Author's Note: Hello. Okay, so, I know it's been a really, really long time since I last updated, and I apologize, but I hope this chapter will make up for it. Longer Author's Note at the end as always.
To Those Who Reviewed:
Dear Chickenslovebone,
Thank you for reviewing. I appreciate your feedback.
Dear Guest from 4/3/13,
Thank you. That is very nice of you.
Dear Anon of 3/5/13,
That's very nice. Good tears, right?
Thank you for reviewing.
Dear Db,
Thank you. That is so sweet. I am glad you like it.
Dear Guest from 3/1/13,
You are welcome. Ah yes, I remember. But, thankfully, the show has come a long way since then.
Chapter Twenty-One
Zoe was pacing outside the hospital, checking her watch. Visiting hours did not start for at least an hour, yet, here she was pacing. She wasn't completely sure why. She had no clue what to say to Wade, and she was a little scared of what he might say to her. A large part of her just wanted to run and hide. However, there was also another part; the part that needed to know.
"Well, if it isn't the pretty lady doctor." She heard a voice say. It was gravely and old. It even sounded sort of sick. Still, it was warm, and when she turned she saw an elderly man smiling at her.
"Do I know you?" she knew it might sound rude, but he seemed familiar with her, and she needed to know if she knew him, for safety purposes if nothing else.
"Yeah. Heard about your little bump on the head. Sorry 'bout that."
"Well, it was more than a little bump on the head."
"You're still breathin', ain't ya?" he said, chuckling. There was something familiar about his sense of humor, but she wasn't sure if it was because she was remembering him, or just being reminded of a certain someone else who had been on her mind lately. "I'm guessin' you're here to see Wade too?"
"You know Wade?" the man cackled like it was the most hilarious thing in the world. She did not care for it. "I'm sorry, who are you?"
"Earl," he said, sticking his hand out. She shook it. His hands seemed strong, but they were also worn and a little shaky. "You'll have to excuse me, I'm still a bit hung-over. Not really used to that."
"You don't drink much?"
He cackled again, "Oh, I'm the town drunk. Crazy Earl they call me. It's just I'm not often I'm sober enough to be hung-over. Usually, second I start gettin' there, I grab another bottle. But when I heard about Wade, I thought I should sober up before comin' to see him. Figured he'd appreciate it."
"How come you're just coming now? Wade's been in there for over a week!" Zoe said, getting protective.
"Well, when you live by yourself in a cabin in the woods, news takes time to get to ya. Wasn't 'til I wandered into town yesterday that I heard."
"You knew about my 'little bump.' "
"Yeah, well, Wade told me 'bout that." Zoe was quiet, "So, can we go see him?"
Zoe shook her head, "Visiting hours don't start until later."
"How long you been waitin' here?" Zoe shrugged, "You eaten?" she shrugged again, "You can't shrug to that. Either you've eaten or you haven't. So, have you?" reluctantly, Zoe shook her head, "Well, lucky for you, I know a place right near here from back in the day. Serves a great burger. Used to go there with Wade's mama."
Zoe's head snapped up, "You're Wade's father?"
"Bingo." He said, putting his finger on his nose like he was playing charades. "Now what's say you and I go get somethin' to eat while we wait for the warden to open that rusty old gate?" Zoe smiled and nodded. Earl offered his arm and she took it, allowing him to lead her. Maybe it was dumb to trust him. Just because he said he was Wade's father did not mean he was, and a girl with amnesia would be an easy target for that sort of thing. But he had Wade's sense of humor, Wade's argumentative nature, Wade's protective instinct, and Wade's smirk. There was no doubt in Zoe's mind that this man was Wade's father, and that was really all she needed to know.
George examined Lemon and Lavon. His mind was a bit preoccupied, thinking of Zoe and Wade and everything she had said yesterday. He hadn't seen her since. Honestly, he was grateful for the distraction. Still, it was a little hard to swallow. Lemon had always wanted to be a mom, and she had basically raised Magnolia; she knew how to handle teenage girls. Still, it was a big decision, and it wasn't one they could easily go back on.
"So what are our options?" Lemon asked. She was smiling, but George could tell she was nervous. Lavon seemed a little more comfortable, but even the former linebacker was shifting a little.
"Well," George said, adopting his professional persona, "It seems that the two main options would be guardianship, or adoption."
"Adoption?" Lemon questioned, surprised. "I never even thought of that."
"What exactly is the difference?" Lavon asked.
"Well, guardianship would give you all the responsibilities of a parent, at least until she turned eighteen. You would be in charge of food, clothing, shelter, etc. however, you would not be considered her parents, just her guardians. Her parents would still be her parents. In the case of adoption, you would, officially, become her parents."
"You said until she turns eighteen. What happens after that?"
"Well, a person only needs a guardian until they reach an age of majority, unless they have a disability that would require them to have a guardian, but that's irrelevant. Anyway, after that, you wouldn't be her guardians any more. It's really a difference of being legally responsible for the remains of her childhood, or making her an official part of your family."
