Chapter 6: How Things Work Out
It's strange how things work out. You think that you know what you want and what other people might want, and suddenly you are locking lips with an undead guy in your own bedroom. Not to mention this guy is your boss reaper. Then you have that awkward question of 'what now?' and neither of you know the answer until someone does something. It's been a pretty easy for me in that situation in my recent relationships, but this is different. I mean, this is Rube we're talking about. Not to mention the whole outside problem of Gravelings after us, more than likely wanting to reap our immortal souls.
Rube sat in the kitchen until late afternoon, sipping on some coffee and running his eyes over the paper that was delivered earlier that morning to the house. The obits had nothing overly interesting in it. More people dying of natural causes than anything else. He found a few names that were familiar, more than likely ones that he had written on post-its not all too long ago. With a long sigh, he set the paper down and stared into his coffee.
He still didn't know what to do. Why did he even do it?
After a few minutes of the question repeating over and over in his head Quinn entered the kitchen. She took a bottle of water from the refrigerator and stared at him for a minute and then sighed, "I don't know what it is between you two. But if there is something… I think…that…"
Quinn looked at Rube quickly and then shook her head sadly.
"If you want to say something kid it's better to just spit it out," Rube said with a frown.
"You are a very grumpy man," she pouted a little, "And you really need to figure it out or nothing is going to happen. And then you will lose her without even knowing it."
She turned quickly and walked back toward her new room or George's. The faint knock that he heard probably meant that she went to go and talk with George for a little bit. With any luck it had nothing to do with the subject of his relationship with George. He still wasn't sure if she saw anything earlier when she burst into the room. If she had, she hid it well.
And truth be told, he didn't exactly know what that was either. He was wrapping up her arm again and then just like that he kissed her. He couldn't stop himself. It was like he had fallen into another world where everything was going to be okay as long as she was there. He had never felt that way before. And then confusion hit and then she kissed him back. Then the kid walked in.
He walked over to the couch in the living room leaving his coffee and paper on the table. Now he didn't know what to make of his relationship with George and it was going to eat at him for a while. What can he say and what will she say? Will it be continually awkward between the two of them now, or will it slip back into normalcy? Did he want it to slip back?
"Ah hell," he groaned and laid back on the couch in the living room. He looked up at the ceiling and took a deep breath.
"How are you feeling?" Quinn asked as George opened her door.
"Good enough," George shrugged, threw one of the pillows from her bed to the side of the room and then fell back onto the bed, "At least it's not the backseat of a car. An actual mattress for once feels so good."
"I bet Rube's room is more comfortable as far as the views go," Quinn winked and sat next to George making her body bounce as she sat on the bed, "You know, adds a bit of masculinity to the room."
"This is going to be a constant thing with you isn't it?" George leaned on the side and arm that wasn't bitten, "You're not going to let it drop?"
"Not until one of the three of us move on," she looked at the ceiling as she laid on her back, "Or until you two do get together. Which ever is the fastest."
"What about until I break your face every time you mention me and Rube?" George leaned toward her and shook her fist, "You will heal eventually."
"Think of it this way," Quinn pointed at the ceiling as if it was George, "It's either me bugging you or Daisy. Once she finds out that I'm not going to get you two together, she'll join in with her whole plan of match making. Daisy has it in her head that you two were made for each other and she seems more persistent about these things than I am."
"We're both dead. If we were made for each other we would have been born at least in the same century. Think about it. People that were made for each other would be born close enough to where they would at least meet in life, not in their un-life."
"You still met, and that's what's important. And don't pretend that you two don't care for one another. And I don't know… if you guys aren't in love, then I'm reading you two wrong. You just remind me of what it was like-" Quinn turned on her side and looked at the window and away from George, "It's getting later and I don't want to take up too much of your healing time. I'm going to get ready for bed."
"It's only five o' clock in the afternoon," George looked at her, "How much time do you need to get ready to sleep?"
"With the number that Daisy had put on that room, I'll need close to ten hours to figure how to take all the girly stuff off the walls and out the door."
