Title: The Swear Jar 32
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
Guests were treated to cocktails and passed hors d'oeuvres, while pictures of the bride and groom were being taken. After most of the pictures were completed, the couple went back to the reception, where they welcomed their guests to line up to a buffet of barbeque and all the fixings.
Art had been successful in nixing the idea of a 'tea with finger sandwiches wedding,' driving the point that guests bearing gifts deserved to eat some real food. Against Faylene's better judgment, there was also an open bar, and that was exactly where Raylan headed.
"Would'ya pour me three fingers of bourbon and then, add some ice?" Raylan asked the server, unbuttoning his collar and loosening his tie. "And a lemonade for the lady."
"The wedding ceremony is over, now," Winona reached up, beside Raylan, and moved a strand of hair out of his eyes. "Why so antsy?"
Taking the frosted glass of lemonade from the server, Raylan handed it to Winona and then, took his bourbon to his lips and promptly took a swallow.
"You know me," he said, tightening his jaw. "I'm not much one for parties."
"This isn't a party," Winona pointed out. "It's our reception."
She wasn't mad. She did know this about him, that he wasn't one to mingle, unless he was working a case. And she was also aware that their 'simple wedding' had turned out to be a little more than they originally planned. She and Faylene had gotten a little carried away.
"How about you go and hang out with Tim and Rachel for a while?" she suggested. "I want to check and see how Caitlyn is doing."
Surprised by her response, he asked, "Really? Are ya' sure?"
"Yeah," she said, in all sincerity. "And I'll even go one further. I'm the designated driver, so have some fun … but don't get shit-faced."
Raylan immediately raised his eyebrows and an index finger, but before he could say a word, Winona beat him to it.
"I know, I owe The Swear Jar," she shrugged. "Sorry."
Raylan patted his lapel, where the envelope Tim gave them was safely stored, and smiled. "Don't worry. I got you covered."
"Well, anyway, don't drink too much, okay? We've got plans tonight, remember?" She slowly ran the tips of her fingers up the outside of his thigh.
"I need to get away from you," he raised his eyebrows, again, "or else we're gonna need to find a room a whole lot sooner than tonight."
And he placed his hand on her bare back, veiled in the crisscross of the satin cord that was begging to be untied. Winona shuddered at this touch. It was electric.
"Slow down, Cowboy," she admonished him, as they were in public. "I think I had better go find Cait … now."
And she peeled herself away. Raylan quickly downed the rest of his drink and asked the server for another.
"Make it a double," he ordered.
Once he received a fresh drink, he made his way over to a table where Tim, Rachel, and Constable Bob Sweeney, sans dates, were seated. He was met with a sequence of 'Congratulations.'
"Thank you," Raylan smiled. "So, you made it?" Raylan asked Bob.
"Yeah, I did," Bob returned the smile, "but I had to work a double shift yesterday, so I could take today off."
A double shift in the life of a constable was probably not as much as Bob made it out to be, but he was thorough to be sure, and most of all, he was honest as the day was long which was a rarity in Harlan County. Raylan was glad to have Bob's eyes and ears on his side of the law.
"Well, good for you," Raylan nodded and took a seat. "Glad you're here."
"Aren't you going to sit over there, at the table reserved for the Bride and Groom?" Rachel asked, motioning at the head table.
Raylan let out a long, 'I really don't give a shit' sigh. "No, I'm gonna sit right here for a bit," he explained. "Winona went to check on Caitlyn."
Tim, who was eating every last bit of meat from the end of a sparerib bone said, "Well, stay right here. I'll be right back with some food for you, and I could use a few more ribs myself."
"Thanks," Raylan said, amused by the gesture. His stomach was churning from the excitement of the day and the spirits he was imbibing. He thought maybe some food might help.
After Tim left, Rachel smiled. "So, you did it. You made it. Once again, you're a married man."
Taking another sip of the bourbon, Raylan shook his head. "I'm better off as a married man. Suits me." Then, he looked over at Bob. "How about you? When are you gonna give up the single life?"
Bob turned red with embarrassment. Not that he wanted Tim or Rachel to know, but 43-year-old Bob knew that Raylan knew he still lived at home with his parents … and it wasn't because they needed his help. Bob had never left home.
"Here we go," Rachel interrupted, inadvertently saving Bob from discussing his living situation. In her best, exaggerated Southern accent, she asked, "You gonna give us the 'we'd all be better off married' speech, again?"
It was at about that time, Tim returned with one plate piled high with ribs which he placed in the center of the table to share, and a second plate of ribs, corn on the cob, baked beans, and a couple of rolls for Raylan.
