Escaping Reality
"Why are we at a farm?" Dean asked, standing next to Punk who was holding Matteo.
"For the little guy." Punk said in an obvious tone.
"He's a baby. He doesn't even know where he is." Dean scoffed, "That goat looks like you." He pointed to the beardy, scruffy goat, which was walking around his pen, chomping on some grass.
"He's a handsome fellow." Punk nodded.
"It stinks here." Dean concluded.
"We're here to take our mind off everything that's going on." Punk said, "I thought that was pretty obvious." He nodded, turning back to check on AJ who was standing with Renee looking over at the pigs and piglets, "This is a cool spot. They've got tons of food trucks down there."
"I know, I'm just messing." Dean nodded, "How is she doing?" He asked, looking over at AJ and Renee.
They'd drove out of town and stopped by at a farm park which was busy with families wandering around different stalls and animals. There were rides for kids, gift stalls and food and drink trucks.
"She's holding up." Punk nodded, putting Matteo into his stroller, "Detective swung by this morning. Her mom wants to speak with her and they're gonna allow it. Think it might coax her to talk about what happened with the baby."
"And AJ is gonna speak to her?" Dean asked.
"She's taking the day to think about it." Punk said, "She doesn't have to if she doesn't want to. But it's killing her to not have any answers. I think that's what's troubling her the most. The unknown. Her mom is putting the blame on her dad, but she doesn't buy it. I don't buy it."
"I hope she can get some answers." Dean nodded.
"Speaking of answers." Punk said, "Do you want some?" He asked as Dean turned to him, catching on to what he was referring to.
"Been thinking about it." Dean nodded, "Gerry and Peter will always be our parents. Until the day we die." He said, "As far as answers go… I think we got them all. Our biological mom is clearly mentally unwell. Killed our dad in a psychotic rage. Went to prison." He shrugged, "Gerry and Peter took us in and raised us. And we were without a doubt better off for that." He nodded.
"There is her side of the story." Punk said, "Nickie." He nodded. Truthfully, he hadn't really thought much about his own family problems, being so consumed by being there for his wife and everything she was going through.
"She's a stranger." Dean said, "I don't want to know her story. Do you?"
"No, but that letter she sent to mom. I got a feeling they were close. I know she was their foster daughter but… you think there's a chance that they've been in touch regularly over the years?" Punk asked.
"If only we could ask mom." Dean sighed with frustration, "We ain't getting any answers from her."
"Yeah." Punk nodded.
"Hey, you guys gotta see the piglets over there." Renee said as her and AJ joined the guys, "They're so damn cute. I want one."
"Cute and tasty." Dean nodded as Renee shoved him.
"Are you having fun, baby boy?" AJ smiled, leaning into the stroller, stroking Matteo's cheek as she stared up at him with big brown eyes.
"I think he's having fun." Punk smiled, watching Matteo trying to grab onto AJ's long hair.
"Oh, can I have my hair back, please?" AJ said in a funny voice, unwrapping her hair from Matteo's tight fist as Punk chuckled.
"He's been probably getting hungry." Punk said.
"We'll go ahead to the trucks and see if we can find a picnic bench to sit at." Renee said, linking her arm through Dean's and heading off towards the smell of good food.
"I think we're having more fun than him, honestly." Punk admitted to AJ as she chuckled, linking her arm through his and leaning her head against him whilst he pushed the stroller.
"I mean, they're hard to entertain at this age." AJ said, "But I am having fun. Thank you." She said, kissing his arm.
"I just want you to know that… whether you get answers from your mom or not, our life will still go on and I'll do my best to make sure every day is fun and exciting. And we will get through this. That horrible feeling in your gut that I know you have right now… it will go away one day." He nodded as she looked up at him.
"I know." She nodded, truly believing him, "Hard to believe it right now but… I know it won't be like this forever."
"You thought about what the detective said this morning?" He asked her as they walked down the path towards the food trucks.
"Yeah, it's been at the back of my mind." AJ nodded, "But I still don't know, honestly."
"Just do what feels right." He said.
"I mean… I don't think she can hurt me any more than she already has." AJ said, "And I am curious to hear what she has to say… but part of me doesn't want to see her face ever again."
"Whatever you decide, I'll be right there with you." He said.
"I know." AJ smiled gratefully.
"So how long do you feed him for? Like with your boobs?" Dean asked curiously, the four of them sat around a picnic table whilst AJ fed Matteo and they all enjoyed their own food.
"I'm thinking for six months at least and then we'll see how things are going, maybe start introducing formula." AJ nodded, laughing a little at his eloquently put question, "How is your leg healing?"
"It's good. Should be out of the cast soon and back to work full-time." Dean nodded.
