Title: The Swear Jar 29/X
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.
Later that week …
Winona's baby shower was a sweeping success. Attended by her sister, Rachel, and several female co-workers from the Courthouse, Faylene Mullen's 'Double Mint' shower for the twins-to-be included refreshments of sandwiches and salads with a beautiful mint lemonade. There was a cake made in the 'Double Mint' gum theme. Faylene made Winona a personalized Baby Book with some of Caitlyn's pictures and the ultrasound pictures of the twins already inside. Raylan helped Faylene by bringing her the pictures without Winona's knowledge. It was a beautiful, customized surprise.
Winona also received more baby clothes and diapers, bottles, and layette items for twins. Rachel bought her a new diaper bag stocked with enough items for three babies. The girls from work bought her two, beautiful matching yellow bassinettes. The biggest gift she received was from her mother, sent from Florida. It was a stroller for three. And her sister bought her two more car seats. Winona remarked that it was a good thing Raylan had the Lincoln. It had a big enough back seat for all three car seats. And then, she thought to herself that she could use a bigger car, herself.
She and Raylan had been busy over the past several weeks, gradually converting one of the bedrooms into a real nursery for three babies. They bought two more cribs, mattresses, another changing table, and chest of drawers to match Caitlyn's furniture, although Raylan still needed to find the time to put them all together.
At the shower, baby Cait was the star of the party. Dressed in a little pink and white seersucker dress, complete with a white headband, she was passed around from woman to woman to woman where she was bounced, jostled, sung to, and played with. Even Rachel took a long turn with her, changing Cait's diaper so that Winona could open her gifts.
There had been earlier talk about the shower being a co-ed shower so that Raylan, Art, and Tim could attend, along with husbands and boyfriends of the guests. But Raylan was non-committal about attending a baby shower, and soon, Winona was informed that Raylan's 'bachelor party' was schedule on the same day as her shower. She couldn't help but think that Raylan might have put Art up to scheduling Raylan's evening on the same day … or maybe it was Art not wanting to attend. After all, he was older, of a generation who didn't attend co-ed showers. She tried not to be disappointed, but she was.
As a compromise, Raylan promised to show up at the end, say hello to everyone, and load all of the babies' loot into his car and take the gifts back to their house. And Winona arranged for her sister, Gayle to stay with her, overnight, just in case Raylan and the gang were out late. Rachel promised her the evening would not get out of hand.
Raylan showed up at Art and Faylene's house on time, and was very gracious and thankful to the ladies for all the gifts for his kids. He loaded up the Lincoln and drove home, while Winona rode with her sister in Gayle's car. They arrived at the house about 45 minutes after Raylan, who had already taken everything into the babies' 'bedroom in progress.'
Winona found Raylan stretched out on their bed, almost asleep.
"Hey," she said, quickly changing out of her dress and into some comfortable sweats. "I thought you were going out tonight."
"Rachel will be here in a couple of hours," he mumbled, eyes still closed. "I could use an hour or so, just so I can make it through tonight. I'm not as young as I used to be when it comes to partyin'."
"Alright," she said. "I'm going back in the other room with my sister and Cait."
She leaned down and kissed Raylan on the side of his face, and brushed his hair out of his eyes with her fingertips.
A couple of hours later, Rachel arrived to pick Raylan up and take him out for the evening. Art and Tim were waiting in the car. On the way out the door, Raylan gave Winona a goodbye kiss and Cait a peck on the cheek. He said goodnight to Gayle, and the four marshals took off.
A short time later at Nick Ryan's Saloon, located in downtown Lexington, Raylan, Art, Rachel, and Tim sat a four-top table near the bar area. They arrived early, before their reservation time, to get the evening started. Each marshal had a drink in hand, munching on a platter of assorted appetizers.
"Raylan, this is probably the most low-key bachelor's party I've ever attended," Tim complained, his voice as flat as a pancake. "There are no women … dancing on poles." Then, he looked over at his co-worker. "Sorry, Rachel. You know what I mean."
"Exactly how many bachelor parties have you attended?" Raylan asked Tim, challenging his colleague's prowess.
"Enough to know you've turned into a stick in the mud," Tim continued with his complaint.
Raylan smiled, thinking it might be in his best interest to pivot the conversation. "Oh, I think I sewed all my wild oats livin' above that bar."
"Really?" Art asked. Taking a pull on his bottle of beer, he added, "I thought you told me once that your two biggest weaknesses are beautiful women and ice cream?"
Squinting, Raylan asked, "When did I tell you that?"
Art chuckled. "On a stakeout."
Rachel interjected, directing her attention to Art, "He told me that, too when we were working a stakeout."
Shaking his head, Raylan let out a 'tsk-tsk' and said, "I thought you knew that's part of my stakeout shtick."
Tim looked over at their boss. "It's true. He does tell that same story, every time we're on a stakeout."
Raylan interrupted their fun. "Seriously, I only embarked on a series of superficial, mostly one-night stands, because the love of my life had once again kicked me to the curb."
"That's sweet," Rachel interjected, "that you acknowledge Winona is the only one for you."
"How'd you get her back?" Tim wanted to know. "Because my theory is you got her barefoot and pregnant … again."