"And, as our lawyer, you would recommend … ?"
"Well, it really depends on what it is you want. Adoption is a lengthy, more difficult process, but if it's what you want, it would be worth it. I know you want her to be a part of your family, but you should take the time to consider whether she wants to be severed from the family she lost in that way. Adoption, unlike guardians, negates all rights of the previous parents. Now, since they've passed, that's not as big of an issue. However, the idea of officially becoming a Hayes and leaving that connection to her old family behind might be a little difficult for her right now. Again, at the end of the day, it's all about how you want to handle it. As your lawyer, I suggest you talk to Lily about where she stands before making any further decisions."
"We don't want to get her hopes up until we know for sure about if the court would give us a real shot."
"Well, no guardian was named in the will, so, while another family member, maybe a grandparent or aunt may try for it, I'd say you're odds are pretty good. Plus, they triple by havin' me as your lawyer."
Lemon chuckled, "Well, thank you for seein' us." She said as her and Lavon stood and headed for the door, "We really appreciate this George."
"Of course, any time."
Lavon stuck his hand out, shaking George's in a show of gratitude, "If there's ever anything we can do for you -"
"Actually, there, there might be somethin'." George said awkwardly. He straightened his tie and cleared his throat.
"What is it?" Lemon asked.
"Um, well, I wasn't goin' to bring it up, but, I don't know, since you offered … "
"George?"
"I was just wonderin' if maybe you could talk to Zoe for me? I haven't heard back from her, and we kind of left things in a … weird place. So if you could just, I don't know, get her to stop by and talk to me, I'd appreciate it."
Lemon shifted uncomfortably. George wanted to ignore it, but he had seen it once before. He had seen Zoe shift like that a long time ago, back when he was engaged to Lemon, back when Zoe was covering for Lemon and Lavon's affair.
"Do you, um, do you know something?"
Lemon shrugged, "Just, you know, girl talk stuff." She said nonchalantly.
He wanted to ask, but he knew that that would put Lemon in a very awkward position. Any secret Zoe chose to confide in her wasn't hers to tell. Plus, there was a part of him that just didn't want to know. He wanted to be imagining the whole thing. But what if he wasn't?
One of the draw backs of small towns is everybody knows everybody, so everybody is emotionally invested in your business. It is not easy to find an objective third-party to vent to, or to help you better analyze the situation. Pretty much all of George's friends were also Zoe's friends, which would make it awkward and likely unhelpful.
After Lemon and Lavon left, George took out his old address book from back in law school. Maybe there was somebody from back then he could reach out to.
"You have to tell her." Wade said into the phone. He was trying so hard not to look at the clock. Zoe was supposed to come in today. They were supposed to talk, and he still had no clue what to say. He had been counting down, driving himself crazy, waiting for visiting hours to start.
He didn't mind driving himself crazy. Okay, he did, but with anything Zoe related, he was kind of used to it by now. But this was important. He couldn't split his attention, not when somebody needed him like the person on the other line did.
"I know," he heard her say. He could sense the hesitation.
"But?"
She sighed heavily. "But, you don't know him Wade. He's … it'd be like telling the people of Oz that The Wizard was just the guy behind the curtain, and the Wicked Witch was the hero."
"But, he was just the guy behind the curtain." Wade said, confused.
"Yeah, but they never told anybody, 'cause nobody would ever believe it. Just like nobody would believe Glinda if she said Elphaba was really the hero."
"Who?"
"Haven't you ever seen Wicked?"
"What, on my many excursions to New York paid for by the money I made on my tour with Bono?"
"Who?"
Wade rolled his eyes. "Never mind. Look, I get that you're scared, and maybe this guy really is this big dude with all this sway at your school, but this isn't some stranger at your school; this is your sister. She'll believe you."
"And if she doesn't?"
"She will. No question Mags, she will."
Zoe watched as the man scarfed down the eggs enthusiastically. It was like he hadn't eaten in days. The doctor in her felt the need to say something, "You better slow down. You might choke." He just laughed, his mouth still half full of eggs. But then he stopped laughing, swallowed, and put his fork down. "Wow, you uh, you really like your eggs, don't you?"
Wade's father shrugged, "I don't get out much."
It wasn't really an answer, but Zoe figured it was all she was getting, "So, are you and Wade close?"
"Well, I've never measured or nothin', but everywhere in Bluebell is relatively close to everywhere else. He's still livin' at the plantation, right?" Zoe nodded, "Good, that's good. He get's taken care of there. He deserves that. Never got it much from me. Never got it much from anybody, actually."
He got this sad look on his face, and Zoe instinctively reach out across the table and grabbed his hand, "I'm sure that's not true." She said smiling at him.
