Title: The Swear Jar Chapter 4
Author: Romantique
Email: dolph1n
Classification: Raylan/Winona Family/General
Rating: T for language (but no worse than the show)
Summary: Raylan is a new dad. This one is a stand-alone, not a sequel to 'A Change of Scenery.'
Disclaimer: It's 'Justified' hiatus time, and I'm bored. This fic is based on nothing but my imagination and takes place sometime after the end of Season 3.
Legal: These characters do not belong to me. I'm just a fan and have not made a dime. Please email me to obtain permission to post.
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
Raylan slowly walked out to the street to brief the Troopers on the route he would take to return Arlo to Trumbull. It was agreed they would follow him and Tim, unless they received a higher priority call. None of the law enforcement officers thought Arlo posed any kind of a real threat, but all were still unclear as to how the old man got from Point A at the prison to Point B to this house on Indian Line. What was clear was they could expect no help from the elderly escapee who appeared to have lost his cotton-picking mind.
Approaching the driver's side of his Lincoln, Raylan noted that Tim already had Arlo secured in the backseat, and he appreciated his partner taking the lead on handling Arlo. Raylan opened his door and took a look back, at his father. Arlo was staring out the passenger window with an aimless look on his face. In fact, he didn't look like himself at all, more like a shadow of his former self.
"You want me to drive?" Tim leaned over and asked, noting the heavy look of concern on his partner's face.
"Naw, but thanks," Raylan acknowledged, taking his seat and pulling the shoulder harness of his seatbelt nice and taught before clicking the buckle. "Let's get this over with," he said, adjusting the hat on his head.
Not too long after they hit the Interstate, Raylan glanced in the rearview mirror at the same time the State Trooper vehicle abruptly peeled off the off-ramp.
"Seems we lost our Trooper friends," Raylan remarked.
Tim quickly checked his side mirror and confirmed they had taken off for parts unknown. Then, he turned his head to check on Arlo, who was asleep and softly snoring. His jaw was relaxed, and his mouth was open.
"Arlo's out cold," he commented. Then, he looked back over at Raylan. "Are we going to follow up with Boyd after we drop Arlo off?"
"Not sure," Raylan answered with his eyes fixed straight ahead, on the road. "Art only called me in today to take care of Arlo. After he's signed, sealed, and delivered, I really do need to get back."
Tim was surprised at the demeanor of this new father. He never thought he'd see the day when Raylan Givens passed on a chance at busting Boyd Crowder's chops, especially since Arlo took the fall for him. Raylan let it be known among those at the Lexington office that, while he always wanted to be the one to see his father go back to jail where he belonged, he was not at all happy to see him take a felony fall for a double murder for the likes of Boyd. In fact, he was pissed. But lately, Raylan had become somewhat philosophical about the whole thing by saying one had to be careful for what one wishes, or at be least extremely specific about the details ... or you just might get it. Tim was surprised to see his resignation, didn't really understand it.
It was about that time when Raylan's cell phone rang.
"Givens," Raylan quickly answered as he noticed Loretta's name on the display.
"Marshal, I need to inform you my foster mom called and instructed me to go pick up her youngest boy at school from the school nurse," Loretta began. "She's been held up in town, and the little guy's runnin' a fever. You have a choice of comin' on now and pickin' up little Cait, or you can trust me to drive her to the school and back to pick up my foster brother."
"Hang on just a second," he said and quietly relayed his dilemma to Tim, who said absolutely nothing in response.
All Raylan could think about was whether Loretta was being truthful about picking up a contagious kid, or was she really heading over to the school at lunch time to deliver some weed? Then, he thought 'what difference did it make?' He didn't want his baby girl anywhere near either scenario. Raylan then looked in his rearview mirror at Arlo, who still out like a light.
"Just hang on. I'm on my way," he said. "I should be there in about 20 minutes."
As he disconnected the call, Tim said, "Are you sure that's a good idea? Pickin' up Cait, first, before we deliver Arlo?"
