Best Friend
Part 12 - Questionable Dilemmas Needn't Apply!
R-M
Bonnie and Damon's characters have more layers to them than meets the eyes. So, bear with me as things are revealed. I'm not really trying to make either of them unlikeable. I'm trying to make them relatable as the story progresses. Everything can't be revealed in one or two chapters. My writing tends to get detailed, so it's hard for me to say everything in few words, when I am trying to really build their characters a certain way. The relationships they have built with Sybil and Bonnies fiancé will also shed light on who they are today. With that said, it will be a few chapters of understanding these dynamics. Btw, I am very well educated on PTSD, but that has is one of those layers, that takes careful consideration for the time I spend developing these two people. Thank you for your continuous support. I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Three days had past. Every day Bonnie met with Damon and had breakfast at the diner with Dylan. Ginny had opted to spend a lot of time with Stefan, which worked out for Bonnie, since telling Damon about Dylan.
"So, your friend and Stefan, huh? This is the most time I've ever seen him spend with one girl since high school."
"Yeah, well, they get along so well, it's almost too perfect. She's never tied to anyone too long either. She's a ball player and she spends a lot of time with men, and most men can't handle that." Bonnie said as she fed Dylan.
"I get it. I'd hate it too. Men can't be trusted."
"Neither can women, as we both know." Bonnie looked at him shaking her head. "Why her, huh? Doodle? Why my mentor?"
"Really? We gettin' into this now?"
"Yes, I deserve to know. I felt betrayed and hurt when I came home for Grams funeral. Finding out about her at that point was, very painful."
"But you were with Kol."
"Kol and I actually broke up, before the funeral. When you and I decided to try things out again. Then you deployed."
"I'll answer your question, if you tell me, why you ain't worn that big ass ring, you tried throwin' in my face. For the past three days, you ain't worn it."
"I don't know, I just haven't put it on. It's a little too flashy for me. Besides, it's always scratchin' Dylan. He hates it."
"Oh, so you don't wear it, because "our son" hates it?"
"Yes. Now answer my question. Why her?"
"Well, see she and I ain't start out serious. Okay. I came back from Korea, and I was alone. She used to offer to bring me dinner and talk. I was alone, she was headed for divorce. She was goin' to some support group, for divorcees. She invited me. It was helpin' me. Then one night one thing lead to another."
"So, you and her, are like my momma and G? You were both divorced and felt abandoned, so you connected?"
"Yeah, if you wanna put it that way. It was just sex for long time. Comfort. After Korea, I went to Georgia for a while to clear, then I went straight to Texas for two years. And she visited me a couple times, I was too busy in Texas to be serious with her. So, when I got orders to go back to Georgia, I told her, and we kind of decided to start dating, which was why she was here for the funeral with me. That's when she met Stefan-"
"And hit on him?"
"She is flirty, is all."
"Stefan told me she made a pass at him. She literally was suggestive with him before she knew he was your brother."
"Anyways... then, when you decided, you were done with me, I proposed to her one drunk night."
Bonnie looked down and wiped tears from her eyes. "I get it. You felt like I abandoned you, and she was there for you. It makes sense. I feel terrible for everything that's happened between us. She made you happy, and you wanted to be in a position, where she didn't abandon you. I get it."
"It was a drunken mistake. She and I broke up a while back, which means we ain't engaged. Right now, we're just... nothin' really."
"But you love her, don't you?"
"Honestly, I don't know. Right now, we're friends. Seein' where things go. But, in a heart beat, I'd end things with her, for you. I would. Because she don't mean to me, what you do. You just have to be willing to forgive me, for my mistakes. Which, when I look at your face right now, I don't know that you ever will."
"Why her?"
"She just, catered to me I guess. She's the kind of woman, that gives a man anything he wants, and naw, that don't mean you didn't do that. She's just, never questions nothin.' She does whatever I want, without me askin' her to. It may sound strange, but men like that. Don't make it right but it makes us feel important, and needed." He looked at Bonnie.
"And me, how did I make you feel?"
"Challenged. You challenged everything. You have this, defiant nature Birdie. Always have. But I've always loved it about you. Before I hurt you, you went along with everything I said. You trusted me. Then one day, you kinda looked at me different, and that was after I lied about joinin' the military, and you ain't never looked at me the same as you did when you was seventeen." He frowned. "It was my fault."
"You hurt me. I trusted you more than anyone."
"I know. I'll regret it for the rest of my life. Now you're in LA, and don't want nothin' to do with no country bum like me."
"Stop. You're my country bum. You're the best man I know. You really are a good man, Damon." She cut into her pancakes and fed him. "Remember when we were married, and we shared pancakes?"
"I love when you fed me, Baby girl. We shared everything. That first year, we shared toothbrushes."
"Gosh, we were disgustin' huh?"
"Naw, I never had a problem sharin' things with you." He smiled. "You liked when I licked food off of your face."
"I hated that." She laughed.