"Well, what ever you do, I'm going to take a shower first," George sat up, "Just to let you know the only bathroom that's working right now is the one in the main hallway. The one toward the back is having a hard time keeping the water warm in the shower. Not to mention the toilet not flushing normally. So, the working bathroom is free as soon as I'm done."
Quinn shrugged and got off of the bed, walked with George to the bathroom and then back to her room, "Now how the hell do I get the stench of flowery perfume from the bed?"
George sat beneath the warm water in the shower, unable to comprehend why it felt so good. It's as if she'd been living out on the streets for years. The whole sleeping in the car and in being abandoned in an alley downtown must have really got to her. Although sleeping with Rube in the car and at his flat did help things a bit.
Rube. I wonder what he was thinking about right now.
There her mind went again, "Damn it."
She leaned against one of the walls of the shower and let the water fall over her skin and rinse out the small bottle of shampoo she used in her hair. He was taking up more and more of her thoughts through the day since earlier. She didn't know if it was because of this whole mess, or if there was really something there that she never saw before. The side of Rube that could be what was missing out of her undead life. Maybe he could be that some one that she did care about and that cared for her back in the same way. Not the way where you belong to a family, because she had that with Daisy and Mason and with Roxy when she was still there. Hell, she even probably had that relationship with Kiffany at Der Waffle Haus. But Rube, he had turned out to be a mentor, then a paternal boss for middle management death, then a best friend, and finally into this.
But what the hell is 'this'? A missed up version of a crush, or a really demented version of love?
She looked at her hands as the water began to run cold and shut it off only to stand a few minutes before wrapping herself in a towel and stare in the mirror. Quinn's words kept reverberating in her skull.
'And don't pretend that you two don't care for one another.'
"I'm not pretending anything…" George muttered.
'If you guys aren't in love…'
"I can't be…" she shook her head and changed into some clean clothes and got out of the bathroom.
She let her hair air dry and walked down the hallway and headed to the kitchen. There was a folded newspaper on the tabletop and a half empty cup of coffee right beside it. There was no one sitting anywhere near the cup or the table. She heard some light snoring and found Rube laying on the couch sleeping. She smiled to herself and leaned on the doorframe looking into the living room. As uncomfortable as that couch was, he was sound asleep. She quickly put a light blanket over him and then walked back to the hallway. She thought to herself for only a minute and then took a deep breath before turning around and walking back to her room. She reached out and turned off the lights in the living room.
"George?" Quinn asked as she peeked her head out from her bedroom as George made her way back, "You okay?"
"Fine," she mumbled, "If you want, the bathroom is open."
"I'll take a shower in the morning. Thanks, though," she gave her a small smile, "It's going to be okay. Goodnight George."
"Night Quinn," she nodded her head and walked into her room. She left her door open to let the air flow.
George took a few moments looking up at the ceiling, wondering what the next move was. What her next move was. It was weird to think that she was over analyzing yet another relationship in her undead life. And with Rube of all people. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes to fall asleep, when Quinn's snoring problem crept back into the picture of things.
"Ah shit," George muttered and tried to cover her head with a pillow only to find that didn't help at all.
What I wouldn't give for some ear plugs…What did she eat last? A dead cat? I think it came back to life.
She rolled on her opposite side and found herself soon rolled out of bed. She sighed, "Fuck this."
She quietly walked to the door, and closed Quinn's door to her room without her missing a snore. She walked down the hall to the living room just to make sure that Quinn didn't wake Rube as well. As she stepped down the hallway she stepped on one of the floor boards which groaned under her foot.
What the fuck am I doing? What the hell am I doing out here?
She kept still. She didn't go forward and she didn't fall back to her room. Thoughts raced through her head and her body seemed like she was frozen in time. She was unable to move or think about what to do next.
Maybe he was still in a really deep sleep and I could make it back to my room without anyone being the wiser? And sleep with the chainsaw named Quinn going down the hallway? I doubt it. I could always close my door, but that would be giving in. Maybe I can suffocate her for the night and she'll be good as new in the morning. Healed and all. Then she definitely won't let the Rube subject drop and knowing that kid, she'll say anything and everything. Right in front of Rube, too.
"Peanut?" Rube walked from the kitchen toward the couch to possibly get some more sleep while he could.
