Goodbye Ain't Ever Meant A Thing

Chapter 7

"Oh, honey, why'd that man ever let you get away?" Mama Becky shook her head as she handed another glass of her sweet tea to Sienna. Her parents had to head home early, much to their dismay but an emergency at the mechanic shop her father owned was a pretty good reason to have to go back. Alarms had warranted a call to the local cops and from the sounds of it, there was damage done to the lifts and computers. She couldn't understand it. The shop was a stable in the community. It was the first place she worked. In fact, she was headed back to work there come Monday. Her father knew how much she loved to work on cars. The way each part shifted against each other and fed off each and every part was just like a giant puzzle and the way it made her calm down and process each part brought her peace.

"What are you talkin about Mama Becky?" She asked, truly confused. Mama Becky was never one to hide her feelings and like hell if she was about to start now.

"My son is an idiot and I'd like to apologize for him now." She said, not answering the question but shaking her head.

"Nothing to apologize for. We broke up years ago and both moved on. I'm just glad we can be friends. I'd hate to not have him in my life. He's my best friend and the only one who truly knows me." Sienna nearly whispered as she stared at the burning wood in front of her. Their camping trip was coming to a close and she hated it. After a week of off roading, fishing, football and campfires it pained her to see it end. She didn't want to go back to the real world. The world where Derrick existed, where Brantley would go back on tour and her life would resume as if it never paused. The world where uncertainty was certain.

"No, he was a dumbass. You would have never done the things those other girls did. You could have been my daughter in law already and I would have had grandbabies. Sunday dinners and church mornings. He's always been a hell-raiser, but never once did you leave. He picked up a bottle one night and Amber left. She never even turned back around to make sure it didn't touch his lips. I'm so grateful for you. He looked at me and said he knew he was afraid you'd come down here and beat him something fierce if he even took a sip." She winked at Sienna, smiling fondly, "Plus between me and you my son needs to get laid. Got a stick up his you know what anytime he's not near you."

"Oh my lord. Mama Backy have you been drinkin a bit?" Sienna laughed as she looked over at the woman next to her ignoring her shock when the older woman cusses and said her son needed to get laid. Mama Becky, or Angel as Brantley called her. This woman was a saint. After Keith had left she raised the boys by herself, striving to be a God fearing woman. Rarely did she ever drink and even rarer did she curse, but today she seemed to be breaking both her rules. Good for her!

"Oh baby. I'm three sheets to the wind." She laughed as she stood suddenly, "Now I'm going to go finish my bottle of wine Brantley brought me from Rome and take a bath in front of the amazing view of the lake! Don't let the boys bug me."

Sienna nodded, smiling as she watched her walk away. It was times like this that she wished she still smoked. Something to take the edge off and relax her. Though the talk with Mama Becky had been quite comical it also gave her a lot to think about. Spotting the four-wheeler off to the side an idea peaked. Brantley wouldn't mind if she took it out but she hated not asking. She continued to ponder. To take it or not. Finally, she made up her mind. She couldn't help but immediately head towards the biggest mud hole she could find. Off-roading had always been her past time. It relaxed her more than just about anything. She supposed she had Brantley to thank for that. He taught her at a young age anything could be fixed with a little bit of mud on the tires. She fishtailed the back end flinging another wave of mud all over the quad and herself. Her heart was racing as everything she was holding in began to release. Finally, she stopped, smiling as she looked up. The sun was beginning to set bring bright pinks and oranges laced with one another.

"Feel better?" She jumped as a voice called out. Looking behind her, her eyes met that of her older brother. She set a hand on her chest, willing her heart to settle down as she shook her head.

"Not as much as I wish but it'll do for the night. Really wish I had a cigarette." She shook her head as she stopped in front of her older brother.

"That shit'll kill ya you know." Her brother joked as she nudged her with his elbow.

"You dip genius." She rolled her eyes as he smiled wide and winked.

"What's got you so worked up that you went muddin' alone huh?" She could hear the worry lacing his voice as he stared at her. She bit her lip and shook her head. She didn't want to let go of the thoughts in her head. She was having a blast and the last thing she wanted to do was ruin it with her worrying. Not to mention no one knew the true reason she left Derrick.

"Eh, it's nothin bubba. Come on. I need a shower now." She laughed as she motioned to her now mud-covered body. "At least my skin will be soft."

"You're so weird. You know I'm here for you thought sis." He laughed, throwing an arm around his sister and leading her to the quad. The ride back was quiet as she wrapped her arms around her brother and rested her chin on his shoulder. They had always been close. She wasn't a daddy's girl or a mommas girl. No, she was a Bubba's girl. If he was there you could bet she wasn't far behind.

Brantley's head whipped to the side as he heard the sound of his quad, his heart settling down just a bit as he saw she was safe. It was dangerous to go off by yourself this time of year, especially to go muddin. She could have gotten stuck, thrown herself off and gotten hurt and they wouldn't have known. He smiled slightly as he took in her appearance. Her red hair stuck to her face with pieces of mud. She was covered from head to toe, but there was a smile on her lips. A true Rosey Posey smile. His heart skipped a beat. His girl.

"She's okay Bro. Give her some time. You were a wreck after Amber and she'll be one after Derrick." Kolby nodded towards her. He caught her gaze as she climbed off the quad and headed into the house.

"Since when are you the voice of reason?" Brantley asked raising an eyebrow towards his younger brother. Kolby smiled and shrugged. Yelling could be heard from in the cabin making their heads snap to the side. Shock was evident on their faces before all three doubled over in laughter at Sienna backing out of the house with her hands up. Mama Becky followed her with her finger pointed and a knowing look. She might have been drunk but you never walk into the house covered in mud.

"Now Mama Becky, I'm sorry. I didn't even realize what I did." She begged as she tried to get away from the woman who was now holding a hose. Mama Becky shook her as she turned the water on, instantly covering Sienna in ice cold water. She screamed, making Brantley just laugh harder.

"Someone grab your drunk mama now!" She yelled as she tried to shield herself from the ongoing assault of water.

"You're on your own sis! You knew better than to walk into the cabin." Jason laughed as he wiped his eyes. They got their butts whooped more than once for tracking mud in the house and why Sienna thought it was a good idea was beyond them.

Cold eyes watched the display in front of him. His head cocked to the side slightly as he watched her form. She was dripping wet, yelling at the woman in front of her as she laughed. Each piece of mud found its way to the ground. She was filthy. He hated when she was dirty. A woman should only be dirty from cooking or cleaning the house, never from something as disgusting as off-roading. The rage that flowed through him continued to grow. Those were not clothes he allowed her to take. Pants that were too tight and a band shirt were not fitting for such a lady. He focused the camera on the three men who found humor in the drenched girl's misery. Jason. Her older brother, ex-military, currently working on tour with Brantley as a stagehand and farm hand when home. Kolby: Brantley's younger brother, farmhand in Alabama. Oh and then there's Brantley. Rage filled him. Brantley Gilbert. Ex-lover, current problem. His chest tightened, his fury becoming all too much as he watched Brantley hold up a towel blocking anyone's view.

"Oh Sienna, how could you be such a whore?" He seethed as he watched clothing began to drop. Her shirt first, then her pants and socks leaving her in nothing but her underwear and exposed to a man that wasn't him. Letting out a breath of air mixed with a growl he watched as his woman was wrapped up in the arms of the man who had always left.

"You'll pay for that Sienna Rose, oh how you'll pay."

Authors Note: 400 Reads!!!! You guys are amazing!