You guys I've been waiting for a while to post this one. For the most part it's done. I have a little bit that needs to be written, but I will have that part done before I get that far in posting. I don't know how many chapters there will be. And this chapter could have been longer but I felt it best to end it where I did.
Disclaimer : I do not own Hart of Dixie or the characters used.
Enjoy!
"How was your day at school peanut?" Wade asked, sliding a glass of chocolate milk across the kitchen counter to his daughter.
"Banana," she pointed at, when her dad held up a banana and an apple. "It was alright," she shrugged. "Mrs. Henderson was out and the substitute let us watch a movie since today is Friday. Mr. Mattison gave us a pop quiz which I know I passed since I am forced to study even when I don't have too," she sighed, rolling her eyes.
"Now you see why I make you study," he chuckled, peeling an orange for himself. "Anything else?" He inquired sitting next to her on a kitchen stool.
"According to Nick, who heard from Reggie, who talked to Stacy, there is a new nurse at school. I wouldn't really know since I haven't been to the health office as of late," she shrugged. Wade chuckled, shaking his head. "This is something you would know if you didn't play hooky from work today," she reprimanded him.
"I didn't play hooky; I had some appointments today, you know this," he stated, raising an eyebrow at her.
"I know; it bites that after the last few years that she now wants me to be a part of her life. Where was she when I needed her the most?" She questioned, blinking her tears away.
"Your mom is trying and for that we can't be mad at her. Be happy that she wants to be a part of your life once again. I know her leaving when you were 8 was hard on you, and not hearing anything from her in the last 5 years is tough and not fair to you, but she is trying. You will not have to go live with her," he told her, knowing how rough this whole situation was for his daughter.
"It's stupid she wants her daughter in her life now that she has a new family, with who used to be your best friend," she grounded out.
"I know," he sighed, pulling her into a small side hug, kissing the top of her head. "Other than this supposedly new nurse at school anything else of interest happen?" He asked, in hopes of cheering his daughter up.
"Reggie and Maggie broke up, which totally bites since we were going in a huge group to the school dance next Friday, and now it's all a mess, dad," she whined, dropping her head to the cool counter top.
"Sweetie, I am positive that in a week things will be fine between Reggie and Maggie, and you will still all go as one big happy group of friends," he assured her, rubbing her back gently.
"You think?" She questioned, turning to look at her dad.
"I do," he nodded. "Look how long you and Nick were at odds when you two broke up last month," he pointed out.
"We were friends before we dated and we only dated for barely a month. We were being childish by avoiding each other for the whole two days," she replied back. "Maggie and Reggie dated for two and half months, and they weren't really friends beforehand. And I like Reggie, and I don't want to stop being his friend because Maggie is my best friend," she informed her dad.
"No one said you did. And if Maggie makes you think that you have to stop being friends with someone to be her friend, she is the one that isn't being much of a friend to begin with," he said.
"I know," she shrugged, getting up to rinse her milk cup out in the sink.
"Who dare I ask are you crushing on?" Wade asked with half a chuckle, he half worried that her next crush might turn out to be more than a boyfriend for a month. It was one of those things he is still learning to come to terms with. She is growing up, and she is no longer his little girl. She would remain his little girl when she has kids of her own.
"Dad," she whined, earning a bigger chuckle from Wade. "This is awkward," she whined, leaning against the counter.
"Even though it is embarrassing for the both of us, it is still something we need to talk about. I want you to remember that it doesn't matter how uncomfortable the subject matter is you can always talk to me about these things, squirt." To him, nothing would ever be quite so awkward as either the puberty talk or the safe sex talk they had.
"I know," she smiled softly, happy to always be reminded that her dad would always be there for her. "If you must know his name is Mitchell, and he moved here from Montana a few weeks back. I have a few classes with him, but otherwise I don't know him. He doesn't hang out with any of my friends," she let her dad know.
"Maybe you should change that and talk to him," he told her. She shrugged, looking down. "Okay we can stop gossiping, and you need to go get ready to go with your mom; she should be here shortly to pick you up," he informed her.
"We never gossip, dad," she giggled, walking upstairs using the set of stairs in the kitchen.
With his chuckles dying off, he got up and washed up the little bit of dishes that had been used, not wanting them to build up over the weekend causing the house to smell if he decided to take off for the weekend since his daughter wouldn't be home anyway.
Drying his hands he went ahead and opened the front door, knowing that his ex-wife stood on the other side, as she is the only one, he is expecting to show up this afternoon.
