In Her Mind (Mountain High Valley Low ) by Renee Daniel Flagler Page A
Authors: Renee Daniel Flagler
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Shelly, who was now screaming at the top of her lungs, in concert with Brice, toward the door. Once Shelly had cleared the entrance, Lexie slammed the door with Brice still inside and Shelly banging desperately on the outside.
Completely spent and looking like she’d lost a fight with a bear, Lexie exhaled roughly, narrowed her eyes at me, and headed for the bathroom. My son reached his small hands toward the doorknob to try to get to his screaming mother on the other side. I picked him up, comforted him, and looked back in the direction Lexie had gone before I opened the door.
By the time I opened the door, Shelly had made it back up to her feet. Brice’s head was on my shoulder and I rubbed his back. Using the back of my hand, I wiped away his tears one last time before handing him over to Shelly.
She glared at me as she took him. “This is far from over,” she declared before storming off.
I covered my head with my hands and wondered what else could go wrong. One way or another, I was going to fix things with Lexie. I had a wedding in three weeks that was going to happen no matter what. Somehow I would have to convince Lexie that things would work out. No matter how it happened, I needed her there beside me.
Shelly stomped all the way to the elevator, looking back at me with evil eyes. When she got on the elevator, I went to the window to watch her leave the building and get into her car. The pristine, white convertible and the normally beautiful, wellkempt woman was a stark contrast to the convoluted mind she possessed.
Once I saw her place Brice in the car, I left the window. I didn’t want her to catch me watching her. Flopping down on the couch, I wondered how the rest of this night would play out.
Just then, Lexie exited the bathroom, looking a lot less savage than she had moments before. Her hair was pulled back into a hand-swept ponytail and her clothes were straightened out. She looked at me with a blank expression that she held for several beats before her eyes once again filled with water. I went to her to hold her. At first she pulled back, refusing to let me touch her. When her resolve left her I held on for dear life, hoping my embrace would say the things I needed to say but couldn’t find the words to. Her body rocked under my embrace and she released a flood of emotions. We stood there holding, releasing, and sighing until soft knocks at the door interrupted our private session.
I kissed Lexie on the forehead, then kissed away her tears before opening the door to find my son standing alone in the hallway with a duffle bag at his side. The loud screech of tires peeling from the asphalt snapped me out of my momentary state of shock. By the time I raced to the window, Shelly had recklessly taken the corner, nearly mowing down two young guys crossing the street.
Chapter 15 Shelly
When I reached my condo, Daddy was leaning against the door of his Mercedes S 600 with his arms crossed. At first I wondered how he knew I was there. Then I flinched at the thought of how I looked, being that I had just been in a fight with two people. Daddy’s strong, large frame took hastened steps toward me. Concern marked his face and I could tell as he examined my messy hair, bruised cheeks, and wrinkled clothes, that he was at a loss for words.
“Pudding! What happened? Who did this to you?” he asked as he held me at arms length to inspect me closely. Confusion, anger, and hurt all flashed in his eyes one by one. “Don’t tell me Brandon put his hands on you!”
I dropped my head. I didn’t want Brandon to get in trouble but I couldn’t tell Daddy that Brian was involved. Daddy would never accept Brian if I disclosed that bit of information. It would forever cause problems once Brian and I were finally back together.
Daddy shook me slightly because I still hadn’t answered. I no longer wanted Brandon anyway, so why did I care about him having issues with my father?
“Shelly!” Daddy yelled my name. I
Completely spent and looking like she’d lost a fight with a bear, Lexie exhaled roughly, narrowed her eyes at me, and headed for the bathroom. My son reached his small hands toward the doorknob to try to get to his screaming mother on the other side. I picked him up, comforted him, and looked back in the direction Lexie had gone before I opened the door.
By the time I opened the door, Shelly had made it back up to her feet. Brice’s head was on my shoulder and I rubbed his back. Using the back of my hand, I wiped away his tears one last time before handing him over to Shelly.
She glared at me as she took him. “This is far from over,” she declared before storming off.
I covered my head with my hands and wondered what else could go wrong. One way or another, I was going to fix things with Lexie. I had a wedding in three weeks that was going to happen no matter what. Somehow I would have to convince Lexie that things would work out. No matter how it happened, I needed her there beside me.
Shelly stomped all the way to the elevator, looking back at me with evil eyes. When she got on the elevator, I went to the window to watch her leave the building and get into her car. The pristine, white convertible and the normally beautiful, wellkempt woman was a stark contrast to the convoluted mind she possessed.
Once I saw her place Brice in the car, I left the window. I didn’t want her to catch me watching her. Flopping down on the couch, I wondered how the rest of this night would play out.
Just then, Lexie exited the bathroom, looking a lot less savage than she had moments before. Her hair was pulled back into a hand-swept ponytail and her clothes were straightened out. She looked at me with a blank expression that she held for several beats before her eyes once again filled with water. I went to her to hold her. At first she pulled back, refusing to let me touch her. When her resolve left her I held on for dear life, hoping my embrace would say the things I needed to say but couldn’t find the words to. Her body rocked under my embrace and she released a flood of emotions. We stood there holding, releasing, and sighing until soft knocks at the door interrupted our private session.
I kissed Lexie on the forehead, then kissed away her tears before opening the door to find my son standing alone in the hallway with a duffle bag at his side. The loud screech of tires peeling from the asphalt snapped me out of my momentary state of shock. By the time I raced to the window, Shelly had recklessly taken the corner, nearly mowing down two young guys crossing the street.
Chapter 15 Shelly
When I reached my condo, Daddy was leaning against the door of his Mercedes S 600 with his arms crossed. At first I wondered how he knew I was there. Then I flinched at the thought of how I looked, being that I had just been in a fight with two people. Daddy’s strong, large frame took hastened steps toward me. Concern marked his face and I could tell as he examined my messy hair, bruised cheeks, and wrinkled clothes, that he was at a loss for words.
“Pudding! What happened? Who did this to you?” he asked as he held me at arms length to inspect me closely. Confusion, anger, and hurt all flashed in his eyes one by one. “Don’t tell me Brandon put his hands on you!”
I dropped my head. I didn’t want Brandon to get in trouble but I couldn’t tell Daddy that Brian was involved. Daddy would never accept Brian if I disclosed that bit of information. It would forever cause problems once Brian and I were finally back together.
Daddy shook me slightly because I still hadn’t answered. I no longer wanted Brandon anyway, so why did I care about him having issues with my father?
“Shelly!” Daddy yelled my name. I
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