"No, it is. I wasn't a pretty good father. Still not. I wanted to be but, fact is ever since Jaq," he was quiet for a minute, got this quiet, far off look on his face. Then he seemed to come back to reality, "I just don't have it in me." She wanted to say something reassuring, but she couldn't think of anything. Maybe if she knew more about the situation, "But at the plantation he got the best friend Mayor and Mayor's crazy wife and his girlfriend to look out for 'im. I like knowin' he's got people lookin' after him."
Zoe smiled, then frowned, "Wait, girlfriend?" Earl nodded, "Who? I didn't know Wade had … He's seeing somebody?" Zoe felt completely stupid and totally mortified about what she had said to Wade yesterday.
"Yeah, you." Earl said matter-of-factly.
"What?" Now she was really confused. She thought she was with George, but now Wade's dad was saying they were a couple. And he said she lived on the plantation, but Wade had told her she moved out. Something was off here, and it was making her head feel all jumbled. "Wade and I … you mean we're together? Like, we're a couple?"
Earl shrugged, "Well, it depends what you mean by couple. If couple means that the guy talks about the girl non-stop either complainin' about her or praisinin' her. If couple means everything he comes across seems to make him think of her somehow. If couple means he drops everything when she needs him and doesn't ask anything in return. If couple means he is the first person she thinks to call when she is in trouble. If couple means his face lights up light a Christmas tree when she enters a room. If couple means she's always blushin' when she's 'round him. If couple means his face turns white as a sheet the second he hears she might be hurt or in danger. If couple means sexual tension and flirtin'. If couple means confidin' things in each other that they've never told anybody else. If couple means he'll sit through a chick-flick and she'll sit through a war movie. If couple means he's all but said that he's head-over-heels in love with her. If those things make you a couple, then I would have to say yes, you are a couple."
Zoe's eyes were wide and her face was flushed. She couldn't believe what she had just heard, from Wade's father no less, and even more than that, she couldn't believe how giddy hearing it had made her feel. She wanted to say something, but she was at a loss. Besides, she was feeling unbelievably dehydrated.
She reached for her glass of water, gulped it down, and slammed in back on the table like she was at a bar, "Wow." She could have been referring to finally quenching her thirst, but more likely, she was referring to what Earl had said.
The man chuckled at her reaction, "You kids waste too much time dancin' around your feelin's and denyin' what you so clearly really want. Take it from an old man, life is short, usually shorter than we expect. Even though we know that, logically, we always think, 'naw, that won't happen to me. I'm young. I'm in my prime.' No, we never think it's gonna be us. But life can be snapped out," he snapped his fingers in front of her face, starling her a little, "like that. You want to go for it while you can, 'cause who knows how many years you have left." Zoe nodded at his words of wisdom, running them over in her head, "Wow. Guess when I'm sober I can be insightful. Who knew?" he shrugged and laughed, that same laugh Wade had, and just like that, her anxiety from this morning faded. She knew that when the moment came, she would know exactly what to say to Wade.
Then, she had the strangest thought. If I pick Wade, some day, this man might be my father-in-law. She didn't know where it came from exactly, but it gave her a warm feeling. She thought she'd like having him as a father in law. He was a nice, warm man. He reminded her of his son, and he clearly loved his son very much.
"Wade's lucky to have you."
The man snorted, and it was the same snort she had heard from Wade on occasion, "Doubt you'll find somebody to agree with you on that."
"I don't need somebody to agree with me. I think losing my memory has helped put some things into focus. I may not know much, but I know that you love Wade and you want him to be happy. I know you are a good man, and regardless of what may have happened in the past, you are a good father."
Earl shook his head, picking up his fork again. He saw how warmly she was smiling at him, and returned it with a weak one of his own. Just like so many of his mannerisms, she was familiar with that smile. He cut a piece of his egg and lifted it to his mouth, but before eating it, he opened his mouth and said, "Always knew I liked you." He said. Then, he went back to eating his breakfast.
"Lily?' Lemon called as she entered the house. Lavon had gone out to the Dixie stop. He said it was to pick up supplies for dinner, but they both knew it was really just to give Lemon and Lily time to talk. "Lily!" she called again.
"She's not here." Lemon turned with a start Magnolia made her way to the kitchen, "She went out."
"What? Where?"
Magnolia shrugged, "Beats me. She said she was gettin' cabin fever and needed some air."
"What if she gets lost?"
"Relax. It's not like she's never stayed here before. She knows her way around well enough." The two sisters just stood there for a moment, staring at each other. Finally, Magnolia spoke, "Can I … can I talk to you about something?" magnolia, just like Lemon, knew how to put up a strong front, but Lemon detected a hint of nervousness.
She made her way to the couch and motioned for Magnolia to join her, which she did. "Of course sweetheart. What is it?"
Magnolia took a deep breath. "How's … how's Wade?"
"He's fine, last I checked." Lemon said. She knew Zoe was going to talk to him today, so how 'fine' he was would depend on how it went, but physically, he was okay. In fact, according to the nurses, he should be getting out soon. And, according to the nurses, soon was not soon enough for him. He had made it quite clear that he wanted nothing more than to leave the hospital and never come back.