"Amiya hey, she'll be down shortly," Wade told her, opening the door wide enough to let her enter. "Arianna, sweetie, your mom is here," he called up the stairs.
"I will have her back Sunday around 5 or so. I will call if it is sooner or later than that." Wade nodded at his ex-wife.
"By now you should know the rules. No later than 7 on Sunday night," he reminded her.
"I know, Wade," she sighed. "Have you forgotten this isn't the first weekend that I have had her?"
"No, unfortunately I didn't forget, Amiya," he sighed. "Sorry," he apologized. He couldn't let himself get upset over this as he just told his daughter the same thing minutes prior in the kitchen.
"You can hate me, Wade. After everything, I put you through, I wouldn't expect you to be happy about this, but for the sake of my relationship with our daughter, I would appreciate it if you could at least pretend not to hate me and not talk shit about me while our daughter is nearby," she said, her anger poking out.
"I don't know where you hear this stuff from, but I have never once bad mouthed you in front of Aria," he spoke through clenched teeth, keeping his anger at bay.
"Dad says nothing bad about you, unlike you do about him," Aria said, coming down stairs. "Bye dad, love you," she said kissing his cheek and hugging him.
"Love you too, sweetie," he said hugging and kissing her temple. "Be good for your mom." She nodded, heading outside. "Go before I say something I shouldn't," he warned his ex-wife.
With a heavy sigh shutting the front door and watching his ex-wife drive off; he headed to the kitchen, grabbing a beer from the fridge, to figure out what he wanted to do with his Friday night.
Placing his unopened bottle of beer back in the fridge, he grabbed his keys and phone, shutting lights off and locking the doors he went out to the garage, getting in his car. One thing he wasn't about to do was sit at home and wallow in self-pity over words spoken with his ex-wife over the course of the day. No, instead he would go hang out with his brother for a few hours.
"That's rough, Wade," Jesse told him, moving around the pool table. "I know how screwed up this whole shit with your ex is," Jesse started, leaning against the pool table instead of taking his shot. "My lovely niece is 13 now and the last time you went out and had fun for you was when you were still with your wife, nearing 9 years ago. When are you going to let yourself move past all that crap and be happy again?" Jesse questioned, lining up his shot.
"It wasn't like I could go out whenever I wanted to, Jesse. I do have a daughter to look after, and she will always be first," Wade sighed, taking a drink of his beer.
"I am not saying she shouldn't be first in your world. What I am saying is that it is a Friday night, you are single, and you have no kid at home to worry about. Have fun, find a hot chick and make your night, dude. Shit it beats complaining to your older brother about the shit in your life; I have heard a million times already," he shrugged.
"I don't know, Jesse," he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I am not that guy anymore," he shrugged, taking his turn at the pool table.
"That is true; you have been out of the game for a long time," Jesse chuckled. "But that doesn't change anything, Wade. One day before you know it, Aria is going to be away at college, and you little brother are going to be in that house alone. Is that what you want?" Jesse questioned.
"No," Wade sighed. "You don't get it, Jesse. Your marriage is strong as all hell," Wade pointed out.
"That may be so, but you can't drown yourself in pity every weekend. If this is about Aria, then talk to her about you dating," he told his little brother.
"Maybe," Wade sighed.
"Dude, you can't be all sad and shit," Jesse chuckled. "Find yourself a woman and enjoy the night, no one is saying that it needs to end with you in bed with her. You're not going to end up married by the end of the night, have fun," Jesse told him.
"Gee I know that," Wade said rolling his eyes. "You quitting already?" Wade asked.
"Yep, unlike you I have a wife and two sons waiting on me at home," he said, clapping his brother on the shoulder. "You, on the other hand, have a bar filled with an opportunity to forget about your ex, and I don't mean in alcohol either," he warned his brother.
"Just tell that wife of yours hi, and that I am sorry she married you," he joked. "Give the boys hugs for me and tell them I'll be seeing em soon," he said, placing his pool stick back where it went. Jesse nodded, pulling his car keys from his pocket.
Finishing off his beer, he went to the counter and ordered a water. There was no way that he would drive with the slight chance of getting into a car accident because he was intoxicated. He wouldn't be his dad.
"Most people come to the bar to drink alcohol." The soft teasing voice had him, looking to his right. A voice he hadn't heard in over a decade.
"The same could be said about you," he nodded, to the glass of water she held.
"I have an early start to my day tomorrow, except my friends won't let me leave," she sighed, motioning to a table where a few women sat drinking what looked to be fruity cocktails.
