Fork in the road – chapter 2
Passing the town's welcome board, Wynonna finds a fork in the road. The route on the left is a well known area for her although since she had been out of the town for years she barely remembers, the route on the right is a new territory for her, and there's the chance of going through the front road not pavemented.
Wynonna can't help but smirk at the metaphor of her constant life, having to pick between two: Willa or Waverly, Doc or Dolls. Why can't a third route work best? Where is her real say in all? She was born in a cursed family, which slowly turned her in the town's pariah because "the Earps are trouble" when they aren just trying to do their best for them and for the town.
She decides to pick the left route, might be good to refresh what are the whereabouts there. While driving her phone rings but with the vibration of the bike's engine she doesn't feel it nor heard it until she is in the next town then unconsciously she checks her phone before entering the town's diner.
"What time you'll be back?" comes the messsage from Waverly.
"I'm not sure sis. I won't do a sleepover out of Purgatory don't worry. Enjoy your day off too." answers the biker.
Shouldn't it be the other way round? Shouldn't be Wynonna the older, the worried sister? How come she never seemed to grow to be a responsible person? No, Wynonna you are not here to think like that, for once, don't do it.
Wynonna finally enters the diner and orders the usual meal. She won't drink today. It's an easy solution that really solves nothing, just the mystery of why her incomes don't seem to be enough to save up monthly. If she thinks back to her recent memory there's lots of blurry memories due to alcohol and she really doesn't want to end like Ward. Is not like she is considering to settle to an easily traditional life where she is the stay-in mom, right? You are not falling for either Doc or Dolls that hard, you never did. Right?
But which alternative does she have? If they overcome the revenants what does she wants to do? Does she wants to stay in Purgatory? Travel again? Settle with a partner? Have children? Get a normal job? No, no. She is in BBD, she won't loose that, that'll allow her to travel, right? To not settle to a boring normal life like any townsfolk, right? She doesn't want that easily life that looks so foreign to her. Its true her parents are townsfolks but they never were like that, were they? She has few memories about their mother, she left when they were still quite young. Should she try to find her? But on the other hand there's Gus, she and Curtis lived a happy life, an easy one in town. Well, they had no kids but they were happy anyways and loved each other. Love, such the concept for Wynonna to understand. Has she ever felt real love from anyone? Mom leaving didn't help, and dad's behaviour telling them about the curse at a young age didn't help either. Does Wynonna really knows what love is? Maybe not and that's why she runs from serious relationships because she won't be able to understand and give her best there, casual works much better with her, yeah.
But still a little part of her crushed when Doc felt rejected because she didn't want anything serious with him. Hell, the man was ready to leave the town just for that, but really what was he expecting her to do? To depend on him? Well, honestly you kinda do Wynonna, he rescued you... but that doesn't mean that he loves her, right? What is her suppoused to do if he does? What if they keep working together and he really falls for her, wouldn't that be awkward? Not to mention the fact that he is the bestie of your great-great-father. Still he is a good man, he cares for them, not just Wynonna and not just in that intimate way. Because to her surprise, he was good, at least good for her expectations and needs in the moment, but would a man like that really understand her real needs outside there? She even doesn't know them herself.
And then there's Dolls. That's taken by his bosses. Who knows what they might be doing to him. Will he come back? Will he be the same? Why did they kiss? She needs to see him again, but not right now. The man will want a better answer than the one she gave to Doc and she can't risk their partnership that way. Yeah, call it like that, just partnership, of course because your heartbeat didn't accelerate when you saw him shirtless at work, right Wynonna? It was just physical there's nothing like love undersneath that, right Wynonna? You are just lusting over him, he is so well built, such flexibility and strength, nothing else, is not like you envision a relationship with him. You never do, with him, or any other guy, it's just casual. No expectation, no promises, just the moment.
Wynonna shakes her head to try to get rid of such thoughts about her boss, in the middle of the day, not now.
She pays and leaves the diner to walk around the town. She used to hide there when there were troubles in Purgutory, namely she cheated on one boy with the other, she didn't turn in a work in time and stuff like that, is not like the town was her sanctuary but it was a nice espace near her place. Is not like she'd hid with any friend in particular, is not like she'd come over to visit that special friend, because she never had a special friend, never a bestie. She had pals, fellow misfits that came and go, but not real friends to celebrate birthdays with and so on, not since mom left. Mom tried to grant them the usual life, but Ward always step on her plans with something curse related which creeped the kid's on her birthday and later on the parents so they wouldn't let them come over to do homework much less a sleep over. Waverly had that, luckily for her, at Gus' of course, but she had it. Wynonna there's no point to feel like that at your age, you are 27, you can't turn back time and change all that, just move on like you always do. But no whiskey. She groans.
"Wynonna?" came a voice after her. She turns back.
"I'm Sam. Don't you remember? We used to go to the outskirts to climb trees when we were teens when my dad turned violent." the young adult explains.
"Sam. Nice to see you around. You stayed here." Wynonna replies doubtful if shake hands or not.
"Yeah. Dad lost my custody, my aunt took care of me then. I wasn't easy to deal with, but she gave me a real talk and here I am. Who would had thought I'd be the town's high school's principal uh". Sam explains further.
"Oh, that's great. I'm happy for you." Wynonna congratulates.
"Do you wanna come over? My place is near here." Offers the pal.
"Oh, I wouldn't like to bother." Wynonna excuses.
"Nonsense, you never do. C'mon." Sam leads her to their place. As soon as they enter a 4 years old runs to their encounter.
