Brandi stepped into the old diner and looked around for her friend. She smiled as her friend, Maura, stood and waved her over to their booth. Brandi practically ran to her friend and the two women wrapped their arms around each other tightly before Brandi pulled back, her hands still on Maura's shoulders.

"Look at you!" She said fondly, "A mother and still skinny as a twig!" Brandi teased and Maura rolled her eyes but still smiled.

"And look at you, just the same as you were the day you left." She laughed, looking her friend over. "Come on, I already ordered for us." She said as she slid into her seat.

"How did you know I didn't want something different?" Brandi joke.

"Brandi, as long as I've known you, have you ever ordered anything different here?" She laughed at her friend and Brandi just couldn't stop smiling. "Stop being silly and drink your beer. You look like you need one." Brandi saluted her with her glass and started in, taking a few big gulps before setting it back down. She took a minute to look over Maura. Maura was a poster child for country girl. Dirty blonde hair and hazel eyes, a splash of freckles across her face and smile that could melt your heart. Her laugh was sweet as honey and Brandi regretted ever leaving her behind. "What's wrong?" Maura asked, smile falling. Brandi tried to give a reassuring smile.

"Nothing, don't worry about it." She tried to wave it off.

"You're kickin' yourself for leavin' aren't ya." Maura saw right through her and giggled. "Brandi, we've been friends since we could crawl. I know you better than you know yourself. Stop givin' yourself grief for leaving. You did what you had to do." Maura reached across the table and took her hand. Brandi squeezed it tight and she could feel the cold diamond ring, it almost seemed to burn. "Brandi, this place was killing you. I don't blame you or hold it against you." Brandi's chest tightened and she tried to swallow but her throat had closed up. She could just stare at Maura, beautiful, kind, sweet Maura.

"Alright, ladies." The waitress interrupted sweetly and Maura swiftly took her hand back and Brandi was almost startled by the emptiness of her hand. The waitress set down their food and Brandi cleared her throat, blinking away the stinging in her eyes. It was years ago, it was time to let it all go.

"This looks so good!" Maura said brightly and Brandi looked at the food before her. The steak and potatoes hadn't changed and she smiled before stabbing her fork into the mashed potatoes and took a big bite. Suddenly, warmth filled her and she felt her shoulders relax. Brandi leaned back and closed her eyes. She could hear Maura laugh at her. "What is it with you and those damn potatoes?"

"Aw man, no man could ever make me happier than these potatoes." Brandi joked after swallowing.

"Is that what you're doing back here in Clays Ferry?" Maura asked and Brandi avoided the question, instead drinking more of her beer and finishing the glass. "Ok, fine!" Maura giggled, taking the hint. "Keep your secrets."

"Things just went a little sour is all." Brandi told her, keeping it brief. "Besides, now that mom's gone, someone has to take care of that house."

"Last I recall, she didn't exactly take too good care of it." Maura pointed out. Brandi chuckled.

"That is an understatement." Brandi agreed and took a bite of the steak. It was still just as good as the last time she had it. "So, where is my goddaughter?"

"She's at home with Sean." Maura told her. "She's about as rowdy and energetic as we was." Brandi smiled at that.

"I'll make sure to teach her how not to get in trouble." Brandi promised and Maura glared at her before shaking her head. "Besides, she's got a friend in high places to get her out of what trouble she does run into." Maura laughed quietly at that. The two girls sat and ate and drank. They swapped pictures. Brandi looked at the pictures of Maura's daughter and Brandi showed her some of the friends she had made in Virginia. They laughed and joked for hours and it was almost like they had gone back in time. Once again they were teenagers, spending their hard earn money they had scammed from their classmates on the best food Brandi would eat that week. They giggled at inside jokes and filled each other in on gossip from their worlds. They were in their own world, filled with life and laughter.

The light and laughter Brandi had with Maura was so different than the dark silence she felt standing on her front porch. The light illuminated the front door and she could see moths fluttering around it. The boards creaked under her boots and she turned and looked over the field that surrounded her house. The trees kept out the noise of the highway, dimming it to a barely noticeable hum. She could hear the buzzing of the bugs and the rustling of the leaves in the slight breeze. Brandi took in a deep breath and looked at the sky. She could smell the rain coming and headed inside the dark house. she didn't bother turning on the lights and headed up the steps, knowing her way around the house like the back of her hand, having to sneak in the dark many times growing up. She kicked off her boots and dropped her jacket on the floor of her bathroom, just crawling into her sleeping bag, still in her clothes.

The storm rolled in and she heard the rain hitting the roof and the wind rushing around the house. Brandi tossed and turned, wanting to just sleep. The night was long, and she wasn't quite sure when she fell asleep, but she woke up to the sun shining in her face. She could see the dust settling in the rays of light. Brandi creaked and groaned and crawled out of her sleeping bag and into the bathroom. The hot water washed away the remnants of her restless sleep and she pulled on jeans and a pullover hoodie. She padded barefoot down to the kitchen. She had cleaned it over the week and stocked up on some basics, even bought a new coffee machine. She had washed what dishes had survived over the years and pulled out her old mug. She stood in the kitchen, looking around at the peeling wallpaper, the faded and cracked paint and the state of it all was depressing. She made up her mind.

It was Saturday and she was going to fix it all up. So, she knocked back her coffee, grabbed her boots and wallet and climbed into her truck. The gravel skid under her tires as she hauled it up to Lexington to grab what she needed. When she returned she started in the kitchen and peeled off the wallpaper and thanked God there was no mold behind it. It took her a few hours to rip it all off. The paper that was once eggshell white was more of a tan and she shoved it into a black trash bag. She looked around at the bare walls and decided it was time for lunch. She had shed her hoodie and pulled her hair in a bun.

