October 2033
The hills around Granby were in full color. Bright red, orange, and yellow with just enough green to make the colors shout. Granby itself was decked out in the trappings of the season. The shops displayed corn stalks, pumpkins, and colorful mums. The town was planning a fall festival on Halloween, with food, games, pumpkin carving for the kids. The women's club was sponsoring a pie baking contest. An equestrian event was planned with a jumping course to be judged with a first, second, and third place to be awarded. Then there would be an evening dance. Charley and Bass were looking forward to going. Charlie was even going to enter the pie baking contest. (I've come a long way from Willoughby) laughing to herself.
Charlie loved this time of year and more so now that she and Bass were settled and had found a place in a community where they were accepted. Well, mostly, there were still a few in town that barely acknowledged Bass. She loved that Bass was so content and happy. Their life was everything that they dreamed of when they left Austin and Willoughby behind.
Bass wanted a name for their farm; he and Charlie settled on 'The Double M'. One afternoon, he returned from town a large wooden sign in the back of the wagon, with Double M embossed across the top and two inter-posed M's underneath. He hung it on the gate at the top of the lane. He had the same symbol burned onto the sides of their wagon.
They were into their second year at their homestead, and with the help of Warren and Maddie, their farm had grown. Warren and Bass had taken over several acres of fallow fields that were between their farms. Using Warren's refurbished antique farm equipment that could be pulled by horses or Lilly, together they planted corn and cultivated hay and timothy. The corn would provide plenty of winter feed and could be sold to the local gristmill. Both were ready to be harvested.
Charlie's garden had flourished, and the harvest had been especially bountiful, affording her plenty to bring to market. Along with the usual produce, there were large and small pumpkins and winter squash. Then there were jars of applesauce, apple, and pumpkin pies that she and Maddie had made along with the usual eggs and goat's milk. What they didn't sell off the wagon, they sold to the general store for cash or credit.
Charlie went out to the pens to find Bass. He was feeding and checking on the pigs.
"God, these guys are smelly," Charlie groans.
"Yeah, they are, but they smell like money and ham and bacon and pork roasts."
"I do like bacon," Charlie smiles, going over to him and wrapping her arms around his neck. He kisses her holding her close, leaning his forehead against hers.
"This never gets old. You're off to market?"
"The wagon's all loaded. I'm going to pick up Maddie on the way. I'll see you later. Oh, do you need anything from town?"
"Nah, I'm good. After I finish up, I think I'll take Tucker fishing."
"Be safe. I'll see you later."
"Later. Love you."
"Love you too."
Over the next two weeks, Warren and Bass harvest their corn and hay in preparation for winter.
November:
Halloween is over, and the harvest is in. Bass has some maintenance projects to tend to.
"Hey, Charlie!" Bass calls out to where she is hanging clothes. "I'm going into town. I need some planks to fix the goat's fence where Jackass butted through again."
Charlie walked over to him. "Would you get some flour and sugar while you're there? We still have a good amount of credit with Sandy."
"Sure, Babe. Be back in a couple of hours," pulling her close for a goodbye hug and kiss. Then as always… "I love you."
"Love you too."
This was their routine whenever either one of them would be leaving, even if only for a few hours. Things being what they are in the post-blackout world, you never know what could happen.
The Jones brothers ran a salvage yard. They would find abandoned houses and barns that were beyond saving and salvage everything useable- windows, lumber, shingles, and fixtures. Then bring them to their yard in town and clean them up for sale.
Bass had just finished loading his lumber from the salvage yard and was about to cross the street to Sandy's General Store and Thrift for the flour and sugar when an out-of-control wagon came barreling down the road. He watched in horror as the wagon was heading straight at a young mother and daughter as they were crossing the street. Bass threw himself at the women and little girl, pushing them out of the way just before they would have been hit, falling, and hitting his head. He had managed to avoid the horses' hooves but not the wagon. One of the wheels caught his right lower leg breaking it below the knee. He lay in the street unconscious.
"SOMEONE GET THE SHERIFF!" Rusty Jones yelled as he bent over Bass, making sure that he was alive.