"I think I can help you with that," he smiled, drinking half his glass of water. "Tell em, you got a better offer, and I will make sure you get home safely," he said, suddenly wanting to backtrack on what he said. The days spent with her wrapped around him coming to the forefront of his mind. Memories that seemed to be like they happened yesterday and not 13 years ago.
"You would do that for me?" She questioned softly, unsure of herself. Seeing him sitting at the bar, she couldn't not go up to him. Uncertainty filled her stomach while approaching him not sure if he would be happy to see her or ignore her completely after what happened in the past between them.
"Yeah, besides I'm leaving, why not help ya out in the process?" He questioned. He wouldn't mind spending a few moments alone with her, to find out what has become of her life since he last saw her.
"Oh alright," she caved. "Just wait here," she told him.
He nodded watching her go. He chuckled lightly to himself, watching from the corner of his eyes the way her friends turned to look at him, making him feel uncomfortable under their heated gaze.
"Ready?" She questioned, popping up next to him before he knew it.
"Yep," he told her, flinging his arm over her shoulder. "Needs to be believable," he whispered bending down to her ear. It felt right to have her in his arms, holding her into his side. Those feelings he pushed to the back of his mind, not wanting to dwell on them. He couldn't risk it.
Feeling bold she snaked her arm around his waist, moving further into his space, wanting to remember how it truly felt to be submerged in him. "Believable, remember?" She questioned with a faint blush.
He chuckled leading her from the dimly lit bar, feeling at ease despite the bombshell of a brunette wrapped around him, that just so happened to be a stranger to him these days. She once was his everything, now? Years and states kept them apart, and he knew nothing about her.
"Thanks for that," she told him, pulling free from him once they were out in the fading light of the day. It took all of her strength to pull away. She felt comfortable, familiar in his hold.
"Nah, it's nothing," he waved it off, stuffing his suddenly free hands into his pants pockets. "You're back," he blurted out, rocking back on his heels, prolonging the departure not wanting to head back to his empty house.
"That I am. I couldn't stay away from home any longer," she was told him, with a shrug.
"I can't imagine stale peanuts from the bar could be very filling, unless you already ate before hand," he rambled, cussing himself out. He wanted a chance to talk to her, now that she was back. He didn't know if he would see her again or not, and he wouldn't waste this opportunity.
"Any certain place in mind?" Zoe asked. She had no one at home waiting on her. So far, things with Wade were okay; she didn't think going to get a bite to eat with him would hurt anything. "Keep in mind that I do have to be up early tomorrow morning," she reminded him, a small blush creeping over her cheeks.
"Who gets up early on a Saturday?" He asked with a teasing voice. "I may know a little place," he told her, motioning in the direction they needed to go. He knew she went to become a doctor, graduated with honors; he did run into her father. Knew she could be a doctor if it was still her dream.
"Lots of people," she quipped out. "Not everyone works Monday through Friday," she told him.
"What is it you do if you are being forced to work on a Saturday?" He asked, nudging her gently with his elbow. Wanting to hear what type of doctor she became from her. Not that he knew anyway.
"Hardly forced to work when it is a job I do enjoy," she told him. "I help out at the hospital or the emergency room on the weekends. I am a doctor after all," she told him feeling a bit smug seeing his smirk drop from his face.
"Why just help out? Why not full time?" He asked, regaining his thoughts. For some reason, that wasn't the job he thought she would be saying. He didn't know what to think her job was, not that he actually put any thought into it. To hear her say she only helped out when she could be a full-on doctor didn't make much sense to him.
"It would interfere with my day job," she told him. "What about you? Obviously, you work Monday through Friday, so what glorious job do you call yours?" She questioned. He dropped the inquisition on what her job during the week happened to be, he would figure it out eventually.
"Music teacher," he told her smugly, watching the smile play across her face. It was her that told him he could do it. "I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do, at one point I wanted to own a bar, worked as a bartender to pay my way through school. I enjoyed it, but playing music and teaching kids to play their favorite song or annoy them with one of mine, there is no other feeling," he told her, knowing very well that he could go on for days talking about his job. Not only was there that being a music teacher let him have normal hours to take care of his daughter, unlike the erratic hours of working in a bar would have given him. "You had a hand in helping me there. Your words stuck with me for a long time, Zo."
"You would have figured it out in the end," she told him, pushing the praise off. Wade shook his head, knowing it wouldn't have been the case; he couldn't make her see that though.
On the short little walk, they remained in mostly silence, commenting about something or another when they walked past the thing in question. The silence between them wasn't awkward.
