Jelly's In A Jam

By Stacey Watts

Jelly Colleen Taylor is a mess at life and love. She needs a drastic change. Can an interior decorator, self-proclaimed screw-up, and former farm girl fall in love with a real estate agent, cowboy, dance instructor and make it work? Follow Jelly as she navigates life in a small southern town. Rumors so hot it melts the ice in a glass of sweet tea. Laughter and tears can be just what this girl needs to learn to love and find the confidence she had thought she lost.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stacey Watts
• Release date: Feb 27, 2021
• ISBN: 9781393179627

Stacey Watts

Stacey Watts loves telling stories, as her writing reflects this. She currently lives in a small town in Texas with her husband and three children. Her imaginative spirit will not disappoint as she weaves stories of romance and intrigue. An author with Self-Published works; she invites you to consider her words.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Iknow what you’re thinking. Believe me, I have heard it all before. Most kids in school would ask me the question. Is your last name Peanut Butter? When I was in high school, boys would ask in a provocative sneer. What flavor are you? Now I am thirty-three. I live in the same small town where I grew up. Most people know me. They smile when they say my name. Why wouldn’t they? My name is Jelly Taylor. My mother named me. She said she had cravings of all sorts of jelly when we she was pregnant with me.

I am about average height now. My hair is more of a muddled brown with gold flecks here and there. I keep it straight generally, but today it is curly. It gives me some comfort not having to drag out the beauty supplies and tame it today.

Divorce lowers on the self-confidence level. Of course, my self-esteem wasn’t as high as it should have been. Looking at myself in the mirror this morning, the tiger was gone, and the meek little mouse is in its place. Jessie told me I looked like a lawyer this morning before she left for school. The blue suit I picked for this horrendous day set off my blue eyes. Don’t ask me why I decided to dress up. It just made me feel better.

Poor girls, I wished that I could've been honest with them. How was I supposed to tell them that their mama was picking up divorce papers today? My ex wants to remarry. The girls were clueless on this little fact, and I knew the news would break their hearts. They had been hoping and praying for a reconciliation. It was impossible. Especially when their Daddy fell in love with another woman and moved her into their childhood home.

Jelly Colleen Taylor, you are a disaster at love and life. Saying it out loud seemed to make it more real. I knew heartache in my pitiful life. My life is a regular country music song. Mama died when I was ten years old. I never knew my father. There is a small chance I was a love child to someone famous. Mama tended to spin yarns. When I asked about my daddy, this is the information I received. I never pressed the issue. It doesn't matter, anyway. Uncle John was like a father until cancer took him from me when I was seventeen.

Aunt Kate and I kept on with life. She had black hair and a sunshiny disposition always. When life hit hard, Aunt Kate would pick up the pieces and we would move on with grace and style. Life was always good. Aunt Kate reminded me daily, "Life is never a tragedy, it’s one passing storm after another. Enjoy the sunshine when you can."

Me, I didn’t buy it, but I never argued with Aunt Kate. I never wanted her to know I had a different theory on life. My motto is to survive life before crap hits the fan.

Aunt Kate was the only person I had any family ties left to. All except my two girls, Cyndi, and Jessie, they are my whole existence for being. You see kids make you face the world even on days you want to hide under the covers like a terrified turtle.

Crap, I’m lost. I said.

Talking to myself was a bad habit I picked up years ago. Picking up my cell phone, I needed to call Aaron. If not, I would end up in Kalamazoo and not know where I’m going. When I pulled off the shoulder on highway 92, cars were whizzing by me at break neck speeds. I dialed an old familiar phone number. Waiting in anticipation, I felt like a fool. Just wanting to hear his voice of reassurance and care is all I wanted.

Hello. I rolled my eyes. She answered.

Joy, I need to talk to Aaron. I'm lost.

I always felt like I had to explain myself.

Jelly honey, he's in the shower. We had a busy night last night. If you know what I mean. I can have him call you when he gets out.

Spare me the details, Joy. I am sure your sex life is stellar. I said. Never mind, I will keep driving around loop 92 until I figure it out. Tell him Cyndi and Jessie might be a little late. I'll call him later.

Putting my head against the back of my seat, I sighed. Here it was another lecture I knew it was coming after she clucked her tongue.

Jelly, you know we only get the girls over the weekend. It's not fair to Aaron to keep them from us. He's their father. Someone in your position shouldn't do anything to endanger your custody agreement. Aaron misses them.

This was becoming a threat with her and honestly, it made me crazy.

I know Joy. Believe me, I was there at their conception. So was he, by the way. There is no need to threaten me with custody. Tell Aaron I called. I will call him later. Bye Joy.