"The old 'misery loves company speech,'" Tim said, overhearing the conversation, as he approached them. "Raylan thinks we all should be married," he explained to Bob.
"That's not true," Raylan tried to defend himself. "And thank you, by the way, for the food, Tim."
"You're welcome," Tim volleyed, as he reached over everyone to place two of the ribs onto his own plate.
"I'm just pointin' out that it would have been nice if any one of the three of you had brought a date to this shin-dig," Raylan explained, trying to extricate himself out of the doghouse.
About that time, the photographer came by their table and asked them all to huddle together for a photograph. They did as they were asked. Jokester Tim flashed 'rabbit ears' behind the heads of both an unknowing Raylan and Rachel.
"I didn't bring any one because I want to have a good time," Tim went back to their discussion, after the photographer moved on. "There is nothing worse than bringing a date to a wedding reception or a reunion where your date doesn't know anyone there and is bored out of her skull. Then, all she wants to do, from the minute you arrive, is to leave. This way, I can come and go as I please and enjoy myself. It's just easier to hang out with friends at certain events," the sharpshooter proclaimed.
"Here, here," Constable Bob raised his class.
"Here, here," Rachel and Tim echoed, clinking their glasses all together.
"You got a point there," Raylan acquiesced. "And you talk as if you speak from experience."
"I think we've all had that experience," Rachel chimed in. "In fact, I've been the date of someone who brought me to a wedding where I didn't know a single soul. It was one of the longest days of my life."
Raylan let out a sigh. "Yeah, these things do tend to drag on."
Sensing Raylan's restlessness, as he'd seen it before during a stakeout, Tim slapped Raylan on the shoulder. "C'mon, Raylan, buck up. The least you can do is put a dent in Art's wallet. These ribs are fantastic!" In between another bite of rib, he added, "Eat up, drink up." After a beat, he added, "You've got to get your strength up for that honeymoon you're about to go on."
Now, it was Raylan who blushed … a little.
"We'll be away for two days," Raylan shared. "That is if Winona can tear herself away from baby Cait. I'm not countin' on it."
"My parents always say, if you can't take your kids somewhere with you, don't go," Constable Bob awkwardly interjected.
Raylan cringed. The thought of having Caitlyn and the twins always with him and Winona suddenly took on a whole new meaning, staring there and looking at a big ol', forty-something-year-old momma's boy.
In one swift motion, and at the risk of having a brain freeze, Raylan downed the rest of his drink in one gulp and slammed it on the table.
"I gotta go," Raylan abruptly said.
He stood up and unapologetically left their table, walking towards the house and asking around to find Winona. Eventually, he was directed into another bedroom inside the house, where he found Winona in a chair in the corner of the room, nursing the baby.
"Hey," she said, looking up when he quietly entered the room. "How's it going out there?"
"It's goin'," he said. "How's it goin' in here?"
"Just fine," she said. "Caitlyn's just about asleep. She's had a big day."
"That makes three of us," he smiled.
"Can I ask you something, at the risk of sounding really weird?" Winona asked, her baby at her breast with a towel protecting her beautiful dress.
"What?" he asked, his tall frame leaning against the wall.
She almost couldn't say what she needed to say, but finally forced herself to. "I want to bring Cait with us on our honeymoon."
Raylan let out a knowing sigh. "I swear I saw that one comin'."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Winona said, sounding defensive.
He walked over and knelt down beside her.
"I'm sorry. That didn't come out right," he said, touching her arm. "It's just that, I've been sittin' with Constable Bob Sweeney for the past half hour or so. He's that guy I went to high school with, about my age. And he's kind of a cop wannabe who never grew up to become the kind of man he wanted to be. His arrested development was most likely caused by the fact that he never moved away from home."
She said. "A lot of people have never been outside of Harlan."
"No," he put his index finger up for emphasis. "He never left his house. He's never lived anywhere except with his momma and his daddy. And I'm sorry, but … the idea of stiflin' a kid like that is creepin' me out."
Winona almost laughed, but tried hard not to. "It's not the same thing with a little one. We can't spoil her at this age." After a pause, she said, "I'm sorry. But I'm not ready to leave her yet. I thought I could do it, but I can't."
"Not even for a night?" he begged. "I love her, too. You know I do. But you can't leave her for one night, even if she's with your own sister?"
Winona looked down at her sleeping babe.
"If Gayle called and wanted us to come back, what if I promised to whisk you back here?" he suggested, in all honesty. "I swear. The minute she called. We could even stay, here in Lexington, if that would make you feel better."
They had made reservations at a top rated bed and breakfast in Louisville for two nights, as she didn't want to be away from the baby for long. Unbeknownst to Winona, Raylan upgraded to the bridal suite overlooking the central park. But suddenly, none of that mattered, anymore.
