November Foxtrot (Rhythm of the Heart Book 2) Read online

  Grams grumbled. “Sure he don't. Fine, let’s go back home. Our commando mission hasn't been a success. But it's good to get out of the house and away from that idiot box. I can't take watching no more episodes of Matlock. Phew.”

  Zoe grinned. “I understand.”

  The next few days passed in quiet. Zoe spent most of her time in bed, watching movies on Calvin's ancient TV and sleeping. Layla studiously avoided her at all costs and Grams and Pops seemed to be sitting on the sidelines, waiting for them to work it out amongst themselves.

  Zoe rolled to her side, bored with the four walls already. She wanted to get out of the house and get some fresh air. Maybe I could convince Grams to do another “commando” mission. She grinned to herself and crawled out of the bed.

  The house was silent and on further inspection, she found that the truck was gone. Pulling on her sneakers, she decided to walk. No harm in that. The day was comfortable, a slight bite to the air but nothing like Colorado had been and for that she was grateful. Zoe found herself lost in her thoughts, something that was far from reassuring right now.

  Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she pulled it free. Calvin's picture came across the screen and she squealed in glee. “Calvin!” she answered, her breath rushing free from her lungs.

  “Hi, sweetheart, how are you?”

  “Are you okay?” She stepped over to the side of the road and wrapped her arm around her middle.

  “I'm fine, Zoe. How are you?” His voice was tired and stretched tight.

  “I'm fine, Calvin. I - I flew down to Alabama. Layla won't talk to me and Derek has pressed his luck already,” she sighed.

  “Layla will come around, and Derek, huh? You mad that I told him?”

  “Of course I am, Calvin. I didn't want to deal with him.”

  “We may have to for the rest of our lives, Zoe, unless you choose to be with him over me.”

  Zoe snorted. “Seriously?”

  She heard him sigh. “He's there. I'm here. What am I going to do, Zoe, go AWOL to make you stay with me?”

  “What faith you have in me!”

  “I'm sorry, Zoe. I'm not saying you would be with him. Calm down. I'm just saying he's there and I'm not.”

  Her eyes filled with tears. “I don't want to be with him.”

  “Are you sure, Zoe? We had less than a week to build a relationship on. Other than growing up together.”

  Zoe frowned. “Are YOU sure? It sounds like you're the one backpedaling now.”

  “I'm not backpedaling, dammit! I'm just saying, I understand if you have doubts now.” He sighed. “This is not how I wanted this conversation to go.”

  “Well, Calvin, you just tell me, how did you expect it to go? Basically telling me that you think I'll cheat on you with my ex? That's gonna go over like a fart in church every damn time!” Her breath came fast. “Calvin, I've loved you almost all my damn life. You're the one who never noticed and married me because you felt sorry for me. You're the one backpedaling now that I'm knocked up. I knew that's what you'd do. Just – Just forget it, Calvin. Don't worry about us.”

  “Don't you hang up, Zoe!” he yelled and she sniffled.

  “Why?”

  “Because, that's not it at all. Yes, I may have been absorbed in Callie then, but I am in love with you now. I wouldn't have done what I did if I didn't love you, Zoe. Yes, we got together fast, but like you said, we've known each other our whole lives. Marriages have been built on less. I'll be able to fly home for Christmas. Stay in Major. Please. Let me prove to you that we're meant to be, Zoe. Let me fight for you, for us.”

  She blew out a breath and rubbed her eyes. “If Grams and Pops will let me stay.”

  “You're family. Of course they will. Just promise me you'll stay.”

  “I'll stay Calvin.”

  Silence came over the line and then came his voice. “So this was our first fight, huh?”

  Relief washed over her and she found herself giggling. “Yeah.”

  “Not too bad. I give us an eight out of a ten. What do you think? Hey, it’s good to hear you laugh.”

  She smiled and chewed her bottom lip. “I wish you were here.” Her voice dropped to a whisper.

  “Me too, baby. Soon, okay? Then I'll be done with this tour before you know it. Before the baby comes. I love you, Zoe. I need to get some sleep. Take care of yourself and the baby.”

  “I love you, Calvin,” she whispered to silence. He was gone.