"Captain! Mama is asleep, Amy cried a lot yesterday" shouts the little one before it's picked up by Sam.
"Hey there buddy. That's because she is toothing, she is one, remember?. I brought a friend. Name's Wynonna, would you do the honours?" Sam explains to the kid.
"Sure. Nice to meet you Wynonna. Here, let me show you". Says the kid cheerfully as soon as he is back on his feet. He holds Wynonna's hand and shows her the home while Sam prepares them some snacks. Sam meets them at the home's back yard.
"And here works mom and pal. She paints and he plays music. I play with clay instead. Amy naps here too. Isn't it cool?" says the kid quite gleefully.
"Yeah, it is, buddy. I wouldn't imagine you'd still play guitar." Says Wynonna turning to Sam. The kid considers the tour finished and goes to play inside.
"Oh, no. I'm not the musician in the family. I gave up after that concert fiasco, remember. We all had to run to hide when it started to downpour. The gear got destroyed. Never again. The musician is Brian. You remember my buddy Brian?" Sam informs further.
"Brian, you let your buddy to come over at whatever hour to play guitar at your place?" Wynonna asks.
"Yeah, he lives here." Sam offers like it's not a big deal.
"And the mother?" Wynonna says tilting her head to the side.
"Ellen. Do you remember? The one that was the band's manager. My on-off girlfriend. And Brian's. We are together" Sam explains.
"So buddy there is yours? Amy too?" Wynonna says pointing at the child inside.
"We all live together. We are poly Wynonna" Sam tries to explain.
"Poly? Like, dating all together?" Wynonna tries to understand.
"Yeah. She got bored of being on off with both of us, so one day she gathered us and we talked about what to do. She offered we gave that a try. Now we are happily raising our children. They helped me with my studies, they were always there for me, so it was like a natural step for me. I know, at first we got weird looks in town, but we are good in our job and they know we really care for Ariel and Amy, she picked the names. Biologically the boy is mine, the girl is Brian's, we setted it that way." Sam explains.
"Good. First time I heard that, but if you are happy, I'm happy buddy. So isn't it complicated at times? There's no jealousy, among yourselves or with the kids?" Wynonna asks.
"It was our big fear. She told us, if there was jealousy either we addressed and worked on the issue as soon as possible or the relationship was doomed to fail, and none of us wanted it to fail. We both love her and want the best for her, if she is happy that way, who are us to deny her such happiness. It took us a bit to find our pace but we did, setted some boundaries, problem solved. And no is not like Brian and I date together, I'm not his type apparently. And no we are not jealous about our children, they are ours, is not like Ariel is more mine than Brian's. We are raising them to not be jealous of each other." Sam explains further.
"Brian, dates outside the relationship? Brian is? Does Ariel knows that Amy is really Brian's?" Wynonna asks further.
"I said, we setted boundaries regarding health and the emotional impact on Ariel and Amy, if is not long term, say 6 months and just after we've approved he won't introduce them to Ariel. He is careful but yeah he has something casual from time to time. Again, if I were his type he wouldn't look outside the pack. But yeah, when he broke up with Ellen he'd date the drummer. When the kids will be a bit older we'll explain further. He is so cheerful with his sister." Sam explains further.
"Oh, fuck. Sorry. I have no say in that, but I didn't knew all that, you know. Quite a lot of information" Wynonna excuses herself.
"No problem, as long as you won't turn judgamental towards us, and specially Ariel and Amy, I understand." Sam explain.
"No. The kid's quite happy and cared for, I guess there's always a parent with him. I'm happy for you all, really." Says Wynonna shaking his hand this time.
"Glad to hear that. Not all the buddies felt like that. Some stopped talking to us when they found out. Thankfully Ariel and Amy still have friends that care for them too. He is a good kid. What about you? You've settled to the usual life?" Sam says.
"Me? Oh, no. I work for the government in Purgatory. I'm bonding back with my little sister. And no, I'm not sure I'm ready to settle just yet." Wynonna says.
"For the government, who would had thought? You think you'll be ready to settle down?"
"What, you want us to go to the playground's park together with our children?" Wynonna offers.
"Would that be bad? They could be buddies too, as we were" Sam daydreams.
"Well, we had our reasons to escape from home. Drunk mess of a father" Wynonna grunts.
"But we've overcome that. We are not drunkies, right?" Sam asks.
"I try to not drink as much as I used to do. But I'll get there. Not sure about my own children there. But it's been nice to talk to you. I shall be heading back to town, sister wants me to be there early. Must be her girlfriend is on duty call and doesn't enterntain her enough today" Wynonna says on a mocking tone towards the end.
"If you need help, you know where I am, and I mean it. A pleasure too. Waverly, is?" Sam asks.
"Brand news. I didn't know myself. Apparently she does. I'm happy for her, the girlfriend is a great influence on her, not like Waverly needs as much attention as I do, but you know. Is the town's rookie officer." Wynonna explain.
"Oh, the new rookie. I think is related to Ellen. Is she redhead?" Sam asks.
"Seriously? World's quite small. Yeah, she is." Wynonna says surprised.
"She is a good gal then. Well, I don't enterntain your further. It was wonderful seeing you again. I hope we see each other soon. My place is yours whatever you need, whenever you need." Says Sam shaking hands. They enter the home say their goodbies to cheerful Ariel and Wynonna starts her route back to Purgatory with a lot to think about. Ugh, she came here to forget about just that and now she is wondering how it'll be like to raise a child as Sam is doing. Wynonna, you are not ready to be a mother and you know it. You never saw yourself as one. You have a lot to settle down to before taking that step.