"No, you didn't." He said, grabbing her face and licking it. She pushed him off and laughed. "Here try this, it's good." He put a fork of his omelet, into her mouth. She ate it, and hummed. "Good right? This omelette was created for Stefan. He used to ask for it all the time. Finally, Oscar, just created it for him, put it right on the menu."
"No way, I never knew the Country Boy Omelette was named for Stefan.
"Yup." He put another forkful in her mouth. He watched her eat it, and love it. "I think you love it more than me." He looked at Dylan, "Wanna try uncle Steffy's favorite Omelet?" He put some eggs in his son's mouth. "Good huh? Not like momma's burnt eggs?" He started to laugh and Bonnie smacked him. "What, you remember burnt eggs, right?"
"Excuse me, when we were married I didn't burn one egg." She rolled her eyes.
"I know. But sixteen, seventeen-year-old you, couldn't focus on cookin' an egg to save your life."
"I'll have you know, my son, loves my food."
"Right? Well, I hope you cook country food for my boy, and not that LA shit."
"What's LA shit, Doodle?" She said crossing her arms and giving him the staredown.
"Ya know, sprouts, eggplants, avocado, sushi, and what's that shit they do now, vegan? Pft. Please, I hope he eats the food you grew up eatin' baby girl."
"He does most days. He loves my food. His favorite is, cornbread, and mac n cheese."
"He eat vegetables?"
"Ehh, he does. But he don't prefer them." She laughed.
"Good, normal kids don't like vegetables until they're no longer kids." He watched her drink her hot cocoa, and waited for her to finish drinking so he could drink some.
"I thought you wanted orange juice. Why do you always drink the last of my cocoa, instead of order your own?"
"Because for some reason, it always tastes better when you order it. Why do you always, eat the last bite of whatever I food I ordered?" He asked narrowing his eyes at her.
"Because, you're supposed to give the last bite of food to the one you love." She smiles eating the last bite of his omelette. "Everybody knows that." She pokes his nose and grabs Dylan. "Here, let's put Dylan between us and take a family picture."
"Fine, but can you do me a favor, baby girl?"
"What's that?" She asks as she grabs their son and sits him between them.
"Call him by his name. Dylan's a cute name and all, but his name is Dimitri."
"Do you remember when we were kids, and your mom left, and you thought you weren't lovable? You said, maybe if I was more lovable she would've stayed. Maybe if I was Dylan instead of Damon, I'd be more lovable. Because you thought Dylan was a lovable name." She laughed.
"I think I may or may not, recollect, such a weird conversation."
"Well, it always stuck with me, and I said, let me give my son the name his father always thought was lovable. Because maybe, he'd hear it one day, and remember what it meant to want to feel so loved by his momma. Then he'd know, he's was so loved." She shook her head feeling stupid. "But now that you can't even remember that conversation, it makes no sense as to why I named him, Dimitri Dylan. I would've made him a Jr. or Damon the second, but, you always said you never wanted a Junior. But some days, I regret not naming him Damon."
He looked at her astonished. The fact that she remembered such details to his life, and thought out things, so carefully when it came to him, made him smile. "Dimitri Dylan, is perfect. Honestly."
"If it means anything to you, my momma calls him Dimitri. She always has."
"It actually means a lot to me, considering your grams called me Dimitri. And I loved your grams like she was my own."
"I know you did. She loved you like you were her own too." She smiled at him, sweetly.
"Grams always was a great judge of character." He helped her adjust Dylan. "Okay, so selfie time?"
"Yeah. And Doodle, you have to smile. Our son loves smilin' and if you don't smile, you won't look happy to be here with the two of us." Bonnie held the cell phone out a couple of times to snap pictures.
"Aye, should I take the picture for you?" Oscar said walking to the table.
"Oscar, hey, long time no see." Damon's said. "Yes, please take the picture. A few, if you can."
"Sure thing." As he snapped the pictures he spoke. "All these years later you two still are a beautiful couple. I remember during high school you two sneakin' here sometimes. Good to see you both order the homemade buttermilk pancakes still."
"Those pancakes. No one's recipe is like yours Oscar. These pancakes are melt in your mouth amazing." Bonnie said.
"Well I gotta go let the day-time manager off and start my shift. Good to see you love birds still happy and beautiful as ever. And the boy, he's perfect. Must be a blessing after the loss. Stick with each other. Life is too short and people are too mistrusting to not have each other. Good day, kids. I should get to the kitchen."
"Bye Oscar." They said simultaneously. They looked at each other and Bonnie sighed. She tried to adjust Dylan's clothes and wipe his face.
"I agree with him, ya know. The world is filled with mistrusting people. Two kinds. The ones who ain't to be trusted, and the ones who make mistakes. I made a mistake, Birdie. I made several mistakes. But, I mean, you keepin' me, from knowin' I had a son... god. That hurts me. I mean, I cried all night, the night I found out. The reason, I ain't say nothin' the next day at the diner, was because the sight of you and Dimitri, made me wanna cry again. Realizing the two of you have been livin' this life without me. I felt hurt and betrayed."