  All the wind had been whipped from her sails and she was spent with approximately a mile and a half to walk back to the house. With head hung low, she shuffled back in that direction. The sound of a car coming down the road made her turn. A police car slowed and the passenger side window rolled down. Zoe ignored the cop, knowing she was doing nothing wrong.

  “Zoe Hall. You ain't gonna sit there and ignore me, are you?” Tim's voice curled through the air and she flicked a glance his direction.

  “Tim?”

  “Last I checked I wasn't Jesus! Get in the car, girl. What is your pregnant ass doing out here walking anyway?” He reached over and popped the door. Zoe crawled into the car and glanced over at the burly Tim. His brown eyes twinkled and his hair was in need of a trim, as usual. “Well, ain't you gonna talk?”

  Zoe clenched her fingers together in her lap. “Are you screwing around with Layla?”

  His eyes went wide and he coughed as he pressed on the gas and the car eased forward. “Layla?” He managed to squeak out finally. “Layla? Calvin's little sister, Layla. That Layla?”

  Zoe watched him quietly, noting the way his nostrils flared and sweat broke out on his forehead. “You like her, don't you?”

  “Me? Like her? NO. No. You’re crazy, Zoe Hall.” His eyes darted away quickly and he wiped at the beads of perspiration now running down his florid face.

  “Oh, my God, Tim, you like her. Please tell me you're not...”

  “No! NO. She's jailbait, man. No. Just hush that crazy talk, Zoe.” He pulled into the drive and didn't put the car into park. His fingers drummed rapidly against the steering wheel. “Welp, get out, I gotta get back to work.”

  “Oh, my God, you like her, Tim.” Zoe's eyes widened.

  “Get out of the cruiser, Zoe,” he growled softly.

  “Admit it. You like her.”

  “No. She's like a kid sister. It's wrong. She's underage.” He beat his hand against the steering wheel, the honk of the horn startling them both.

  “But only for a bit longer, Tim.” Zoe crawled out of the car and waved. “Be good.”

  Tim tapped his badge. “Always, baby girl.”

  Thanksgiving came in with a flurry, and Grams seemed determined to feed an Army. Layla was still absent and refusing to talk and Zoe wasn't sure how to reach her. Zoe sighed as Grams shooed her from the kitchen for the fifth time.

  “Sit your pregnant self down, girl. I can cook this dinner. I've been cooking since I was six years old, and I don't need your hands in my way.” She shook a spoon in Zoe's direction.

  “All right, if you're sure...”

  “I'm sure. Sit down and watch football.”

  Zoe grumbled under her breath, “I'd rather eat dirt.” Sliding past Pops, who shifted in his seat with a huff to see around her, she eased out the back door and into the yard. The brisk air swirled around her and she shivered through her sweatshirt. She simply stood for a few moments before walking over to the wooden picnic table under the old oak tree that stood barren, the leaves swept far in the breeze.

  She crawled up to sit on the top of the table and stared out at the woods. A beaten dirt path lead through the trees and she found her curiosity piqued. I should go back inside, she thought, rubbing a hand absentmindedly up and down her bare legs. The knee length skirt was far from enough in the sudden cold snap they'd had, but she didn't want to go back inside to watch football or be in the way. Curiosity had gotten the better of her and she clambered off the picnic table and her sneakered feet made their way through the fallen leav
es to the little trail.

  Zoe was in her element in the woods. She'd always loved perusing old trails as a little girl and could spend from dawn until dusk in the woods, watching birds, scouting for interesting leaves or rocks, and especially during the summer, playing in the creeks. Her daddy had always said what a tomboy she was and it was true, she was and always had been.

  She was consumed with her thoughts in the silence of the woods and every stream led back to Calvin. Was he okay? Would their new love survive a baby that might not be his? Would he still feel the same way about her when he came back as he did when he left? What would they do if the baby were Derek's? How would that family dynamic work? The questions swirled around and around in her mind until her chest tightened in panic. She leaned against a broad oak tree and took some steadying breaths until the tightening bands eased away from her.