"That's good. He's a good guy." Magnolia said. She grew quiet, mulling over how to proceed.
"Mags?" Lemon asked tentatively.
Magnolia shook her head, "He's a good listener." Lemon nodded, "I don't have a lot of people like that. People who listen, people who'll believe me."
Lemon placed her hand on Magnolia's knee, "Mags, of course you do-"
"Don't." Magnolia said, putting her hand up, "This isn't easy. I need to get this out." Lemon nodded, not speaking. She waited for Magnolia to continue, "I need to tell you why … why I really came home. Why I wanted to take some time off." Lemon nodded again. She wanted to talk, wanted to ask, but she didn't. It was Magnolia's turn, and being the good sister right now meant she had to listen. "I was taking this class, art history, and I was doing really well. I've been takin' a lot of art classes lately," she said proudly as she sat up a little straighter. "My teacher said I had a talent for it, that I was smart and driven, and that he had never seen so much potential in a student."
"Mag's that's-"
Magnolia put her hand up again, "I believed him. I knew I was doin' well in the class, so when he wanted to work one-on-one and help me hone my talents, I jumped at the chance. And, at first it was fine. I would stay after class a couple extra hours a week, and we would work on advanced stuff. He took me to a couple museums and I got to see some great works. He even took me to a couple local art exhibits and asked me to write critiques. But then … he said it wasn't just the history. I had to know the art. He said I had an eye for it, and he wanted to help me.
I had other art teachers, but he was pretty well known for his talent at the university. I liked the idea that he wanted to see my work. He watched as I painted; he had me paint the plants and landscape I could see from the window of his office. I thought it was fine, but he said I was doing it wrong. He said he wanted to show me." Magnolia closed her eyes and swallowed hard. "He stood behind me, guiding my arm. He started whispering about my potential, how far I could go if I let him help me. I could feel his breath on my neck, he was so close. Then, he started … he started grinding against me. I could feel that he was … I could feel his … I wanted to pretend that it was in my head. I wanted so badly to be imagining it. But then I felt his lips on my neck." At this point, Lemon's hand had flown to her gaping mouth. She wanted to speak, but she stayed silent, letting her sister finish, even though all she wanted to do was hold her close and brush the tears from her eyes.
"I pushed him back, and I slapped him. I asked him how dare he. He just smiled, said I didn't seem to mind his special attention before. Didn't I like feeling special, feeling like someone like him was interested in someone like me. In some," Magnolia gulped, blinking at her tears, "some southern hick who could just as easily have ended up dancing in a cowgirl costume at the local strip club. Why did I think I was here? Did I really think I was smarter than all the other girls who applied? Did I really think I was special?"
Giving up at blinking her tears away, she closed her eyes tight, "He gripped my arms and tilted my chin up, making me look him in the eye. He told me I could be special, if I wanted. He said he had the power to make me special. He just wanted a little something in return, and he was sure that a girl who looked like me, a girl who dressed the way I do, that it wasn't the first time. He said I was just the kind of bitch to do that. He said he knew I was smart enough to use what I had, since I didn't have a lot to give. After all, wasn't that why I dressed the way I did? Didn't I notice the other girls in his class wore so much more than me? He said he could take me places, that with his help, people would be going to those museums to see my paintings. It didn't matter if they were crap. If he said they were good, people would see something in them. And I could have the best teachers, the best opportunities.
Or, I could flunk his class, and people could hear from him how I was untalented, how I was disrespectful, how I refused to apply myself. How he had even taken extra time to help me, and I hadn't taken advantage of the opportunity. I told him I'd tell the Dean what he tried, and he chuckled and asked who he thought they would believe, some bratty Daisy Duke wannabe? Or an acclaimed professor who had been teaching there for years, who wrote books and columns, and spoke at lectures, who always put the student first, who gave up a promising painting career to bring the magic of art to future generations? Did I have any idea how much clout he had, how much respect? Didn't I remember how thrilled I had been to work with him, to think someone like him saw promise in me?
I wanted to scream at him, but I couldn't think of anything to say. He said I didn't have to blow this. That it was a great opportunity, and I would be happy I took him up on his generous offer. I couldn't think of anything else to say or do so I just spit in his face. He said I'd regret it. I stormed out and the second I got back to my room, I started packing." Finally, she opened her tear-filled eyes and brought them up to meet Lemon's horrified ones, "And then I came here." Lemon was stunned. She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing would come out, "You do … you do believe me, right?"
Without a word, Lemon grabbed Magnolia and pulled her close. She held her as tight as she could, wanting nothing more than to protect the precious girl she raised, "Of course sweetheart." She said quietly, letting Magnolia's tears drench her blouse. She rubbed her back soothingly. There would be time for talking later, time for dealing with it later. Right now, Lemon just needed to let her sister know she was there.