Sheriff McElroy had heard the commotion and was coming out of the Sheriff's station to see what was happening. He saw that someone was lying in the street, and a woman and little girl were sitting on the side of the road crying. (What the hell?) Running to the accident scene, he recognized Bass as he was lying there unconscious and with his leg obviously broken.
"What the hell happened?"
"Runaway wagon," Rusty tells him.
He turns to his deputy, Sean Thompson, "Take Bird and get out to the Monroe's, get Charlie and bring back your mom."
"Rusty, we've got to get him out of the street." McElroy hands him his keys. "This one's for the clinic; get the stretcher. Where's the wagon now, and who the hell was driving it?"
"The Johnstone boy," Rusty's brother Greg replies. "A couple of the guys were able to get it under control. They brought it to the livery."
McElroy nodded. He would have to deal with that later. Rusty returned with the stretcher. The Sheriff had some first aid training and knew he had to move Bass carefully, protecting his neck and back. Between himself and the Jones brothers, they got him onto the stretcher and over to the clinic.
"Rosie!" McElroy called out to the owner of the diner. "Rosie, can you get the woman and little girl to the clinic and stay with them until Maddie gets here or until family shows up."
"Of course, Malcolm."
Sandy from the general store came over, and McElroy asked her to stay with Bass until Maddie and Charlie got there. He was going to talk to the owner of the wagon.
Charlie had been relaxing on the porch with a glass of sweet tea and a book when she heard a rider coming in hard. She went to the railing to see what was up.
"Charlie!" Sean calls out as he rides up.
"Sean?"
"Charlie! There's been an accident!"
Her heart skipped. "Bass? What happened? Is he alright?"
"He was run over by a runaway wagon. He saved a woman and her little girl, but he got hit."
"MY GOD! Tell me he's okay!" she's trying to hold it together and not panic.
"Looks like his leg is broken, and he hit his head. He was unconscious when I left town. Bird went for my mom."
Charlie ran to the pasture and collected Mazy. Sean helped her to saddle up then she took off for town, riding fast and hard. Sean with her. They caught up with Warren and Maddie as they, too, were rushing into town.
Almost an hour after the accident, they arrived at the clinic. Sandy was still sitting with Bass. The little girl and her parents sitting in one of the treatment rooms.
"Charlie," she greeted as Charlie rushed to Bass' side. "He was so brave. I heard yelling, so I looked out the window. I saw him get hit by the wagon when he saved that mother and little girl. It was awful."
"Thank you for staying with him." Charlie leaned over and kissed his forehead while wiping tears. "Bass…please Baby, wake up…please."
Maddie immediately started her assessment of Bass' condition.
"Charlie, from what I was told, he had a solid knock on the head, but his pupils look good. He should wake up, might take a little time. His pulse, breathing, and blood pressure are all good. He's pretty scratched up, and of course, there's his leg. He doesn't appear to have any broken ribs, so that's good. That is a nasty break, so he'll be in a cast for a while."
"He's going to be okay?" Charlie can't stop the tears now.
"If he wakes up soon, he should be. I'm going to check on the mother and little girl. Why don't you start getting his clothes off him."
Samantha was just six years old and was sitting with her mother and father when Maddie went over to them.
"Well, hi, my name is Maddie, and I'm going to look after you. What's your name?"
"Sammy…"
"Well, Sammy, you are one lucky girl." Maddie looked her over and determined that other than a broken arm, she was fine. "I'm going to need to put a cast on her arm," Maddie told her parents. "Sammy, I need you to be really still for me. Can you do that? The cast will help your arm get better, and it won't hurt as much." She nodded her head. "Good girl. Daddy, can you support her arm?"
"How long will she need the cast for?" her mom asked.
"Without having an x-ray, I'll have to be cautious and say at least six weeks, then we'll see. I'll be right back with the plaster."
"The man that saved her…is he going to be okay?" Sammy's father asked.
"He's pretty banged up, but he should be alright. His leg is badly broken, and he has a concussion. He's going to be out of commission for a while."
After finishing with Sammy, Maddie looked her mother over. She had some minor scrapes that Maddie cleaned and applied a salve to.