Before they knew it, they were sitting at a table their food in front of them. Conversation going on around the bites of food they took.
"The last I was here was the day..." Zoe shut up real quick, taking another bite of her food not wanting to talk about that day, like ever.
Wade nearly choked on his bite of sandwich, this was a complete first for him. He never once met an ex and had dinner with them while talking about the day they broke up. It took him over a year to come back to the place, avoiding the booth on the left side all the way in the back. That was there booth every time they ate there.
"Yeah," he lamely replied. "What brings you back?" He questioned, taking a long drink of his cola.
"Family," she told him. "I moved back last week," she told him. She moved to be closer to her dad in his old age and with him not doing so well, it was easier for her to move than for him to do so. The only problem being that before she could finalize her move, she lost her father. Not that she would be telling a practical stranger that kind of news. She didn't need any more pity than she already got. She didn't know if he knew that or not, she wasn't about to bring it up though.
"How is your dad?" He poised then. Seeing her face fall, he quickly changed the question not wanting her to relive what he could see was a sad part of her life. "How do you like being back?"
"It is a bit different from the city," she shrugged. "Though I am enjoying being home," she told him.
"The city?" He questioned, arching an eyebrow. "New York happened, huh?" He chuckled through his question.
"My first love. Most the time I feel as if it is my only love," she sighed, not looking at him. She loved him once, and she was not ready to bring those feelings back to the surface.
"I know that feeling," he sighed, knowing better than to make her talk about her past heartbreak when he wasn't willing to talk about his epic fail of love life. Not when they had been madly in love with each other, only for it to crumble around them, when they went, different ways at the end of high school and couldn't make their relationship last through college, breaking up over Thanksgiving weekend, when they were both in town.
"You ever thought about going back home?" She asked, changing the topic back to the previous topic.
"I was born in Bluebell, but it doesn't feel like home, don't think it ever will. Fairhope will forever be my home," he told her. He moved when he had lost his father in the third grade, his mom needing to move away from their home to fully cope with the loss of her husband.
They made small talk over the last of their meal, sharing a few different laughs throughout the meal. The night turning out better than either one of them could have ever guessed it going.
"I can give you lift home," he told her. "The problem being my car is back at the bar," he told her with a slight grimace. Offering her a ride home was the gentleman thing to do, what he was taught to do. And he didn't want to blow the cover for her by being spotted back at the bar without her.
"Quite the conundrum you have there," she laughed. "Lead the way. Who am I to turn down such an invite?" She questioned, falling into step beside him as they walked. So far, she quite enjoyed the time spent with him. Maybe with time they could be friends once more.
"Me?" He chuckled, bumping against her lightly. "One would think that you would be the one to get the third degree, saying they are your friends, and they don't know me," he pointed out, keeping a straight face for a few seconds watching the realization of the truth hit her.
"You may have a point," she nodded.
"Thought you might see it my way," he laughed.
"Didn't I beforehand?" She questioned, shaking her head lightly.
The car ride to Zoe's place was filled with directions on how to get to her place, as he couldn't remember. The closer they got to her place the more he could sense her mood changed from a happy outgoing one to a sadder closed off one. He kept going through what he may have said or done, quickly coming to the same conclusion, he had done nothing wrong, and it had to more with her family than with him. He heard the news, saw it in the paper.
"Thank you for tonight," Zoe told him, once he was parked in her driveway.
"I feel like I should be thanking you," he replied, turning to look at her. She gave him a smile, pushing open her door.
"It was nice to run into you, despite everything," she said grimacing as she slipped from the car.
"Despite nothing, we both needed that out. It was a pleasure Doc," he winked, watching her cheeks flush a light pink color. "Night, Zoe."
"Night, Wade," she responded, shutting the car door.
Wade waited until she was at her front door, unlocking the door only after she dug her keys from her bag. With the front door firmly shut and hopefully locked behind her, did he then put his car in gear and back out of her driveway heading for home.
The smile he wore despite not getting Zoe's number, didn't fade until he was back at his own empty house, the life the house saw from his teenage daughter no longer there. He did know where she lived, even if that did seem to be a bit of a creeper move to make to show up at her house to ask her on a date even if it happened to be as friends. He missed having her in his life; one night with her showed him that. He could only hope that maybe fate would play a hand before he did something that stupid.
Pushing those thoughts right out of his head, he went straight up to take a shower washing the days' grime and utter crap from him, feeling so much better. Wearing only a pair of clean boxers, he flopped himself down on his bed, debating on if he wanted to watch a bit of TV before calling it a night.