How long was I standing there looking like an idiot?
"Uh, hey," she said quietly and looked up at him.
"Everything okay?" he asked with genuine concern. She smiled at the fact that he was always looking out for her.
"Quinn," she said simply and nodded back at the closed door. Neither one of them made any move to come to each other. Eventually he leaned on the side of the door frame to the living room as she had only an hour or so ago. Except he was looking over her this time and not the other way around. And she was wide awake.
"What is going on with junior?" he asked and pinched the ridge of his nose waiting for the impending headache.
"You remember the snoring problem from your flat?"
He nodded.
"It's almost as if the noise is amplified by this house. It's going to be hell living with her," she walked to the side of the hallway and leaned against the wall, "She wake you up to by any chance?"
"Maybe," he chuckled a little to himself, "It's amazing how far it reaches in this house. What about you?"
"What about me?" she glanced over at him. He looked down at his hands and had one of his deep thought faces on, "Rube?"
"Can we talk in somewhere a little more private?" he said a little quicker than he probably planned and slid a hand through his hair, "I mean, to get away from Quinn and her snoring. I mean I can still hear it a little through her closed door. You never know when the kid may pop out of her room."
"Yeah, come on," George nodded and grabbed his arm to lead him to her room.
George, keep yourself in check.
He let her lead him to her room, turning off the lights as they went. She closed the door behind him and sat them both on the bed. He didn't turn his head toward her when she sat down next to him. His eyes stayed glued to his wedding band on his hand, "So, do you wanna talk?"
Actually, I was thinking that I could just maul you, push you back on this bed of mine and take you. Thanks though.
"I thought that's what I brought you in here for. What's on your mind?"
"What happened in here… earlier," he took a deep breath, "What happened between us."
Why won't he look at me? Was it something I said? Something I didn't say?
"I don't even know what that was, to tell you the truth, Rube," she said and looked at him, "I never… I don't know what to do now. I don't have the experience from life to tell me what needs to be done or what needs to be said. I guess it is all that more confusing because it is you. Look, all I know is that that kiss was one of the most pleasant experiences I have ever gone through."
"Pleasant?" he almost smirked at her word choice.
"You got a word for it, smart ass?" she almost frowned. This was a serious discussion they were having and he was picking on her word choices.
He paused and finally looked at her for a moment, "How about perfect?"
She was a little surprised. She didn't have that much experience in the kissing field, but let's face it; she didn't have that much experience in anything. And here this man was sitting next to her and just told her that the kiss they shared was perfect.
Just like you.
"I'm far from perfect, George," he said with a nervous laugh.
Shit! That was out loud?
"So am I," she said, unsure if this was heading where she wanted it to, "Rube, I've tried to think over this whole thing. And give me some leeway here, because we both know my experience with guys isn't all that great-"
"George," he stopped her and took her hands in his, "You think this is easy for me? It's been close to eighty years since I even had to pretend to court someone. And here I am starting over from scratch."
"I'm just really confused about this."
"Because it's me?"
"Because I care for you like I've never felt for anyone ever before. I'm confused because I don't want to miss this up because of stupid teenager, undead hormones. I… I don't…"
"I'll ask you once, and I want you to really think it through, Peanut," he almost absentmindedly rubbed his thumbs over her knuckles, but kept his eyes focused on hers, "Do you want me to stay in here with you, tonight?"
She looked in his eyes and she did think hard. She tried to search and wonder what it was that he felt for her. Was it something close to love? Was it love? Did he want to take this over the 'can't turn back now' boundary?
She could walk out of the room and fight with herself to shut her mouth and pretend that nothing ever happened. She could forget the feeling of complete security in his arms and forget how her heart was racing at this exact moment. Forget what she was feeling and never find out if this feeling indeed was love. And he would let her. He would take the rejection and the hurt and shove it back deep inside because that's what he does. And he would do it for her. And she knew it.
Or she could stay in the room with Rube and see where the night took her. Figure out an answer to all her questions and stop wondering. Stop Rube from shutting down and shutting her out. She knew, looking into his eyes that the question wasn't just about him staying in the room because of Quinn or any other reason. It was a question if she wanted to stay and be with him.