The Sheriff returned to the clinic to talk to Sammy and her parents, Mary and Jarvis Canterbury. He got the story from Mary and how Bass seemed to come from nowhere to shove them out of the way.
"Who was the man?" Jarvis asked.
"Sebastian Monroe. He and his wife have a farm out on County."
Jarvis had, of course, heard of him and had seen him in town but never met him.
Maddie checked in on Charlie and Bass. Charlie had gotten his clothes off, had to cut off his pants, and started to clean his scrapes and cuts. She nodded her approval and went back to apply Sammy's cast.
Charlie had cleaned all that she could and applied a salve. The abrasions on his back she was going to need Maddie's help with. When Maddie came back, she was sitting by his side, holding his hand.
He started to come around. Charlie jumped up and cupped his face. "Bass, Baby, open your eyes. Please…I need to see those baby blues."
He blinked, then slowly opened his eyes and tried to focus. "Ow…" he groaned.
"Bass, oh thank God," kissing his cheek.
"Charlie? What happened? Where am I?"
"You're in the clinic. You don't remember?"
"Last I remember…I was finished loading the lumber," he said softly.
"You're a hero, Bass," leaning over to kiss him again. "There was a runaway wagon, and you saved a little girl and her mother."
"No shit…"
Charlie laughed.
"Ugg…my leg hurts like fuck."
"It's broken. I'm afraid your style is going to be cramped for a while. Bass, I was so scared…Sean rode into the yard and said, you'd been in an accident. I didn't know what to think."
Just then, Maddie joined them. She had just finished with little Sammy.
"Hey, good to see those lovely blues. How's the head?"
"Bit of a headache."
"Yeah, it appears that you hit your head when you fell. Got a nice gash that will need a couple of stitches. Bass, your leg has a pretty nasty break. You're going to be in a cast for a while, eight weeks anyway."
"Ugg, fuck'n great."
"I'm going to get the plaster ready. Once your leg is stabilized, we'll get to the abrasions on your back and stitch up your noggin." Maddie gave him some of her precious pain medication, giving it time to kick in while she prepared the casting.
With Warren's help, they were able to remove his boot without causing him too much pain, then Maddie went to work on casting Bass' leg. When she was finished with everything, she gave him another dose of pain med. Then Warren and Rusty moved him to one of the clinic's beds.
Bass was dozing with Charlie by his side when a young man about Charlie's age approached.
"I'm Jarvis Canterbury," he said, introducing himself.
"Hello, I'm Charlie Monroe, and this is Bass."
Bass opened his eyes. "I'm sorry to disturb you, but we're heading home, and I wanted to thank you. You saved my wife and daughter, and I can't thank you enough."
"Are they alright?" Bass slurred from the pain med.
"Samantha broke her arm when she fell; Mary just has some scrapes. It could have been so much worse. I have to be honest; I know who you are, and I wasn't happy when I first learned that you had settled here, General."
"It's Bass, just Bass," he groaned.
"Okay, sorry. Anyway, if you weren't here… Anything I can do for you, just let me know."
"You're fine, no worries."
"Can I bring Sammy over to see you?"
"Sure. I have to tell you; I don't remember anything."
"Well, they sure do. Mary said you just jumped in front of that wagon."
Mary came over with Sammy. "You saved me. Look, I have one too!" Sammy held up her arm, showing him her cast."
"I guess we're cast buddies," Bass said, trying to keep his eyes open.
"We'll leave you to rest, Mr. Monroe," Mary said. "We just wanted to thank you."
"Bass, just Bass," he slurred.
The young family left, and Charlie leaned over and kissed him. "I'm so proud of you, but don't ever scare me like that again."
"I'll try not to," as he fell back to sleep.
Sandy brought Charlie some supper and a cup of tea. "How is he?"
"He's pretty out of it. Thanks for the stew and tea and for sitting with Bass."
"Of course. Anything I can do?"
"Yes, actually. Bass was supposed to get flour and sugar. Could you have 10 pounds of flour and sugar delivered to the livery? Use our credit."
"I can do that. But this time, it's on the house."
"Sandy, you don't need to do that."
"Think of it as payment for community service."
Charlie stayed with Bass all night, lying next to him on the bed, holding him, not wanting to let him go.