Bonnie grabbed his hand after putting Dylan in his car seat. He had fallen asleep after eating, like always, and Bonnie tucked him into his car seat. As she held Damon's hand, she frowned. "Damon, I've never wanted to hurt you. I'll be honest, I had no intentions to tell you right now. I'm not perfect. I made a selfish decision." She held his hand tighter. "You surprised me bein' home. I hadn't heard your voice in so long, or seen your face, that I didn't have to feel the hurt or obligation that came with not telling you. But the moment you and I slept together again, I was filled with guilt. Because I knew I had to tell you and I didn't think I could handle it." Her face remained fixated on his hands, and she rubbed her fingers across his skin, in a repeated, circular motion. He watched as her face held back tears.
"Bird, you hurt me. You took away the opportunity for me to know my son for almost two years. You took away the right, for me to be a father."
"I know. I'm sorry. I don't even have the words. You deserve more. But I was hurt, and we just can't get into that right now."
"And I can't just be mad. Just like you can't let yourself hate me, for what I've done to you, I can't let myself stay angry at you. Of course, I'm angry, but the best thing for our son, isn't to keep bein' angry with each other. I have so many things I need to say to you, but, what matters to me, right now, is this beautiful baby boy, gettin' to know me."
"I want that. I want the two of you to spend time together."
..x..
Stefan was at his place, with Ginny. They decided to go for, yet another run. As much as Stefan didn't want to admit it, even though he was in good shape, Ginny could run circles around him. She traipsed around with her teeny tiny Under Armor Shorts, and sports bra. Her running shoes were brightly colored, and Stefan rolled his eyes every time he saw them on her feet. "I think you wear those for attention." He said jogging behind her. She turned her body to him and jogged backwards, laughing at him.
"Stefan, you're just jealous, because I'm faster than you. Not to mention, you're so out of touch with running shoes and workout gear, you don't realize ninety percent of workout clothes and shoes are absurdly colored and designed these days."
"Tell me why athletes are cocky, individuals."
"Well, we have a right to be. Our bodies are our business. Listen if I ever want to be on ESPN'S body issue, I've gotta take my body seriously."
"You mean, like Serena Williams and Colin Kaepernick?"
"Exactly. I'll be aspiring for such greatness one day." He looked her up and down, and bit his lip in concern.
"So, until then, is this the kinda thing you wear year-round, when you run in LA, or wherever?"
"Yeah. It's easier to run like this. If it's cold then I wear sweat pants, and a hoodie, but it's rarely cold in California." She smiles and shakes her head at him. "Does this bother you?"
"Well, kinda yeah. I mean, you ain't barely wearin' nothin' do you have any idea where a man's eyes wander, better yet... his mind? You don't leave much to the imagination."
Ginny licks the top row of her teeth and puts her hands on her hips. "So, this, is a problem?"
"I don't know, but it's not the way, I would want you to run around, especially if I'm not around."
"Hey, Stef, remember, this was fun. Us having fun. Right? I feel like you're getting weird on me."
"Listen, I'm not gettin' weird. It's your life. I just, thought that I could voice a concern is all. Don't mind me, I'm just some beautiful country man, that gives your body the best hurtin' you ever had. The man who you've spent the past week with. The man, whose name you call out every day and night. The man who took you to the rodeo, and taught you how to ride a horse. The man that-"
"Oh, my gosh. Give yourself much props, huh? I get it." She grabs his hands, "Let's not fight okay. I'm having fun with you and I don't want to screw it up by a worthless argument that could have been avoided."
"You ever made love in a public place?"
"Does a beach count?"
"Depends, were you in the water in broad daylight, or on the sand?"
"Water. Early evening." She said. "Sun was setting, it was quite romantic."
"I'll bet it was. You see that park over there?"
"Yeah."
"You see that tree?"
"Yeah."
"Come on let's go." He said pulling her along. He walked her all the way across the street, where a blanket was laid out and a picnic baskets as sitting on it.
"Umm, Stefan, what is this?"
"Surprise. I made you lunch. It's sort of healthy too. Well, maybe. It's just fruit and raw veggies I sliced up, along with some turkey sandwiches." He sat her down on the blanket and sat beside her. Ginny felt nervous. She sat with Stefan and timidly enjoyed his lunch, a la picnic-style. Stefan surprised her, because she was actually looking forward to having sex in a public place, in the daylight.
"You look disappointed?" He asked-stated.
"No, I'm not. Just surprised. I mean, I didn't think this was a thing. I mean- I don't want to sound- ya know let's just enjoy this. You took time on this, and it means a lot to me." Ginny said, but felt unsure of what her and Stefan were actually doing.
..x..
Abby's spent time alone today. She needed to sort through her life. She loves a man that she could possibly lose if she told him the truth. She loves another man, that once had something great with her, but their relationship proved to be more harmful than good. She knew her and G were over. She didn't want to rekindle any romance with him. She wanted there to be a peaceful existence between the two, where they both decided it was okay to move on.
