Although they’d had the chance to approachJessie at dinner, Travis had opted to wait.Sunday evenings were reserved for dinner with his folks, a tradition his mother had been carrying on for as long as he could remember and likely before that.Disrupting it with personal crap didn’t seem fair to everyone there.Not to mention, there had been too many ears surrounding them, too many people who would ask questions that Travis couldn’t answer.
At least that was the excuse he had used.Truth was, the idea of talking to Jessie about something so sensitive didn’t sit right with him.Didn’t matter where they were.
Unfortunately, Gage thought it needed to be done.
So they had waited, then waited a bit longer after Braydon and his brood finally left, giving them a chance to make it home and unload.Then, after talking his parents into watching the kids for a bit longer, they’d set out to get this over with.
Now Travis was pulling into Jessie and Braydon’s driveway, trepidation filling his gut.
“This needs to be done,” Gage said from the passenger seat.“And the sooner, the better.”
“And if this news hurts her?”He looked at Gage.“What then?”
“At least she’ll know.”
Travis wasn’t sure that knowing the mother who had abandoned you nearly two decades ago was in town was something anyone wanted to know.And no, he had nothing to base that opinion on because his mother and father had been there for him and his brothers since the day they were born.They had supported them when they needed it, disciplined them when they needed that, too.And not a single day had gone by that Travis hadn’t known that his parents loved him unconditionally.
It pained him to think that Kylie and Jessie had spent a portion of their lives wondering why their mother had skipped out on them.Sure, maybe Meredith had waited until they were old enough to take care of themselves, but that shouldn’t have mattered.She should’ve been there through every heartache, every celebration.
“Come on.Let’s get this over with.I’m sure your parents want to get to bed at a decent time tonight.”
They still had to pick up the rugrats when they were finished here, so yeah, he probably needed to get a move on.
He got out of the SUV and closed the door quietly, wanting the next minute or so to get his thoughts in order.
Of course, Braydon had supersonic hearing because he walked out of the house before they reached the porch.
“Hey.”His smile was bright.“I know we didn’t leave a kid behind.I counted.”
Travis smiled.It was forced, but he figured it counted.
As they neared, Braydon’s forehead wrinkled.“What brings you by?”
“We need to talk to Jessie.”
Travis wasn’t imagining the way Braydon stood taller, his shoulders squared.He was preparing to protect his wife from whatever bad news they might have.
“It’s not bad,” Gage said, clearly sensing the same thing.
Travis stopped beside Gage.“It’s just news.”
Braydon shifted, blocking the door.“About?”
“Come on, Bray.Let us talk to her.”
“Are the kids still up?”Gage asked.
Braydon looked at him.“Jessie just put Waylon to bed.Zach and Rhett are watchin’ TV.”
“We won’t be here long,” Travis promised.
With a long exhale, Braydon stepped back and opened the screen door.“Hey, Jess!Travis and Gage are here.”
“Shh,” she hissed, stepping out of the kitchen.“Waylon finally fell asleep.”
“Sorry, baby.”
“Come on in,” Jessie invited.“Y’all want coffee?Tea?”
