Jacob

"Hello?" I quickly whisper after being startled by my my phone, ringing.

"Hey." I hear my sister's weary voice whisper.

My eyes pop open, "Katie. Is everything okay?" I ask sitting up in bed quickly. I feel my fiancé shift around on her side of the bed. Shit, I hope I didn't wake her up.

"It's mom. She's not well." Katie continues.

"What do you mean she is not well?" I whisper. I look at the clock. It's 2:24 am. "Katie?"

"Mom's legs have been giving her problems in the last few months. She's in a wheelchair now," Katie's voice struggles to say, " She just woke up about a half hour ago, demanding that you be here today."

" TODAY?!?!" I whisper trying to keep my voice low, "I can't. I have a project to run. I'd have to book a flight, and then it's a 2 hour drive from the airport, then —,"

"Well, it sucks to be you. Doesn't it? You're the one who left us. We're still in the same house. Maybe, you should have visited more often, instead of hiding between tall buildings." My sister's words ring in my ears, remembering how much I wanted to leave that God-forsaken shit small town.

"I have meetings and —," I start to excuse myself again.

"Then you can tell Mama Jane and tell her that you can't come home to see her on her deathbed." Katie's over exaggerating words hit my soft spot. I left home, but not my parents. Especially mama.

"You didn't spend any time with them when dad was alive. Don't make that same mistake with mama." Katie adds, like a nail going through my coffin.

Dad died about three years ago. I was so upset with him and the fights we had. Dad couldn't understand my dreams. He wanted me to stay in town and take over his woodshop. Making furniture and fixing barns and building porches, while I saw things bigger, like architects, and building better things, more than he could have imagined. I went to university and got my ticket out of that small town and I took it. But dad still didn't have it and it didn't matter how well I did in my career, he found a way to shoot holes through it. So why even bother to go back to visit.

But still, my sister's words cut through my heart. As much as I left my family to pursue my dreams and I am in a successful, I still have a soft spot for my mama.

"Okay. I'll see what I can do. I can't promise I'll be there today but tell mama I'm coming."

I can hear my sister sigh, "Thanks. See you soon. Love you"

I stretch over to see if Zoe is awake, "Yeah, I love you too." I said to my sister and she hung up.

I thought about the times i did visit. while I was in university over the holidays. I visited when Katie had her two first kids when they were born and I went when dad passed away three years ago. But never again.

"Hey hon. Who called?" Zoe asks with her beautiful sexy sleepy voice.

I turn to her and kiss her forehead, " it was my sister."

"Is everything okay?"

"Kinda. She says my mom isn't feeling good and is demanding that I come visit her."

"Wow!" Zoe expresses in awe, "Do I get to finally meet Mr. Bridgestone's family?"

Zoe and I met three years ago through mutual friends. She's beautiful, inside and out. She's driven to success, passion for the arts and fashion. Zoe was born and raised in the city. She's an up-coming fashion designer and interior designer. She's feeling the two until she finds her niche. She has jet black straight hair short to her shoulders. Dark brown eyes and kissable lips. A few months after meeting we dated and three months ago I proposed to her in a very upscale restaurant at the top of a high rise overlooking this beautiful city we both love. But I never told my family about her or that I'm engaged. I never felt the need to tell them — yet. I didn't want to spoil my happiness with the weight of small town ignorance and stories of shooting at beer cans as entertainment.

I wrap my arms around her body, " Are you sure you want to. They can be a bit pushy and simple."

Zoe squeezes me back, " I'm marrying you for all of who you are. Even the silly small town boy inside of you."

"Okay, let's do this. We can leave in a couple of hours."

"Oh I can't. Not today. I have the fashion icon coming to see my clothing line. It's super important. I can come in a few days"

"Perfect. It will get me a chance to get my family cleaned up and mannered by the time you get there."

" Will I get a chance to meet the notorious Billy and the boys, who convinced you to scar yourself."

I let out a chuckle, "No. I don't think they're still there. They wanted out of there more than I did." I smile snuggling into Zoe's hair as I give her a gentle squeeze.

"Tell me the story again." Zoe says, pulling my arms tighter around her and rubbing over my stupid homemade sorry-ass tattoo. A pocket knife was the tool and a pathetic idea on my part. My story is that It's a half circle with a pathetic attempt of the letter 'B' inside the half circle that, I say, Billy carved. Zoe repeatedly rubs her thumb over it waiting to hear the story.

"Its almost three am. I'll tell you the story another day." wanting to go to sleep and not repeat the lie again.

"Tell me the short version than." Zoe pleads.

I took a deep breath. She won't stop until you tell her, I tell myself.

"Okay. me and a couple of guys got drunk one night. My mom said I couldn't get tattoos until I moved out, then it's my own choice. But I didn't take kindly to that so we stupidly disinfected the tips of our pocket knives and 'brand' ourselves."

Zoe snuggles into me, " You poor baby and you never did get a professional tattoo?"

For a moment I was lost in the memory of that night, "hum. Yeah, I never got a real tattoo. Mama Jane knew best. I guess she knew I'd screw my head on right at some point in life. " I kiss Zoe on her head again, "Why do you want to hear that story again? Aren't you bored of it?"

"No. I think it's sexy. You're going all rebel." Zoe giggles in a convincing sexy voice.

Spinning her to her back, I lay on top of her laying my body between her legs. I'm getting turned on by her tone, " I can think of something else to show you what kind of rebel i can be.'' I begin to kiss her neck as she squirms around.

"Jacob, what are you doing?" Zoe laughs.

"Giving you the rebel delight."