Maddie let Bass go home in the morning. His shirt was filthy, and his pants were destroyed, so Charlie had to visit the thrift store to find him some clothes to wear home and some pants that they could cut the pant leg to fit over his cast.
Warren collected their wagon from the livery; there was no charge for the boarding of the horses. He secured the lumber to one side so that Bass could lie in the back. Maddie's horse and Mazy were tethered to the back of the wagon. Maddie rode with Charlie in the wagon, while Warren rode alongside.
Back at the Double M, Warren helped Bass from the wagon. "Where do you want to go, Buddy?" handing Bass the crutches Maddie had given him.
"The front porch would be good, but I think I can manage."
"Yeah, I'm sure, but humor me. You got a decent hit to the noggin, don't want you getting dizzy and giving yourself another one on your first day home."
With Bass settled, Warren and Maddie were heading home.
"Thanks for everything," Charlie says.
"No need… and Charlie, don't be trying to do everything on your own. The farm will be taken care of."
A week later, Charlie asked Warren if he could find someone to come out to the farm a few days a week. She knows that Warren will help, but she feels like it's too much with his own farm to look after.
Warren arranged for Rusty's son, Michael, to go to the Double M three days a week until Bass was able to take over. Michael was twenty-six and helped out in his father's salvage yard. He was good friends with the Canterbury's. After what Bass had done, saving Sammy and Mary, Michael was more than pleased to help out, and he wasn't going to accept any payment.
Bass was four weeks into his forced vacation. Over the past week, he had become increasingly depressed and ornery. The inactivity was getting to him, and he hated that Charlie had to take on so much.
Bass started drinking sometime after lunch. Along with everything else he was feeling, today was the anniversary of the loss of his family; mother, father, and his two little sisters. He never forgets the day. Miles would always help him through it…until he left him stranded in Philly. Later after he and Charlie were together, she would be there for him, stopping him from falling into the abyss of depression.
His bottle was empty, and he hopped into the kitchen in search of another, stopping at the kitchen window and looking out to the backyard and barn. Charlie was there talking to Rusty's kid, and he didn't like how they were standing. Then Charlie reached out a placed her hand on his arm, and he followed her into the barn. Bass threw his glass, disgusted and angry. (How could she do that to him and right here!) Taking his newfound bottle, fuck the glass, he made his way back to the porch where he could stew and wallow to his heart's content. Feeling betrayed, the rage just grew as he battled with himself about what he thought he saw.
It was late and getting dark by the time Charlie made it back to the house. She was tired and dirty and in no mood to have to cook a dinner. They would have sandwiches and warmed-up stew.
It was dark in the house. Usually, Bass would have had some lamps lit. She lit the one that they kept on the kitchen table. (Where is he? Maybe he went to bed…)
"Bass?"
No answer.
"Hey, Bass? Hungry? "
Then she saw movement on the porch, and she headed outside.
"There you are, didn't you hear me calling you? Are you hungry? I'm just going to get washed and out of these dirty clothes, then I'll fix us some sandwiches and stew…."
Bass said nothing, wouldn't even look at her. She walked over to him.
"Bass? Are you listening? And why are you sitting in the dark? It's getting cold out here." She noticed the bottle resting on the arm of the chair, picking it up and scowling; she could see that it was almost empty.
"Where were you?" Bass growls, slurring his words.
"What do you mean? Where do you think I was? I went to check on the goats; Daisy is about to have her kid; she needs to be brought into the barn. Then I fed the pigs and did the evening eggs. Does that meet with your approval?" Charlie was getting annoyed. "How about you? What did you do, drink all day?"
"What the hell else do I have to do. Looks to me like you and Rusty's kid have everything under control. You like being with him? Young guy like that, is he a good lay?" he slurred.
"WHAT? WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!"
"I SAW YOU! I saw you touch him and bring him into the barn. Did you take him to our special place? Did you scratch your itch?"
She slapped him hard. "FUCK YOU BASS! YOU THINK SO LITTLE OF ME THAT I WOULD DO THAT TO YOU? YOU'RE AN ASSHOLE! YOU'RE DRUNK AND BEING MORONIC JACKASS." She spun on her heel and slammed into the house. She was so mad she could spit, and she couldn't look at him.