For AJ, it was nice to sit down and catch up with one another. It was definitely taking her mind off of everything and being out of the house and outside in the fresh air was an added bonus.
"You're keeping up with your physio?" AJ nodded.
"Never miss an appointment." Dean said, "How long do you reckon you'll be off work for?" He asked Punk.
"John just said to take as much time as I need. I'm not putting a date on it." Punk shook his head, "I might just retire and become a stay-at-home dad." He smiled, looking down at Matteo, fixing his little hat on his head whilst AJ fed him.
"He is a cutie." Renee smiled, "He must be a good distraction through all of this."
"The best." AJ nodded, "Everything feels so much better when I'm holding him." She smiled, "I think I want ten more." She teased as Punk chuckled.
"How are things at the hospital?" Punk asked Renee who was eating a slice of blueberry pie.
"Well, they've stopped with the staff cuts which is good." Renee said, "And I have annual leave coming up at the end of the month which I can't wait for. So exhausting saving lives."
"I miss it." AJ sighed, "I can't wait to get back and get this residency finally finished." She nodded.
"Well Shauna assures me that your place in the hospital is ready for whenever you feel good to come back. There's no rush." Renee nodded as AJ smiled.
"Give her my love. She's been really great since I had Matteo. I almost miss being bullied by her." She smiled.
"Yeah, you won't be saying that when you're back." Renee scoffed.
"Hey if you guys ever need a break, me and Renee don't mind taking the little guy for the night." Dean inserted as Renee nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, especially right now." Renee said, "We're here if you guys need help."
"Thank you." AJ smiled, "You guys have been great. I couldn't have gotten through any of this without you all. I really mean it." She nodded.
"It's what family are for." Dean assured her.
"I've spoken to Phil about it, but I want to apologise to you too, for all the stuff with your biological mom getting brought up because of my mom." AJ said.
"You don't have to apologise." Dean shook his head, "You're not responsible for anything your mom has done. And it doesn't change anything for me and Phil. It's a little scandalous, of course." He said, trying to make light of the situation, "I don't know what your mom was trying to achieve by digging up our shit, but whatever it was, it didn't work. Our parents are the man and woman who raised us. That will never change." He said as Punk nodded in agreement, turning to AJ and kissing her head.
"He's down after the world's worst diaper." AJ nodded, walking into the kitchen later that night after putting Matteo to sleep.
"Could smell it from down here." Punk nodded as she chuckled, "I just made some coffee." He told her, sitting at the table.
"What are you doing?" She asked curiously, noticing he was writing something. She poured herself some coffee and sat down across from him.
"Just some paperwork for my mom. The bills for her care home." He said, "My mom worked hard all her life and now her private pension is paying for her stay at the care home." He shook his head.
"Life is cruel." AJ nodded.
"Yeah." Punk sighed, sitting the pen down and sliding the papers to the side.
"Today was really great." She told him, cupping her hands around her warm mug, "It was so good just to be outside and away from everything going on."
"The piglets perked you up, huh?" He smiled.
"Hell yeah." AJ nodded, "Cutest fucking things ever." She said as he chuckled.
"We can do it all again tomorrow if you like." He said as she smiled.
"I'm going to call the detective in the morning." She nodded, "I'm gonna speak to her." She decided.
"You're sure?" Punk asked.
"What have I got to lose? If there's any chance of getting more information, then I want to try it. The worst that happens? She says some mean shit she's probably already said to me before, and I leave." AJ shrugged.
"You're a brave little thing." He nodded.
"She's going to prison, regardless." She said, "That's a comfort, I guess."
"I'll come with you, and I'll be right outside waiting." He said as AJ nodded, taking a sip of her coffee as Punk watched her.
He knew, even though she was brave and fierce, her mother was a traumatising force to be reckoned with to her, and he could see she was nervous at the thought of going into a room with her. But no surprise to him, her quest for the truth and for justice was going to prevail over her fear.
"It'll be over soon." AJ nodded to herself, placing her mug on the table as Punk noticed her hands were shaking a little.
He stood up from the table, wandering over to the radio sitting by the window which had been playing quietly, turning it up a little as AJ watched him.
He made his way over to him, extending his hand out to her as she looked up at him.
"The Kinks? Really?" AJ chuckled.
"I know you want to." He said as she nodded, taking his hand as he pulled her up, placing his other hand on her waist as he swayed with her to the song, Waterloo Sunset by The Kinks.
"Oh, you got moves." AJ laughed as he twirled her under his arm.
"Of course I have." He scoffed, wrapping his arm around her waist as she leaned into him, dancing around the kitchen with him, giggling every time he twirled her under his arm until he pulled her close again which turned her giggling into intense staring.
In his arms, she could believe everything would be ok.
A/N: Thank you for the great reviews! They're so appreciated!