  Whatever happens, we'll be all right, baby. Her hand skimmed over her belly and she smiled. All that matters right now is you and me. The rest will fall into place, how it's supposed to. With all the turmoil of the last few months, Zoe had learned to take things in stride. Her life was far from conventional and the love she shared with Calvin was far from what people would call normal. Plenty of folks would say it happened too fast and it wasn't realistic, but the truth was she'd loved Calvin as long as she could remember. He just took a little longer getting there. Plus he'd always been the sad puppy-saving type and the military had given him the “take care of your battle buddy” type mentality.

  Maybe they didn't start off on the best of circumstances, but if he'd give her the chance, she swore to herself then and there in the still of the forest, that she'd make things right. With a soft sigh, she pushed herself off the tree and began walking back in the direction she'd come. She walked along the trail for a while, losing track of time and her steps. Finally she picked her head up with a furrowed brow and glanced around. Nothing looked familiar and a pit formed in the bottom of her stomach.

  Shit. I'm lost.

  She spun slowly in a circle, trying to find something familiar to bring her home. As the sky slowly darkened, the wind picked up and she sighed. Her phone was sitting on Calvin's bed in his room. No one knew she was gone and they would have no clue of where to look for her. Her stomach grumbled and she groaned. Great... There aren't many options here. I could sit and wait for someone to hopefully find me. Or I could just keep walking and waiting for a break in the trees and find the road. Ugh. I'm not sitting here like a bump on a log. I got myself into this mess, now I have to get myself out.

  The trail meandered along and she followed it slowly as night began to fall. Darkness came slowly, creeping along in shades of grey, and for a while, Zoe could follow the trail but after a while, it became pitch black, far too dark to see. The moon was even shielding its face tonight. The sounds of the forest seemed amplified. She heard every rustle of the leaves and shudder of the branches in the wind and each gust of chill air, as she grew colder.

  You're a dumb ass for going out in this weather wearing this little bit of clothes, Zoe, she berated herself. I know... I know but it was just going to be a short walk. Not this. I should've had my head out of my ass. Now anger pumped through her veins as she stomped forcefully through the brush and branches. A briar caught on her shin and she yelped as the razor sharp point sliced her leg open. Warmth oozed from the offended area and she grimaced. She probed the offensive area and found it was a small enough cut, the blood was clotting already, so she ignored it. The trail was lost in the darkness and she was stumbling through muck and mire. Not smart during the daytime, and downright dangerous at night. But there was no option. No one knew where she was.

  Her breath came fast as she moved, and as she shifted through the brush, she warmed quickly, and was soon covered in a fine sheen of sweat. She chilled again quickly as the breeze cooled the perspiration against her skin. She shuddered but kept moving, the dull repetition of the movements numbing her thoughts. One foot in front of the other...

  She had no concept of the time she'd been walking, but her limbs were heavy from exhaustion and she was close to just sitting down for a little while. It wasn't cold enough to die from exposure, but it would be a mighty uncomfortable night and she just couldn't bear the thought of spending the night on the cold ground. Just keep moving...

  Calvin filled her thoughts at that point, his boyish smile swimming in front of her eyes. “Hey, beautiful. Just keep going,” he whispered. She swore she could actually hear him. At some point later, she broke through the tree line and the darkness seemed to recede a bit. The road was just ahead, barely visible in the low light. She scrambled through the rough weeds, her legs again taking the brunt of the abuse and when her hands touched the edge of black top, she threw her head back and let out a loud yell.

  “YES!” She eased up the ditch and scrambled up on the road. She was on the outskirts of Major, on the main road out to Mobile. Without being a professional, she guessed she'd easily walked ten miles from Calvin's house to the road and was looking at a solid three to four miles back to the house. A second wind filled her and she took off down the road, walking in the center of the two-lane road, her feet following the barely visible white line. The faint few lights of town were on the horizon and she smiled.

  Almost home.

  She walked along, her elation for finding the road ebbing away quickly, as exhaustion set in. No one was out driving this late at night and the road was desolate. No hope right that minute for rescue. Nothing could be done but to keep walking. Her body ached right down to the marrow of her bones and it took every ounce of energy just to keep moving.