"What choice do I have?" he asked with conviction. "There's no way I'm lettin' a tiny infant ride with a teenager. And besides, Loretta doesn't have the base to the car seat. It's strapped back there in the backseat of this car, next to Arlo."
He then motioned to the backseat.
"And by the way, Art doesn't want only one of us doin' prison transports, anymore," Raylan nodded, building onto his case for breaking Art's orders.
"Yeah," Tim chuckled, "thanks to you."
Tim was referring to that time Raylan had his keys, his weapons, ID, and his hat taken by an escaped convict and locked in the storage room of a convenience store, on his way back to prison after a prison transport. "Art's not going to like a civilian infant riding along with a prison transport, even if you are all related."
"Alright, you're the genius," Raylan was beginning to become frustrated. "What should I do? You tell me."
"Well, I suppose you are in a bind," Tim said, loving the prospect of having something new to hold over Raylan's head. "You better hope we don't run into Art and Rachael up at the prison."
"Shit," Raylan said upon this realization, as he sharply hit the steering wheel with the heel of hand in frustration, unable to catch a break.
"That's another dollar for the Swear Jar," Tim smiled, knowing he may be risking life and limb in bringing up cursing in Raylan's current state.
Or maybe, just maybe, it would break a little tension in the car.
"We wouldn't want Cait's college fund to be short-changed now, would we?" he needled on.
Raylan took in a deep breath, catching Tim's intent. "Noooo, we wouldn't want that I guess."
Then, Raylan smiled. "Well, hell, shit, fuck, and Jesus Christ," he let it all hang out, even letting out a chuckle. "I know. I'm graduatin' to a fifty in the Swear Jar, but damn that felt good!"
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
Back at Loretta's, Tim remained in the car with Arlo who was still drugged, while Raylan went inside to pick up Caitlyn.
Raylan quickly packed up the diaper bag, and Loretta finished changing Cait's diaper for the road.
"How much do I owe you for today?" he asked her, hoisting the bag over his shoulder. "'cause I really do appreciate you doin' this for me and on such short notice."
He then headed into the kitchen and over to the freezer to grab the milk and the icepack and placed it down into the bag, and returned to the living room.
Picking up the freshly diapered babe and handing her over to her Daddy, Loretta said, "Like I said, Marshal, I'm the one who owes you. I wouldn't take your money. I don't need any, thanks to you."
Raylan instantly smiled at his baby when she gave him a toothless smile of recognition and joyfully waved her arms and legs. He gently placed her into her car seat and carefully strapped her in. It was a side of Raylan Loretta had never seen before. It reminded her of her own late Daddy.
"I was kiddin', you know," she said in her typical flat, void of all emotion fashion.
"About what?" he turned his head to look at her.
"About you not makin' it a habit about watchin' Caitlyn," she admitted. "I was just kiddin'. You can call me again to watch her. If I'm available, I'd do it with no lip and at no charge. She's a good baby."
"Yeah, she is," he smiled. "That's awful generous of you. I appreciate it."
"You're welcome," she said, shoving her hands in the pockets of her jeans.
One hand emerged from her pocket with her keys.
"I'm gonna follow you on out," she said. "I need to head over to the school."
With Cait's seat handle now firmly in his hand and ready to go, Raylan smiled. "Thank you for callin' me when you were faced with a dilemma and lettin' me decide on how to handle it. It shows tremendous maturity and good judgment on your part."
"What can I say?" she flippantly said. "I'm wise beyond my years. Or that's what people like to tell me."
Raylan smiled and nodded. "It's the first one. You're a wise one. Be good."
And he walked out of the house and down the driveway.
He then looked down at Cait and softly said, "I never thought this was gonna happen, but you're about to meet your Grandfather. Well, sorta."
He then opened the door to the driver's side of the backseat and quietly clicked her seat into the base and strapped the seatbelt over the seat, tightening it until she was secured.
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
The drive out to Trumbull was uneventful. Raylan relished the quiet, as both Arlo and Cait were sleeping. Even Tim had talked himself out. Raylan decided that as soon as he got this situation under control, he'd be a whole lot safer with Winona if he could talk her into letting him and the baby join her in Bowling Green for a few days.