"You could deny it, ya know?" Lavon said, trying to be helpful. After talking to George, Lavon knew something was up, and with everything Lemon had been saying, and how Zoe had been acting, he had a feeling his friend would need him. Turns out, he had been right. Lavon couldn't say he was surprised when Wade told him about the forgotten confession of love. The other stuff though, Zoe coming on to him, what George had said to Wade about it, pretty much everything Wade had not told him since Zoe woke up with an empty head … that was a surprise to say the least. Lavon wanted to advise his friend, but he wasn't quite sure how. This was definitely a delicate situation to say the least, "Blame it on the almost dyin'."
"Nah. She'd see through it." Wade responded, shaking his head. Then, he sighed, and quietly added, "Besides, I'm not sure I want to. Not this time."
Lavon smiled at him, "Well well well, look who has finally decided to step up."
Wade shook his head, "It's not that. I'm not tryin' to get her to … that is, I don't expect anything. I just can't lie to her anymore."
On the way home, Rose felt like she was flying. She couldn't believe it. Her and Fredrick Dean? Who would have thought? Her first instinct was to call Zoe and regale her with the tale, but then she remembered she couldn't. After all, Zoe barely remembered her, or Fredrick Dean. What could she say? Guess what, Fredrick Dean likes me and we kissed? That would only be followed with, questions like, who is he again? Why is this a big deal? Why are you telling me? Sure, Zoe would try and be supportive, try and pretend like she understood, but she wouldn't. Not really. How could she? She didn't remember any of it. All the years Rose had come to her for advice, all the stuff she had said about Fredrick Dean way back when. She found herself wondering if Zoe had known like Wade but kept quiet, and she hated that she couldn't even ask her.
Rose had been one of Zoe's first real friends, not Lemon, not Wade, not Brick, Rose. And, okay, there was a thing with Wade and Zoe, and George and Zoe were engaged, so if she remembered the two of them first, it sort of made sense. Sure, friends were supposed to come before boyfriends, but Rose was a romantic, so she got it. But Lemon? How was it that Zoe was remembering Lemon better? They hadn't even been friends as long; Lemon and Zoe used to hate each other's guts. And sure, they had worked past it, and Rose was glad that Zoe had more people who cared about her (even if it was a Breeland), but still, how come she was remembering everybody else first? She remembered George some, and Wade, and Lavon, Lemon, even Brick a little, but Rose was still just some nineteen-year-old who she barely knew. She really hated this. Ten minutes ago, she had been so happy and now …
In so many ways, Zoe was Rose's first real friend too. She had had friends before of course. She still did. But Zoe had been the first person she had felt that lose too, the first person she felt she could really open up to, the first person she felt she could really trust. She was more than a friend; she was family. How could she not remember her?
When she reached her place, she pushed the door open, ran up to her room, and let herself cry.
When Zoe and Earl returned, Lavon was just on his way out.
"Hey." Zoe said, trying to act nonchalant, despite the fact that the closer she got to Wade's room, the faster her heartbeat, "How is he?"
Lavon seemed to be studying her. She shifted uncomfortably, "Oh, you know, same as yesterday. Dyin' to get out of this place." She nodded, "I'm gonna head back to the plantation, but he's awake in there. I'm sure he'd be mighty happy to see you."
"Thanks Lavon." Zoe said with a smile. He tipped his hat and walked off.
Zoe turned to Earl, "Did you want to-"
"Oh, that's all right. You can go on ahead. I'll just, uh, read one of them magazines over there."
Zoe smiled at him and nodded before heading over to Wade's room. Peeking in, she saw him lying there. He was turned away from her, staring out the window. He looked kind of peaceful just laying there, his hair all mussed from sleep. She wondered what he was thinking about. Was he thinking about her? Was he as nervous as she was about the conversation they were about to have?
And what if she was wrong? What if, once again, she had misread the situation and made a total fool of herself? After all, Wade was close to unconscious when he said, well, what he said. He could have been delirious. His eyelids had been heavy; maybe he thought she was somebody else. God, that would be so humiliating.
Zoe stood herself up straight and took a deep breath. You can do this she told herself, with more confidence than she felt.
Slowly, she walked into the room, "Hey there stranger." She said, trying not to sound to awkward.
He turned his head around and smiled at her, "Hey Doc."
Well, he seemed happy to see her. That had to be a good sign, right? "I, um, I brought you some breakfast." She said, taking out the bag of food she had gotten him from the diner, "I didn't know if you'd eaten yet, but-"
"Hospital food does not qualify as eating, trust me." Zoe chuckled nervously, "Well, come on then, pass it over." Zoe adjusted the tray for him and started unloading the contents from the to-go bag. Wade's eyes widened. "Impressive spread." Zoe blushed and looked down, "That is exactly what I would have ordered for myself. Kind of spooky actually." He sat himself up as best he could and started in on the grits.
"Not so spooky, actually." She said, taking the chair next to him, "I, um, I ran into your dad."
Wade put his fork down and looked over at Zoe, "I am so, so sorry."
