A/N Thanks so much to all of you! When we left our couple, who according to them don't really care about each other, they were in bed and Merle made a bold promise that everything would be okay. Let's see how he follows through with that.
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She didn't say anything she just seemed to move even closer into him. He didn't think of himself as much of a cuddler, in fact he didn't care for that shit at all. But there was that something about her, something different. When she got up so close to him and that slim arm lay across him it felt pretty damn good. It even felt kind of right, like maybe she belonged there.
He had to stop that kind of thinking. Sure she was pretty and she was sweet and enticing. If things had been a little different who knows, maybe he would have taken her up on her earlier proposition. No, probably not. He wasn't that big an asshole. Almost, but not quite. Besides, she'd been hurt enough, he didn't need to be adding to it. He knew he wasn't the man for her, hell he wasn't the man for any woman, but especially not this woman. She deserved a whole lot better than an ornery old son of a bitch like him, and besides, he didn't need complications in his life.
Baby was sleeping now, he could tell by the sound of her breathing and how relaxed her body felt next to his. He knew he'd dozed off for at least a while but he felt like he'd been awake all night. His mind had been busy and he finally worked out a plan. He couldn't believe he hadn't thought of it sooner, he was pretty sure he knew someone in Peachtree who would take her in till she got on her feet.
It was six a.m. when he slowly and noiselessly slipped from the covers. He went in the bathroom and got his pants and socks on, picked up his shoes and as quietly as he could he eased out the door.
From six a.m. until nine a.m. they set out a pot of scorched black mud in the motel office that they called free coffee. He never touched that nasty shit. He always got his own pot of coffee perking on the range first thing, but he knew the noise of all that would wake her. He wanted her to rest, she had healing to do.
He stopped by the office and took the Styrofoam cup of hot bitterness to his pickup. He got in the cab and checked his cell phone for messages. He had a couple of texts from the job and one from his brother Daryl, telling him he'd arrived safely at his new job site down out of Valdosta; and there was one from his real estate agent about the escrow closing on his house. There was nothing that wouldn't keep till he got home.
He pushed the number, he knew she'd be up. She'd be getting herself ready for work and her girl ready for school, fixing breakfast and lunches. He wasn't worried he'd wake her and sure enough she answered on the second ring, "Merle, to what do I owe the pleasure of this early morning call?"
He told her a short version of the story and her first question hit him like a punch to the gut, "You and this young girl, you didn't, well Merle, you didn't, did you?"
"Really Carol? I mean I know I'm an asshole but c'mon. I ain't so bad I'd be takin' advantage a some young woman that's been beat all ta hell. I think ya know me a little better'n that."
"You're right and I'm sorry Merle. That was uncalled for. So what can I do?"
"Ya know I'm leavin' town in two days and headin' on up ta Clear Springs. I can't be takin' her up there with me. I's hopin' you'd let her board there with you awhile 'til she gets back on her feet. I'd pay ya ta let her stay and ta feed her. I can't just leave her out on the street, I need ta find her a safe place ta stay." She could hear the worry in his voice but she could hear something else too.
"I do know exactly what she's going through. Sophia and I will be happy to help out."
"A'ight, thanks Hon. I'll bring her by when ya get home from work tonight, is that okay?"
"Sure, we'll see you then. And Merle, I don't care what anyone says, you're a good man."
"Yeah, gotta go." He let out a deep sigh, ran a hand over his head and across the back of his neck and thought, it's handled, it was all good. She'd be taken care of and he could get on with his life. Damn right he could. And he'd be glad for it, he didn't need the headache or the complication.
He tried to be quiet as he slipped back in the room but there she was. She was sitting on the sofa dressed and ready to go with her case sitting on the floor next to her. "Hey Baby, I see you're up and ready."
"Yes, anytime you want to go. I don't want to hold you up."
"No problem. I got some things ta load in the truck and then we'll be outta here. I know I need a decent cup a coffee and some breakfast. I'm sure you do too."
"Thank you Merle, for this and for being like you were last night, you know, not taking advantage and stuff. You're a gentleman."
