Killing Me Softly: A Thriller Romance Novel

Chapter 33

Two weeks later, Theo was quick to move in with me.

Even though Yoakum ISD offered him his job back, he had declined. He decided to try for Austin ISD instead as the double package of teacher and coach.

I was okay with that, but I still had the feeling that perhaps his family wasn't.

Thanksgiving was only a few days away, and already Theo had moved most of his important stuff like clothes and shoes, hygienic products, and workout gear. The rest would have to come later once he sold the big house he had with Mary Jo.

I still felt there was something wrong with all of this. For one, I felt I had big shoes to fill with Mary Jo gone now.

For two, how was I to act around his family, like I didn't care that Mary Jo was gone? Because that would have been wrong! I cared she was gone, probably more than I should have. But Mary Jo was a person, a good person. Someone who had loved and been with Theo for many, many years. Surely that had to count for something! Right?

And three, what if Mary Jo's ghost haunted me from the face of her loved ones, including Theo? The very thought of it sent chills through my spine. That's what I got for being superstitious.

Thanksgiving morning, I knew Theo was going to drive me back to Yoakum for me to join him and his family for all things festive. My folks never celebrated holidays, so I was kind of excited to see how they went in the Jameson family house.

I had baked a green bean casserole, my favorite Thanksgiving thing to make, and brought it with me over there. Theo insisted I did not need to bring one, but I did not want to show up at his parents' home empty-handed. However, for some reason I had thought it was going to be a small family celebration between Theo, his parents, and me, but boy was I sure wrong!

There had to be at least ten to twelve cars in the driveway and in their yard. Some with out-of-state license plates. I had forgotten Theo told me he had a big family full of aunts and uncles, cousins, and all of their kids. Theo had four uncles and three aunts, and they were all there with their kids and their grandkids. I counted at least twelve children, all ranges from ages 1 to 19, all so very active and busy all around us. The Jameson house was buzzing full of life, that's for sure.

In settings like that, I immediately found myself wanting to clam up. To find a corner to sit and hide for a bit, hoping to go unnoticed by everyone except for Theo. When I got there, it was a whirlwind of introductions to everybody, with faces and names I would not and could not remember for the life of me. The only two other faces I remembered and recognized there were Mr. and Mrs. Jameson, his parents.

"Oh my gosh, such a tiny, little casserole. Isn't it cute?" Theo's mom said, taking the 8x8 dish from me and showing it to her husband when he approached her side to greet me.

"Ma, be nice. She thought it was going to be a small gathering. Not the circus that is our family," Theo said to her, immediately coming to my defense.

"I know! I am only kidding, jeez," she said and hugged Theo before Theo turned and hugged his dad.

"Delilah, it is such a pleasure to meet you. I've heard so many things!" His mother said in a way that made me wonder.

"Oh? What kind of things? Good things, I hope," I said to her and laughed awkwardly.

"Just things," she said and shrugged, and I couldn't read exactly what she had heard or how she felt about it. As much as I wanted to keep bugging her to tell me more, I didn't. I let it go, though I felt it sort of sting and fester deep within me until I could ask her about it again later when she wasn't so distracted with all the bodies in her house.