The Matter to the Bones - Chapter 4
Hi readers! I'm so sorry it took me a little while to upload again - I just needed to be inspired and find the time! Don't worry though - the next chapter is well and truly nearly finished, and I promise it won't be long for another upload. Thank you to all who have reviewed and/or added me as a favourite author/alert, story alert etc - it really does mean a lot to me, and makes me smile! :D
Happy reading guys!
Xx G
4. Away
"Dr Brennan, did I do an exceptionally wonderful job at analysing the bones for exhibition?" Daisy Wick asked ecstatically the following morning. "I gather that you overlooked our research notes and examined the bones yourself and I-"
"Ms Wick," Cam intercepted. "Breathe pause."
Daisy nodded sharply once and sealed her lips closed.
"Now," Cam continued, resting her hands on her hips, "Dr Brennan...you were in the process of telling me about your vacation plans..."
Stunned for a split second, Brennan collected her thoughts, before replying. "Well not so much a vacation. Just a couple a days away to wine country with my Dad. Will four days be alright?"
Cam had an opinion, but kept it to herself with much difficulty. "There really isn't much going on here, so I see no reason why not. Just be prepared that if a case does come up, you will have to return."
"Of course. I plan on leaving late this afternoon. I trust you have no issue with this?"
"No...no issue. Have fun." Cam turned away quickly to avoid the two women catching her expression.
When their boss was out of earshot, Daisy turned to Brennan again.
"I am so glad that you decided to-" she began in the same exuberant tone, only to be interrupted again.
"Yes, you performed well, Ms Wick. I am very satisfied with the work that you did. Now I would prefer it if you left me to myself." Brennan took a seat at her desk and picked up her BlackBerry. "I will see you later."
The young intern nodded respectfully and dismissed herself, fighting the urge to thank her mentor, but understanding that that would only irritate her.
At last, on her own, Brennan glanced down at her phone.
Three missed calls from Hannah.
One cancelled call from Booth.
A text message from her father.
It was easy to choose the first person to reply to; her father wanted to know whether she was to pick him up, or he was to meet her at the holiday spot. She assured him that they were taking her car, and that they would meet at her apartment before leaving.
Easy done.
The other two, however, weren't as easily answered.
Technically Booth's call had never reached her phone, so although she would have preferred to answer his, she knew that she couldn't avoid the inevitable. Hannah had to be spoken to.
But not yet.
- ~ B ~ -
Brennan held the weighted block in her hands, mentally debating before adding two of them to her shopping trolley.
She was going on a holiday; why not indulge in a little chocolate?
After making sure that her father's favourites were accounted for, and her own were all stocked up, Brennan made her way to the cash register, and pulled out her wallet.
She froze when three people emerged from the supermarket entryway.
One of them, she was glad to see.
But the fact that they were all there together, made her skin tingle with irritation, and her cheeks flush jealously. She finished unloading her trolley and prayed for a quick service from her cashier.
Brennan hung her head slightly and allowed her hair to cover her the sides of her face, hoping that she wouldn't be noticed.
"Bones! Dr Bones!" Parker's youthful voice called out upon seeing her.
Wishful thinking.
"Bones!" Booth's boy skipped over.
Gritting her molars, she looked up and plastered a smile on her face.
"Hey there Parker!" She rustled the caramel curls on his head playfully. "How's my favourite little Booth?"
"Great; I had my science fair today."
"Is that so? How did you-"
"Hello Temperance."
Hannah.
Brennan inwardly cringed. They were still together, even after the deliberate emotional ambush that she had planted on her unsuspecting victim. Momentarily, Brennan felt a damper on her already saddened mood; she had honestly thought that she knew Booth better than that.
The couple reached her.
Booth was quiet.
"Temperance, why haven't you been answering my calls?"
The cashier alerted Brennan to swipe her card. Complying quickly, punching in her pin, and stowing away her card and wallet, she turned slightly towards Hannah as she packed in the plastic bags to her trolley.
"It's a form of self preservation," Brennan replied swiftly, meeting the blonde's eyes for a fleeting moment.
"Temperance, we're friends..."
Booth seemed to sense the tension and towed Parker away. Unable to contain herself, Brennan shot daggers into his back with her blazing eyes; he might believe in people fighting their own wars, but she certainly didn't want to fight his cheetah of a girl. Regardless, she was a lioness. She wouldn't let this woman destroy Temperance Brennan and get under her skin more than she already had.
"That appears to be your definition, Hannah," Brennan told her finally, "but I do not return the feeling. You betrayed my confidence in you, and I would prefer that we don't converse beyond anything more than for Booth's benefit. If I don't answer your calls, than there is a reason certainly behind it."
The trolley now full, she collected her receipt at the conclusion of her reply, and strode out of the shopping centre with the last word under her arm.
-~B&B~-
Max arrived promptly, as promised, and the pair were on the road in their packed car within half an hour of his arrival. Max chattered cheerfully, while Brennan was lost in her own mass of thoughts.
Work.
Anticipation of returning to work.
Fear of which direction her relationship with Booth was leading to.
Whether she had a relationship with him at all.
The opening of the exhibition.
A dress.
A beautiful dress...she needed a dress.
"Tempe?" Her father's worried voice cut through her thoughts.
"Yes? Sorry."
"Are you going to tell me what's really wrong?"
Brennan sighed and clutched the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles whitened.
"I don't really know what to say Dad," she sighed, tensing the muscles of her forearm agitatedly. "I don't know how to really explain how I'm feeling..."
"You didn't ask for this trip, just to spend time with me," Max stated, staring at her earnestly, and holding up a hand when she opened her mouth to protest. "But I understand that you needed to get away...perhaps with me, or maybe just with anyone. I know it's hard for you, Tempe, but you can talk to me. Even if you can't say it yet."
Brennan smiled softly, weak with gratitude at her father's understanding, forgiving words. Although their relationship had been estranged, their gradual openness with each other helped rekindle their bond, brick by brick.
-~B&B~-
The small lodge that they had rented out for the next four days was a comfortable, French-style decorated abode. It overlooked the vast winery, and was but a ten minute walk from the main restaurant. When everything was packed away, Max expressed his desire to take a walk and meet some of the winery workers on site. Brennan wished to indulge in a long bath. After securing dinner plans, both went their separate ways for the remainder of the afternoon, until eight o'clock, when they would meet again for their meal.
Lathering herself in frothy soap, Brennan leaned back into the deep set of the bath and let out a quiet moan.
Here she was for four days, where she could drink wine, be giggly, read novels, turn in late and wake up even later...this was exactly what she needed. Time to wind down.
Perhaps not as far away as the Maluku Islands, but a place to evaluate her life again, now that Hannah – no matter how irritating and unhealthy she was for Booth – was sticking around, Brennan needed a new game plan.
Should could have plotted various ways to be-rid Hannah, but that wasn't how she wanted the blonde to disappear from the picture.
No. If Hannah was going to leave, it would be because the woman screwed up herself, not vice versa.
Enough of the woman though.
Brennan forced cheerier thoughts and closed her eyes.
Relax.
Breathe.
Relax.
Breathe...
For the next four days, she would momentarily escape her life and do exactly that.
-~B~-
Mmmm...don't we all wish that we could take holidays as easily as that? I do! Anyhow, as promised, next chapter will be posted soon. Again, thank you to reviewers: it's great to hear what you think.
Xx G