Whispered Southern Secrets (Magnolia Grove #11)

Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

John David

My parents’ eyes have not left me since I came barging through the church this morning. They have questions, I know they do, but all I can focus on right now is getting to the hospital. I want to check on James. I give them each a hug and kiss and say my goodbye. “I’ll be home in time for dinner.”

It really is time I get my own place. I haven’t focused as much on buying a house or renting an apartment because I missed my parents while I was gone, and then I was busy building bridges. That is another item that’ll have to wait until tomorrow.

I call Honey as I’m starting my truck and ask her to go with me. James had been transported to a bigger hospital in Birmingham. When she tells me she’ll go, I almost fall to my knees in gratitude. Last night meant more to me than she could possibly know. I didn’t even realize how much weight I’d been carrying. I actually slept. At some point, my dream was so vivid that I could feel Honey’s breath against my ear while she told me she loved me.

As soon as Honey shuts the truck door, the cabin fills with the scent of her. I want to bury my face in the crook of her neck and feel her arms wrap around me. But I resist. Besides, we need to get to James.

I weave through the parking lot until I find a vacant spot. Moments later, we’re sitting next to James’s bed as hospital monitors beep. His eyes are closed. Nobody else is here. Sucking in a breath, I open my mouth and begin word vomiting. Whatever I can think of to say. His eyes flicker, but they don’t open.

“What are you doing here?” a man’s voice asks from behind us.

“Hello. I’m Pastor John David.”

“I know who you are.” The man’s voice is coated in venom. “You’re the one giving him all those big ideas. Filling him with lies! You got him inflated with all that nonsense, and he can’t think straight. You know he back talked my brother, and now look at him. Where was your God then?”

My mouth opens but it’s Honey’s voice who rings out. “Where were you? Instead of asking God where He was, where were you?”

The man steps into her space, towering over her, and growls. “He isn’t my boy, now is he? Not my business. He’s also not yours or his. If y’all minded your own damn business, none of this would be happening.”

I go to stand between them, but Honey pushes me back. She tilts her chin up and glares hard at him. “And maybe if you’d made it your business before, it would’ve never gotten to this point. He’s your nephew. Why didn’t you step in and stand up to your brother? Clearly you didn’t care enough about either one of them.”

His words are garbled in anger. “Why you little bitch.”

“That’s enough!” I shove myself in front of Honey. “Go take a walk and cool off.”

“How about you go with me for a walk?” His smile is cruel and twisted.

“You’re hurtin’. I get it. You’re scared and your response is to find a distraction in violence. But that’s not the answer.”

“’Suppose your little book has all the answers, huh?”

“Maybe not all, but I bet if you gave it a chance you’d find a couple of answers scattered throughout.” I’m amazed at how calm I’m able to be right now. Anger is coursing through my veins at the sight of him being so disrespectful to Honey. The angry buffoon slowly steps back. With a look of disgust and a shake of his head, he finally turns on his heels and storms off.

“What a gem,” Honey mumbles then release a little squeak when I take her by surprise gripping her shoulders.

“Crazy! What were you thinking?”

“I was defending you. You’re welcome!”

My mouth drops open. “I don’t want you to ever do that again. Please do not put yourself in that kind of danger. He was a loose cannon, darlin’.”

“But I got him in line quick.”

“This is going to come as a shock, so bear with me, but I don’t think he was scared of you.”

She fists her hands on her hips. “Further proof that guy was an imbecile. Because he should be afraid.”

“Trouble,” I say in disbelief. “Absolute trouble.”

I place my hand on the small of Honey’s back and guide her to sit down in the chair next to James’s bed. She releases a heavy sigh. “All that and he still didn’t wake up.”

“I don’t know what to say to him,” I confess.

“Wanna read him the Bible?”

“Are you stereotyping me? Because I’m working toward become a full time pastor, you automatically assume that’s my go to?” She shrugs and I wave my hand. “Nah. He wouldn’t want that. He likes it better when I paraphrase and give him the cliff notes. The ‘highlights’ as he put it.” My voice is casual but I’m scared. I’ve prayed like a madman for some sign that James is going to be okay. Please. Please Lord.