Nik was the man for her. He never tried changing her, nor did he ever ask her to be someone she wasn't. They were the best of friends, and because of that, she fell in love with him. She fell in love for the first time in a healthy way. She didn't even have this same love for Bonnie's father. She was young, and got pregnant young, and stayed because she grew up with her parents. Even though, her parents didn't get along, they stayed together. Her mantra was to stay for the daughter they had. But all of the lonely years Abby spent with a man, who was always halfway across the world the majority of their marriage, forced her to have a scuffed vision of what love was. She didn't believe in her marriage enough to even stay with her husband. She stayed alone with Bonnie for years. It wasn't until she met Nik, and got to know Nik, and became best friends with him, that she realized what healthy natural love was.
With that being said, she realized, that Bonnie and Damon had a better idea of what love was than she ever did. But, she feared so much that Bonnie would end up like her, she self-sabotaged her own relationship with Bonnie, forcing Bonnie to become self-sabotaging at separate moments.
She looked through old photo albums. Her husband was rarely in a picture. But, for whatever reason, G, Damon, Stefan, and Sheila were there. Bonnie's family. The people Bonnie could always lean on. She had to make better decisions starting today. She called G, and told him the situation. She let him know they needed to have a paternity test done, because she couldn't move on until she knew the truth.
That's when G told her, "Darlin' I had a vasectomy after Stefan. There's no way, I can possibly father anymore children."
"Oh God, are you serious?" She asked crying.
"I am as serious as a cab driver in New York. It's physically, genetically impossible."
"Oh, thank God. I- I was so worried. I'm gettin' married in two weeks, and I couldn't, do this without him knowing the truth."
"So, the question is, now that you know it's not me, you gonna tell him what we did four months ago?"
"You gonna tell Lily?"
"Hell naw. I can't risk-"
"I know. Me neither. It was a mistake. Somethin' that'll never..."
"Ever..."
"Happen again." They spoke at the same time.
"Okay, let me say, G... I'm sorry. We, we never should've... ya know. And now we have ruined our kids relationship."
"Well, all we can do, now, is try and guide them the right direction."
"Which is where?" Abby asked.
"Home." Giuseppe said. "They were both happiest, back home."
..x..
Dylan was in his car seat, asleep, and Bonnie put him in the stroller and they started to walk around town together. They casually laughed and spoke to one another, like they'd never had time apart. "Look, lemonade."
"When did that open?" Bonnie asked.
"I don't know. But, the last couple times I came to town, it was here. It tastes a little like Grams' lemonade. Not quite as perfectly tart and sweet, but... just reminds me of it." Damon said. "Here, I'm gone get a cup, and we can share it."
"Sure." They walked up to the lemonade stand and were distracted at the variety. As the lemonade stand worker spoke.
"We have strawberry, lime, raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, mango, peach, melon, water melon- cherry-limeade, strawberry-kiwi-"
"Wait a dog gone second... do y'all have regular, yellow lemonade, made with just lemons?" Damon asked.
"Ummm, yes. It's the called the classic."
"Can I have one regular sized, classic lemonade?"
"Yes. Would you like to upgrade for fifty cents?"
"Uh, I don't know. How much is a regular?"
"It's three fifty for a medium, and four for the large."
"Got damn. That's a lot for a cup of lemonade. Just give me a large then." He said, but Bonnie looked at him and laughed.
"I'll give you the two quarters Doodle."
"I don't need the damn quarters. I just think that's expensive. But whatever. Can we get one of them pretzel and cheese things too?"
"Sure sir. Your total is going to be eight dollars for the lemonade and pretzel, and then an extra dollar for the cheese."
Damon's face turned up at the worker and Bonnie laughed. "Doodle, can I please say, it's nice to see you bein' more thoughtful with your money. I heard for a while there you were bein' reckless."
"And who told you that... Stefan?"
"I just hate to see you blow through your money the way I hear you blow through it. Is it true? She talked you into buyin' a sports car?"
"I bought it, because, I wanted to."
"You don't like sports cars Doodle. You like old classics, and trucks." She turned her head sideways. As he tried avoiding her by paying for the lemonade and pretzel. "Doodle, where's the car now?"
"Uh, it was totaled."
"TOTALED?"
"Hey, hey, don't get loud damnit."
"Why?" She smacked his arm. "Doodle. Where is your totaled car?"
"Gone. I don't have it anymore."
"Does it have to do with her?"
"Why? So, you can judge me?"
"No, so I can tell you, how immature it is to be with a person who is counter-productive to who you are or want to be. What did she do to your car?"
He sighed. "What didn't she do? She got countless speeding tickets, she dinged it more than once, and last but not least, I crashed it after I had an episode behind the wheel, Sybil had been drinkin' so I had to drive." He looked at her shaking his head rolling his eyes, "Now, what is it you wanna say?"
"Sybil don't really drank Doodle. She didn't the other night, and she didn't used to back in the day. She'll hold a glass all night, but she barely, ever drinks. Let alone enough to get drunk. Did she make you wreck your car from some drunken rage, or...?"
"I don't know. I don't care! I'm just happy to be rid of the damn thang, okay Bird?" He sounded frustrated, like he was trying to contain his emotions.