He snorted out a laugh at that, "Ya keep describin' me in the strangest ways girl. But when you're out there in the world again I want ya ta remember sumthin', a real man don't prey on the weak and wounded."
She felt emotional again and she didn't want to cry anymore so she just nodded her head and tried to smile, while barely choking out, "I could help you pack."
"Nah, you just stay right there n relax. I got a system, I won't be long." He got a paper sack out of one of the kitchen cabinets and loaded it with some bread, crackers and a few cans of fruits and veggies he had in the cabinet. He took a small cooler from the closet and put in the beers that were left, a pack of bacon and some eggs out of the fridge, then carried it all out to the truck.
He moved swiftly and with purpose, it was like watching a well-rehearsed dance. He got a duffle from the closet, opened the dresser drawers and put what she noticed were very neatly folded items of clothing in the bag. He went in the bathroom, washed up a little, brushed his teeth and put everything in his bath kit. "K, just gotta grab my work shirts and pants hangin' here and we're as good as gone." She was surprised to see his work shirts didn't just look clean, they were ironed. And he'd gotten ready to go in less than 20 minutes, she was impressed.
It was clear he'd done it all many times before, and it was also obvious he was very neat, organized and methodical in the way he did things. He was a man with a routine. She found that kind of attractive. Her life had been so chaotic the past couple of years. Watching him she realized she'd been longing for consistency and routine. Those were the very same things she thought she wanted so badly to get away from when she left the farm with Randall.
He noticed she'd been watching his every move and at first he thought maybe she was worried about something, then he realized she probably thought he was just a boring old fart caught in some dull routine. He looked at her with a big grin on his face and put it to her, "Kind of a boring old sumbitch, ain't I?"
"Now who's coming up with strange descriptions? Of all the ways I could describe you Merle, boring would never even pop in my head, or old."
"Well, wait'll ya get ta know me better then we'll see." Ah shit, he just said that and he couldn't draw it back. The truth as he saw it was, there was just no way Baby was getting to know him any better. He was going to let her know all about the plan he'd made with Carol after she ate her breakfast. Except for the payment part, he wasn't going to tell her he was paying someone to look after her. Then they'd be parting company.
She wasn't sure why but the thought of getting to know him better made her feel happy. She knew she wanted to stay with him. Everything felt good and right and safe with him. She wondered if he planned for them to travel together up to Clear Springs. It would mean so much to her to know that wherever she wound up being he wouldn't be far away. It wasn't because she had any kind of warm feelings toward Merle Dixon, she just felt safe with him. She was also a little curious about him. At least she told herself that was all it was.
"A'ight Baby, let's get this show on the road, whaddya say?" She liked when he smiled that big wide grin, it made her think maybe everything really was going to be alright. She grabbed for her case but he beat her to it, "Nah Baby, ya don't do that when Merle's around. I got it for ya." Fuck him, he needed to stop this shit. He was sending all the wrong messages.
"Thank you, Merle." She'd never been around any man who had those old-fashioned manners, she liked it.
He helped her in the truck and as he got in and fired it up he smiled and told, "There's a nice little café not far and right on our way. We'll have us a big breakfast and then we're headin' ta Peachtree. Sound good Baby?"
"Yes, I'm surprised how hungry I am, and now that you were nice enough to get my money back I can treat you to a meal."
He damn near stopped the truck on that remark, "Nah, that ain't ever gonna happen Miss Beth Greene. I pay my way and when you're with me I pay your way too. That's how it goes." Fuck him again and again. Why the hell did he keep talking like this was some kind of regular deal? He'd never been so careless with his words around any woman.
She smiled, "Well alright, if that's what you want. But I'm just saying, I could if you wanted to let me." He was so set in his ways and he just made these big statements about how things were going to be. But she didn't find it the least bit intimidating or off putting, she liked that he laid it out.
She had a million questions for him. She was wondering just how long he thought they'd travel together before she got her own place and stuff. Maybe he knew some places she might be able to get work. She'd wait and ask him after breakfast, she didn't want to bother him by asking him a lot of questions and such while he was driving.
