Hey everyone, this chapter was going to include the whole Wade/Earl scene, but I felt it was best I end things where I did. Also you need to remember that in the flashback scene that Zoe and Jesse are not friends, like I have portrayed throughout this fic. Enjoy!
~Flashback~
"Have you seen dad?" Wade asked, coming downstairs seeing his older brother at the table, eating a bowl of cereal and finishing his homework up at the last minute.
"He wasn't here when I got up, not sure what he had to do today," Jesse replied between spoonfuls of cereal.
"Weird," Wade replied, grabbing a bowl. "Really?" Wade sighed, picking the empty gallon of milk up. "You couldn't have saved some for me?"
"Early bird gets the milk," Jesse laughed.
"That's not how it goes; stupid," Wade grumbled, grabbing his bag and headed out. He knew exactly who would save him something to eat, and it would be hot at that.
He spent very little time worrying about his dad; he would stop by the police station and have a chat with Bill and see what was going on. The last time Earl didn't make it home he was sitting behind bars, sleeping off the alcohol he had consumed. Wade wasn't worried on that front. He had more things to worry about like the history final and the English final he had for the day. Yesterday he took the math and science final, more than likely failing them both. School wasn't his focusing point in the last two years.
"Your dad gone to?" He asked, walking into the house. Zoe rolled her eyes, at her best friend entering her house. It was useless to tell him to knock; he never listened anyway, not that it much mattered; she didn't exactly knock when she entered his house either.
"Left a few minutes ago, there's a plate for you in the kitchen," she told him. "I need to finish getting ready, and we can go," she informed him heading up to her room.
He wandered into the kitchen, easily spotting his plate of bacon and eggs; he popped a piece of toast in the toaster and dug the butter out of the fridge. Most mornings they had breakfast waiting for him, took him a few days to be okay with it, he didn't want to seem like a charity case after losing his mom two years ago. He learned quickly they did it because they cared about him, something he knew all along.
He had just polished off the last of the bacon when Zoe appeared again.
"You ready?" He questioned, placing his plate in the sink. "Who you trying to impress?" He asked, grabbing his bag off the floor where he dropped it.
"Can't I look nice for no one other than myself?" She asked, zipping her bag up now that she had the right books placed inside it.
"That's not what I meant," he scoffed, holding the front door open for her. "You always look nice, just today it seems like a little much for school," he explained as best as he could.
"There may be someone, but it's not like he sees me in that way to begin with so it doesn't matter," she shrugged, glancing at him to see what his reaction would be.
"Whoever the guy is, it is his loss 'cause you Zoe Wilkes are awesome. And if he can't see that, you can find someone better," he replied, casually tossing an arm around her shoulders.
"Maybe, who is the ladies' man Wade Kinsella crushing on these days?" She asked in a teasing tone, holding her jealousy at bay.
"That's not me," he groaned. "You don't believe the shit girls at school spread do you? Other than a handful of dates that ended with a little heated make out sessions, nothing happened."
"I don't believe them because I know you wouldn't do something like that," she assured him.
"Exactly," he replied. "I don't want a girlfriend right now," he sighed. He had other things to worry about than treating a girlfriend how they needed to be treated; he couldn't give them close to enough attention; it was easier if he stayed single.
"You ready for the English final?" She asked then; it was the one class they did have together. Wade shrugged. "Okay then, your birthday is coming up, anything you want for it?" She asked.
"Cake," he smirked at her. Zoe rolled her eyes, nudging him with her elbow. "I really don't care," he shrugged. "I'm only turning 15; I know better than to ask for my mom back or to ask for my dad to give the bottle up for a day. I'm cool with whatever you have in mind for the day since it is a Saturday," he informed her. "Good luck on your finals," he said, parting ways with her. Unlike Wade, she had her English, History and Science finals today.
"I need your help," Wade pleaded, grabbing Zoe at lunch. She sighed, not really wanting to hear the details of this favor.
"What is it?" She asked, holding a straight face.
"If Cindy asks, we have plans after school," he told her.
"Right," she said bitterly. "Who are you really going to be with. Normally when I have to do this you are off doing something else with someone else." She was making this out to be more than it truly was, she got that, it was wrong of her, but she hated it; she liked him more than a friend, has had a crush on him for the past year; she couldn't help but feel jealous.
"Bill, gotta talk to him about my dad, you can come with so that way you're not lying. He didn't come home and I really don't want to make it a big deal," he shrugged.
"You know I'll come with you," she informed him. "Anything to help you."
"You do know this goes both ways; I'll be there if you need anything," he informed her. She smiled, nodding. She did know, and that was part of the reason on why she was too afraid to admit to him that she has this massive crush on him.
