Thanksgiving Weekend (COMPLETED)

Chapter 7

Cullen sighs and carries his plate to the sink.

"Would you take a plate up to Canley, please?" His mom asks as she overs one in foil.

He glances at the stairs then back to her, "Do I have to?"

She huffs, "Yes you have to, and what's the matter with you anyway? Y'all used to play rough and everything else. What's so different now?"

"She has a baby, Mom. How am I suppose to even be around her when she is in angry mother mode? She is just like a mother cow, you can't get close to her or the baby, not even to help out." His tone rises with every word.

His mom glares at him, "You haven't even tried being supportive so you wouldn't know how it would work out for you. How do you think she feels raising a baby by herself? I don't even how that feels because I have always had your dad. She didn't choose this to happen. I'll take it to her."

He huffs, "You do that," He mumbles before trudging to the living room and flopping on the couch. Maybe Canley was right, maybe it wasn't such a good idea to come.

As he watches TV his mom's words replay in his head. She's right he hadn't tried, but is it really worth it? He sighs and grabs his hat from a peg and shoves it on his head. Stepping out into the cool air he goes to the barn and roams around looking for nothing in particular. He can't stop thinking about Canley though. What does she have meet a chief on Monday for?
***

Canley sits on the bed she has always occupied when she would visit. Ashley is laying on a blanket on the floor cooing and moving her arms in every direction. As she gazes at the little girl she still can't believe what Chief Mitchell told her, this can't be happening, for Ashley's sake.

A knock at the door makes her jump, "Come in," She calls.

Mrs. Dallas pokes her head in before fully coming in, "I brought you a plate since you missed the big meal."

"Oh, thanks."

"Your welcome." Mrs. Dallas pauses, "I don't guess I ask if everything is okay, but do you need anything? I am happy to help."

Canley smiles, "I'm not sure what I need. I guess staying sane is the main goal right now," She takes a deep breath, "I am officially the mother of a little girl. Levi, her dad, isn't- didn't make it back from overseas."

"I'm- I'm so sorry that must be awful."

She shrugs not quite trusting her voice, "I guess in a way it's an answer to prayers. Letting her go was going to be really hard. At the same time, I am sure that I am by no means cut out to be a mother."

Mrs. Dallas smiles, "Sweetheart, you are doing an excellent job, don't let anyone tell you different. Taking care of a baby isn't easy and I can't imagine doing it without Bill by my side."

Canley nods and smiles as Mrs. Dallas picks Ashley up. She is so natural with her it almost makes Canley jealous, but she has to remind herself that Mrs. Dallas has had three kids of her own. "So I think I am going to have to leave tomorrow. We have to get back to sign papers and such, sorry to cut it so short."

"Oh, do you think you can stay till Saturday?"

Canley considers the idea, she didn't really have to be back until Sunday night, but she wasn't sure she wanted to stay.

"I can see it in your eyes that something is holding you back from staying, what is it?"

She takes a deep breath, "Pretty much everyone has made it clear that they don't approve. The looks they give me, especially Cullen, they make me sick. I don't want or need sympathy and the disgust that fills the looks makes me want to beat the living day lights out of them."

Mrs. Dallas laughs, "That's the mother instinct. I felt it all the time when I has Sandra and she didn't have much hair. Everyone thought she was a boy unless I had a bow in her hair."

Canley laughs too, but still what is she to do?

"Just let me know," Mrs. Dallas assures her handing Ashley to her with a smile. Canley takes the little girl that her life now revolves around and kisses her cheek. The door clicks shut letting her know she was back alone with Ashley. She picks up the fork from the plate and takes a bite of her mother's corn salad. Ashley shrieks and grabs for the fork.

Canley chuckles, "You can't have my fork."
***

Cullen sighs and trudges up the stairs and stops outside her door. He can't help but fight the little voice telling him that's she's more than a little sister now. There is nothing he wants more than to make her so much more, but the kid. How does a baby fit into a dating relationship? This isn't how his relationship is going to work, he can't handle having to wag around a whole bunch of crap on a date!

He jumps back when the door swings open Canley steps out Ashely resting in her good arm. She casts a haze towards him before scurrying down the stair at a pace so rapid you would think a cheetah was after her.

Great! Not only does he have feelings for an old friend that friend is now scared of him. He sighs, what more could possibly go wrong? It doesn't even feel like today is Thanksgiving with all of this going on.