Title: The Swear Jar 30/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.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Faylene Mullen was a tall, sturdy woman with short brown hair and strands of silver, steel blue eyes, and a very pretty face. Much to her husband, Art's, dismay, she had been able to keep her figure fit and trim over their 32 years of marriage. When he often complained of his expanding waistline to her, over the past decade or so, she always told him that he could eat anything he wanted, just not much of it. Art would tell her that 'telling himself when to stop' was the problem. And since Art was the boss at work and no one could tell him anything, he constantly gave himself permission to overeat. The other problem was that his wife was a damn good cook.

A Master Gardener, a certified Le Cordon Bleu chef from online courses, and life-long quilter, Faylene was one of those 'Martha Stewart' women who had a knack for all the social niceties and an eye for both style and detail. While Winona had no misplaced ideas of having a 'perfect wedding,' she was certain this one would be very, very nice.

Winona also had plenty of experience with weddings. After all, this would be her third. She and Raylan married at City Hall in Jacksonville, Florida, the first time around. The two lived together for several years, and Raylan proposed to her after they had been together for a year. It took two more years before Winona accepted his proposal. She took so long because she was afraid of his job, even in those days. It was only after he accepted a position at Glynco as a firearms instructor that she said 'yes.' Before they moved to Georgia for Raylan's new job, they had an impromptu wedding in Jacksonville, where her disabled mother lived in an assisted living facility. Her mother was able to attend in a wheel chair.

The second time she married, she and Gary had a destination wedding in Honolulu. At least that's what she liked to tell people. While it may have sounded like a fairy tale wedding, in hindsight, Winona learned that much of her late second husband's allure of wealth, security, and ambition was all flash. Truth was Gary had won a trip to Hawaii as top realtor for his real estate firm, air fare and accommodations included … Upon winning, that was when he proposed to Winona. With his frequent flyer miles, he was able to get additional plane tickets and rooms for his best friend and his wife, and Winona's sister Gayle and her husband. Once again, she had a small, impromptu wedding, but that time, it was in a beautiful location.

Although, this second wedding to Raylan was also small and intimate and she was pregnant, again, she thought that at least there was care and planning going into this one. And if she had it all to do over again, there would have never been a second marriage to Raylan because she wouldn't have left him in the first place. She learned her lesson the hard way, where Raylan was concerned. Winona couldn't live without him, and this third time was going to be the charm.

As planned, a more than slightly hung-over Raylan stayed home the next day with Caitlyn. Winona's sister headed home, shortly after breakfast, with a promise to return for the wedding. And Winona was on her way to Faylene's house to work on making wedding favors and decorations. For favors, she decided on mini terrariums in mass as a table centerpiece for each table that guests could take home. Faylene traveled to a nursery early that morning to pick up miniature succulents, river pebbles, and soil to place inside the tiny glass Bubble ball vases. Winona had also decided on some tulle bows for the chair backs for the ceremony and wanted to make those, too.

Arriving on time, Winona walked up to the front door of the well-kept Mullen home and rang the doorbell.

"Well, hello there," Faylene greeted Winona upon opening the door. "Come on in. I've got everything ready and a little lunch ready for us. Art grilled some steaks the night before last, and I sliced some off to make sandwiches."

Winona shared her cravings for steak with Faylene and was touched that she remembered.

"Ohhhh, that sounds so good," Winona smiled as she stepped inside.

Leading Winona to the kitchen, Faylene rambled. "It's going to be just you and me for lunch. Art went to the shooting range to meet Tim and Rachel." Then, she added, "This is the first time I've seen you without Caitlyn in a long time. How's Raylan doing today?"

"I know. I feel like I've forgotten something without her, but I'll endure," Winona smiled. "As far as Raylan goes? He's a bit hung over today."

She couldn't help but notice that Faylene's home was magazine perfect, everything spotless and in its place.

"So was Art," Faylene referred to being hung over, walking over to the counter to retrieve a pitcher of lemonade and setting it on the kitchen table. "I don't think he'll be able to hit the side of a barn at the range, today. He's not a big drinker, and he's not getting any younger."

Winona laughed, taking a seat at the table that was all decked out with supplies for their afternoon projects, along with place setting for lunch. "I tell Raylan that all the time, that he's not getting any younger, especially when it comes to his job."

"Raylan has a lot of good marshalling years left in him," Faylene's tone was a little more serious. "He'll make a fine Chief when the time is right." She took a seat next to Winona at the table and placed two tall, empty glasses on the table in front of her.

With that comment, Winona caught herself and reeled in her levity. "Art's not getting ready to retire … is he?"