When they arrived at the check-in office at the side entrance of the prison, Raylan quickly scanned the parking lot.
"I don't see them," Tim remarked, referring to Art's vehicle, the one he and Rachael had taken for their transport assignment. "You lucked out."
"It appears so," he said, bringing the car to a stop in the shade of a tree and putting it in 'PARK.'
Unclasping his seatbelt, Tim said, "I'll go in and take care of the paperwork. I'll be back in a few for Arlo."
"Alright," Raylan acknowledged, cracking his window just a tad.
As Tim closed the door and walked towards the intake entrance, the sound startled Arlo awake. In a moment of crystal clarity, Arlo looked over at Raylan.
"This is my granddaughter, isn't she?" he asked, his eyes smiling.
Alarmed and very tight-lipped Raylan turned around and studied the situation very carefully.
"Don't worry, Son," Arlo added, catching Raylan's alarm. "I'm not gonna hurt her."
Then, the old man looked over at her, almost drinking in the very sight of her.
"She's beautiful. Gonna be a looker," he said, keeping his voice down low, so as not to wake the sleeping baby. "She takes after your Momma. Dontcha think?"
"Thank God for small favors," Raylan whispered sarcastically, under his breath.
"I understand why you didn't bring her to see me, here," Arlo said. "Prison's no place for little ones."
"You got that right," Raylan said, biting his tongue.
What Raylan really wanted to tell the son-of-a-bitch was to take a good, long look because it would be the last time he would ever see her. He decided it better to keep the situation nice a quiet until Tim returned.
"You take after your momma, too," he said, still looking at his granddaughter.
"Arlo?" Raylan asked, astounded by the man's pension for deception. "Why did you escape from the infirmary?"
Arlo looked up at his son and quietly said, "'cause this was the only way I could think of that I might could see my only grandchild."
Raylan's eyes narrowed in astonishment.
"I figured your boss would send you after me," Arlo stated as a matter-of-fact.
"And you thought I'd just happen to have her with me?" Raylan asked, unable to fathom how his father's mind worked.
Arlo shook his head, returning his gaze to the baby.
"Oh, no," he said. "I thought I could talk you into showin' me a picture of her. But this ... this is even better."
Arlo's head moved a little closer to get a better look. And Raylan instinctively flinched, as his arm immediately moved to separate the old man from his baby.
"Relax, Raylan," he gently said. "I'm not gonna touch her. I'm not gonna hurt her. I just wanna burn this beautiful picture of her in my memory."
Slowly, Raylan moved his arm back into the front seat.
"What's her name?" Arlo asked.
"It's Caitlyn. Caitlyn Grace," he answered.
"After Frances," Arlo noted. "That's real nice."
After a moment of silence, Arlo added, "I'm glad you're not alone. I've worried about that."
"About me?" Rayan asked, again, not buying the act of concern.
"Look, I know you don't like me to call you my son, but you are," he said. "And I don't like the thought of leavin' you all alone in the world."
"What are you talkin' about?" Raylan asked. "Leavin' me alone, now? Or my whole life?"
The old man looked up. "I mean now. My health's no good. I'm not gettin' any younger. Prison's a dangerous place. I know my days are numbered."
It was about that time that Tim returned and opened the backseat, passenger side of the car.
"They're ready for him," Tim reported to Raylan and began to unlatch Arlo's seat belt. "C'mon, let's go," he instructed the prisoner."
As Arlo stepped out of the car, Raylan asked, "Arlo, was it worth it?"
Arlo turned his head and took one last look at Caitlyn.
"You know it was, son," he said.
This time, there were tears in Arlo's eyes ... first time Raylan had seen tears in his father's eyes since Helen died. Tim closed the door. As his father was being led inside the building, Raylan knew this was, indeed, the last time Arlo would see both Caitlyn ... and him. An unexpected lump formed in his throat.
(To be continued ...)