"Doodle, what is goin' on? This ain't you? Your entire self, is..." she became emotional when he became emotional. "Doodle, what's wrong? Talk to me. Please."
"Stop. Not here, in public where everyone can see me. Like, I just need to think about somethin' else okay?" She put the lemonade into the cup holder of the stroller and the pretzel in one hand as she strolled the stroller with the other and walked Damon to more private area. They sat down on a bench near a pond. "Doodle, what is goin' on?"
"Bird, remember how I had problems sleepin?"
"Yeah."
"Well, after countless tests, I was diagnosed with sleep apnea, and it really affects me, in all kinds of ways. I can have problems breathin' in my sleep or even when I'm really tired. I barely sleep, Bird. Matter-of-fact, I don't sleep. I'm never comfortable enough to sleep. I've become an insomniac. Not to mention, the fact that, after that explosion, in Iraq, I'm terrified of drivin.' I was drivin, when I got injured. It was an IED that exploded near us. Sad part is, I didn't even suffer the worst injuries compared to some of the other guys, but it affected me. It makes me fear drivin on the road. When that car was wrecked, it was because, Sybil was drinkin' that night. Even though, I was afraid to get behind the wheel, I couldn't let her drive drunk, so I drove. We got into an argument. She was angry, and all over the place. I told her to calm down, b'cos she was actin' a fool in the passenger side. I lost control of the car and we fuckin' crashed." He was very jittery as he spoke, and the nerves in his hands were making his hands shake. Bonnie looked at him in fury and anguish wanting to hold him.
"Doodle, are you okay? How could she be so thoughtless?"
"She ain't realize what she was doin' she was drunk."
"It ain't no excuse. She shouldn't be actin' a drunken fool while you're drivin' and if somethin' happened to you, I'd have to kill her." She said seriously, and furiously.
He laughed, half-heartedly, at her getting angry. "I mean, I'm good now."
"Are you though?" She asked shaking her head.
"Yeah."
"Don't lie to me. You can't even look me in the eye." She held his face in her hands. "Why did you seem okay, last week, driving me in your truck?"
"I don't know. You... You keep me calm. And knowing you were in my truck, I had to be careful and really get my mind off the drive. So, that's why I kept talkin' to you. But you, keep me calm. I can't explain it."
"Is that why you walk to see me and our son, everyday?"
"Yes."
"Does Mike know?"
"No, I had to drive him all the way to Blacksburg last week, I was terrified. Terrified. I'm not normal Bird. I'm not the confident man, I was back then. I'm not the man, you fell in love with. I'm not the same man. I'm a fuckin' mess. And seein' this little boy, is proof I still have somethin' good inside of me. Proof, I'm not the fuck up, I thought I was when you left me."
"You're not a fuck-up. I never thought you were. I didn't leave you. We decided to split amicably. I didn't want to leave. Do you have any idea how hard it was to go to LA and start school without you?"
"I know it was hard, but you left."
"But we decided together, it needed to happen."
"Whatever. When we separated, I felt like utter shit. And this woman, just acts like I'm a King. And maybe it don't seem like much, but a nobody bum like me, needs to feel that feeling, that I matter. I didn't think I mattered to you." His face was red, and his cheeks were flushed. Same thing that happened to his son.
Bonnie cried. "I had no idea. I'm so sorry."
"So, you hate her. She helped me. I owe her. Because when you left, she saw that I was strugglin' with just bein' normal."
"I get it. But, she's toxic. She doesn't want to share you. Do you think she's going to be accepting of your son, knowing, he's more important than her?"
"She'll be fine. Okay." She wiped his tears, "I'll get it together. Okay. I just need air sometimes. I just need to breath sometimes." She shed tears with him, and held his face feeling his pain as if it were her cross to bear.
Bonnie had no idea what to say to him. She had no idea how to comfort him, and she felt the way he felt, when she lost the baby, and he couldn't find the right words to comfort her. She just kept her hands on his cheeks and looked at him. He held her hands as her hands held his face. She was warm, and loving, and he felt at home with her, and her hands were where his face needed to be. She wanted hold him, because seeing him in pain, broke her. It hurt her, to her core. She pulled him in and held him. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and she wrapped her arms over his shoulders and held him. He cried, for a few minutes and she let him. She let him cry while she held him. "Doodle, we'll get through this. I promise."
As Damon pulled up, his cheek brisked hers and his lips followed through the way they always did, with a kiss. They gently let their mouths connect, and he pulled her into him, while her hands gently went back to his face. The same hand that hadn't worn an engagement ring in days. Every time he pulled his lips from hers, he reconnected them to his again, and kept kissing her like he needed her. Their mouths continued to connect in the ways that their souls always did. Effortlessly, naturally, lovingly.
They held each other near the pond. With their son asleep in the stroller. Those were the days, they both felt complete. The days they were together, not fighting.
..x..
Stefan and Ginny got back to the Salvatore house, and as they pulled in Sarah was leaving. She ran into them as they were coming. "Stefan, I was looking for you, I um- oh, I met you the other day... aren't you Bonnie's friend, from California?"