"You're going to make me choose between you and her?" Winona asked.
Raylan knew this woman long enough to know he was not going to make her change her mind. He sat there for a moment, not knowing what more he could say. He then looked at his baby girl, now sound to sleep. He was taken back to their trip to Bowling Green, when he brought Caitlyn to her momma. Things worked out pretty well for them, then.
"Alright," he finally spoke, giving in. "Have Gayle pack up her stuff, and I'll call the B and B and see if they have a portable crib."
Winona reached over and grabbed Raylan's hand, giving it a strong squeeze.
"Thank you," she said, "for doing this, even though I know you don't want to."
"Just promise me you won't tell Rachel or Tim or Art," he pleaded. "I would never live this one down at work."
Unable to keep a straight face any longer, Winona confessed, "They already know because it was their idea to put me up to this." She grinned from ear to ear.
"Wha?" Raylan didn't understand.
"They know about Constable Bob living at home and how you feel about it," she was still smiling, "and they wanted to have a little fun."
"I still don't understand," Raylan was slow on the uptake.
She squeezed his hand. "As much as I love this tiny girl, she is not going with us, tonight. Gayle has been spending a lot of time with her this past week, putting her down for naps, feeding her. She even put her to bed on her own, last night. Everything should be fine. But it's a given that if Gayle calls us and needs us to come back home, we're coming back home."
"Oh," Raylan flashed a smile of relief, and then, let out a little chuckle. "In a flash."
"You should have seen the look on your face," she continued to enjoy herself.
"I'm so happy you are amused at my expense," he said, still smiling, still relieved.
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
"I'm so sorry to leave so soon, but Raylan's had about as much time here as he can handle," Winona explained to Faylene. "I've headed him off about as long as I can."
"Art will be surprised he lasted this long. He says if and when Tim is ever married, his reception needs to be 'drive-through," Faylene laughed. "Marshals generally don't do well hanging around, waiting, socializing. Not for long, anyway. So, I understand, completely."
"I just want you to know how much I appreciate all the time and care you put into this day. It is truly the wedding I always wanted, always dreamed of having. I can't thank you enough." And Winona hugged the older woman who, in the process of planning this wedding, had become her friend.
"Did you have fun?" Faylene asked. "Did you enjoy putting it all together, picking out what you wanted?"
"Oh, I did, "Winona smiled. "And it's made the time pass all the more quickly with the pregnancy and all."
"Good. Because that's all that's important," Faylene confessed. "Well, that and the groom."
"After I come home from our little honeymoon and things calm down a bit, I want to take you out to lunch."
Faylene smiled. "It's a date."
The two women walked out to the car, showered with rice from their guests, where Raylan was waiting with the driver door open.
Handing Winona the keys to the decorated Lincoln, Art said, "Promise me you are the only one who will be driving until he has a chance to sleep off his reception?"
"I promise," Winona said.
Art give her a hug, and she kissed him on the cheek.
"Thank you, for everything, Art," she said with a smile.
"You're welcome," he said, returning the smile. "You all be careful."
"Yes, sir," she nodded, and Raylan helped her into the car and arranging her train before closing the door.
"Thanks again," Raylan extended his hand to his boss.
Art grabbed Raylan for a fatherly hug.
"I don't want to see you back to work for a solid week, you hear?" Art ordered more than asked.
"Don't worry," Raylan laughed. "This getting married stuff is exhaustin'. A week off sounds really good, right now."
As Raylan made his way to the passenger side of the car, Tim pelted him with rice, laughing his head off. It was clear he was having a good time. The pelting caused him to hide face under his shoulder and duck into the car, even faster.
Once inside, Winona started the car as Raylan belted himself in.
"Wait a second. My hat?" he turned to her.
"Art put it there, in the back seat," she motioned, waving as she slowly backed up the car.
Raylan reached back with is long arm, retrieving his Stetson, and placed it on his head and adjusted the brim.
Winona selected a pre-loaded Kenny Chesney CD.
"Do we have to listen to Kenny?" Raylan complained. "On our honeymoon?"
"Why do you care?" she smiled and waved one last time, straitening the car out onto the road, as they took off for their new life as man and wife, again. "You'll be asleep before we hit the Interstate."
Raylan leaned back in his seat, stretched out his legs, and pulled his hat over his eyes.
"So, you really wouldn't mind if I got a few winks?" he asked. "That was some good food and drink, I tell you."
She looked over at her man.
"I think it's a good idea," she said with a lilt in her voice, "for you to rest up before we get to Louisville."
(To be continued …)