Was it really a choice?
"Yeah," she whispered and nodded her head, "I do."
"Georgia, once we get to that point, I won't be able to let go. Things could happen and I don't want to hurt you-"
She leaned forward and kissed his lips to keep him from talking anymore. He was going to start rambling, and she didn't need that right now. She just needed him. She leaned back and quietly laughed at his slightly shocked face. He opened his eyes and she kissed the tip of his nose.
"I don't want you to let go, Rube," she shook her head and wrapped her arms around his neck, "You will never hurt me the way you think you will."
"I've hurt the only other person I've ever loved, Georgia. I'm sure I can do it again to some one else."
"You may have hurt her, but she still loved you. And you didn't know that you weren't going to see your daughter again," he wrapped his arms around her waist and leaned his forehead against hers, "You're never going to do that with me, Rube. You may leave me one day, but I know I'll find some way to find you again. You know I was never one for these undead rules."
"I just figured out something in these past weeks, Peanut. Before this whole graveling thing started and I tried so hard to bring it up or to mention it. I told Roxy just because I needed to tell somebody," he looked in her eyes and cupped her left cheek with his hand, "I don't just love you. I am in love with you. That's why I'm so afraid."
She could feel her lungs stop functioning and her voice stop dead in her throat. Her eyes were frozen on his and she tried to take a breath to answer him. He was afraid. Rube, of all people was afraid. After a few tense moments she finally caught her rhythm of breathing and leaned into his hand on the side of her face.
"Rube-" she began to say that she didn't know. That she wasn't sure, until Quinn's words echoed through her head again.
'If you guys aren't in love…'
What is love?
She stopped herself from making the biggest mistake of her afterlife and put her hand over his. She could have been the one to walk away. She could have been the one to hurt him. Now she understood, and she too was afraid, scared.
This is… I'm in love with Rube.
"I am too," she smiled and almost felt some tears coming, but willed them away. It wasn't like her to cry, "I'm in love with you and I don't want to lose that."
He gave her the biggest smile she had ever seen from him and pulled her toward him, kissing her harder than he had before. Maybe it was the fact that she loved him back, or the fact that his secret was out in the open. The problem was resolved and he was happy. For the first time in a very long time, he was happy. His hands roamed up and down her back and through her hair. She ran her hands through his hair and over his shoulders, finding new feelings and new experiences she had never encountered before. She pulled away a little and took a few deep breaths.
"Where do we go from here?"
"We take it as it comes," he kissed her again slowly and then gave her an affectionate kiss on her forehead, "Now, get to bed. We more than likely have more reaps in the morning. And you said something about going to Happy Time?"
"Right," she sighed as he turned to pull off her shoes and put her under the covers.
She made herself comfortable and watched him as he took off his own shoes and padded over to the door to make sure it was locked for the night. For a minute she thought that he was going to go back out to sleep on the couch or something like it instead of sleeping in the room with her. Instead he turned back and walked to the bed where he climbed in beside her and wrapped her securely in his arms. He molded himself along her back and kissed the back of her neck and buried his nose in her hair.
She laughed a little at the feeling, "So much for something happening tonight, huh?"
"Were you expecting something more by coming out to check on me in the middle of the night?" he almost growled in a different voice that she had never heard him use before.
"It's not all that late," George looked at the clock at the side of her bed, barely able to move her head, "It's only ten."
"Late enough," he tightened his grip around her waist and made her giggle a little.
I never giggle. Even with Tripp. I never giggled.
"Can't keep up with me, old man?" George smirked as he put his lips right up to her ear and whispered to her.
"You would be surprised how well I could keep up, Peanut."
"Right," she turned over on her back and at his face with the same smart smirk plastered on her face.
"Why do you got to be such a smart ass?"
"Just who I am, Rube," she reached over and placed her hand behind his neck and captured his lips with hers again before turning off the lights and falling into a blissful sleep.
It's weird how some things turn out. You think that you know what you want in your life and then you die. Then you find a guy that you thought would be your mentor turns out to become the love of your undead life. The love you never had when you were alive. And you have to hand it to God. He may have screwed you in life, but he more than makes up for it in death.