"Yeah, Ginny. Nice to meet you again."
"Oh, are you two...?"
"Friends." Ginny said. "He's my good friend, showing me the beautiful town of Mystic Falls one day at a time."
Sarah smiled uncomfortably and looked at Stefan. "Oh, well, I guess I caught you at a bad time. Maybe... some other time. Please call me when you can."
"Yeah. Sure. It was nice seein ya Sarah."
Stefan walked passed her calmly, and coldly. Ginny noticed the change in his demeanor, and kindly said goodbye to Sarah. She jogged to keep up with Stefan, "Hey what was that about?"
"What exactly are you talkin' 'bout?" He said sharply.
"You were rude to that girl. You were very rude to her."
"And you were noticeably friendly."
"I mean, I'm a kind person."
"Bullshit Ginny. You jumped on the mentions that you and are "just friends" the second she asked. Like what, in... THE... literal fuck did you do that for?"
"Because we are friends, and I thought maybe, discretion was a thing adults were well versed in."
"Okay, this ain't California. The whole booty call, I'm not an adult doin' adult things, or actin' grown about it, is not the shit we do here. So, what! Me and you are more than friendly, is it wrong to let people know?" He yelled.
"No, but... seriously Stef, I thought that you were a private person."
"Listen, you and I have made love every day for almost a week. We workout together, and go on dates daily. Maybe, I'm not your man, but damn, don't act like we ain't more than friendly."
"I feel like you want more from this, and I like you, but a week?"
"I forget how you fuckin' big shots do things. Is this how Damon feels when it comes to Bird? Like he ain't good enough, because I'll be damned the feeling ain't kind of pathetic. Like I feel pathetic for liking you." He walked into his house and headed for the shower. She watched as she stripped his clothes, and wanted to strip with him and jump in the shower with him, but she didn't know if it was smart. She had to know what she and Stefan were doing.
"Listen, I should probably head back to Ms. Abby's place. I've been gone three days, and I should show my face."
"Like that?"
"Not "like that." Just thinkin' we need some cool off space is all. I respect you and I am going to give you space."
"Fine, city girl."
"Fine, country boy." Ginny grabbed her things and walked over to the Bennett household.
..x..
Bonnie drove Damon home after a really good afternoon together. Sybil knew when he'd be home, she waited outside for him. He got out of the car and walked over to the back seat and gave his son and hug and a kiss, and a sweet good bye.
"Aye baby boy, I loved playing' with ya today. Feedin' the ducks and fishies. Did you have fun? I hope so. So, we'll see you tomorrow for church. Can't wait to see my little man all decked out for Jesus." Damon made himself laugh. "I love you baby boy. I love you so much. Be good to your momma, tonight okay. We'll be back together tomorrow. Bye little man."
Dylan waived, and smiled grabbing Damon's face. "Doo doo." He said and made Damon's brows furrow, and he looked at Bonnie.
"Did, he just?"
"He did. He called you Doodle." Bonnie laughed. Sybil hated the exchange and walked over to them.
"So, this is the little man. Hmm. Wow. Just when I didn't think you could stoop so low, as to trap my man."
"Last I checked he wasn't your man." Bonnie spit and Sybil looked to Damon.
"Is that what you told her? You don't tell her we make love every night?"
"Sy! What in THE hell? Stop!" He grabbed her by her shoulders and scooted her back. "Get your ass back in the house. GO!"
"What?"
"Get your ass back in there. Stop! This is none sense. Don't come out here startin' shit, in front of my son. Don't start shit with his momma. I swear to God woman, it ain't happenin' I'll send your ass back to Georgia, right now!"
She looks at him as if he shocked her to all hell. "Really? You're taking her side."
"It ain't takin, sides. I don't need you deliberately trying' to make things hard."
"Fine. Fine! Bonnie, you're so desperate. Desperate! I know why you did this!" She yelled as Damon turned her to the condo, and scooted her along. He waited until she was inside and he walked back to Bonnie.
"I'm sorry. It'll, be just us tomorrow for church. Sybil won't step foot into a church no more, after everything that happened in Georgia, she felt wrongly accused, and she lost all her faith. So yeah, just me, you and Dimitri."
Bonnie looked at him and shook her head. "I don't like her. At all. I don't trust her."
"Bird, tomorrow, it'll be a peaceful day. Just us. Love you baby girl."
"Love you Doo doo." She laughed. "We'll see you tomorrow. I'm excited to get you dressed up and take pictures of you and our son. Remember what Grams always said, praise the Lord in your Sunday's best."
"I'll see what I can find, in the closet." He laughed.
"At least a button up. I'll pick you up, so you don't have to drive to me."
"No. I will pick you and my son up. I'll be early so we can put the car seat in my truck."
"I don't want you drivin' Doodle."
"All I can do is try, right?"
"Well, call me, if you change your mind." They smiled and as she drove off, he waited, as she looked in her rear view, he stood there until she disappeared.
..x..