His answer was an obvious one once he woke up the next morning, the sun streaming in through the half-open curtains, hitting him in the face. Stretching he tossed the blankets from his body, wondering at what point during the night he covered up with them. Running a hand through his short-cropped hair, he easily made his way downstairs, grabbing a clean pair of jeans on his way by the dresser.
Effortlessly he made himself some breakfast, mulling over what he should do for the day. The idea of going to see his brother's family appealed to him, while the thought made me feel a tiny bit guilty that he didn't have his daughter to take with, knowing how she enjoyed spending time with her cousins.
Deciding what he would do with the dwindling morning hours, he cleaned up after himself, and headed out once he grabbed his wallet, keys and phone. His first stop was to get a bouquet of flowers.
"Where is my little granddaughter?" Wade laughed, hugging and kissing his ma.
"Can't you give your youngest son some love?" He teased, handing the flowers to her.
"Didn't I give you enough while you were growing up?" She teased back, heading into the kitchen to find a vase for the flowers.
"I often wonder if you really did, Ma," Wade remarked with a chuckle, sitting at the kitchen counter. "Did you still need the bathroom faucet fixed?"
"No, your brother fixed it yesterday, bringing me grandkids to love and spoil while he had done so," she teased. "Thirsty? Hungry?" She asked her youngest.
"I'm good, Ma," he told her. "Aria is with her mother this weekend," he sighed. "I like that she is back trying to be the mother she should have always been," he told his mom.
"You resent her for what she has done, and that she has a right to see her daughter after pulling the little stunt she had done," she finished her son's thoughts. "It is okay to resent her, to have this dislike for her Wade. You only need to get along with her for your daughter's sake. It pisses me off to think for a moment she would run away from being a mom, when that was the best job, I ever had. She ran away when she had you, I had no one," she ranted, shaking her head.
"I know ma," he said pulling her into a hug. "Being a dad is pretty great," he smiled, gently rubbing his mom's back calming her down. "One I wouldn't trade for anything. Despite raising us by yourself, you did an immaculate job," he grinned.
"Don't let that ego get to your head," she laughed.
"Too late for that Ma," Jesse announced, entering the kitchen.
"Uncle Wade!" Exclaimed a nine-year-old boy, jumping on his uncle.
"Nephew Charlie," Wade laughed, spinning him around. "Where's that brother of yours?"
"Grounded," Charlie shrugged. Wade raised an eyebrow looking over at Jesse.
"Just you wait for your daughter to be 16," he said in lieu of an excuse. Wade chuckled, wondering just what his 16-year-old nephew did.
"Try not to rush the next 3 years of my life to make me suffer a fate like yours," he said, messing his nephew's hair up. "Why don't you cut your son's hair?" Wade remarked, wondering why he wants his hair to be that long for.
"We've tried; they do as they please. We can't hold him down to cut it. You'll see the day you have a son," Jesse chuckled. Having a son would be nice. A nice thought for later in life, before he got too old to have kids.
"Wade, you didn't tell me that you were that serious with someone, you didn't say you were dating anyone either, what gives?" Jackie asked, hands on her hips.
"What gives is that I am not seeing anyone. I don't have a social life to even begin to date anyone. Aria takes up most of my time," he replied. He thoroughly enjoyed being a part of his daughter's life.
"Now that she is with her mother on the weekends, you do have a life outside of your daughter," Jackie remarked. "I would like to see you find someone and settle down. It's not wrong to want those things, sweetie. I hardly think Aria would mind either."
"Yeah sweetie," Jesse mocked. Wade glared at his brother.
"I know and I will try my best," he shrugged, not entirely sure what he could even say to placate his mother. "What do you say we head outside and play a little ball, buddy?" Wade asked, turning his attention to his nephew. "And we will let these two stay inside and gossip," he chuckled.
Wasting his afternoon playing catch wasn't a bad way to waste his afternoon. What he hadn't been anticipating was ending up in the emergency room, when his dope of a brother tackled him to the ground. With a feel and a wince he could tell that a rib or two were broken.
"Dr. Stevens will be with you shortly," the nurse told him, finishing up the initial exam.
He nodded his head, resting back on the hospital bed, the urge to turn the TV on there; he held back not really knowing when the doctor would be in, and he didn't want to seem rude so laying on the bed with only his thoughts were the way to go. His problem he kept drifting off wondering if maybe Zoe was a doctor on, as he knew she worked there as it was the sole hospital in town.