  The lights grew closer with each passing step and she held on to that hope, that and crawling in between the sheets of a bed soon. Her stomach grumbled again and she ignored it as she walked slowly up the final hill before Major. All the teenagers would gun it going up the hill and coast down into town; it was one of the small town's thrills.

  Just as she crested the hill, bright lights flashed in her eyes and she winced, putting her hand up in front of her face and stumbling to the small shoulder of the road. “Zoe? Damn it, woman, we gotta stop meeting like this. What the hell are you doing out here in the middle of the night? Don't you know everyone is looking for you? We've all been worried as hell! Get your ass over here!”

  “Tim?”

  “No, it's Santa Claus!”

  “Shut the lights off, Tim,” she whispered. “It's so bright.”

  “Zoe? Are you all right?” The lights switched off and spots danced before her eyes as her pupils attempted to regulate. Tim stepped out of the car and moved toward her quickly. “Zoe. Honey, talk to me. You okay?”

  His hands chafed her own and she nodded. “I just wanna go home.”

  “You need to see the doctor. I can run you up to the hospital...” His voice trailed off and Zoe shook her head.

  “It's an hour to the hospital, Tim. I just need to sleep. I'll be fine. Let me get in the car, I'm cold.”

  “Shit, yes, of course, I'm sorry. I – you, you're pregnant, Zoe. You need to see the doctor.” He held onto her elbow as they walked around to the passenger door.

  “Tim, stop being my mother. She's dead. I just want to go home. Please.” She slid into the car and groaned audibly as the heat poured from the vents.

  Tim crawled into the car and looked at her in the dim glow of the interior light. “Jesus Christ, Zoe, you are roughed up. No forget this. I'm calling Dr. Crist. You have to be seen tonight. I'm also calling off all the people who were called away from their Thanksgiving dinner because you decided to go for a trip through the woods.”

  “Tim...I - ” she argued and he shot her a dark look as he whipped the patrol car around on the road.

  “Don't argue with me or I'll spank you like I did last time.”

  She rolled her eyes and stared out the window as Tim drove and talked on his phone. Guilt ripped through her at the thought of ruining so many people's Thanksgiving dinners because she just could
n't do what Grams asked and sit on the couch.

  Typical he-man behavior.

  Of course the doctor had opened his office in the middle of the night for Tim; he stood grimly in the middle of his office, still dressed in his pajamas and a dingy lab coat as they walked into the brick building. Zoe rubbed at her eyes and covered her mouth as a yawn escaped.

  “Mrs. Hall, I hear you've had an adventure tonight?” His blue eyes twinkled and his lips twitched under his bushy mustache.

  “Yeah. I got lost in the woods.” She went with the doctor and paused as they walked down the pale blue hall. “Tim?”

  He shook his head. “Letting your folks know what's going on.” His fingers flew across his phone and Zoe sighed. He'd be texting Layla, of course.

  Once back in the smaller room, Dr. Crist motioned for Zoe to crawl up onto the cracked leather exam table. “How are you feeling, Zoe?”

  “Just tired, hungry, and thirsty.”

  “Lay back for me.” He pulled an antiquated ultrasound machine from a closet and Zoe lay down quietly.

  “You feeling any cramping?” He plugged the machine in and fiddled with some buttons on it. His fingers brushed against her belly as he pulled up her shirt and she winced as he squirted cold lubricant against her skin. “Sorry,” he muttered, pressing the probe to her stomach gently and swirling it to find the baby.

  After a few moments, she whispered, “Is everything okay?”

  He furrowed his brow and pushed in a little harder with the probe. “Your little girl seems to be doing fine, Zoe. Let me clean up these cuts. I want you to go home and sleep. You need to rest. Lots of fluids. I'll call Grams and tell her that you're to be on bed rest for a few days. I want you to come in and see me in a few days and we'll check you again, okay?”

  Zoe nodded numbly as his words tunneled past her. She was stuck on one thing he'd said. “My daughter?”

  “Oh,” he coughed, his cheeks pinking. “You didn't know?”

  “No, I wasn’t far along enough at my last ultrasound.”

  “Oh, I'm sorry. I assumed you knew. I hope you wanted to know? Congratulations.” He smiled awkwardly and wiped at the gel on her stomach.