I'm finally washing the dirty dishes that have been gathering in my sink over the last two weeks, smiling to myself as I think back over my lunch with Vic and her mother. Lena was more than willing to embarrass her daughter with stories of her teenage rebellion. As I walked them back to Lena's rental car when our lunch was over, Vic quietly reminded me that paybacks are a bitch. Somehow I cannot imagine that there is much in my adolescent life that could compare with hers, but if she wants to try to dig something up on me then she can.

A knock on the door breaks my train of thought. The running water must have masked the sound of a vehicle pulling up to the cabin. Picking up a dry towel, I walk to the door wiping the suds from my hands. I can see Henry's truck through the window. I flip the dish towel over my shoulder and open the door.

"Good evening Walt. May I come in?"

I step back and gesture with my free hand.

"I stopped by Vic's to drop off some more food for her. You did not tell me her mother was in town."

"I didn't know I needed to start the phone tree, Henry. Vic's a grown woman. I think she can manage her mother just fine without us having to run interference for her."

"Mrs. Moretti has never been out to Wyoming to visit her daughter before, even when Vic has been in the hospital."

"She hasn't."

"So why is she here now?"

"Ruby called her. Why do you ask?"

Henry smiles, "Well, I know you, and I am not sure you are ready to meet the parents yet. You are just getting comfortable with the change in your relationship with Vic. I do not want something like having to meet her mother scare you away."

"You don't need to worry about that."

"Good. How was lunch then? The three of you getting along okay?"

"How'd you know about lunch?"

"Durant is a small town by most standards. Do you really think a sophisticated, attractive woman from the big city could come to town and no one would talk about it? That, and Vic told me. "

"You think Lena's attractive?"

"Do you not?"

"I think she's an older version of Vic."

"Who is a very attractive woman."

"You have a point."

"Well, whatever you think about Lena Moretti, she appears to be quite taken with you."

"Oh?"

"Walt, it never ceases to amaze me how you can continue to be so unaware of the effect you have on women?"

I choose to ignore this particular comment, "Meeting Lena has been interesting. She and Vic haven't always had the best relationship and Vic isn't on top of her game right now. She seems a little uneasy having her mother around right now."

"Does Lena know about what's going on between the two of you?"

"There's not much to tell, not yet anyway. Besides, Lena didn't find out about the divorce until after she got here. Between that and everything else, there hasn't really been a good time to talk to her about Vic and me."

"Vic did not tell her that she and Shaun are getting a divorce?"

"Nope. But, they've talked about it now and she seems to be adjusting to the news."

"I'm glad to hear that. I imagine ending a marriage is difficult enough without having to manage the rest of your family too...How did your meeting with Branch go?"

"Good. He's started therapy to address the PTSD and says he really feels a connection with his counselor. He's starting to lose that haunted expression he's carried around ever since he was shot. I know it will take some time, but I'm confident that he will eventually be able to come back to the department."

"How long do you think it will be before he returns."

"I'm not sure yet. The counseling sessions are twice a week and he's going to start meeting with me once a week as well. It sounds like he's pretty motivated to work hard so he can move on with his life. I want to wait until his father has been sentenced before bringing him back on board full time. I know he's ready to move out from under Barlow's shadow, but it won't be easy going through the trial. Plus, he needs to make a decision about the company."

"Will Branch be able to run the company and work for you?"

"No, and he doesn't want to. He's never wanted to follow in Barlow's footsteps. The board's appointing a CEO while Branch stays on in an advisory capacity. He said papers are being drawn up to outline a process by which he could take over decision making for the company should he choose to do so sometime in the future. Right now, he just wants to get back to being a deputy."

"Are you okay with that?"

"I am. Branch seems to be changing for the better. It's a shame he had to go through everything he did but it looks like some good things are going to come out of it."

"I am glad to hear that. I hope that you will also begin to experience good things after all you have been through."

"I am, Henry, I am."

I have to confess and apologize: I've been cheating on Walt and the rest of you. Another series and its fandom has recently consumed me. The distraction has caused progress here to be a little slower. However, I believe reaching out a little bit into other worlds will only improve my writing. Thanks for hanging in there with me!