Raylan gave Tim a tight-lipped smile. Weapons sharpshooter Tim Gutterson had an equally sharpshooting wit and would often go for the juggler with his quips. Raylan had to remind himself not to let it get to him.
After letting out a controlled sigh, Raylan diverted. "We always wanted kids. Lots of 'em, too. I think we were too scared to do it, have kids … until we did. And we found out we're good at bein' parents. It seems to come real natural to both of us. I think maybe before we had Caitlyn, Winona was worried how I'd do because I had Arlo for a father. She probably didn't think good parentin' would come so natural to me. I don't blame her at all for that because she's just bein' protective of her baby," he said, taking a pull on his own beer. "I really didn't know how I'd do myself until after Cait was born. To be honest, I kinda surprised myself."
"Timing is everything," Art said, referring to the timing of their parenthood. "Things will usually happen when the time is right, when they're supposed to happen."
"Aren't you the philosopher?" Tim remarked.
Raylan interrupted. "Is that another pearl of wisdom you brought back from your seminar?"
Art chuckled again. "I've heard that one many times before, but I'm sure it was also covered at the seminar."
"Rachel? Party of four?" the hostess announced as she stepped into the bar.
"Here we go," Art announced.
They all gathered up their drinks and Tim quickly popped the last of the fried ravioli into his mouth, and they followed the waitress to a large booth in the back of the dimly lit part of the restaurant.
Raylan slid all the way down on one side of the booth, as Art did the same, seating himself across from Raylan. Rachel sat beside Raylan, and Tim slid in next to his boss.
"Can I bring you all another round?" a waitress asked.
"Yeah," Tim nodded. "That would be great."
"None for me," Rachel interjected. She looked up at the waitress. "I'm the designated driver."
"We could take a cab home," Art suggested to his lone female marshal.
Art knew she was only trying to be the responsible one so that he and the other two could have a good time.
Rachel smiled at her boss. "No, it's okay. I don't need to be drinking tonight. And besides, someone here needs to be able to remember what happens tonight."
"No, no, no," Tim objected, wagging his index finger in the air. "What happens here, what is said here, stays right here. There is nothing that needs to be remembered."
"Here, here," Art clinked his beer bottle with Tim's and then with Raylan's.
"Alright," Rachel gave in. "Bring me whatever they're having," she said to the waitress.
"We're drinking Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale," Art announced.
The waitress said she'd be back for their dinner order and left to pick up another round of drinks.
"Good. You should partake because Art's buying," Tim looked across the table at Rachel. "Plus, I can taste the bourbon. It's growing on me."
"It's like having the best of both worlds," Art added. "Beer and bourbon … but watch it. The beer goes down so smooth, it can creep up on you."
Raylan sat in the corner of booth, taking this all in. He enjoyed not being the center of their joking and jousting.
"We are taking cabs home. Agreed?" Rachel said with an authoritarian tone of voice. "I'll come back and pick up my car in the morning."
"I'll come back here with you," Tim offered Rachel. "We could all use a night to loosen up."
And then, Tim turned to face Raylan, with his bottle held up in the air. "So, here's to Raylan, and his upcoming nuptials, and for giving us an excuse to take him out and celebrate his dwindling days of bachelor freedom, and all that macho stuff we're supposed to say to a guy who's trading in every day flirtations with the ladies for the ol' ball and chain …"
Rachel cut him off, rolling her eyes, and uttered a labored, "Oh, brother."
"Alright," Tim readjusted. "I might have laid it on a little thick."
"Do you think?" Rachel answered with her eyebrows raised for emphasis.
Raylan calmly waded in. "I think Deputy Marshal Gutterson might be, oh, two-and-a-half beers ahead of you," he looked at Rachel. "Not makin' excuses … just statin' facts."
"Tim?" Art entered, too. "When's the last time you went to the shooting range?"
It had always been Art's observation that Tim was a whole lot less snarky when allowed to blast off his frustrations at the shooting range.
"I'm probably overdue, Boss," Tim confessed.
"Well, how about you and me go fire off some rounds tomorrow?" Art suggested. "Let the master show you how it's done."
Tim chuckled. "The master, huh? Yeah, you know I'm always up for going to the firing range. You want to join us, Rachel?"
"I might could go for an hour or so," she answered. "But I don't want it turn into an all-day thing. No offense, but I have things I need to do this weekend."
"What kind of things?" Tim was being nosy.
"You know … like laundry, grocery shopping … washing the car," she answered, "… stuff that has to be done before work on Monday."
"Rachel's the disciplined one," Art nodded his head. "I think that's a good plan. Just meet up for an hour or two." Looking across the table, he asked, "You want to join us, Raylan?"
"I can't," Raylan answered without a seconds thought. "I promised Winona I'd watch Cait while she and your wife go take care of some stuff for the weddin'. I don't think the firin' range is an appropriate place to take the baby."
"No, you are right about that," Art agreed. "Faylene is having a ball with this wedding. Life has been pretty sweet at my house." Looking over at his other deputies, he said with a big smile, "If either one of you two ever want to get married, you are also welcome to have the ceremony and/or a reception or any other of those rehearsal dinners and such at my house. Hell, Faylene should just go into the wedding business. My wife would be in hog heaven all the time."
