Page 98 of Truck Up
He spins around and shoves his hands in his hair again. “I can’t believe she lied to me.”
I rest my hand on his back, and he whips around. “I don’t understand. How?”
He shakes his head. “It doesn’t matter.” He stares off into the distance for several seconds before he shakes his head and looks down at me. “Sorry to bother you.”
“You’re not bothering me. I expected you to come by.”
He talks a deep breath, then clenches his jaw. “When Christian gets back, tell him I want to talk to him.”
“I will.”
He looks past me and through the window of the shop, then points toward the door. “You better get back in there. Your mom doesn’t look too happy to see me here.”
I look over my shoulder and sigh. “Yeah, she’s struggling with all this. It doesn’t help that I don’t have answers to give her.”
“Sorry,” he says, then he heads back to his truck, hops inside and leaves.
I close my eyes and take a few deep breaths before I turn around and head back inside. I can’t wait to hear Mom’s theories about what’s going on now.
“Isthis what I can expect now that you’re living with that man?” She starts before the door even shuts behind me. “Are the Mutters going to stop by whenever they feel like it?”
“Don’t start.” I glare at her. I’m in no mood to hear her drone on about them. “And stop calling him ‘that man.’ He has a name.”
“Well, I have never …” She huffs and presses her hand to her chest like my words are a dagger to her heart. “Have you completely forgotten your place?”
“No, I haven’t. I’d say I’m finally finding my place in this world.” I walk past her and around the counter to grab my phone. Since we’re not busy, I might as well work on some social media posts.
“Amelia, do not walk away from me.” She demands. Her voice sounds angry, but from the look on her face and the tears in her eyes, I’d say she’s more upset than angry. “I want to talk about this.”
“I’m not walking away. I’m working.” I snap a few pictures of the new arrangements that Darlene made yesterday and check the lighting. I feel Mom staring at me while I work, but I ignore her.
After a couple of minutes, she grabs my phone from my hand. “Mom!”
“I am not done with this conversation.” She spits out the words. I can’t recall ever seeing Mom this worked up over something before. “Why have you abandoned us? Have you no loyalty?”
A low growl builds in my chest and rolls out of me before I can even wrap my head around how to answer her. She takes a step back. Her eyes widen like she doesn’t know who she’s looking at.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I say. My voice sounds much calmer than I feel. “This isn’t about loyalty. Your reaction to my pregnancy left me no choice but to leave. I can’t listen to any of you drone on about the damn feud any more. Let it go. Who cares what happened over a hundred years ago? It doesn’t matter anymore.”
“Of course it matters.” She insists. “It will always matter. It destroyed our family legacy, and it’s our job to get it back.”
I sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose. “There are so many things wrong with what you just said.”
“Like what?” She huffs. The front door opens with a ding. When I look up, I’m relieved to see Darlene showing up for her shift.
She looks between us with raised brows. Then her lips turn up into a mischievous smile. “Looks like I’m just in time for a fun one.”
“A fun what?” Mom gives her a confused look.
“Mother-daughter fight!” She says with far too much excitement.
“We’re not fighting.” Mom snaps. Her tone further supports Darlene’s assessment of the situation. This is definitely a fight. “My daughter was just about to tell me why I’m wrong.”
“This I gotta hear,” Darlene mumbles under her breath. Then she looks at me and nods as if she’s telling me to get to it.
“Did it ever occur to you or dad that maybe we need to create a new legacy? Forget about the past and what was lost. Instead, focus on all we’ve gained or could gain.”
“New legacy?” Her jaw drops. “But it’s always been about the homestead.”