Georgia On My Mind - Second Generation - Book One

Chapter 20 - Coming Clean

When we arrive, all of our family and friends are already there. Seth and Daddy are hanging around the grill, cooking burgers and hot dogs. Scarlett runs and climbs on Rhett's back, and he walks around with her. He's a good Uncle to her. I doubt he even knows he's her uncle yet, but it will be like nothing has changed. Later that evening, we gather to sit down at the picnic table for dinner. I'm not hungry, so I just grab a hotdog. John Luke fills his plate with a burger, chips, and potato salad. "Oh man, that is so good, Mom. I love your potato salad." He says to Brie.

"Glad you like it, sweetheart."

John Luke nudges my arm, "Baby, try this. It's so good."

I lean close and open my mouth; he scoops some on his fork and feeds me," Yum, that is good, Brie."

Seth busts out, laughing, "Sorry, kids. I was just thinking of that one time I took you two to the ice cream parlor. You both ordered the same sundae with the gummy worm on it. John Luke was pissed that you ordered the same thing that he did, and I told him that it doesn't matter if you ordered the same thing; it only matters when you share your food. He said he'd never share his food with you, Georgia, because you had cooties."

I playfully elbow John Luke.

"God, I was a little asshole. She can have anything on my plate she wants."

Seth continues. "I told you never say never and look at you now."

Momma chimes in, "Oh, I remember she asked me why John Luke was so mean to her. She was so upset about it. I told her that boys grow out of their meanness when they get older. I think that rings true in this case."

"Do you remember when she used to chase him around and try to hug him, and he would always run?" Brie asks Seth.

"God, yes! I told her that as they got older, he'd be the one chasing her around, and she'd be the one to push him away." Seth responds to Brie.

John Luke interrupts, "That actually happened a lot in high school. I was like a whipped dog with this girl. The more she pushed me away, the more I chased her, like a boomerang, I kept coming back for more."

Maggie chimes in. "Ummm...I'm lost. What is happening?"

We all start howling with laughter, except for Daddy; he stays pretty quiet. I know he will come around, but he's trying to come to terms with everything right now.

"Oh well, John Luke and Georgia are a thing. Scarlett is actually John Luke's baby. We all just found this out." Momma tells Maggie.

Maggie, Oliver, Gianna, Abrianna, and Abel look at us in shock. "What? You are kidding me?" Maggie asks.

We are all interrupted by Mamaw walking up with Papaw Earl, "Hey, ya'll, sorry we are late. Earl just got home from his route. What did we all miss?"

"Apparently, you missed a lot, Momma. We all did." Maggie chuckles.

"Yeah, so apparently John Luke and Georgia are a thing, and Scarlett is John Luke's baby. We just found this out." Brie says to Mamaw.

Mamaw giggles. "Well, duh! Any idiot could tell that Scarlett is John Luke's baby."

We all look at her in shock. "Mamaw, you knew this whole time?" I ask her.

Daddy puts his hands over his mouth.

"Well, yeah, I thought we all knew but didn't want to say it?" she asks.

"No, we all didn't know," Daddy says, quietly.

"I knew," Brie says aloud, raising her hand.

"Well shit y'all. Look at that little girl and look at John Luke. Any judge would laugh in your face if you tried to deny that child, John Luke. She is your mini-me." Mamaw says.