"My ears are still buzzing, Major."

Nanna had just walked out of her bedroom, stunned. She slipped besides Major who was sitting on the sofa watching a football game. "What, sunshine?"

"That was Jas on the phone. This is the first time that she's called me since she's been in New York." Nanna laughed. "She thanked me for the pies and called to say she'd be staying another week. I'll be doggone."

"That little love blocker has met her match. I'm such a lucky man." He grinned, his Texas sky blue eyes sparkled.

Nanna pinched Major on the jaw - fully aware of the undercurrent of his confession, but asked anyway. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that I'll be staying another week, darling."

Nanna tossed her head back and gave a good belly rolling laugh. Flannery appeared out of nowhere curious about her human's laughter. She leapt on Nanna's lap and purred.

***

"You want to talk about it?" asked Bruce as he and Michelle lay curled up on their sofa in front of the fireplace. Jordy and Samantha had long been put to bed. This was the time of the evening they always looked forward to – their time.

"Not really."

"I don't like seeing you feel this way. I wish you'd let me help."

"Bruce, what's instant domain?"

Bruce face scrunched in an odd way. He sat up and glanced over at Michelle. Where on earth did that come from? "You mean imminent domain?"

"Yes.

"Why?"

"I heard someone mention it the other day and I'd never heard the term before."

"Who mentioned it?"

Michelle huffed, leaning back into the dense cushions. "I should have just Googled it."

I certainly hope no one is talking about imminent domain around here. Bruce decided that he shouldn't press the matter any further, but knew he'd be more observant of his wife. If something related to imminent domain had her upset then the matter must be serious. "I'm sorry Michelle, you don't need to Google it. Imminent domain is not good. It's a law that says if someone wants your property and you won't sell it, they can force the sale by taking you to court."

Bruce watched as the color drained from Michelle's face. This was more serious than he thought. "It's mostly used when someone wants to bring in a new development. The argument is that a stubborn seller is impeding the good of the entire community and shouldn't be allowed to do that."

Michelle began to fidget. He calmed her down with a gentle touch on her hands. But he couldn't avoid noticing her woeful look. "Michelle, the truth is, greedy developers have found a way to get what they want despite how long people have owned their properties."

She gave an agonizing sigh. Her mind drifted back to what Major had said to Nanna.

You do know about imminent domain!

"Is that a threat?

"If it needs to be."

"Please excuse me, Bruce. I'm tired." She slipped off the sofa and walked towards their bedroom. His heart sank. He'd never seen Michelle like this. Somehow, he'd get to the bottom of this.

***

Aiden had fallen asleep on Jas's lap as they sat on the bear skin rug in his bedroom. Anna had brought them dinner earlier and they sat on the rug near the fireplace eating their meal. After Anna had cleared everything away they continued to relax and he fell asleep. The hike they'd taken earlier in the day must have worn him out.

He looked so peaceful, she couldn't bear to wake him even though the bed was only a few feet away. She stroked his hair, reflecting on her proposal. It wasn't nearly as potent as his proposal, but was just as sweet. The hammering in her heart still hadn't settled. Coming to grips with asking him to marry her had shattered her nerves. There was as much of her that was happy about it, as unhappy in this unexpected turn of events. He'll never let me out of this, so I might as well settle down. She leaned down, kissing him on the cheek.

No sooner than she had that peaceful thought it was replaced by a negative one. You've never even told him that you love him. You don't really love him, you were caught up with what happened today. She shook her head displacing the thought. Jas went deep within herself, pulling up a mental sword to fight. She cut the negative thought up. "I've loved him all my life. I will marry Aiden Ross." No, you won't because you will never leave Nanna again. He's certainly not moving back to Ellijay.

Jas buried her face in her hands. Anxiety swept over her. Am I setting myself up for more hurt? Jas gently lifted Aiden's head, placing it on the pillow she'd been reclining against. She tipped across the room, finding her bottle of Ativan and popped one in her mouth. In the back of her mind she could hear Aiden's voice.