Faylene let out a sigh and poured their lemonade. "I've been campaigning for him to retire for a long time now."

"Probably about as long as I've had the same campaign going on with Raylan," Winona offered. "But I'm now resigned to the fact that he's also married to the Marshal Service, and I have to share him."

Faylene grabbed for a pair of long tweezers and began artfully placing tiny plants into the soil in the bottom of one of the vases, and continued, "Art's getting closer. The Service, in its zeal to cut costs, is sure to offer him a mandatory retirement. It's only a matter of time."

Watching Faylene very carefully and following her lead with another vase, she just as carefully asked, "Is Raylan next in line to be Chief of the Lexington Office?"

Faylene raised her eyebrows and tightened her mouth. And then, she carefully began. "You know it's not our place to talk about this, and it's certainly not my place to speak for Art." She then locked eyes with Winona. "You can't say anything about this to Raylan or to anyone. Promise?"

Winona nodded. "I promise."

"Oh, Art would be really mad at me if he ever found out I said anything to you," Faylene grimaced. "But I think knowing what I know would bring you a sense of comfort when you walk down the aisle next weekend, especially in light of raising a young family."

Winona reached over and touched Faylene's arm. "I swear to you I will not say a word, not even to Raylan."

"Especially to Raylan." Feeling more assured and finally talking herself into telling Winona, Faylene continued, "Art will announce his retirement at the end of this year. He has some latitude on when to do it. And he has his eye on Raylan to replace him."

"But what about Rachel?" Winona asked. "I know ever since Raylan came into the Lexington office that becoming Chief has been her career path. She's been pretty vocal about it."

Faylene smiled. "Isn't she just the best? Art is so proud of her. He's given this a lot of thought, and at one time, Rachel would have been his one, obvious choice. But Raylan has come a long, long way since he joined Art's team, and he thinks you had a lot to do with it, with helping Raylan to mature into the marshal he is today. Raylan's always been legendary about getting his man, but to do it by the book is another story. The past couple of years, especially since Caitlyn came along, have been milestones in terms of Raylan's growth."

"Yeah, it seems he finally got it down," Winona gave a little smile.

"Anyway, due to seniority and recent commendations, Raylan is clearly next in line," Faylene continued, as she used a dropper to water the first mini terrarium she completed. "Rachel will be offered an opportunity as Chief of the Nashville office, next year. She has family in Tennessee, and Art thinks it will be a good fit for her and that she'll jump at the chance."

"Wow," Winona let it all sink in. "That's great for Raylan, but it will be sad to see Rachel go."

"Art works a lot with the current Chief in Nashville, who is also up for retirement, more than you might think," Faylene said, as she grabbed another vase and started on the next one. "Those two Chiefs who are in close geographic proximity need to be able to work well together, have the other's back. Raylan and Rachel would make a good team on that front. To have them as neighboring Chiefs would be good for them and good for the Service, too."

Then, Winona became quiet, her thoughts returning to the night before. "What about Tim?" she pensively asked.

"That's up to Tim," Faylene offered. "Tim can stay in the Lexington office and become senior to Rachel's replacement, whoever that might be. Or he could put in for a transfer to Nashville or anywhere else he'd like to go."

After taking a sip of her lemonade, Winona asked, "You just told me something you're not supposed to tell anyone. Could I do the same to you?"

"Sure," Faylene answered. "And I promise not to say anything, especially to Art."

"Good," Winona responded, "because last night, Raylan came home from their celebration, and he looked as if he'd been in a fight. He said he got into it with Tim."

"I'm not surprised," Faylene smiled. "Art's told me that Tim is very competitive with Raylan."

"He thinks Raylan jumped the line in the Lexington office from what Raylan has told me," Winona offered.

"Oh, no," Faylene corrected her. "It's not like that at all, at least not anymore. Tim idolizes Raylan. He just doesn't know how to show it. No, Tim got out of line last night because Art hasn't taken him out to firing range, lately. When Tim doesn't get a chance to blow off some steam, he can become very combative. Art's 'ace in the hole' is to threaten Tim with a transfer and a promotion to Glynco. That's why Art never gave the transfer to Raylan. He has to keep that favor in his back pocket for Tim."

Suddenly, the past years made sense to Winona about Glynco. So, it wasn't Raylan not wanting to go, after all. "Tim would be a great fit at Glynco, wouldn't he?"

