CHAPTER 1
(TARA'S P.O.V)
I plodded through the streets of Bon Temp at eight pm heading home, since I had finished my shift. I was exhausted, since today which was Friday was usually a very busy day at the Merlott's bar. I usually would've been driving home, but my car was at the mechanic, and Lafayette and Sookie were working the late shift. Despite being able to call someone else, I decided to take my time to stroll home. I needed to process the bad news that I had received; I had admitted my mom into the hospital after finding her passed out from drinking again yesterday, and if that wasn't bad enough, Jason pulled me aside today, and confessed he had shot Eggs by accident.
Just when my life started to look up, the universe had to take it all away again. What was it going to take for me to finally have happy moments in my life?. I was so fucking tired of witnessing, or discovering my loved ones hurt or ended up dead. Suddenly without any warning, a heavy burst of showers of rain began to fall, soaking me completely. Pushing my hair out of my face sadly, I finally let out a quiet sob, feeling heartbroken and defeated. There was no shelter at the moment, so I continued to plod hoping the rain would stop.
Suddenly a black Chevrolet Bel Air pulled up next to me to my relief. "Tara?!," I heard Mario call out to me, as he quickly shut the driver's door, umbrella over his head, as he quickly covered both of us with his umbrella. "Why are you walking through the rain?," he questioned worriedly, seeing my tear stricken face. "Just had a really shitty day…" I whispered. Without prying any further, Mario guided me to the front passenger side making sure I got in, as he quickly hopped back into the driver's seat and sped off.
(MARIO'S P.O.V)
Twenty minutes later, I was sitting in Tara's living room while she got cleaned up. The heavy rain hadn't let up, but that wasn't the reason I had chosen to stay and talk to Tara. Finding her wet and unhappy really worried me. I hadn't seen Tara for a couple of days due to tending to other business affairs in the next town. This was the second time I discovered Tara crying, and as much as it wasn't my business, I hated to see her in emotional turmoil. I turned to see her coming down the hall, now dressed in a fitted long cotton blue pajama pants, with a white large T-shirt. She flopped down next to me on the couch not looking at me, but straight ahead which was at the withdrawn window.
"What happened Tara?," I gently asked. She still didn't turn to look at me. "If you needed a ride from work, all you needed to do was pick up the phone, and hit me up." "I didn't need a ride." She abruptly answered coldly.
"I mean," she rephrased, finally looking at me, her tone of voice soft now. "I walked on purpose, because I needed to clear my head. In the process of doing so, the rain came down. Like I said I had a really shitty day…" "I'm all ears," I said kindly, waiting for her to elaborate. "You notice the house is extremely quiet?," Tara gestured around us. "Well yesterday Mom had to be admitted to the hospital, because she relapsed drinking alcohol again." "I'm so sorry Tara," I said as she smiled weakly at me. "To top it off, Jason pulled me aside tonight to let me know he not only shot and killed by accident a dear friend of mine. Jesus this is all too much…" She didn't start crying again, but she had suddenly gone mute with emotion. Her eyes had grown distant and cold, as she sat there stiffly. Not wanting to say the wrong thing, I chose my words carefully, as I slowly wrapped my arms around her. "I'm not sure how you're gonna take this, but I think it's time you see a therapist."
She turned to stare at me sadly. "You've been through alot Tara, not just these moments, even your experience with Maryann. I think it's time to talk about it, not just with me but with a professional. I admire how you hold it together and cope, but if I were to be honest you're not coping well with this. So it's time. It's time to talk and heal." Tara never said anything that night, as we continued to sit on her sofa in complete silence.