Charlie went upstairs to their bedroom, knowing that he couldn't climb the stairs. No longer hungry, she stripped out of her dirty clothes, cleaned up with some cool water that they kept in the bathroom and threw herself onto the bed, and cried.
After she calmed, she lay there thinking about what had come over him. He's an active man, and she knew that the confinement of the cast was getting to him, but still. Then she remembered what day it was. (Shit…) She had been so busy that she lost track of the date. Charlie knows that he is insecure and has abandonment issues…but he went too far…too far.
Even blitzed, he realized what he had just done. His brain finally catches up with his mouth. (FUCK! SHIT! What the hell's wrong with me?) Heaving himself out of the chair, grabbing his crutches, he makes his way into the house. He's so drunk he can hardly walk and maneuver the crutches. The only light is coming from the lantern that Charlie had lit on the kitchen table. He can't hear her. Looking up the open stairway, he sees their bedroom door closed. (Shit…).
Making his way to the spare room where they had been sleeping since his leg, he almost falls twice. Dropping the crutches, he falls onto the bed and passes out.
It was after midnight when he woke up, still drunk and alone. No Charlie. He remembers… (Fuck…Shit) Almost falling out of bed, he just makes it to the bathroom where he empties his stomach and then his bladder. He's having trouble staying upright, and he'd be on the floor if it weren't for the crutches. As it is he doesn't know how he's managing that.
Flopping back onto the bed, the room is spinning. Two hours later, he's still watching the ceiling go in circles, and even as drunk as he is, he's not able to sleep. He hasn't slept without Charlie in almost four years. Even during the war, they were sleeping together. Hauling his still drink ass out of bed, he makes his way to the bottom of the stairs.
"CHARLOTTE! he drunkenly bellows. "CHARLOTTE!, PLEASE! … I'm sorry…I'm so sorry." Slurring and crying. Sloppy drunk.
The door opens. "Stop bellowing and go to bed!"
"Can't sleep. Can't sleep without you. Charlotte, I miss you. I love you. Please come to bed." Now he almost blubbers.
"Not my problem. Go to bed, Sebastian." Turning, she goes back into their bedroom and slams the door.
Bass stands at the bottom of the stairs a little longer, staring up at the door, then bounces off the walls as he makes his way back to bed. He's still awake a half-hour later, lying with his arm over his eyes when Charlie comes into the room. She goes to the other side of the bed, climbs in without speaking and lays on her side facing away.
He knows enough to leave her alone. "I can't sleep either," she whispers. Bass smiles and then sleeps.
The sun is barely showing, and Charlie is up and dressed. She has a splitting headache. In the kitchen she lights the fire in the stove and puts coffee on before going out to the chickens. Maddie would be here later to collect her surplus eggs and goat's milk and bring them to the market.
Bass was still passed out, and she could hear his drunken snore when she returned to the kitchen to have her breakfast of oatmeal, fruit, and coffee. Tucker had been sleeping on the floor next to Bass, and he came padding into the kitchen to be let outside. Charlie gave him a scratch and went to sit outside to finish her coffee. Michael would be coming later. She would have him move Daisy to the barn.
She's still hurting over Bass's behavior. (Asshole).
Rinsing her cup, she heads out to start her day. Tucker returned to the bedroom to be with Bass.
Hours later, Bass wakes, and again, with his leg being a hindrance, he barely makes it to the bathroom. His stomach empty, his head pounding, he heads to the kitchen. The fire is almost out, and the coffee's old. Charlie isn't around, not that he expected her to be. (Fuck) Getting a cup of the disgusting coffee, he sits at the table with his aching head resting on his arms.
Charlie is determined to stay away from the house as long as she can. She doesn't want to talk to him. She doesn't even want to look at him. (Moron, fucking jackass). She had just gotten the animals fed, and the horses turned out. There were four now that they added two draft horses to pull the farm equipment and Lilly.
Maddie arrived to pick up Charlie's eggs and milk. Not seeing Charlie, she called out. When there was no answer, she went to the house, knocked, and walked into the kitchen. Bass was still sitting at the table, morose and hurting.
