Disclaimer: pick one of the last five.
A/N: I've been dying to write the drive bit for a while now. I love long drives, especially when I don't have to drive and can just be lost in my own world of thoughts... anyways! The song is a free translation of a beautiful song in my language, so if it doesn't seem like an actual song that's why. You'll have to trust me that it's a great one. It's a short chapter, but I promise there's more to come. Enjoy!
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We've been driving in complete silence for the past 10 minutes, and I still have no idea where we're going. I figured if I gave him some space he'd open up a bit and at the very least tell me what the call was about, seeing as I'm going with him. Not Harm. He might as well be on another continent, he's so far away.
Four minutes later, none the wiser, I decide to break the silence.
"Harm, talk to me." I say in the softest voice possible. The last thing I want to do is startle him when he's driving.
He takes in a deep breath, but says nothing.
My hand automatically reaches to cover his on the gear and I finally get a glance and half a smile.
"It was Mattie."
I stay quiet, knowing he needs the time.
"She was with her dad tonight. Apparently, he went out after she'd gone to bed." Finally his eyes really meet mine as we're standing at a red light, and my breath catches. "He came home drunk."
"Oh no..." I sigh involuntarily.
"She said she couldn't stay there a minute longer. I could hear the fear in her voice, Mac. Damn it!" I didn't expect him to yell or hit the steering wheel as he did, I admit I jumped. "I thought he was better than that! I thought... I don't know what I was thinking..."
"Harm, you thought, rightfully so, that Mattie needed to patch things up with her dad. You believed that he'd understand she needs him and be a better man. You see the good in people, and that's not a bad thing! It just doesn't work sometimes.."
He's back to staring at the road silently. Knowing now that we're headed to Blacksburg, I relax into my seat and stare up at the stars in the still dark skies. He'll talk when he's thought the whole thing through again, no sense in pushing him.
I rest my head against the cool glass and wonder why I'm not more upset about Mattie. I grew up with a drunk father, I know what she's going through, I know, no, I feel the feelings welling inside her. And yet I have no desire to put my fist through a wall. Maybe it's because I know she has Harm as her guardian angel. Maybe I'm growing detached in my old age. Maybe I'm over analyzing again. Ding ding ding! Yup, that would be it.
I let my eyes drift shut as I try to clear my mind. Enough of this. I'm here for Harm and for Mattie and I need to be the calm rational voice if they're gonna get through this night.
I hear Harm turning on the radio and soft slow music is filling the space between us, gently flowing around me, swirling color in the darkness of my mind.
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I need to calm down. For Mattie's sake I need to get there with my wits about me. I'm going to get there, take her, say nothing to him and go home. I'll talk with him when he's sober and I've calmed down. Not nearly convincing enough. Thank god Mac insisted on coming. I was actually a bit afraid of telling her about it at first. After all she doesn't need any more memories from her unpleasant past. But she took it rather well. I'm sure she's upset for Mattie, but at least her shadows aren't claiming her again.
I risk a glance in her direction and a minute later I'm startled to find myself in the wrong lane. Thank god there's no traffic.
She'd fallen asleep, with her head against the window. She's sitting with both legs on the seat beside her, the hood of her sweater serving as a pillow.
I open the radio and find a station playing soft oldies.
The lyrics drift in and out of my head and the tune stays. It's a catchy one, and I find myself singing along when the chorus plays again.
Kiss me honey now,
Kiss me, make me sigh,
And the sun won't set on us.
You're the only one for me
My wonderful sweet pea
And I love you so much.
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There's something else. His voice. He's singing with the radio. He must think I'm sleeping. My thoughts are confirmed when I feel his hand caressing my foot, and I can't help the smile that tugs at my lips. His singing stops, he's humming to the music now.
We are both in the car,
How I wish that we could just drive on forever.
You are thinking that I'm long since asleep,
And I can't hear you now.
You with a cigar in your lips,
Singing with the radio,
An old lovers song.
Harm's strong voice joins in. I'm thanking my lucky stars his caress hasn't stopped.
Kiss me honey now,
Kiss me, make me sigh,
And the sun won't set on us.
You're the only one for me
My wonderful sweet pea
And I love you so much.
The chorus repeats and I don't think my heart's ever been so full. I do wish we could drive on forever. I open one eye and find him focused on the road ahead, one hand on the wheel, the other still at my foot. He obviously has no idea what he's doing to me, and there's no way in hell I'm stopping him. I close my eye and relax even more. We still have a while longer to drive. I can pretend it's forever, just for now.
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TBC