Tension tied me up in knots that kept coming undone, then tying me right back up.

"We all need to sit down and talk this out," said my daddy as my mama cut him down with a withering stare.

"We all know it's far too late for that, Frank," she snarled.

"Mercy Jane, this isn't helping," he pleaded.

"Helping you say!?" She threw her hands up to the heavens. "For far too long we've been lenient with this girl, and look where that's gotten us, Frank!" Her head whipped around, jaw clenched as she struck me with her frosty stare. "I warned you," she spat.

It was cut and dried. Mama would believe nothing I had to say. Hell, I could say the sky was blue, and she'd say I was lying 'bout it.

I bit back a curse, knowing it was a mistake coming back home to Lockwood.

Maddy pushed up from the sofa, swiping away a tear, her bottom lip trembled. 

"Maddy..." I drew in a suffocating breath whilst the pressure in my daddy's study became excruciating. The haunted look in my sisters' eyes tore strips right off my heart. "Whatever it is you think you know—Y'all got it wrong."

"Ha!" mama spat. "The only thing wrong here is you, child." She moved across the room, draping an arm around her favourite child. "There's not a decent bone in that—" She waved her free hand over me. "There body of yours." Her words aimed for my chest, and hit me square on.

What in god's name had Cooper said to them? "Maddy," my tone pleaded holding out my hand. "I've done nothing wrong."

A sharp breath escaped Maddy. "Nothing wrong Riley Jo? Nothing?" she shook her head. "Mama said you had a cruel heart and I've never wanted to believe it, but this... this Riley Jo."

"Maddy, you know me. I've never done a mean thing against you and whatever that fiancé—snake in the grass has told you, it's all lies. I swear to you."

"Lies, is it?" inserted mama

I fixed a stare on my mama. "Yes, lies Mama. He tried to kiss me and touch me last night and I shoved him off and I ran from that barn as if a fire had been lit under my feet!"

"Tell me Riley Jo, why didn't you come right back here and tell us all?"

Awe shit, she had me there as I bit down hard on my lip.

Mama continued. "I know this to be true. You will do anything to ruin this wedding?" adamant in her accusation.

"What?" What in the hells was she talking about?

"How Mama? Tell me, how have I tried to ruin this wedding?"

She didn't answer. "I may not have witnessed what went on in that barn. But any fool can see how you look at him." She folded her arms, pushing her chin out. "Cooper told me how you make him feel uncomfortable last night."

What? Me make him uncomfortable?

"He said you even had the audacity to touch him under the dinner table—whilst he sat right next to your sister!" her voice hitched.

What? I was surely in some kind of twilight zone?

"You're jealous of your sister and the fact that no one will ever want to marry someone like you!" She jabbed her finger in my direction.

All of it was lies. "That's not true, Mama."

"Go on, deny you're not jealous of your sister and will do anything to make sure she's as miserable as you are in your pathetic, lonely little life."

"I'm not jealous." I gritted out, turning my attention to my sister. "Maddy, you cannot listen to this. I promise on my life." I put my hand over my heart. "I did nothing to him... that..." I remembered Connors description. "Bottom-feeder!"

I saw a momentary flash of defiance in Maddy's eyes. "Did you or did you not imply that Cooper wasn't good enough for me?"

Several long, pregnant seconds of silence passed. I couldn't deny that was true. "I had good reason and you clearly don't love him, Maddy."

"How dare you say what I do or do not feel for my fiancé Riley Jo." She bristled. "Cooper told me he went looking for you last night to tell you how much he loved me and would do anything to make me happy. But when he found you, he said you were clearly upset."

Yeah, that was true. "But—"

Maddy thrust out her hand, silencing me. "Cooper said he hugged you to try make you feel better and then you kissed him."

That lying sack of monkey shit!

"Said he tried to push you away." Her lips trembled before she gathered herself. "Said you started crying and he tried to offer you comfort." Her shoulders sagged.

What!?

"He said he hated seeing you so upset." A deep frown settled above her eyes. "And that's when you took off your dress and tried to seduce him."