"Jesus Bass, you smell like Bud's Bar. Where's Charlie?"
"Do'n know," was all he said.
Maddie shrugged and went to find Charlie. She found her out with the goats checking on Daisy.
"Over here," she answered Maddie's call.
Maddie looked at her. She was a mess, face blotchy, eyes red and swollen. "Wanna talk about it?" her friend asked as she dropped an arm around Charlie's shoulders.
She just nodded. Charlie had started to cry again when she saw her friend. They went to sit in the chairs by the lake. "I'd make coffee, but I don't want to go in the house. I don't want to see the asshole."
Wow, Maddie thought. These two are always all over each other; what the hell could have happened. Then Charlie continued. She told Maddie all that had happened.
"He had already been drinking when he saw me talking to Michael. He's been having a hard time being laid up. He's so active."
"That's no excuse."
Charlie went on to explain. "I usually spend that day with him, but with all that's happened, I lost track of the date. Maddie, he's so insecure, and being insecure, he gets jealous."
"What was so special about yesterday?"
"Everyone he's loved has left one way or another. He was having a bad day. When Bass was in Afghanistan with Miles, he watched as half of his squad was decimated by a roadside bomb. Then seventeen years ago, his mother, father, and two sisters died in a car crash not long after. He had just gotten back from Afghanistan. They were a close family. It really hit him hard. After the funeral, my uncle found him that night sitting in the cemetery with a gun. If Miles hadn't found him….
Two years after the blackout, he and Miles set up a camp to provide safety from road gangs and such. Bass met a young woman, they married. She became pregnant and then died in childbirth along with his baby girl. Bass lost himself then. He went to a very dark place."
"My God, who wouldn't."
"Now, add to that my uncle, his best friend since they were kids … they thought of themselves as brothers, abandoned him when he was at his lowest.
Miles and Bass, they did everything together. Miles got himself into trouble, and Bass even gave up college to follow Miles into the Marines.
Miles and Bass formed the Republic together. It started out that they were going to offer safety and stability, return some semblance of order. They both got too ambitious, and it all went sideways. There had been some assassination attempts, and Bass started slipping into paranoia. He did some horrible things. And instead of trying to help him… one night, Miles decided that he had had enough and that Bass was too far gone, beyond help. He went into Bass' bedroom and put a gun to his head. Obviously, he couldn't pull the trigger …they were still brothers. Still, he left, and Bass fell even deeper into paranoia and depression.
Now add to all of that, he finds out that he has a son. A son that was kept away from him. A son he had never had the chance to meet. His mother sent him away when Bass was President of the Republic. She was afraid of him. She had my Uncle Miles take him to Mexico.
After Bass found out about Connor, that's his name, he went to Mexico to look for him. He found him, the adopted son of a drug lord. Connor wanted nothing to do with him. In fact, the drug Lord, Nunez, had him whipped. They were going to sell him to bounty hunters. He barely escaped. Yet, with all of this, he still looks to my uncle for forgiveness when it should be the other way around. They both have things that need forgiving.
So, you see, It's all very complicated. He's so very damaged, but I love him very much…but I'm still not ready to see him."
"I can get that. That's more than any one person should have to endure. He and your uncle ever work things out?"
"Not entirely, no. My mother has a lot to do with that. She and my uncle are together. She hates Bass. She can't forgive him for things that happened with the Republic, especially after Miles left.
Then there is the whole age hang-up thing."
"I know he's older…how old is he?"
"He's forty-seven."
"He doesn't look any older than forty. What's he worried about?"
"That I'll grow tired of him as he gets older and want to be with someone younger. It's been a major hang-up."
"I get it. Boy, he's got some issues."
"Yeah, mostly they're tucked away, occasionally they make an appearance."
They sat and talked for a bit longer, then Maddie had to get to town. As Maddie drove away, she couldn't help but think about all Charlie had told her. She was stunned hearing Bass' story, and she knew there still had to be more to it. She liked Bass; he's a good man that got caught up in a bad life.
Charlie, still not ready to see him, avoided the house and kept herself busy with farm chores.