I wish you'd give me those pills. Things are better. You don't need them anymore, Jas. She'd taken three pills today, this was the forth. Why? Today had been one of the happiest days of her life. She looked down at the bottle she was holding in her hand, frustration filled her face. "What am I doing to myself?"

***

Nanna couldn't believe that she was actually sitting on a horse, trotting across her land with Major. He'd even brought along a small fishing pole, he'd bought in town the day he took Nanna shopping. Ever since the renovations the horses and stalls were renewed. She hadn't been out to enjoy them, but occasionally she did enjoy watching the guests ride them on the property. There were also a few ponies kept for the children.

When Major discovered the stalls on the property he had to go riding. This was his heart. All Stallworth's road horses until they died. He jokingly chided Nanna for not telling him about the stables. But she was so caught up with just being around him, that the thought of horses was far from her. They were having so much fun on this morning ride she wished she'd remembered sooner. The two of them may be too old to go off galloping into the sunset, but there was nothing wrong with a nice leisurely trot around the beautiful lands.

They rode down to a lake on the far end of the property. After they tied their horses to a tree, Major took out the fishing pole and prepared it. Nanna smiled as his imaged morphed into Harvey. She could see Harvey pulling trout out of the water, dangling it in Jas's face. Her young granddaughter would peel with laughter, as her grandfather teased her. She hadn't been this far on her property in years.

Where did all the time go?

"A penny for your thoughts, Arabella," he said, pitching the line into the water.

"Oh sorry, Major. Having a happy memory of days gone by. Harvey used to bring me and Jas out here. Life can get so busy that you forget what made you come alive."

"I know. We waste too much time, don't we? To have love and to have family is all that really matters, isn't it?"

"Well said, Major."

He smiled but then saw Nanna's face crease. "What's the matter, sunshine?"

"I thought about what you said, how love and family is all that really matters. You need both to be content. That made me think about Aiden. He has all the love in the world for Jas, but his family life is a mess. I hope they can make it this time."

"What happened?"

"None of this town knows the whole story. We just know that his mother abandoned him and that his father never treated him well because he had another family of his own by another woman."

"Abusive?"

"Not as much physically, but beat him down with words."

"That's far worse. You either spend your whole life trying to prove them wrong, or become worse than what they condemned you to be."

"He's such a sweet soul. I'd hate to see him not come to terms with that part of his life."

The tug on Major's line made him jump. "Looks like we've got one." He began to reel the fish in. It was a strong fish. Major laughed. "This one does not want to be our breakfast." He pulled a little harder until the silvery speckled trout was retrieved from the water. Nanna opened a large bag she'd brought to collect the fish. Major unhooked it.

"Would you look at that. It's a nice size. You did good, Major."

He beamed, then set the line for another catch. "Perhaps you can bring Aiden and his family together. You've done a good job bringing him and Jas together."

Nanna laughed, "His father lives right next door."

"You're kidding."

"Don't think I haven't asked him to go. He ices over."

Major pulled another fish from the lake and placed it in Nanna's bag. "You can't run from your past. You've got to deal with it."

"I know."

"If he doesn't, at some point in his life there is going to be a hell of an explosion."

Nanna leaned on Major's shoulder. "That's what I'm afraid of."

"It's going to be all right, sunshine. I'll be here to help any way that I can."

"Thank you, my love."

"Welcome. Before I forget would you remind me to get my prescription. Since I'm staying another week I've got to get a refill on my blood pressure medication."

"Sure."

There was another big tug on the line. Major laughed, "I can't hardly hold on to this one." He stood up and walked back a way to get better tension on the line. After a little more struggle, he was able to reel in the biggest catch of the morning. "I think this will do, Arabella."

"I'd say so."

He stuffed the floundering fish in the bag. "This is going to make a great breakfast. I'll clean them all up and I'd like you to make a pot of those delicious grits."

"I'd be glad too."