Page 77 of Redemption

The table had been quiet then murmurs seemed to rise up from the diners.

“I never…” Dad faltered. “...told you boys, or you Glory, about Jacob or this family. Now, I see that wasn’t right by you all. But the truth of it is,” he paused. “That Jacob and I loved the same girl.”

Gasps were now going around the table by both sides of the Walkers.

“This Ranch had been left for both of us. Our father passed it down. But see, I knew I wasn’t a fit here back then. I had to move on and make my own way in the world. I sure as hell didn’t want to get between my twin and the woman he loved. You all may feel shocked and maybe even angry. But… I feel like Jacob would approve of this. The family being together.”

Silence fell around the table as most of us were stunned to say the least.

Cinnamon squeezed my hand tighter as if to comfort me.

No one spoke.

“Y'all may be shocked and I will tell ya the truth,” Bea spoke up now. “It took me a few days to kin to this idea. Then I realized that life is just too short. It doesn’t wait for you. I will always love my Jacob, and none of you can say I don’t. But I too feel like this is right. Now y'all got the right to your opinion. But understand this…No one’s got the right to tell others what to do. Least of all any of you younguns. You got your whole long lives ahead of ya, as well as you should.” She looked over at my dad. “Me and him, we earned the right to have a bit of happiness in our golden years.” As if daring anyone to say something, she spanned her beady eyed gaze along one side of the table then the other.

I chuckled as her expression was fierce.

Cinnamon stared at me as she smiled suddenly while looking relieved.

“You think something is funny here, boy?” my dad asked me.

I stood from my chair and replied, “I was just wondering if you can handle this.”

Gasps came from my brothers as they stared at me like I had gone insane.

“You being smart with me, son?” Dad growled.

I shrugged and picked up my tea glass. “Hell no.” I laughed. “But I do think you are gonna have your hands full.” I motioned at Cinnamon. “Just like me. I seem to recall you saying they were both like tornadoes. Well, pops…” I raised my glass up high. “Welcome to the storm.”

Ripples of laughter and snickering replaced the silence as one by one, each Walker stood from their chairs. They all raised their glasses too. All of us took a drink as cheers broke out.

Cinnamon grabbed my arm and took my glass from me to set it down on the table. “Baby, you have once again, lived up to your name.” Grabbing my face, she kissed me hard.

NOT QUITE THE END…