She laughed, "Don't be. I liked him. He was nice, funny, sweet, he seems to like me, and he clearly loves you a lot."
"Well, I don't know about that." Wade grumbled.
"I do. I mean, I know I just met the man but, I don't know, I could just tell."
"How drunk was he?" Wade asked, wincing.
"Actually he was completely sober." Wade looked at her skeptically, "I mean, he said he was a little hung over, but once word of what happened to you reached him, he wanted to see you and make sure you were okay. He seemed to think you would prefer if he was sober when he did that."
Wade nodded, "Well, what I prefer never stopped him from drinking before."
"Yeah, but, you're in the hospital Wade. That changes things. And at least he's trying. Who knows? Maybe this will be a turning point for your father. He told me about his nickname, how he's the town drunk. Maybe, maybe that will change now. Maybe almost losing his son will be a wake-up call."
"Did he tell you about his monthly suicide attempts? How he climbs up on a roof, and I have to sing to him to get him to come down."
"Moon River?" Zoe asked. Wade looked at her, surprised, "I remembered something in a dream a little bit back. We were talking and I mentioned you singing Moon River on a roof to somebody. I had meant to ask you about it, but, I guess I forgot." Wade nodded, "but still, that doesn't mean he can't change."
Wade sighed, "Look, Zoe, I appreciate what you're tryin' to do here, but you don't know him like I do. You think this is the first time he tried to … it would be amazing, if my dad could sober up, but, thing is, I just can't get my hopes up again. He gets his act together, great, but, if not." Wade just shrugged.
"I'm so sorry Wade." Zoe said. She wished she could do something to help.
He smiled at her, "Not your fault Doc." They were both quiet for a minute. "You, uh, you want some?" Wade asked, trying to defuse the tension.
"No thanks I, I ate at the diner." Wade nodded, "So, um, last time I was here, things got kind of …"
He looked up at her, putting his fork down again, "Yeah, they kind of did."
"You don't have to stop eating."
Wade shook his head, "It's fine."
Zoe looked down, "You were going to say something, and we were, well, interrupted." Her heart was beating so fast, she felt like her chest was going to explode. Why was he being so quiet? Why was this so hard?
"I remember." He said slowly.
"I asked you-
"I remember what you asked me Zoe. It's not the sort of thing a guy forgets."
Well then answer the freaking question already! She wanted to scream. Instead she just nodded, "So, um, did you?"
He sat there for a moment, not saying anything. Was he trying to kill her? Even if he said the worst thing, at least it would be something. How could he just sit there and say nothing? Did he not see what this was doing to her?
"Zoe, I've bee, lyin' here, tryin' to figure out how to answer that question since you left yesterday. I'm still not completely sure but, I know I gotta be honest with you, no matter how hard it is."
"Well, good." Zoe said. What does he mean hard? Hard like, it will be hard for me to hear hard?
"George is my friend. And he loves you so much. I know he does. And I know you love him. You're my friend too and I want you to be happy. I want you to have everything you deserve." He gulped noticeably. Zoe saw his Adam's apple quiver. "When you and Tucker got engaged. I pushed you away. Actually, that's puttin' it nice. Truth is, I was an all around ass. And when you forgot everything, forgot what a jerk I was, forgot him, I wanted so badly to just … but that would have been unfair to you, and I couldn't do that. Not to you, or to Tucker." He paused, and Zoe wanted to punch him. Why was he taking so long? It was a simple yes or no question! Of course, Zoe knew it wasn't so simple. It wasn't simple at all actually. It was as complicated and as difficult as a question could get. "I don't remember sayin' what you say I said that night, but I don't doubt for a minute that I said it." He took a deep breath, "Because, the truth is that, yes, Zoe, I did mean it." Her heart stopped marathoning. In fact, she was pretty sure it stopped all together, "I love you Zoe Hart. I always have. I don't know if that's what you want to hear, and I apologize, because I know that it makes your already wacko life a million times more difficult but, that's the truth." Zoe tried to swallow, tried to catch her breath, but she couldn't. "Which is what you said you wanted, right? The truth."
She swallowed, trying hard to find her voice, "I did." She choked out. Wade reached out and touched her cheek, wiping at it gently. She hadn't realized that she was crying.
"I'm sorry that I'm so confused." She said, "I'm sorry that I don't know what I … George is amazing, and I know I feel something for him, but when I'm with you I feel, I feel like…"
"Shhhh." He soothed, "It's okay. Nobody has to decide anything right now. It's okay."
"Wade, I -"
"It's okay."
Wade got out of the hospital today, and everybody was going crazy preparing for his homecoming. Zoe wondered if this was how they had been when she was released from the hospital. It probably was. That was just the kind of people they were; sweet in the craziest way possible.
