Southern Lights

“I don’t think so. I’ve never seen such sad eyes. She’s alone with Sava

“Well, you can’t go back to her now and leave Luisa because Alexa is alone.” She looked panicked at the thought. “I don’t think she’d have me, and she’s right,” he said sadly. The idea had crossed his mind.

“She probably is,” his mother agreed, which shocked him. “If you loved her, you never should have left her for Luisa, no matter what I said. You went right back to her like a little lamb, and sent Alexa to New York.” He nodded. It was true. He had wanted Luisa back, to prove a point, but he loved Alexa. What he didn’t want was the life he had now, with a woman he hated, who hated him more. He had gotten what he deserved in spades, and knew it. “I just want Luisa to stop calling me about Sava

“I’ve told her that. She doesn’t want to hear it.”

“She told me Sava

“I’m sure she will,” he said kindly. Sava

“I’m glad someone in this family wants to know our history. Luisa isn’t interested. She has her own. She has as many generals in her family as we do,” Eugenie said, looking miffed, and Tom fought not to laugh. His mother took those things very seriously, and always had. Even he had a little trouble with it sometimes. There were too many generals to count. And hearing about the battles and Confederate bravery and victories had bored him all his life. He was no history buff. His mother was.

Tom left his mother after that, and thanked Sava

Sava

Her mother said she wasn’t surprised about Henry. He was never interested in girls once he hit puberty, although he was young then, only fourteen. She had had a question in her mind once or twice, but never dared broach it with Tom. He was so closed on the subject, and Sava

“So am I going to meet that boy?” she asked about Turner, and Sava

“Maybe. We’ll see. If he’s not busy. He has a game this weekend.”

“Maybe we can go. If you’re not ashamed of me.”

“You know I’m not. I’m really, really proud of you, Mom, and you know it.”

“I’m proud of you too, sweetheart,” her mother reassured her. And after they hung up, she went back to work with Sam and Jack Jones, and Sava

Daisy saw her come in afterward. She slipped in discreetly before di

“So?”

“So what?” Sava

“Don’t give me that. I saw you leave with him. Is he cute? Did he kiss you?” Sava

“He’s cute. And he kissed me.”

“Oh, yuk!!” Daisy said, ru

“Nope.” Sava

“Too bad,” Daisy said, and scampered to her room, laughing all the way.

Chapter 14

This time when Alexa came to Charleston to see Sava

“Not long, though,” she cautioned. “I want time with Sava

“Of course.”

Alexa had the feeling that he wanted to bury the hatchet, somewhere other than in her back this time, or her heart. She wasn’t ready for it yet, but she could almost conceive of being friends with him someday, not close friends, but civil ones, like at Sava

He suggested meeting her at Magnolias the next day, and Sava

“Okay, so tell me about this boy you’re so crazy about. When am I going to meet him? How about after the soccer game? We could have coffee or something.”

Sava

“A nice southern boy,” her mother commented with a grin, but she wasn’t sarcastic about it, just amused. They hardly ever went north for school. She’d noticed it when she lived there too.

“He has three younger brothers, and he lost his mom last year.”

“I’m sorry,” Alexa said softly. “He’s nice to you? That’s all I care about. My only requirement is that he treats you well. How often do you see him?” She had lost track in the chaos of her life right now, getting ready for the trial.

“He’s nice to me,” Sava

“Are you sleeping with him?” her mother asked her bluntly, and Sava