Brady Remington Landed Me in Jail

"Guys are only going to like you for one thing." Viola pressed as her voice gentled. "They're always going to want sex, but a few will care for you because of you. You keep those around and you listen to me, you have to find yourself some friends of the female sorts."

"I liked Rayna," Clarissa let slip, but gasped and covered her mouth. Her eyes widened in guilt. She whispered, "I'm so darry, Rayna. I wab just…Brady luvs you. I alwayth thought heed come back do me. I'm so darry. I'm tho drunk. I cand believee I'm thaying any of thiss."

"Me neither," I whispered against my own volition.

Viola waved a hand in the air. "You're saying this because I'm making you. Listen to me, whatever beef you have with my granddaughter, you bury it. You make nice with her. You make genuine with her. You do that from now on. You keep away from those girls who are only going to backstab you."

"I don't gibe those bithes the time of day." Clarissa hiccupped again and pressed a hand to her forehead. "How many did I have? I'm tho drunk. I can't beliebe you did this do me."

I could. My grandmother was ruthless at times. Deputy Doug had professed it enough.

Then Clarissa slapped the table and leaned forward. "She had thex. Did you know that? You need do know that. If I'm being right with Rna, I habe to tell you that. She had thex, but I won't tell you wib who. That's for Rayna to thay."

Viola patted Clarissa on the arm. "I know who she had sex with. Honey, there'd only be one boy she'd be foolish about."

"Oh, good. Thaths good. I really think Brady luvs her. I didnna realize it until when he starded bringing her around. She neber came outh before and Brady was always mine, sorta. You can see why I got so jealous, right? I'm jud human. I'm jud…I liked him so much…" She paused and I heard the tear in her throat. When she wiped at her eyes, I felt my own starting to tear up.

Viola cursed and quickly hid the bottle of bourbon. She grasped Clarissa's arm and stood her upright. Clarissa 'wooed' as she stumbled to the side, but grabbed my grandmother's arm for better balance. Then I heard the front door open and slam shut. It opened again to slam shut a second time and then a third time. No voices were heard, but I could hear my grandpa unsnap one of the clips on his coveralls. His boots were shed next. Then Kid and Brady traipsed inside still in their swimming trunks. They had shirts on now and all three males stopped in the doorway to study us.

No one said a word for a moment.

"What are you all looking at?" Viola barked. She shoved Clarissa towards Kid.

"She's drunk." Brady stared. "She wasn't that drunk when we went to the barn."

Kid kept silent.

Grandpa Neil shook his head with a resigned expression and turned for the basement. I was in awe at his smarts.

"We had a little heart to heart," Viola replied curtly and nodded at her. "Get her home. Don't kill each other on the way out. Me and my granddaughter have a doctor's appointment to be getting to."

Brady glanced from the two empty glasses to Clarissa and Viola. He cleared his throat a second later and offered, "I can take her…"

"Like hell you will!" Viola barked, but blanched a second later. "I mean, this is something for the girls to be doing. I'm her grandmother. I should be there for her." She gestured to Kid again. "Go on. Take her out of here. Brady, you go home."

Kid swept intelligent eyes over Viola, me, and Brady. Then he tightened his hold and pulled her after him. Once the door had closed behind them, Brady hesitated for a second, "All due respect, Viola, you've been drinking. I'll take Rayna to the doctor. I'm a part of this anyway."

"You ain't a part of this!" Viola cried out and then paled. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Brady. I know you've got a good heart. I know you care for her. I know you're not like him—maybe I have had too much."

My mouth fell open as Viola wiped her eyes and stumbled past Brady up the stairs.

I watched as she left again. A tear pricked at the corner of my eyes and I let out a sob. As I fell to the chair behind me, I tucked my forehead into my knees. Everything was coming down on me. The storm had been held off, but now I couldn't deny what I'd done to my grandmother. She'd gone a little crazy and I couldn't help to wonder if I was the cause of it. Did she push Clarissa because of me? Maybe she was trying to save me a different way? I felt like such a disappointment.

"Hey, hey," Brady soothed as I felt him grasp my knee. He patted it and then combed his fingers through my hair. After a moment, he sat beside me and hugged me against him. "What's wrong?"

I lifted my head and the tears slid down my cheeks. "I think I'm just like my mother. How could I do that? How could I be like her?"

Brady drew back. "Um…"

When I felt another tear come, I sighed and closed my eyes. I'd fought all my life not to be like my mother, but it'd been useless. I was her.