George wasn't here; he had had to go away for a couple days on a case. At least, that's what Lavon said. Zoe had not really talked to George since that day she fell asleep at his place. At first, she had just not wanted to talk to him until she talked to Wade, but she had talked to Wade the day before yesterday, and talking to him hadn't exactly cleared up her confusion. She hadn't even gone to see him yesterday. She had wanted to, but she couldn't figure out what she would say. And she had no clue what to say to George either. So, she had avoided them both the past couple days, a task made easier by George's sudden trip.
He had left a letter for her, telling her how much he cared for her, and how he wouldn't leave right now if it weren't important, but maybe it was a blessing in disguise. Maybe a few days apart were exactly what they needed. He would be back in three days time, which was now two days, since he left yesterday. When he got back, they could talk and try to figure everything out.
He was such a sweet guy, but then, so was Wade. She felt like her heart was a piece of taffy being stretched in two different directions, and it was only a matter of time before the whole thing came apart. She couldn't keep doing this. Her heart wouldn't survive it, and they both deserved better. She just wished she knew what to do.
Wade wasn't surprised by what he found when he got home. Lavon had picked him up from the hospital, and when they reached the plantation, he saw balloons, a grill, and a table with refreshments and a humungous cake. Lavon helped him out of the car and handed him his crutches.
"You guys didn't have to do anythin' special." He said, looking at Lemon. He was certain that she was the mastermind behind this whole operation.
"Don't be ridiculous," she said, coming over to hug him, "Of course we did." He smiled as she hugged him, "Welcome home Wade."
"Hey, she didn't do it all on her own you know!" Wade chuckled and turned to Rose who was standing with a very happy looking Fredrick Dean.
"I know. Come here kid." Rose rolled her eyes, but came over and hugged him anyway.
"I'm glad you're back." Wade just nodded. He noticed the hint of jealousy in Fredrick Dean's eyes as the boy watched his new girlfriend hug her old crush. He chuckled inwardly; it was an amusing look.
Letting go of Rose, which made Fredrick Dean smile, he turned back to the gang. "Seriously, everyone, this is amazin'. I really appreciate it."
"Well, you deserve it man." Lavon said, "Oh, and George was sorry he couldn't come. He had a-"
"Yeah, no, I know. He came to see me before he left, said I sure as hell better be outta there by the time he got back, or else." Wade said, chuckling fondly.
Wade talked to Magnolia and Shelley. He had a couple burgers, and did his fair share of mingling. He noticed Zoe sitting off to the side, eating on of the burgers and drinking some of Lemon's famous lemonade. He hobbled over to her.
"Surprised to see you here." He said.
Zoe looked up, surprised, "Hey, I take offense to that." she said through a mouthful of burger.
Wade chuckled, "May I?" he asked, motioning to the lawn chair next to her own.
"Please."
It took a minute for him to get settled; he was still getting used to the crutches. "I just meant, I haven't really seen you since …" he trailed off. He didn't need to say it; they both knew what he meant.
Zoe nodded, "I almost didn't come. When they were setting all this up," she motioned to the decorations around them, "I was considering just hiding out in the carriage house until it was all over. I thought it might be less awkward that way."
"Well, what made you change your mind?"
"I'm really happy that you're okay, and that you're out of the hospital. I wanted to celebrate. And, I thought, I don't know, I thought you might want me here." She said the last part quietly, looking down, like she was embarrassed. Wade just chuckled. She could be so stupid sometimes.
"Of course I'd want you here, Doc."
Zoe smiled, "Really? It doesn't make you uncomfortable, after …"
Wade shook his head, "I didn't expect anythin' Zoe. I never have. I know how much Tucker means to you. I wasn't tryin' to get you to leave him and ride off in the sunset with me. I just figured, after everythin', it was time I told you the truth. I mean, you'd sure been buggin' me long enough about it."
Zoe chuckled, "Well, thank you. For being honest with me. It means a lot."
Wade nodded, "No sweat." He said, trying to sound convincing, like it wasn't killing him that she hadn't returned his sentiment.
Wade didn't really want to go to sleep. Sure, his bed was better than a hospital bed, but it was still a bed, and he had been spending way too much time in a bed lately. Plus, transferring in and out of the bed was awkward with the crutches. If he had to use them, he'd rather use them so he could get used to them. Not that they were permanent of course. He didn't even want to think of what he might do if that happened.
Wade sighed, pulling the sheets back. Might as well get this over with, he thought. After all, the sooner he went to sleep, the sooner he could wake up and get out of the blasted thing. He closed his eyes, trying to drift off. No luck. He wasn't tired. He shifted a little, trying to get comfortable and tried again. Suddenly, he felt the bed shift. Opening his eyes, he saw Zoe sitting next to him. He started.
"Doc?"
"Hey." She said, as though it was the most normal thing in the world for her to sit on his bed in the middle of the night.
"Hey. What are you doin' here?"
A devilish grin grew on her face, "Making sure you keep your promise."
"What?" Wade asked, confused. What the hell was she talking about?
"You owe me a cooking lesson."
It took a minute, but then realization dawned on his face and he chuckled, "What, now?"