A soft palm touches the top of my hand. “Hey. Let me help,” Honey’s southern gentle drawl has me opening my eyes. “I know what to do.”

She sounds so confident. How does she know what to do? What even is she going to do? Honey stands and walks over to bed rail. She reaches over and takes James’s hand in hers. The only sound is the steady beat of monitors.

Her eyes look down lovingly at James as her lips part and her angelic voice begins singing the sweetest version of “Stand by Me,” I’ve ever heard. I have to choke down a sob that gets caught in my throat. My chest is too tight and breathing is now a task I have to mentally force myself to do. There’s almost too much emotion clawing its way through me. I’m afraid it’s more than I can handle. I’m trying to keep myself in check because that’s what I’m supposed to do as a man and a pastor. People need to be able to call on me day and night to be the strong one. I try my best to hold my tears at bay, but it’s a losing fight. Everything begins to spill out of me, and I’m frustrated because now Honey is holding my hand and James’s. She needs to be solely focused on the person in the hospital bed.

Every feeling I had toward Honey is stronger than ever. Her being here and holding my hand and James’s means everything. I’m in awe of how strong she’s being right now. She ends the song and leans forward to kiss James’s forehead.

“So this is all it takes to get a hot older woman to woo you?”

I jump out of my seat to rush to stare into James’s face to make sure that was him speaking. “James!” I wheeze out.

Honey’s eyes are glassy but she doesn’t miss a beat. “Chicks dig scars, man.”

“For real?” James asks.

“No! You scared us half to death. J.D. is on the verge of a complete meltdown and I’ve never been so terrified in my life.”

James’s smile falters. His eyes back and forth between us. “You guys were really worried.”

“Of course we were,” I tell him, pleading for him to believe me. He is loved. People care about him. I’ve already been informed that I’ll for sure now be able to remove him from his home. It’s a shame that it had to come to this for us to be able to legally take him away. But now he’ll be placed with his aunt immediately.

Guilt gnaws at me. I bow my head in shame. “I feel terrible that I wanted you to stay here, James. I was disappointed to hear you were leaving. But now I see I was being selfish. You needed to get out of that house. I should’ve done more to get you out sooner. I’m sorry. I’ll never forgive myself. I missed the signs.”

“There were no signs. This is the first time he’d ever done something like this. Usually it was only slapping me around. Don’t beat yourself, Preacher Man. You can’t carry all the guilt for everyone’s sins.”

“Exactly,” Honey grumbles. “The only person who should be sorry is the asshole who did this.”

I give Honey the side-eye for using such colorful language in front of James. I know he’s heard worse, but still. She arches a brow at me, and like a good boy, I turn the other cheek and go back to looking at James.

James rolls his head to the side and gives Honey a lopsided grin. “So you gonna serenade me some more?”

“No,” she immediately answers.

James’s face contorts in pain. “Ow. It hurts.”

“I can’t tell if he’s faking or not,” I tell Honey in a hushed tone.

“Of course the little shit is faking.”

“Are you sure? Sing him one more. What’s it going to hurt?”

Honey gives me a deadpan stare. “You’re a giant teddy bear.”

“And you’re…you’re a honey badger.”

James must be getting restless with our banter because he moans louder. “The pain. The agony.”

“Fine. Well played. Milk this while you can,” Honey tells James and he immediately drops the act and smiles. “This is one of Mimi’s favorite hymns. It’s called ‘I’ll Meet You in the Morning,’ feel free to join in.”

Honey begins singing and my heart leaps for joy when James begins harmonizing with her. I start singing as well and we form a round with me coming in at different beats. We end up singing a few more songs until the doctor comes in to check on James. Everything is looking promising, no long-term damage. Unfortunately, however, visitor time is up. I tell the doctor thank you and wish him a blessed day. After James, Honey, and I say a prayer together, I promise James I’ll be back tomorrow.