Damon was dressed, in slacks and a button up. "You look sharp brother. I don't think I've ever seen you in slacks, other than the ASU's." Mike said.
"I ain't got reasons to dress up."
"Today is special though, right? You, and your son, and Bird. It's good if it stays positive. You even shaved."
"I did and it will. Me and Bird are in a good place. Like a really good place, and I believe, that it's because we've both grown up, a lot." He said fixing his tie.
"So, no one has any issues with it?" He was referring to Sybil specifically.
"Nah. She knows I'm spendin' time with my son. She knows me and Bird need this time together, to figure things out with Dimitri."
"She's cool with the time you and Bird spend alone?"
"Alone?" She said walking out in a black dress and some stilettos.
"What are you doin'?" Damon asked as she walked out looking like she was ready to go.
"Oh, I thought it was time, I got in touch with my faith again. Why not today? I can meet your son, and make sure Bonnie doesn't get the wrong idea about all of this time you are spending with her."
"This is about my son, not you."
"Not Bonnie either. She seems to think you two are rekindling some old romance. Nah uh. Not on my watch."
"Sy. Stay here. I don't need this drama."
"Best behavior today. I promise." She held up her right hand.
"No."
"If you don't let me go, I'm willing to bet, you are giving me something to worry about with Bonnie. I think, maybe you are hiding something from me. And if that's the case, I will raise hell. So, let me go peacefully, and we'll have no issues." Damon began gritting his teeth and ticking his locked jaw. He tried not arguing with her because all it did was give him anxiety to deal with her antics. So, he tend to let thugs go, to avoid conflict.
"It's fine." Mike said. "I'll go too." He said softening the blow. "Let's just make it a family affair. Let me throw, something, respectable on." He looked at Damon, realizing Damon had his hands full with this psychotic woman. Damon watched Mike hurry and get dressed. He looked at Sy, bothered.
"When this is all over today, I'm sendin' your ass home tonight. I ain't got time for this shit. What-so-ever." He snatched his truck keys and his hands started shake as he walked to his truck and grabbed the handle. He dropped his keys by mistake. "Fuck."
"See baby, you need me. Here let me drive. I know you hate it." She said opening the driver's door.
"I don't want you drivin' my truck. You've been actin' out the past few days. Get out of my truck."
"Damon, stop, your hands are shaking. Let me drive us there." She started arguing with him, until Mike ran outside.
"I'll drive. Go lock the house up Sal. I'll drive, okay?" Damon was in a world of frustration. He was ready to pull his hair out, this difficult woman may have done everything he needed, but she got under his skin sometimes.
Sybil sat in the middle of the two of them and Mike pulled into Abby's driveway to see Ginny with Dylan's car seat. He pulled up slowly, scoping her out. "Hey, I, decided I need the word today. I really enjoyed the service last week. I hope you don't mind." Ginny said.
"Not at all. It's just one big family trip." Damon said smiling, putting on a front. He helped Ginny into the truck and they got Dylan's car seat ready. Ginny showed him how to buckle it in and they got it all secured. When Ginny finally realized, Sybil was in the truck she did a double take.
"Oh. I had no idea anyone else was coming. So, I guess this calls for some morning gratuity. Here. Everyone. Bonnie woke up early today and made these muffins. Blueberry from scratch. Dylan's favorite."
"Nice. We sure missed breakfast this morning." Mike said. Everyone grabbed a muffin except Sybil.
"Sorry. I am watching my figure. It's a little too starchy for me." Ginny rolled her eyes and laughed.
"Okay. How 'bout you Damon? Come on, Bonnie loves baking. She made these with love." Ginny said jokingly.
"Bird made them? Yeah, I'll take one." He bit into it and hummed. "Mmmm. Damn, that's got damn good. I can't believe how much she got into cookin' and bakin' over the years." Sybil looked at Damon enjoying Bonnies muffins and smacked it out of his hand.
"Oh god, I'm sorry. There was a fly buzzing around your face. It was an accident." She said, making him shake his head and give and angry sarcastic laugh.
"It's okay. I made a dozen." Bonnie said walking out. "When I looked out the window and saw the truck load, I thought I'd bring more." She looked at the one on the ground. "I guess the rabbits get a little pleasant surprise today."
"Rabbits don't eat starch."
"They will love those. They are not starch. They are made with zucchini."
"What?" Mike said. "This is zucchini? I can't even tell."
"Well, I taught myself how to make them. You want another Doodle?"
"I better not. I lost my appetite. " He said.
"Come on. You can't sit through two hours of church on an empty stomach. You never could. I made these especially for you." She smiled at him making him weaken. He loved how she always made sure he ate. She woke up early in the morning when they were married to make him breakfast and eat with him.
"Well, how can I say no to that?" He took another muffin, and Bonnie looked at Sybil and smiled, because Sybil couldn't cook. "How did you make these with zucchini and I can't tell?"
"If I tell you I have to kill you." The connection between the two was obvious. It was also so natural, they didn't always realize, they were still acting married. "Anyways, Listen. If the car is too full, I'll drive my momma's car."