Sweet Jesus! My jaw landed on the floor. "He's told you nothin' but lies, Maddy."

Her lashes lowered and her voice dropped. "He said he was only telling me because he was worried 'bout you. Didn't like seeing you so upset."

"Lies, all lies," I whispered.

Maddy's head shot up. "Tell me this then Riley Jo—how would he know that you have a birthmark right there—" She pointed. "Right there, just above your left hip bone?"

Fuck. I stared in mute horror. Cooper would have seen my kidney shaped birthmark when I'd stripped for Adam.

A sack of rocks sat heavy in my gut as my head spun. Telling them the truth could get Adam in trouble and, more likely, give my mama more ammunition to fire against me.

Think, think!

I had one shot—If I could get my sister on her own, talk to her without my mama breathing down her neck, I might convince her of my innocence. "Maddy, let's just you and me go upstairs and talk about this... please Maddy."

My Mama bounced toward me. "You're going nowhere with your sister. You've done enough harm to this family already."

My gaze cut past my mama to my daddy. "Daddy!" It was my daddy I always ran to whenever I was hurt or upset. His large build had always cocooned me from my mama's cruelness and looking in his eyes right now told me he wasn't entirely convinced of my guilt.

Surely, I could convince him. "Daddy, you know me." I stepped toward him. "You know I'm not capable of doing sumthin' like that."

Cold, wiry fingers wrapped around my upper arm as my mama tugged hard.

"No!" I tried to wrench myself free, my eyes desperately pleading with my daddy to step in, but he looked away, turning to pull Maddy into his embrace to comfort her.

There was my answer. It was a last punch to my gut.

"We're all done with you, child." Mama dragged me away as tears blurred my vision.

"You're goin' right up those stairs and packing your belongings and then you're out of my house."

A pained cry left my mouth as I was yanked away.

Stumbling on the second stair, her fingers dug in, forcing me to wince, but it was nothing compared to pain in my heart.

"Mercy Jane Lockwood!" A booming voice halted my mama's steps.

"You better release that girl right this second, before you make me do something I might never regret."

Light in the form of my Nana Em had me thanking the heavens.

Mama cursed under her breath, frozen, her feet planted on the stairs.

I glanced over my shoulder to see my nana stood at the foot of the stairs glaring like she could shoot fire from her eyes.

I'd never been so happy to see anyone in my entire life.

My mama tensed, straightening her shoulders, loosening her grip on my arm, albeit slightly. "Mama," she snapped, "Keep out of this."

"I gave you an instruction, child." Nana curled her fingers into her waist.

Mama's hand slipped from my arm as she turned to face nana and I followed suit, turning too. "This child is rotten to the core Mama, and I will not have her in this house a moment longer." She puffed out her chest. "If you knew what she'd done to her sister," she added dramatically, "it would break your heart."

I stepped backward, up onto the next stair, putting some distance between me and my mama. "What they're sayin' ain't true, Nana. You know I'm not capable of hurting anyone."

Daddy and Maddy walked through from the study with confused curiosity.

"Nana Em, you need to let us handle this," said my daddy, clearly his allegiance sided with Mama.

Nana's lips were pressed too tight, her eyes danced with the fire that rose from her gut. "You may think me weak and old—but let me you tell you this." Hand on the bannister, she started slowly climbing. "You keep your hands off my granddaughter, you hearin' me?"

My mama huffed but refused to stand down. Two Lockwood women in a standoff. My money was on Nana.

Nana, looking at me, softened her voice. "Go, child," flicking her eyes up. "Go get your stuff, you're staying with me."

I hesitated, my head turning, eyes pleading with Maddy to follow me. She point blank refused to look at me.

"Go on child, we ain't got all day," nana encouraged.

I gave it one more second, then twisted around and ran up the stairs right into my bedroom. Grabbing my travel bag from under the bed, I flung it open and began packing as fast as my hands could manage. I had a horrible thought that my mama might appear in the doorway and slam the door, locking me in.

Barely a few minutes passed before I was dragging the case downstairs and following Nana Em outside.