After their last class for the day, Wade was waiting by Zoe's locker for her. On the walk to the police station, he made plans with Zoe to catch a ride with Jesse and head to Mobile to catch a movie. Zoe learned not to get her hopes up as they did things like this all the time as friends.
"Hey Bill, my dad free to go yet?" Wade asked, stopping at the deputy's desk, not seeing the sheriff wasn't in.
"Sorry kid, but I haven't seen your dad in a few days, didn't Jesse tell you? I told him the same thing," Bill informed him. "He missing or something, I can go out and look for him, if you need me to," Bill told him.
"I'll get back to you on that," Wade told him. "It's weird," he commented, stepping out of the station.
"I'll help you look," Zoe offered.
"Okay," Wade agreed. "First let's drop our bags off at your place," he suggested, which Zoe easily agreed to.
They searched all the places Earl would normally be at around Bluebell; their little boat was still tied to the dock, no sign of it being out in days. The search didn't last long when they were back at Zoe's place. He grabbed his bag from her house, and together they walked to his house. He became worried when he searched his house yet again with no sign of his dad.
"It doesn't make sense," he sighed, dropping to sit by her on the couch. "He never just takes off like this, every single time he has let us know. What am I missing?" He questioned, rubbing his hands over his face.
Zoe went to answer him when Jesse burst into the house.
"I found our father," Jesse announced, coming home in the middle of his shift. "I've been calling his phone for a few hours now. Finally someone called, he checked himself into rehab, forgot to inform his kids," Jesse explained, pissed off.
"You're serious?" Wade asked dumbfounded. Jesse nodded his head. "What the hell?" Wade yelled his anger winning out in the end. "It would have been nice of him to let us know what the hell was going on."
"You guys can come stay with us," Zoe offered, not exactly sure what she could say in such a situation like this. She was happy that Earl was getting the help he needed; she however, didn't think it was cool of him to do so in such a way.
"I can take care of my brother," Jesse snapped. "I'll be home later with dinner, do your homework," Jesse told him, taking off.
"I can go if you want me to," she told Wade, not sure if he wanted her around, it was clear that Jesse didn't.
"Can you stay?" Wade asked. Zoe nodded her head. "Actually let's go back to your place, so we can do our work together," he suggested, remembering that Zoe didn't bring her bag with. Part of it was for that reason, but the bigger part was because he couldn't stand to be in his house, with a reminder of his father around him.
"You got everything?" She questioned.
He had her wait and went upstairs to get some extra clothes; he was certain that he wouldn't be making it home for a few days; he was positive that Jesse wouldn't show back up either, but in case he did he would stop in and tell Jesse what as going on.
"On behalf of my brother, I am sorry for him snapping at you, but…" She placed a hand on his arm.
"I can understand; it is a tough and angering moment; he didn't mean it. And I do know that he can take care of you, but he shouldn't have to, that is what I meant," she told him.
"You are a good friend, Zoe Wilkes," Wade smiled, happy to have someone like Zoe in his corner, because he was going to need her.
"Give it to me straight," Wade sighed, a few days later. They were sitting outside their house. Wade had just finished unpacking the last of his stuff. They both had the day off after getting the days off to get Wade moved in. Zoe already had the day free, and it wasn't hard for Wade to switch a day around.
"You have to be clearer, Wade," she told him, looking up from the book she was reading. There wasn't much for her to do when Wade was putting away the last of his things, so she grabbed a book and sat outside, Wade joining her minutes ago.
"This whole thing with my dad, tell me what you think I should do," he told her.
"You already know. I highly think that you need to go hear him out, Wade. Making amends can only happen if he is alive. Don't you have things that you wish you could tell your mom?"
"So many," he replied, getting up to pace. "I want to go there and have it out with him. Yell, hug, all that jazz, but I'm having trouble taking that step," he confessed.
"Then why don't we invite him over for dinner, tonight, tomorrow night, later in the week, whenever," Zoe suggested, getting up to hug him from behind. "I'll be there every step," she assured him, placing a kiss to his back. "Me and you, love."
"Me and you, Doc," he repeated, turning around, holding her close. "I like that idea a lot. Tomorrow works," he replied.
"Then tomorrow it is," she responded, looking up at him, her chin resting against his chest. "I didn't think it would be this easy to convince you to see your dad," she commented.
"I know when I'm fighting a losing battle. I'm mad at him for what he did. It's not even about him leaving us for rehab, but the fact he didn't come back when he was clean." He was upset with the way he had taken off, but not mad at him not when the prospect of having his father back was there in the forefront of his mind.
"These are things you need to tell him."
"I will," he assured her.