by L. A. Fiore
“Mike’s gonna bring you home.” Was all Hank said before he moved down the stairs to meet Sean.
* * *
It had been two days since the confrontation with the Weathers. The news had moved through Summerville like wildfire, but what warmed Arissa was the town rallying for one of their own. She hadn’t left her house in the last two days, needed to finish packing and needed to make arrangements for somewhere to stay in Charleston, but the Belles had visited often. Everyone was pulling together, managing their own shit: Vern keeping her cats close, Ed was controlling Hilda on his own, even Elmer and Sal were behaving, all so Hank could take the time he needed to deal with his new reality.
Arissa walked through the empty house. The movers had just left, but she wanted a few minutes. She lingered in the kitchen and how something so small as a bad water valve had brought the best thing that ever happened to her into her life. Her heart ached, as she turned away and headed for the door. Pulling it closed, and locking it, she made her way slowly to her car. Maureen was standing on her driveway, coffee cup in hand. She and the Belles had said their goodbyes and though they had wanted to be there when she left, Arissa asked that they not be because it was going to be hard enough leaving. Arissa waved, Maureen waved back, a sad smile on her face. Climbing into her car, she didn’t start it up right away, taking a second to imagine how it could have been, but even wishing things were different, wanting that so much, Hank needed to know the truth. He might hate her for it, but at least he knew it now.
The engine turned over, she pulled down the drive. Maureen held up her hand, Arissa battled back the tears as she waved back. She let them fall when her car was down the street, heading out of town but not in the direction of Charleston. After everything, she couldn’t leave without saying goodbye. His house came into view, and remembering the first time she’d seen it and how she imagined sitting on that porch, learning later it was his house…she’d come so fucking close. She pulled up his drive; the pain that hadn’t left grew stronger because she didn’t want this to be the end. She didn’t want to say goodbye. She parked behind his truck and seeing him on his deck, feet up on the railing lost in thought as he looked out at the tree line, she had to bite back the sob. Shutting off the engine, she climbed from her car and closed the distance.
Hank’s eyes were trained to the view of trees lining his property when he muttered, “I’ve been expecting you.”
She soaked up the sight of him, memorized how he looked, his voice because she wanted to remember, needed to. “I came to say goodbye.” Her voice broke on the last word.
“I know,” he said confidently, still keeping his eyes trained to the trees.
She followed where he was looking then moved to block his view and when his eyes turned to her it wasn’t just pain, but warmth that moved through her. God, she loved him. “The thing is. I don’t want to say goodbye. I don’t want to leave when everything I’ve ever wanted is right here.”
He kept his eyes on hers, seeing the pain and love lingering behind them. “I know that too,” he said and went on but moved his gaze back to the trees. “You ever see snow?”
Arissa studied him, couldn’t read him at that moment. A chill chased the warmth thinking maybe she really had lost him. She answered absently, “I have.”
His voice was steady, showing no emotion he said, “Every flake that falls is different, no two are the same, did you know that?”
“I did know that.” Her voice betrayed her uncertainty because she didn’t know why he was talking about snowflakes now.
“Noah went up to Maine one winter with his parents, brought me back snow.” Hank gave a small chuckle at the remembrance. “They packed it in dry ice, it was perfect when I got it. I studied that snowball as it melted before my eyes, seeing all the different patterns, but one stuck out. One.” He then slowly moved his eyes to Arissa’s and finished. “But I had to watch it melt in my hand, slip through my fingers knowing I’d lose it forever and never see anything so beautiful again. But then you came along.” He stood, moved into her, placing his hands to the railing beside her, trapping her. His words were whispered, “I don’t want that to happen again. Don’t be the snowflake that melts in my hand and slips through my fingers to never be seen again, Arissa.”
Arissa couldn’t stop the sound that moved up her throat and past her lips, as Hank’s words played over and over in her head. Tears hit her eyes at what he was saying, what he was offering. He wanted forever too. She reached for his one hand, linked their fingers, held his stare and vowed, “I love you.”
Hank laid his forehead against hers, closing his eyes and letting the breath go he hadn’t even known he was holding for days. The tension in his muscles eased, a weight on his shoulders rising. “I love you.” Then he took her mouth, a kiss they both wanted…needed. Taking their time knowing that this moment was the start of them. Not when they met months ago, but this very moment was when their story started.
Arissa pulled back first at the sound coming from the driveway. Hank didn’t need to look to know what was moving down his driveway. No. He kept his eyes trained on Arissa’s so he could see the look on her face as she witnessed the moving truck coming their way. The very moving truck she watched pull out of her own driveway.