Safely sat in my nana's house lost in tears, I let out a sharp breath that turned into a ragged string of snotty sobs.

My nana pulled her chair alongside me, wrapping an arm around me. "Come, child. Hush now, it will turn out fine, you'll see."

Her reassurances did little to ease the pain of Maddy's hurt face. "Na-Na-Nana" my body quaked.

"Take your time, child."

"I-I-did not-nothing wrong." I got out between sobs.

"I know, Riley Jo, I believe you."

She sat and let me cry till I didn't have any tears left in me. Nana pressed a tissue into my hand. "Come now, that's enough, dry those pretty eyes of yours."

She rose from her seat and put the kettle on. "A nice cup of sweet tea with a dash of Howard's whisky will see you right."

I wanted to believe she was right. Fixing our drinks, I sat quietly and waited for her to finish. Finally done, she pushed a tall cup of steaming tea toward me. "Drink up, whilst it's hot."

"Thanks nana, I don't know what I'd do without you."

Nana patted hand. "You'll always be welcome here with me Riley Jo." She threw me a smile. "Have I not said you're my favourite grandchild enough times."

My mouth twitched.

"There, you've gone and done it now—I saw the start of a smile, you can't hide it from your Nana."

A full smile broke free. I repeated my earlier statement. "I didn't do what they said I did, Nana."

"Child, I know you have a good heart and I know you would never hurt Maddy."

"How did you know to come get me, Nana?"

She took a sip of her tea, nudging me to take a drink of mine. "Stella heard y'all arguing and come and fetched me."

Saved by Stella... again.

"Give them time to calm down and Maddy will see sense."

"She looked so hurt Nana."

"Listen, I know you and Maddy better than you know yourselves. And she will come around. She loves you Riley Jo."

I hoped she was right—but would it happen before the wedding? I wasn't so sure. "Perhaps it's better if I go back home to New York." There was nothing to keep me here now.

"Don't make me tie you to that chair, child." She gave me a look. "I have plenty of room here and I will make sure your crazy mama doesn't come knocking on my door, fetching any trouble."

I knew my mama would keep her distance.

"Now, from the beginning, tell me everything."

My nana deserved my honesty as I sat and told her everything, including what had happened in the barn with Adam, although I didn't reveal too much detail. Giving my nana a heart attack was the last thing I wanted. But I also knew she wouldn't think badly of me.

Letting out a breath, I waited for her to say something.

She wagged her finger at me. "I knew that one had sumthin' about him. Good hands." She winked at me. "I like him, you need to bring him over for dinner."

I grinned like a fool. Yeah, he had good hands... and mouth too. But bringing him to dinner? That wasn't gonna happen. He was too darn busy having dinner with Helen... My attention snapped back to nana.

"When your sister has calmed down, we'll get her to listen," she promised.

I shook my head. "Don't think she'll believe anything I say. Mama has twisted her mind against me."

"Hush now, an attitude like that gets us nowhere, and we have ten days to change her mind and stop this circus of a wedding."

"Safe to come in?" We both turned our heads to see Nana's best friend, Howard, standing in the doorway.

"Sit yourself down Howard, it's safe."

Nana turned back toward me and cupped my cheek. "You look exhausted Riley Jo. I want you to go lie down and rest for a while, and we can talk some more later."

I was about to object. "Ah, ah, child. Don't even think about arguing with me!" I met her challenging stare before she smiled and planted a kiss on my cheek.

I smiled, pushing out my chair to stand. "Wait up—" she turned. "Howard, pass me that bottle."

Howard picked up the whisky and handed it to nana. She twisted the cap and added a dash more to my tea. "Here, this will help you sleep."

She lifted the cup and I took it from her. Perhaps she was right. Some sleep might do me some good and maybe, just maybe, I might wake up to find this was all a nightmare.

A/N: Hi All, I usually take a fortnight off over Christmas, but I will stick to schedule and post next Wednesday. In the meantime for all of you that celebrate Christmas, hope you have an amazing time and those that don't - happy holidays! xx