Chapter 2 – Bring Him Home

Butch closed the bedroom door before starting back down the hall. "Better leave it open." Sally Ann warned, "He'll be wakin' up to a strange place."

Nodding he trotted back and opened the door wide so they could hear him if he woke up from his rest.

Hasil was spent from being moved around so much, first from Ledda's to Butch's and then the drive over to their new place. It was almost 30 minutes outside of Blackburg, a tiny community of one story duplexes surrounded on 2 sides by farmlands and on the third side by the east side of Shay Mountain's base. Originally built for the farm workers, this home site was bought by developers when the children of the original owners began to sell off properties for cash. It was mostly farm workers that still lived there. But some elderly folks had moved in years ago, and when their deaths made room for new renters, a student studying the farmlands or a young family moved in. It was a beautiful area, kept simple but well maintained. With only 12 units, it remained a very peaceful place to live. Not even bothering to advertise its existence, its residents came to it strictly from word of mouth. And that is exactly how Butch found out about them.

He sold his goods regularly to a man who he discovered later was actually using it for his father who was dying of cancer, to help manage his pain. When his father finally passed away, he confided in Butch and in that conversation Butch angled to see if he could refer someone to take the available unit. Originally he wanted the place for Frieda and himself, but then the craziness in town began. And with things as they were between the law enforcement that had been brought in and the Farrells, it wasn't hard to choose protecting his friends. Sally Ann was accepted without as much as a credit check, thanks to Butch putting a generous security deposit down. When he told her about the place, she hugged him so hard; he figured she cracked a rib of his. Embarrassed, he kept a straight face during it all, but not being used to playing the "good guy" Butch couldn't stop smiling for the rest of the day.

He and Frida had been cleaning out the place and moving their stuff over all week, while also taking Sally Ann back and forth to sit with Hasil at Ledda's. Once Ledda's nurse friend, Pauline, thought he was out of the woods, they moved him back to Butch's for the last 2 days before the move. Butch lived closer to Ledda than Sally Ann and they all wanted to make sure they could get help fast if he took a turn for the worse….besides most of their things had been moved to the new place by then. Butch and Frida did the best they could to get it ready. Airing it out completely before a service came in to paint and shampoo the carpet. They'd placed the furniture where they thought it should go, assembling a few new pieces, a TV stand and a short bookcase, as a little surprise for them. It was hard to believe that things were going to be okay and they were finally here. Hasil was healing nicely according to the nurse, even without the blood transfusion that would have sped up his healing considerably. This area would be good for him, surrounded by green instead of concrete and asphalt. Fresh air and sunshine, she had said, are healers all their own.

Back in Unit 6, Frida had settled in on the couch to unpack the Mexican food they had picked up at the little burrito shack on the road there. Patting the spot next to her for Butch to sit, she glanced up at Sally Ann, who was still standing, looking around at the many boxes and bags. Rubbing her hand over her face in exasperation, she let out a groan and sprawled out on the floor. Noticing her looking so weary, Frida piped up, "Uh-uh! Don't even look at it. I'll come help you with this mess tomorrow."

"'kay." Sally Ann sighed and laid her arm across her eyes. Frida glanced at Butch, worried, urging him with raised eyebrows to say something. "Soooo - What time does he gotta take his meds?"

"In about 2 hours. I guess I gotta wake him. Maybe get him to eat somethin' first. He's so pale. I hate it."

"For real. He looks like a goddamn ghost." Frida winced, hearing herself. "Sorry. Well they said he did lose a lot of blood. But he's strong. Rest and food will help a lot, right? Build him back up?" When Sally Ann didn't respond, Frida went on. "Well, we got those iron tablets Ms. Pauline said to get….I put 'em on the counter with his other medications."

"Thanks." Sally Ann sighed again.

"Look girl, all you got to worry about tonight is feedin' that baby of yours and getting a good long shower." Sitting forward smiling, she continued, "'Sides….I got you all new towels."

Sally Ann uncovered her eyes and looked over at her. Frida tucked her lips in having finally got her attention, making a show of being busy unpacking the food.

"Frida!" Sally Ann rolled onto her side looking around again, this time noticing just how many bags there were. "What all did you buy?!"

"Don't worry," she snickered. "You don't owe us a thang, honey. I used your money…well mostly." She said under her breath, sneaking a glance at Butch. Sally Ann sat up all the way and stared at her. Frida stopped fussing over the food and stared back, arching an eyebrow.

"Well y'all needed some thangs!" she justified looking at Butch, who also looked at her in silence. "Whaaaaat? Y'all needed towels didn't cha?!"

Sally Ann waited.

"And a toaster? Right?"

Silence.

"Okay! Okay! And a microwave and dish towels and a couple mirrors!" she blurted, folding her arms in mock anger. "And that's all I'm gonna say."

Sally Ann's laugh burst out of her after Frida's theatrics. They all cracked up, giving in to the silly gasping laughter, complete with a couple of snorts from Frida, which just made them laugh even harder. Finally releasing a bit of the stress they'd all been under for over a week. Until Sally Ann's teary laughter turned into real tears. Hot burning tears, too late to stop and push back down as she had been doing from the moment she told Hasil he could go back up the mountain. They came uncontrolled, accompanied by a sorrowful moaning that had Frida off the couch and crawling across the floor to her in a panic. Frida sat rubbing her back with tears of compassion streaming down her face for her friend. Sally Ann covered her mouth so her noisy cries couldn't be heard down the hallway, but all that raw pain and fear she was finally letting go of filled the room. They could all feel it.

After a few minutes of listening to her, Butch couldn't remain seated. "Jesus." he muttered, clinching his fists. Frida watched him pace and occasionally wipe his eyes. Crouching down beside her, he tried to comfort her with logic, "Look, Sally Ann, everything's alright now. He's here. He's safe." She began to wind down. "I know you were scared as shit! We all were! But he's here, okay? And we're all gonna take care of him, right? C'mon now." He put a hand on her shoulder as she finally quieted to little shudders and sighs. Pulling herself up to a sitting position, she remained looking down at her hands.

"He almost died." she whispered. "He almost died."

"But he didn't. Girl, he didn't! And y'all are safe, right here in this new place! And you got a little money saved up from the fightin'…" Frida dipped her head down to force eye contact, "And you got my god baby in there, so far as I can see, we got a whole lot to be smilin' about right now. Come on girl. Y'all are alright."

Slowly Sally Ann let a watery smile emerge, her hand smoothing over her belly. Butch handed her a handful of toilet tissue and Frida helped herself to the stash, blowing her nose loudly. Sally Ann and Butch both chuckled.

"Lord," Sally Ann said, wiping away the evidence of tears, "We gon' wake Hasil."

Frida smiled wide. "Naw, if the smell of that food and my honkin' didn't do it, nothin' will."

Frida leaned over and took Sally Ann's hand, holding it tightly. Looking deep into her eyes she said, "Sally Ann?"

"Yes?"

Frida gave it a long pause then whispered, "Can we eat now?"

This time the laughter was easy.