"Good idea." Sybil said.
"No need. We got the car seat in here already. Where's my little man?" Damon asked.
"Here he is." Abby said walking him out.
"Damn, daddy's boy cleans up well. I'll be damned, you look like you should be in a Guess Baby ad."
"Right. He's delectable. I love hose cheeks," Bonnie said.
"Yeah, and that big bushel of black hair, falls in his face just right. You did that?"
"Nope. It just falls that way. Cute, right?"
"It is."
"Momma thinks he needs a haircut."
"I sure do." Abby said smirking.
"He does. But I like it long." Damon said.
"Me too." She smiled.
"This is not a military approved hair cut lil man. But daddy, has to make an exception for you, because he ain't never seen such a cute kid in all his days." Damon says playin' with his son's hair.
"Speaking of haircuts, I can't believe you shaved your scruffy face. I mean, this baby smooth face is always adorable, but I've always had a soft spot for your scruffy face, and I know you love growing out your beard, since you have to shave every day for work." She touched his face gently and smiled.
"Grams wouldn't have let me walk into service with that mess."
"Aw. Sorry you feel that way. I surely like the tickle." She said lowly, flirting with him, and winking.
"Well, I'll keep that in mind. Next time I'll keep it for a while longer. I didn't want to shave this mornin' Sy said I looked unmanageable."
"He looks ungroomed and uncared for when he doesn't shave. Why wouldn't you cut it? Same with your son. Trim his hair. Or it looks like his parent doesn't care for him."
"Sy-"
"No I take it back he's adorable. He looks like Damon. It just looks like Bonnie is confused on what a little boy's hair should look like."
"When you have a little boy, I guess you can let me know. But until then maybe you should just stay in your place."
"Funny little girl."
Bonnie pulled Damon to the side. "I'm gone ride in my momma's car, Doodle. Okay. Because if I don't I'm gone end up-"
"Please don't. I'm sorry. She's goin' home tonight." He said pulling her off to the side.
Just as Bonnie calmed down and started to put Dylan in his car seat, another car pulled up behind Damon's truck. She didn't bother to pay attention. "Who's that back there?"
Ginny turned. "Looks like an Über."
"What über would be comin' here?" Mike asked. Ginny still sitting in the backseat turned, and her face spoke magnitudes.
"Oh fuck."
"Ginny don't curse, it's Sunday." Bonnie laughed.
"Bon?" Ginny said suspiciously.
Bonnie was very into showing Damon how to buckle Dylan in, and laughing and smiling with him.
"Would you two hurry up? Sheesh. Is this a time for flirting, or are we going to church?" Sybil asked angrily. "Damon, please. Get in the car so we can go!" Damon helped Bonnie get in and he closed the doors or her, then walked around to the front of the car and looked at Bonnie as he got in.
"You good?" He asked her.
"Yup." She said.
"No." Ginny said. "Bon, turn around."
Bonnie looked at Ginny suspiciously. "What? Why?" Bonnie slowly turned as she saw a man walk up the stairs to her mother.
"Hey Mrs. Bennett. Long time no see."
"Oh, My word." Abby said shocked. "Good mornin' I thought you weren't comin' till next week." Abby spoke with surprise.
"Somebody seemed like they missed me, so I thought I'd surprise her." Bonnie heard him say.
"Oh, God. No. No way." Bonnie said, holding her face in her palms. Damon turned to her, and watched as her reaction, hit him like a truck.
Ginny, scooted to the door and opened it, and got out letting Bonnie out. "I had no idea, did you?"
"No." She looked shocked and surprised, Damon watched her as she walked around the car and to the man hugging her mother. The man turned to her and smiled.
"Hey, baby. There you are. Surprise!"
She held her mouth... "Wow. What are you doing here already?" She didn't even look excited.
He picked her up and hugged her. Then kissed her like she was a missing piece of his puzzle. And for the first time, Damon saw the man, that gave Bonnie the ring, that she hadn't worn in four days now. His entire body tightened, and Sybil smiled viciously. Both Mike and Ginny's faces dropped. A taller man, with a muscular build and a clean-shaven face towered Bonnie. Not that it was hard, because she was short. But he was different. He was older, it was apparent, because his hair was peppered with a few greys and he was very good looking.
"So, Ginny, who's that man with your bestie?" Sybil asked.
"That's my agent."
"Well, your agent is awfully chummy with your best friend."
"Ginny... is that...?" Damon asked but trailed off when he saw the man kiss Bonnie.
"Yeah. That's... her fiancé." Ginny said grimly.
"Oh, this is too, too good to be true." Sybil laughed. "Well, who's ready for church? I sure am."
Bonnie and Damon are working through their issues and trying to get along. G is not the baby's father. YAY! Abby and G realize how they failed Bonnie and Damon. Ginny is confused about Stefan. But they really like each other. However, it's not always that easy. Damon had some revelations, but to be honest I am peeling back his layers and Bonnies slower, because these two characters are still dealing with other issues. But their issues really just help them to connect as you'll see. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thanks for reading.