He pulled in the parking lot of an old café and she felt her tummy rumble just being so close to food. She had some meals to make up for. She had her hand on the door handle of the big pickup when he looked at her, "No. You sit, then I come round an I open it for ya and I help ya down. It's how it's done. Ya gotta make a man earn his right ta be with ya Baby. He pays, he opens the door, he totes whatever needs totin'. That's how it's meant ta be. And ya listen ta me, don't ya never ever let a man ever take a hand ta you in anger again. And don't ya offer yourself ta some guy as a payment, you remember your better'n that. A man needs ta prove he deserves ya. And ya keep a little stash a money, always. Ya never tell the man about that money, no matter how much ya think ya love and trust him. If ya gotta run, like ya had to this time, ya wanna have your own cash. K?" Shit, he didn't mean to go off on her but he just couldn't deal with the idea of the next guy that came along hurting her in any way. Baby had to wise up.
She was a little startled, this life lecture he was giving her was so unexpected. But she kind of liked the things he had to say, "Okay Merle."
He held the door as she walked in the small restaurant and he caught the glare the waitress gave him when she saw the bruising on Beth's face. He reacted to that. He wrapped a loving and protective arm around Baby's shoulders, pulled her close and told the waitress, "Two for breakfast please." What exactly the fuck did he think he was doing now?
The woman sat them in a booth and brought the coffees and menus. He gave her a few minutes to look it over before asking, "Ya got an idea what ya want Baby?"
"I'm so hungry and that special with pancakes, eggs and bacon sounds delicious. I think I want that please." When the waitress came around he ordered her food and then his own, and it made her smile again, yep he was old school alright.
It was after they'd eaten, while he finished his coffee, that was when he told her, "So now Baby, I told ya I wasn't gonna just leave ya on the street. I promised I'd make sure ya had a place ta stay n whatnot."
She sensed it, something was coming that probably wasn't him telling her she was going with him.
"I got a real nice lady friend named Carol. She's got a daughter, a sweet little girl named Sophia. Carol, she had troubles with a man a lot like the troubles you been havin'. Anyway, she's gonna make ya welcome in her home. You can stay there while you're lookin' for work and savin' ta get ya a place. However long it takes Baby. Ain't that good news?" She didn't look like she thought it was good news and he didn't feel all that delighted himself. Fuck.
Suddenly her big yummy breakfast felt like a big lead weight in her stomach. But she couldn't argue with him, he didn't owe her anything, she owed him. He'd taken care of everything, my God she should be so grateful. It was just that she'd hoped so hard…well she wasn't sure what she hoped, she just knew she wanted to go where he went. She didn't want him leaving her off somewhere.
But she got it, he had a life and he had his way and she'd just barged right in the middle of it all. She tried hard to smile when she said, "That's real thoughtful of you Merle. I can't thank you enough for looking out for me. If you say Carol is a nice lady then I'm sure she is."
So now why if he'd done such a good deed did he feel like some kind of complete shithead? He was sure it was temporary, he'd get over all of it, including that sad look in her eye, just as soon as he got on the highway to Clear Springs.
There was very little talk on the way to Peachtree. He had the radio up and she mostly watched out the side window, wondering what in the world would happen to her next, and trying real hard to be brave.
He didn't always do the right thing in this life, but he was sure that he was doing right by her. He was taking her somewhere safe and warm. She'd be fed and she'd have the benefit of learning the real facts of life from a woman who'd learned them the hard way. Everything about what he was doing was right, ideal. It had to be. Besides, she didn't need his ass complicating her life any more than he needed her complicating his life.
Why then was this so fucking tough? And why was it that it didn't feel like the right thing? Why did it feel like a swift kick in the nuts? He didn't have the answer to that, but then he supposed it didn't matter if he did or not. She deserved a fair chance and she had a better chance being with Carol than she ever would with him. Fuck him sideways.
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A/N Well that's just great, there's a plan. But nobody loves the plan. I'd love to hear your comments on it. If you'd like to check it out, the chapter photo is posted to my tumblr blogs gneebee and bethymethbrick. I'll be back next Sunday with more of It's Complicated. Until then remember, I love ya large! xo gneebee