Raylan smiled at his boss. "A win-win for you. I'm so glad Winona and I could be of help." After a beat, he went on. "No, seriously, it was so kind of you and Faylene to open your home to us and for you and your wife to do this for us."
Raylan raised his water glass to toast his gratitude, as his bottle was empty. It was at that time the waitress showed up with their beers. She quickly determined that no one had looked at the menu and told them she would give them some more time.
Art quickly shouted to the waitress, "Would you bring us some more of those fried raviolis while we're deciding what we want? Thank you."
She acknowledged she heard him and continued on her way.
Tim passed the bottles around until everyone had one in hand. They raised their bottles into the air.
Raylan continued his interrupted toast by simply saying, "To Art."
"To Art," Rachel and Tim echoed.
Bottles clinked and Art give them all a 'thank you.'
Out of left field, Tim popped up with an, "Are you finished suckin' up to the Chief, now?"
Tim had a grin on his face that did not match the biting tone of the question.
Raylan screwed up his face and said, "Whaaaaa?"
Art laid his arm on the table, between his two marshals. "Tim? You need to dial the snark down just a tad, or I'm gonna have to cut you off. Capisce?"
"Capisce," Tim uttered. Then, he looked up. "Sorry, Raylan."
Rachel turned to study Raylan's face. He had been on the receiving in of Tim's snarks on this particular night, much more than usual. She thought that it must have been no accident they were seated the way they were, showing a shared, foreseen wisdom between Art and herself. Tim and Raylan liked each other just fine. They could get competitive with one another with their gifts of gab, each trying to outdo the other. It could get out of hand. And adding alcohol to the mix could make things interesting.
Raylan nodded to acknowledge Tim's apology. He thought to himself that this was going to be a long, long dinner.
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
It was after midnight when Raylan quietly entered his house. The lights were dimmed and all was quiet, leading him to believe Winona and her sister had already turned in for the night. The cab now gone, Raylan flipped off the outside light to the entry way and carefully made his way to the bedroom, trying with all his might not to wake anyone.
Once in the bedroom, he toed off his boots and placed his hat on the dresser. He pulled his shirt tail out of his jeans and removed his belt. He looked over at Winona. She was asleep. So was Caitlyn. His bed was calling, after a night squealing down beers, and he fell into bed. His ungraceful fall onto the mattress shook the bed, waking Winona.
"Good, you're home," she said. "And you smell like a brewery."
Being pregnant made her very sensitive to smells.
"Sorry, I was tryin' not to wake you," he whispered.
In the dim light, after Winona's eyes adjusted to the light, she said, "What the hell happened to your face?"
Raylan's left cheek was puffy, swollen, bruised, and he had a cut under his left eye.
"It's fine." He let out a sigh. "Tim and I got into it. He had too much to drink."
"And you didn't?" she asked. "Where was Art?"
"He was there," Raylan went on, his eyes closed as he talked. His hand was holding onto his forehead. He had a headache coming on. "Art was holdin' Tim back, and Rachel had a hold of me."
"Well, what started it?" she wanted to know. "You all are friends."
After a beat, he answered, "We had too much to drink. I don't even remember what he said or what happened. He snarked at me all night. Tim gets like that sometimes." After another moment of silence, he asked, "Could I ask you to please bring me some aspirin? My head is poundin'."
"Alright," she said.
She climbed out of bed and returned a few minutes later with the bottle of aspirin and a glass of water. Raylan took the bottle and shook out three pills and swallowed them with the water. Winona placed both items on the nightstand next to Raylan. She also handed him an icepack wrapped in a small towel.
"You'd better put this on your face," she instructed. "We're getting married next week. I don't want the kids to see their Daddy's face all bruised in the pictures."
Quietly, Raylan did as he was told. Winona climbed back into bed, and Raylan reached for her the way he did every night. She snuggled into him until he was spooning her, and he wrapped his long arms around her.
"Did you hit Tim, too?" she asked, keeping her voice down low.
"Yeah, I did," he admitted, ice pack on his face and his eyes closed.
"Please tell me you didn't throw the first punch?" she asked, hopeful these weeks and months of improvement in Raylan wasn't going the other way.
Raylan let out a deep sigh. "I don't believe I did." Then, after a beat, he said, "I do remember Tim sayin' whatever was said, whatever happened tonight would stay there between us. You know … like they say about what stays in Vegas."
"So, you really can't talk about it?" she asked, sounding a little irritated. "Bro's before ho's? Really?"
"Now, you're soundin' like Tim," he answered. "I'm really not supposed to be talkin' about it, but everything I said to you is true. Just keep it between us, okay?"
She have his arm a squeeze. "Okay."
"How about we try and get some sleep?" he whispered. "You got a big day ahead of you tomorrow."
Winona wrapped her fingers into Raylan's hand and brought his hand up to her lips and gave his fingers a kiss.
"Night, Raylan," she said.
"I love you," he whispered back.
"Love you, too," she echoed.
And the two drifted off to sleep.
(To be continued …)