Her mother stood in front of the sink, cigarette hanging from her mouth as usual while she stared out the window, looking out over the field, mind miles away but the wine just an arm's length away.

Brandi shook her head, shoved the rest of the sandwich in her mouth and slapped the can of paint on the covered table, popped it open and poured the yellow paint into the pan. She shoved down the memory, Yellow was a happy color and by God she was going to turn this kitchen into a happy place. She was in such a hurry to get the paint on the wall she tripped and stumbled over the painter's cloth and dropped paint down her front.

"Shit." Yellow paint stained her tank top and had splashed onto her jeans. She looked down at the mess and before she could move to clean her self up there was a knock on the front door. Brandi put the pan down and looked around for a rag but the knocking came again. Brandi groaned and walked down the hall to the front door. She yanked it open with a rude "What?"

Art stood there, the screen door separating them. He had an amused look on his face as he looked at her standing there with yellow paint all over her and a scowl.

"Oh, sorry." Brandi apologized. "What are you doing here?"

"Wanted to swing by and check on you." Art explained. "See how you were settling in. I'm not disturbing you, am I?"

"No." Brandi answered and opened the screen door. "Come on in, sorry the place is a mess."

"I'll try not to judge." Art teased and Brandi snorted as she walked down the hall. "I take it you're redecorating." He said as he followed her into the kitchen.

"Feels more like reconstructing." She joked and opened the fridge. "You want a beer?" She asked and pulled out two. Without even hearing his response she used a bottle opener on both.

"I guess I do." Art said and took the beer she offered. They both took a swig and he looked around at the now stripped wall. He set his baseball cap on the table. "I can't tell you how strange it is to be sitting here in your kitchen and having a beer." Brandi smiled at him and took another sip.

"Wasn't the last time you were here because-"

"Picking you up and serving your mother papers." Art smiled and took a drink. "So, yellow, hu?"

"Figured it's a happy color." Brandi explained. "Gonna make this a happy home." She finished firmly. She had made up her mind and was sticking to it. Art smiled at her and looked around once more. It wasn't what he had in mind for his Saturday, but what the hell?

"You got another roller?" He asked and Brandi just looked at him confused. "I'm not gonna make you paint this whole kitchen by yourself." She smiled at him and pulled out another roller and paint pan from a plastic bag.

"You sure about this?" She asked him with a smile. "If you're not careful I might try to rope you in to helping me with the whole house."

"If I wasn't sure, I wouldn't offer." Art assured her with his smile as he shed his coat. "Shall we?"

By the time Art left the sun had already set and she waved him off from her front porch. She watched as he drove off, his tail lights fading into the night and once more she was alone in the silence, but this time, it wasn't so deafening. With a smile she let the door shut behind her and walked back to the kitchen. The two of them had worked through the afternoon and gotten the whole kitchen done and she had even roped him in to helping her next weekend.

"Tomorrow I get a bed." She said to herself with a content smile on her face.

"Mornin' sunshine." Tim said as he walked over to his desk. He looked over at Brandi who had her head in her hands and her hair falling around her. He leaned against his desk. "You look like shit." He drawled. She just hummed. "Have a good weekend?" He asked and crossed his arms. Brandi lifted her head and fixed him with a look he couldn't quite describe.

"Do you ever work?" Brandi asked. "Or do you just sit around and shoot the shit." Tim shrugged.

"I work." He defended with a small smile and crossed his arms.

"What are you doing right now?" Brandi asked. Tim just looked at her with an exasperated stare. "See what I mean?"

"Well, it won't last long. I think Art's gonna send us out today." Tim said as he turned to his desk and sat down, logging on to do what paperwork he could.

"Oh yeah?" Brandi said. "Why's that?"

"Because Raylan isn't here to do it." Tim said as he started to do his paperwork.

"Speaking of, how much trouble you think he's getting into right now?" Brandi asked. Tim snorted.

"I hope he's not even awake yet." Tim said as he checked his email.

"I just hope he does what he's told." Brandi said. Tim hummed.

"I wouldn't hold your breath." Tim said and Brandi groaned, putting her head back in her hands. "I know." He said sympathetically, referring to her groan. "It's like dealing with an eigth grader."

"Alright you, two. Head on out." Art said as he got in and walked past them towards his office. Tim and Brandi started grabbing their things and she shoved some paperwork into a bag with the laptop. She might was well get some work done. "How's the new bed?" Art asked, stopping by her desk for a moment.

"Ya know, I got so used to sleepin' on the floor I almost miss it." She told him with a smile. He just laughed his way into his office and Brandi smiled to herself and walked towards the elevator, catching up with Tim.

"So you got a new bed." Tim said, striking up a conversation. "Get a good chance to break it in?" He asked as the elevator rolled down. Brandi smiled to herself, a small blush creeping across her face.

"Didn't get it made until last night," She explained. "Most people aren't lookin' for fun on a Sunday night." Brandi heard his snort and glanced over at him to see a wide smile on his face as he looked down and shifted his weight. Nervous smiler.

"Not what I meant." He said as they stepped into the lobby. Brandi just smirked to herself.

"You're driving."

well, I was going to redo this whole chapter and post it, but my cat decided to delete it all before I could save it. So, you get a shorter chapter. I hope to have more soon and I hope this revised version is a hell of a lot better.