She shrugged, "No time like the present. Last time I let you postpone it, you ended up finding a clever way out."
"I was shot."
"Yeah, yeah." She said dismissively. "Come on, get up." Zoe said, pulling back his blanket. Her eyes widened slightly and her face went pink. Wade was just relieved he was wearing boxers, "I'll, um, I'll meet you in the kitchen." She said, stumbling backwards. Wade wanted to chuckle, but he didn't. He couldn't suppress a smirk though.
After she left, he maneuvered himself onto the crutches, grabbed a shirt and a pair of pants. He tried not to read anything into this, her coming and waking him in the middle of the night for a cooking lesson. But, really, who was he kidding? This meant something. Maybe everything. There was no more pretending anymore; she knew now. That changed everything. He thought about everything Rose said had said about second chances and how he deserved to be happy. Maybe she was right. Maybe this was his shot. He never fought for her the first time; he never told her how he felt. Now she knew, and maybe she could feel the same way. Either way, he owed it to both of them to try and find out.
As he made his way over to the plantation, he felt the urge to run, and cursed when h remembered he couldn't. He had never been so excited, or so terrified in his life. His heart was beating faster than could be humanly possible. He opened to door to the kitchen in the main house. Zoe's back was to him, but when she heard the door, she turned. She was dressed nice. Nothing fancy, which was good, since she would probably get whatever she wore dirty, but she was wearing a nice shirt and those infamous shorts of hers. The shirt was new. He should know, he'd seen pretty much every outfit she owned. And, she was wearing make-up. It wasn't a lot, just some lipstick and a little light blush, but it made him smile. Not because she needed it; she was gorgeous with or without the stuff. However, Wade knew girls. If she had gone to the trouble to put on makeup and a nice, new outfit, it made him think maybe this meant more to her than learning how to not burn the house down.
"Hey Doc," she smiled at him and he swallowed nervously, "Ready for that cookin' lesson?"
Author's Note: Hi. So, what did we think? Did I make up for not updating?
Okay, first off, I loved bringing Earl in. We all know he wants Zoe to be his daughter-in-law. I really enjoyed writing those scenes.
Information on legal guardianship and adoption in the state of Alabama came from:
Ehow
definitionsdotuslegaldotcom/g/guardianship
guardianshipdotuslegal
infodotlegalzoomdotcom/adoption-vs-legal-guardians hip-20758 (and other related topics on the infolegalzoom website),
legislaturedotstatedotaldotus/CodeofAlabama/1975/2 6-2A-78
find-lawsdotcom/children-laws/alabama-guardianship -law
find-lawsdotcome/adoption/Alabama-adoption.
As I said a while back, I wrote the part where Zoe and Wade talk before, but unlike when she brings it up, which I mostly kept but changed to his perspective, this time I basically scrapped the old one and redid it. The old one never really read right, and I think this one is better.
Zoe's reaction with the "Wow," to what Earl said, I swear, had nothing to do with the Finale. I am pretty sure I wrote that part before the Finale aired. The scenes with Earl were the first ones I wrote. Wait, that's not true. I wrote the scene with Lavon and Wade first, but that was a really long time ago, in the original version I never used. So, the Earl stuff is almost the first part I wrote.
I liked expanding the Magnolia story. I considered doing a flashback, but I think it worked better this way. I actually wrote the phone scene where Wade convinces her to talk to Lemon after I wrote the scene where she talks to Lemon.
As for the Rose stuff, I don't think I've spent a lot of time on how Zoe's amnesia is affecting her, but Zoe is her best friend and has been for a long time. I feel like this would be very hard for her, especially because Zoe is starting to remember her other friends, even Lemon, but she still doesn't really remember Rose. Poor Rose.
When Wade said I love you, I admit, I was kind of thinking of the Finale a little. I mean, I didn't mean to, but it was kind of hard for it not to pop into me mind.
Bonus Blooper Reel: While I was writing, a friend of mine was reading over my shoulder. My friend does not watch Hart of Dixie, but when I left my computer to go to the bathroom or something (I don't remember exactly,) my friend added their own dialogue. I did not keep it, but I thought it was a little funny. My friend suggested I put it in a blooper reel at the end, so that is what I am doing. You are under no obligation to read it, of course.
I start with my own dialogue. What my friend added is underlined:
She sighed heavily. "But, you don't know him Wade. He's … it'd be like telling the people of Oz that the wizard was just the guy behind the curtain, and the wicked witch was the hero."
"But, he was just the guy behind the curtain." Wade said, confused.
"Yeah, but they never told anybody, 'cause nobody would ever believe it. Just like nobody would believe Glinda if she said Elphaba was really the hero."
"Who?"
"Haven't you ever seen Wicked?"
"That shit's expensive. Who do you think I am? Daddy Warbucks?"
"Who?"
"Haven't you ever seen Annie?"
"… That shit's expensive."
Do you think I should have gone with my friend's version?
I hope you liked this chapter, and I look forward to hearing your feedback. Have a good day.