Page 70 of Under the Influence

After Edith is carried away by Ike, Val insists the McGraw family speak privately in his parents’ place. As we step onto the back deck, his mother tries to block our entry into her house. Poppy pokes her finger at me and shakes her head.

“Seducing a young woman like Edith is simply beyond the pale. I ought to report you to someone.”

“And who would that be?”

“Santa Claus, maybe?” Poppy suggests and then steps aside. “Feel free to confess your sins loudly. That way, I can overhear your private conversation.”

We enter the house with Val bringing up the rear and closing the door. He eyeballs his smiling mother who places her hands on the glass door as if begging to enter. When he shrugs, she dramatically storms away.

Turning to us, Val nods. “I’m part of your family now, sir. But I’m forced to ask something as a member of the homestead. What are your intentions with my cousin?”

“I already said I love her.”

“But does that mean you’ll move here and be my newest buddy? Or will you fight the homestead magic and try to short-term this thing with Edith?”

“Stop talking,” I mutter, needing to make everything square with my family so I can return to Edith.

Val shrugs. “I wish I could, but silence isn’t in my wheelhouse.”

Lola smiles at Val for too long while Clover steps closer to me.

“She’s the hickey woman, right? I’m still confused.”

“Yes.”

“How long have you been dating?”

“Since around the engagement party.”

“And you had overnight visits with my cousin, right?” Val asks, refusing to butt out. “I hope you know a woman’s first lover is special. Well, not Tuesday’s, but other women care.”

Lola smiles at Val. “I’m sure Tuesday’s first time was special.”

“I think she might have just put out to get a good grade,” Val replies. “Or she was trying to get out of a ticket. Her story changes depending on the point she’s trying to make.”

Clover frowns at Val before shaking her head and looking back at me. “If you marry Edith, do I have to move out?”

“No.”

“Is marriage in the mix here?” Erin asks, seeming anxious. “And what about babies? I don’t want to poop on your parade, but babies are a lot of work.”

“Is this why you didn’t want me to get pregnant?” Lola asks.

“Yes,” Val answers for me. “He said something about not wanting a grandkid and a baby of the same age. I gently reminded him this is West Virginia.”

Losing control of the conversation, I blurt out, “Look, I’m sorry I hid things with Edith, but I had my reasons. Besides, we know I’ve been on edge since the Charleston club bastards rolled through Basin Rock that day. Add a younger girlfriend to the mix, and I haven’t been myself.”

Wearing a grumpy expression, Lola says, “I don’t like how you hid this for my benefit.”

“I hadn’t expected you to be so excited about this doofus,” I explain and gesture at Val who flexes his muscles in response to my insult. “I took a while to catch on to your feelings for him. Once I knew your heart was on the line, I didn’t want to drum up drama with my thing.”

Lola smiles softly and hugs me. “I appreciate that, but I don’t want you to suffer quietly.”

“I wasn’t really suffering,” I say as my mind floods with memories of falling for Edith. “The hard part was sneaking around. Maybe that was for the best. Without any pressure from our families, Edith and I got a chance to figure things out.”

“She’s so young,” Erin whispers.

“She’s older than me,” Val says immediately. “By an entire year.”

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