When Maddie returned from town, she told Warren what was going on with the Monroe's. She filled him in on all that Charlie had told her.
"I'll go over there tomorrow, bring him into town, get him out for a while. I'll tell him that I need feed grain and such," Warren says.
"That's a fine idea."
That night was miserable in the Monroe house. Charlie still wouldn't speak to him. She ignored him except to tell him he stank and to get cleaned up or she would be sleeping upstairs.
She made a simple supper, slammed his plate on the table, and retreated to the upstairs bedroom until it was time to go to bed. Bass had given up trying to talk to her, for now.
The following morning went much the same. Michael arrived, and he helped her move Daisy to the barn.
Warren showed up late morning.
"Warren, this is a surprise,"
"I have to go into town for some feed grain and such. I thought I would take the General with me. Maddie filled me in. I'll get him out of your hair for a bit."
"Thanks, Warren."
"He's in the house?"
"Yeah."
Warren walked into the kitchen and called out, "Hey! Duffus!"
Bass was in the bedroom trying to balance while he straightened the bed. Warren found him and gave him a hand.
"So, what brings you out?" Bass had a fairly good idea what. He was sure that Maddie would have talked to him.
"Going into town. Let's go."
"I don't…."
Warren interrupted, "don't care, you're coming."
Bass grumbled. (It'll probably be good to get out, I guess... give Charlie some space.)
Warren left his wagon behind Sandy's General Store and Thrift. He helped Bass down…which Bass hated but was necessary, and they went inside.
"Hi Warren, hey Bass. Good to see you. How are you doing? How much longer in the cast?"
"Hi Sandy, about four more weeks, I guess. I can't wait; it sucks."
"Yeah, I bet."
Bass looked around while Warren picked up what he needed. He noticed some fresh chocolate fudge on the counter. He bought some as a peace offering to Charlie.
After Sandy's, Warren dragged him to get coffee. No Booze for Bass today. As they made their way to the Coffee Bar, people on the street would stop and greet him. Shop owners came out to shake his hand. He was a local celebrity. It made him uncomfortable but also feel good at the same time. (Shit, all it took was for me to almost get myself killed to be accepted.)
Before heading back to the farms, Bass bought several pots of colorful mums for Charlie as well. She loved the fall flowers and their bright colors.
When Warren dropped Bass home, he helped him to arrange the flowers near the back porch. "Bass, my friend, you have some major sucking up to do."
"Don't I know it. Thanks, Warren."
"Anytime, friend. Now, fix it with the missus."
It was close to supper time when Charlie came back to the house. After finishing with the chores, she took Mazy out for a ride. Stalling to avoid going back to the house.
After settling Mazy in the barn, she walked to the house. She couldn't help but smile when she saw the mums arranged by the back steps. She loved mums. (He's still not off the hook.)
Walking into the kitchen, she did a quick look around for Bass and didn't see him. She washed up, then poured herself a lemonade and sat on the couch with her book.
Bass was sitting outside, trying unsuccessfully to read. He couldn't concentrate. He had heard her come into the house and waited to see if she would come out to see him. When ten minutes went by, he knew he would have to go to her…as he should.
Picking up the package of fudge, he awkwardly made his way into the house. He saw Charlie on the couch; he sat beside her.
"Charlie, I would get on my knees if I could. I'm so, so, sorry. I'm a fuck'n idiot. I was a major asshole. Those things I said…I…I…I don't know why I said them. I have no excuse. There is no excuse. I'm so sorry. I love you. I love you more than anything. Please forgive me." He handed her the fudge hoping that she wouldn't throw it at him.
Charlie sat silent for a few minutes, letting him sweat. "You think the flowers and fudge will make up for what you said to me?"
"No…." the tears he had been holding back falling now.
"How could you even think those things, Bass? Don't you know how much I love you? I'm not going to leave you, Bass. I'll never leave you. That's unless you treat me like that. Don't ever do that again."
Charlie got up from the couch and went into the kitchen while Bass continued to sit, full of remorse.
After getting herself together, Charlie returned and kissed him. "I love you, moron. I've missed you." She wipes his cheeks.
"I've missed you too."