Bound to You

Chapter 29: The Orchard

Ignoring her, he stepped out of his car, smiling at the two country folks who came out of the house, seconds after he horned. 

Sierra stayed in the car, trembling as James greeted this couple. She would kill him. She would kill him so bad he'd regret bringing her here. Why did he need to remind her of all the guiltiness? Right where she was, she couldn't back away. It would be too impolite. She had to face them.

She slowly stepped out and they turned silent as their attention immediately shifted from James to her. They moved to her and she stepped back, afraid of what they would tell her. They closed in the distance, both of them embracing her strongly. She was confused, hesitating to return the hug.

Over their shoulder, she saw James smiling, an air of satisfaction displayed on his face.

Clifford Danvers pulled away from her, studying her face for a few seconds and said, heaving a heavy sigh, "Thanks, my girl." She stammered, "You're not angry at me?" 

The man gave a jolly laugh and tipped his cowboy hat slightly, "Not anymore...Well, Mason's out of danger, right? Thanks to you?" He looked at James again, doubtful for a moment and when the man nodded at him, it reassured him. 

Nora Danvers held her hands and said, not hiding the regret in her voice, "I know we blamed you for what happened in the past, Sierra. We didn't know what to do at that time. Mason's our only son. We love him so much...and we thought, he wasn't going to make it... so thank you for taking care of him and his wife. For looking after our granddaughter. We hope you can forgive us, dear." 

She clutched Nora's hands in hers and said, feeling even more guilty now, "No, please...I'm the one at fault." Mason would have never even been in this situation had he not saved her. 

James was a bit confused. Why were they speaking to each other like this? There was a certain lack of warmth. What really happened, damn it? It took him a great deal not to fire some questions right then.

"Now, now, enough of this. Let's go inside. We have a lot to catch up." Clifford put an arm around Sierra's back and held James' shoulder as he led them inside. It didn't take Nora long to serve them a piece of blueberry pie while Clifford poured them some red wine. 

James listened as they talked about everything and nothing. Not surprisingly, they inquired about Mason's health, about Ileana and Veronica. When they asked Sierra what she had been doing and she hesitantly mentioned her job as a teacher, they seemed pretty perplexed but they didn't press on the matter. 

He sipped into his wine. He was startled at how unaware they were about Sierra's life. He also observed they were on a first name basis. Strange. He could feel that Sierra wasn't at ease being here.

As Sierra raised her glass of wine for the first time, Nora's eyes landed on the ring on her finger. It was pretty distinctive and she couldn't help but comment, "That's a pretty ring you got here." 

She instinctively put down the glass without tasting  a drop, knowing exactly what that woman was demanding to know. How could she lie when James was right beside her. She quietly admitted, "Yes, James and I are engaged..." For a month or so.

They shared an uncomfortable look among themselves and James instantly covered Sierra's hand with his, smiling a little, "I know we should have told you about that. She was a little scared though." 

A heavy silence ensured. Clifford arched his eyebrows, a bit bothered, "You didn't tell him?!" 

She gulped, "He...doesn't need to know." 

James groaned, "What is it about now?" 

The man shook his head, briskly saying, "Sierra's not our daughter. She belongs to th—"