The letters she receives are far between. Dozens of quickly jotted notes from Bass that he writes and hangs on to until he finds a way to get them to her, bundled up along with a note or two from Miles.
She worries at the lack of news, but it all falls away when their son decides to make his appearance. She's terrified when her water breaks, cursing Bass for his absence, but her grandpa is there with her through it all, delivering his great-grandchild who lets the world know of his arrival with angry, lusty cries.
She tries not to worry, focusing instead on her son, committing each first to a journal to give to his father upon his return.
Because he will return.
They're out back, enjoying the last of the Indian summer that will surely disappear any day now, a blanket spread out near the old oak tree, Hoppers toys all around them. The peasant blouse that she's taken to wearing for ease of nursing hangs low on her shoulders as she helps him sit up. He stays upright for less than a minute before he's toppling face first onto the blanket saved only by his mother who tosses him up, his sweet baby sounds bringing a smile to Charlie's face.
That's how Bass finds them as he rounds the corner of the house. The sun picks up the highlights in Charlie's hair and make her tanned skin glow. His breath is taken away by the baby in her arms, with chubby cheeks and blonde curls. He can hear it's happy chortles from where he stands, frozen, hoping to remember this moment forever.
He watches as she lays the baby down, blowing raspberries on it's tummy and neck as her hair forms a curtain around them. Not waiting another second, he takes long strides in her direction, calling her name, before breaking into a run. Charlie lifts her head and cries out his name. He drops to his knees beside her on the blanket, cupping her face in his hands, before swooping in to kiss her passionately.
"Is it over?" she asks, pulling away to run her hands over him, ensuring that he's in one piece.
Smiling, he catches her hands in his. "It's over," he answers, looking down at their child.
"Say hello to your son, Bass."
"A boy?" he asked, his voice so joyful it brings tears to her eyes. Charlie watches as he picks him up, carefully inspecting every inch of him with his eyes. "He's beautiful." Bass breathed, turning his golden smile in her direction. "What's his name?"
"Hopper."
"Hopper?" Bass laughed, holding his son up, delighting in the dimples he can see in the fleshy cheeks.
"Kid though he was a Mexican jumping bean during those last few months." She explains as he lays Hopper on his back, counting fingers and toes.
"Bass? Where's Miles?" she asks hesitantly.
Bass lets out a breath, looking at his wife and back to his son. "He's in Austin, with Blanchard. He refused to come back." He closed his eyes at the gasp that escaped Charlie's mouth. "He's got a death wish, Charlie. All the stupid chances he took. I was dreading the day I was going to have to write and tell you that he was dead."
Brushing her hands off on her pants, Charlie begins to pick up the baby's toys. "Then we're just going to have to show him that he's got three damn good reason to stay alive."
"I was hoping you'd say that," Bass replied softly as he reached out to still her movements, "hey, come here."
With a smile, Charlie leaned towards him.
"I missed you," Bass breathes as he pulled her forehead down to his.
"We missed you, too" Charlie whispers back as she kissed him softly. "We've been patiently waiting for you to get home. Someone needs their Daddy."
Bass' eyes glistened with tears. "Daddy. I like the sound of that."
Smoothing a hand over his face, Charlie pushes his curls back. "Now we just need to go kick Grandpa's ass and all will be right in the world."
Bass throws his head back with laughter. "Grandpa? Please let me be in the room when you call him that," he pleads.
"Of course you'll be in the room," Charlie smiles as she goes back to gathering the baby's things. "Between your gloating and my guilt trip, he should be back to normal within a few days."
Bass looked up from where he was trying to eat Hoppers finger, making him giggle. "Guilt trip?"
"He's the only thing close to a parent I have left. If he thinks he's bailing now, he's got another thing coming," Charlie answers fiercely, brushing away a tear as she holds out her hands for her son.
Bass reluctantly turns him over before standing and folding the blanket at Charlie's direction.
"When's the next train leave?"
"Tomorrow morning."
"Did you sleep on the way here?"
"For the most part."
"Well, Hopper's ready for lunch and a nap and no one else is going to be in the house for hours, so….just saying."
Bass looked at his wife as she stood on the steps holding the screen door open, her hair spilling over her shoulders as their son pulled on her shirt, rooting for his lunch.
His smile is infectious as Charlie smiles back, watching as he picks up the basket of toys by his feet and hurries to her, just in time to witness Hopper latch onto her nipple. "I like the way you think, Mrs. Monroe."
"Why thank you, Mr. Monroe," she grinned, taking him by the hand as she led him into the house.
~fin~