Book 1: Without Will

Nerve and the Truth

My hands on my hips, I look around at the country air, angry at the nerve of my parents and their crap to pull what they are doing. Marrying me off to Fiacre Ellison for their own financial gain. I have never felt so betrayed by my family until now.

I feel a hand touch my shoulder, I turn around and to my surprise it's my brother Jerry Lee. I thought he was at some kind of school practice, but my ma is always lying to me about what they do. She always does.

"Cambria, I know what ma and pa did. They have been planning it for months." Jerry Lee tells me.

I shake my head, I couldn't cry because I am more angry than upset. "Months? Why?"

Jerry Lee sighs, "It has nothing to do with pa, please believe that. He was fighting for you to stay, but ma got the best of him. Ma feels like she can't control you or your thought process and feels like handing you off to the Ellison's will help straighten you out. This has nothing to do with money or anything of that nature because you know pa makes a lot of good money to get all of us through college if we wanted to go."

Tears touch the rims of my eyes, unable to process my own mother selling me off. Selling me off because I refuse to think like she does or act like she does towards my pa. This truly some kind of old age crap she is pulling on me.

My brother tries to hug me, but I shove him off. I am not angry at him. "I am sorry, Jerry. I am just...I just don't understand this, even though you already explained it to me. I just..."

"You don't understand how ma could sell you off? I know. She tried to do it to me with the Nye's daughter."

"Shay?" I question.

He shakes his head. "Charlie."

My eyes widen. Jerry Lee has been after Charlie Nye for years, I wonder why he didn't take it. "I thought you wanted to be with Charlie, though." 

"I didn't want it to go down like that. My ma forcing me to wed Charlie." He looks up at the sky. "I wanted to do it in my own time. I want it to be special." He looks at me. "She understood that after she cried and asked why I didn't wanna marry her. She appreciated that I respected her in such a way no guy has."

I have never seen my brother's eyes beam so much over one girl. But, I knew he had been in love with Charlie Nye for a long time.

He sighs, "Listen, I know you are angry with ma for what she is doing and I don't blame you for being angry. Just...try not to be so hard on her. She wants the best for all of us. Okay?" He places his hands on my shoulders.

"Trying not to be angry with her right now, is not going to happen," I tell him honestly.

He chuckles, "Well, I understand. But, it's okay. It will be okay. I promise. Don't be mean to Fiacre, either." He hugs me.

I hug my brother back with a chuckle. He knew I was going to be mean to Fiacre, but since he looked just as flabbergasted as I did, I guess I better not. Besides, nothing good would come out of me being mean to him anyway. He is supposed to be my husband now. 

  It's not usual that we have heart to hearts like this. When we do, I try my best to savior every last minute of them.