Faylene smiled again and enlightened her young charge. "Tim doesn't want to go to Glynco. He wants to be out in the field, shooting at real bad guys. It is the occasional threat to be sent to Glynco that keeps Tim in line when he goes too far. I'm sure Art will clue Raylan in about his 'Tim tactics' when Raylan becomes Chief. Plus, Art's not going anywhere. He's retiring, but he'll still be around if Raylan ever needs for any help with or advice about Tim."

Winona was still letting it all sink in.

"So, can you stop worrying about everybody else on Raylan's team and be happy about what I told you, today?" Faylene asked her. "The position of Chief comes with a nice salary increase, as well as an increase in benefits that will be very welcome for a new family."

"This is still between you and me, right?" Winona asked.

"Of course it is," Faylene answered.

"I'm not so sure Raylan will want to give up the chase," Winona explained. "It's the part of the job he loves the best."

"Art did too," Faylene offered. "As Chief Deputy, Art still participates in field work because the office is small. The difference is, he gets to pick and choose which cases he wants and which cases he wants to pass onto another marshal. Plus, he gets to coordinate resources with other Chiefs and government agencies. A lot of the things Raylan has been frustrated with, he'll be in a position to control or at least be in a position to be 'in the know.' Not that Art is never frustrated on his job. Budgetary constraints are always frustrating. But Art has told me that Raylan is one of the most 'creative' marshals he's ever seen. If someone tells Raylan 'no,' he'll just think of something 'outside the box.' Art really does think he's the right person for the job."

Sipping the last of her lemonade, Winona confessed, "I'm not going to lie. Raylan has talked about 'someday' becoming a Chief, as a matter of pride."

Then, Winona let her mind wonder. Raylan would be happy with a promotion, especially if she was proud of him. And she was.

"He really does look up to Art," Winona continued, "especially after having Arlo for a father. That's why he asked Art to stand up for him at the wedding."

As Winona finally completed one terrarium, Faylene had finished five more.

Noticing, Winona remarked, "Wow. At the rate I'm going, we'll be here all day. They do look so nice."

"I tell you what," Faylene looked up from the task at hand. "When we get to 20, we'll take a break for lunch. Okay?"

Faylene then poured refills of the lemonade from the pitcher.

Winona laughed. "Good way to keep me motivated. Use food."

She then grabbed her second vase and began placing succulents inside. "At the risk of sounding too syrupy, I want to thank you again so much for doing all this for us, the shower and the wedding. I was sad that my mom isn't able to fly out and be here. She always liked Raylan. Not that you're like my mom, I mean you're younger than her, but you've been so nice and easy to talk to."

"I've already told you, dear, that this has really been my pleasure," Faylene responded. "When is the last time you saw your mother?"

Winona thought for a moment. "Well, she saw Caitlyn after she was born. I hope to make another trip to see her after the twins are born. If she can't come to us, we'll go to her."

Just finishing up with 3 more terrariums, Faylene asked, "Do Raylan and your mom get on?"

"Now, they do," Winona remarked. "There was a time when they didn't, but that was kind of my fault. I mean, I would tell her too much, whenever we had an argument. Then, Raylan and I would kiss and make up, but not my mom. I mean, I'm her baby, and of course she's going to take my side. And she has a memory like an elephant and can hold a grudge until … forever. About a year ago, I had to come clean with her and explain that I was no angel during our fights, either. And point out that I'm the one who kept leaving him. Raylan's always been the one who was steadfast and stuck to his wedding vows about 'for better or worse.' It's one of the things I love most about him. He loves me no matter what."

Asking the obvious, Faylene did. "Are you done with running?"

Placing her hands on her growing belly, she answered, "I'm done. I think it took a lot of time, more than the average couple, for Raylan and me to grow up. Having kids will do it. It's forced us both to get out of our own heads. We have others to consider … every minute of the day."

"It's going to be a beautiful wedding," Faylene remarked. "Are you ready? Do you need help with anything?"

Winona stopped crafting and looked at her host. "You are remarkable. Here you are, taking care of every little detail of my wedding, pretty much by yourself, and you're asking if you can do anything more for me? Oh, I'm fine. I think I've got everything under control. But that is so sweet of you to ask. I am truly touched."

Hormonal, pregnant, and missing her mother, Winona's eyes filled with tears. Faylene stopped crafting as well, leaned over, and gave her new friend a big, big hug.

"Hey, I have an idea," Faylene remarked. "If we can get a computer or device over to your mother at the time of the wedding, we could Skype her in. She could see you get married."

Winona looked astounded. "Oh, Faylene. Why didn't I think of that? That is the best idea. Yeah, I'll work on that on my mom's end."

Winona smiled and thought to herself that her mom could be at her wedding after all! And she hugged this woman beside her very, very tight.

(To be continued …)