Throwing my phone angrily into the center console, Aaron asked me to be nice and polite to her. For the girl's sake, I do. Civility was never Joy’s forte. All she ever did was argue that I was never fair to poor Aaron. Never mind the fact he cheated on me with her. Joy could get away with it because she was the southern nice. She would cut you while dripping with sweet tea and molasses.

I had to get off loop 92. It circled around the big town of Dannerton and then each exit took you into one of the surrounding small towns. The loop reminded me of a spider. Ready to devour its prey at any time.

We lived in Tanner. Aaron lived in Parlourville. Where I needed to go to see my lawyer was in the middle. The thought was an oxymoron. There was no way we could meet in the middle on much, but we could see eye to eye on the lawyer. Our divorce so far was amicable, long as other people stayed out of it.

The terms were simple. He kept the house, and I got custody of the girls. Joy threatened to take custody all the time. I knew the threats were empty. Aaron had trouble handling the girls over the weekend, let alone daily when it mattered most. Finally, I saw a break. I edged my SUV out into traffic. Breathing a sigh of relief, I was sure glad to be out of that mess. The cell phone rang. Switching on my blue-tooth car phone, I answered.

Hello. It was Aaron. Sometimes I fantasized he would someday come to his senses and want his old life back.

Joy told me to call you. What's up?

I could tell by the tone of his voice she was standing right there beside him. She already informed him I was the villain for keeping the girls from him.

Aaron, I’m sorry to bother you. I'm on my way to the lawyer’s office. I was going to bring you the papers tonight. I am on loop 92. You know how I always miss my exit. I was hoping if I took the exit to Celina that you could tell me how to get over to Temple Town. I need to get off this never-ending loop.

Jelly, I've got to go to Temple Town to pick up some supplies for the store. I'll drop by and get the paperwork and we will sign them when you bring the girls home tonight. You will get lost. Let me take care of it. He said.

Thanks, Aaron. Yeah, about the girls, I may be a little late. They went with Aunt Kate to go see Aunt Gladys at the Nursing home. Kate knew the girls had to be back. I'm sorry, Aaron. You know she is still incredibly angry with you.

It's fine. I need to talk to Aunt Kate. I know she cuts into my time on purpose because she is angry with me. In her eyes I have committed the unpardonable sin.

In her eyes, you did. She thinks I should leave you penniless for cheating on me. Good Luck with getting anywhere with her, Aaron. I said.

Well, it wouldn’t hurt to tell her we both wanted this separation.

Yes, why not lie? Remember the conversation, the one I asked for counseling and reconciliation. I said.

Hang on a minute. I need to tell Joy bye, she's leaving for work.

I'll call you back later, I am about to exit for coffee. There was no way I wanted to hear my soon-to-be ex-husband kissing another woman.

Later then. He hung up the phone.

You would think one could move on. Everyone expected me too. The foolish thing was, I was still in love with a man who did nothing but break my heart over and over. You don't stop loving your first love. Aaron was the man of my dreams after high school. He was my first everything. Well, except my first kiss. That doesn’t hold the best memories either. Oh, if my life were so much simpler. I was still close to twenty minutes to the coffee shop. I needed my caffeine. My thoughts turned to him.

Aaron and I stayed married for ten beautiful years. We have two girls together. Joy came along and stole him. Aaron couldn’t understand the fact I had a rough time after the girls were born. My doctor tried to explain to Aaron that he needed to pitch in more. His response was that I could handle it. I should have noticed he was pulling away and unhappy. It was easier to being alone while he threw himself into the store.

One day when I went to the store to drop off his lunch. I met the assistant for the first time. She was sweet at first and befriended me. Then Joy kept dropping herself into everyone’s life. She was a tiger on the prowl, and before I knew it she had, her claws sunk into my man. I walked in and caught her and Aaron on the sofa in his office. When pressed at how long this had been going on, Aaron confessed to six years of infidelity. He professed undying love for Joy after ten years of giving him my life. The girls and I left and moved in with Aunt Kate.

Sometimes I wished things were different between us. I would love to consider giving him a second chance, but he didn’t want it. Besides, Aunt Kate would have my hide if I took the Lying, cheating, scumbag back. He had broken my heart and I don't know if I could ever forgive him.

Pulling into the coffee shop, I stepped out of my SUV. Hints of vanilla and coffee beckoned me inside to a place of comfort. I knew a cup would help soothe my soul. Walking up to the counter, I ordered a large coffee with hazelnut cream and a croissant.

Jelly Belly, is that you? A female