about you,” I say for reasons I can’t understand. Why am I implanting myself into this family that I barely know? I love my parents, but we aren’t nearly as close as Iris and Bailey. The more I’m here in Banneker, the more I feel like the families here are adopting me as their own, and I admit, I love that.

“I know. But I want her to go live her own life. I’ve had a good life. A great life. And while I hate thinking about giving up on the farm, I know it’ll be in good hands,” she says as she glances in my direction.

“I’m going to take Bailey home. You have my number. Call if you need anything,” I state as I get up and squeeze her shoulder. She grabs my hand and holds it for a moment.

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