Arissa saw the truck, but it took her a second to understand what she was seeing and when it dawned her legs went weak, fresh tears fell because he never intended on letting her leave. He didn’t want her to go. As that happy truth settled, her focus jerked from the truck to Hank before she threw her arms around his neck, buried her face in his chest. “Fuck. I love you so much.”
Hank held her tightly to him, burying his face in her hair, missing the strawberry smell of it. “Enough to give me your TV cause mine had an unfortunate run in with my fist.”
Hank felt Arissa shaking, her head lifted, not from tears but laughter. Her words were sincerely meant, though, when she replied, “What’s mine is yours.”
“Ditto, Baby.” Hank pressed his lips firmly to hers before he backed up and grabbed her hand, moving them down the stairs to meet the movers. “You can unload the contents into the barn.”
“You got it, Sir.” The mover said before getting to work.
Hank turned to Arissa. “So what now?”
Arissa pressed in closer to Hank, met his stare and said, “Well, I am ovulating again.”
Hank’s lips tipped up into a sly grin before he bent, caught Arissa behind her knees and cradled her to him. “Then we shouldn’t waste a fucking second.” Hank kissed her, then added, “Or waste a second not fucking.”
It was Arissa who kissed Hank before she whispered, “You read my mind.”
EPILOGUE
6 months later
Hank stared out into his yard, the camera crews, the staging team, and the crazies of Summerville all bustling around in a rush. The gold fabric covered chairs lined neatly, flowers attached to the backs of each, all facing the decorated entrance of his barn. There was a five-tiered cake sitting on a cloth-covered table on his deck, a cake that when delivered had almost been dropped thanks to Hya, her cane and a rouge chicken. There were musicians warming up, including Sal who was planning on gifting those gathered with song, and another table loaded down with presents wrapped in silver and gold. The Belles were in the crowd; all dressed in blue gowns, but the style of those gowns fit with their individual styles. One of the women from the florist was trying to track them down to hand them their bouquets. It was only a couple hours away from the big event. After everything he had been through in the past year, this was going to be a piece of cake.
It had been a month after he and Arissa settled nicely into living together that he had finally gone to visit his parents. He had asked Sean to do his best to put them in minimum-security facility because though they had committed murder, they were elderly and didn’t need to live the harsh life of maximum-security inmate. Sean
complied. It was only after many nightly talks with Arissa, her reasoning, that had him forgiving them. Even with all the wrong they did him, they also gave him a life. It may have been a sheltered life, one that at the times he never understood and even questioned, but nonetheless, it was a good life and that couldn’t be ignored. He didn’t condone what they had done. They deserved the punishment that was handed to them. But the fact that they had molded him into the man he became said something, something deep within himself that also couldn’t be ignored.
So, every two months he and Arissa made the trip to the prison to visit them. Also, during this time, he gave his birth mother a proper service. They didn’t have a body or ashes to bury but they did have a locket that was found at Harley Aldridge’s place, it held a photo of his mother. It was the first time Hank had ever seen her. It wasn’t easy but he had Arissa by his side to deal. It was that locket that they buried along with a picture of Hank as a baby in the Summerville Cemetery. His mother had gotten herself clean for him, had wanted him, and had lost him but they were together now in a small way. And Hank could visit the woman that gave him life whenever he wanted. The past few months hadn’t been smooth sailing, it was bumpy as fuck, but when you had a good woman by your side, it made that ride bearable.
Hank’s name was called, breaking him from his thoughts. He turned to see Dmitri Russo holding up a small bow tie in his hand. “I was told not to bother you, but I’ve heard about your many Hilda interventions to know you’re the only one who can do it.”
Only in Summerville would you find the sheriff putting a bow tie around a chicken’s neck. “Give it to me,” Hank said, pulling the material out of Dmitri’s hand.
“Thanks,” Dmitri said coyly.
Hank whistled and moments later Hilda appeared from the barn. Her head jerked around, trying to find where the sound came from. Hank whistled again and in seconds Hilda was making her way toward him. Jesus that chicken had to be bred with a dog at how loyal she was to Hank.
“Come on, girl.” Hank patted his leg and Hilda took the deck stairs like she was in a fashion show, one at a time. Hank bent, Hilda came right to him. He wrapped the bow around her neck. “Okay, listen, I don’t see a fucking reason for you to be wearing it myself, but that’s what everyone wants.” Hilda squawked and ruffled her feathers. “I know, I know. Promise once the ceremony is over, I’ll take it off.” He patted her head, rose, stuck his hand in his pocket and threw down a hefty amount of toasted pumpkin seeds, something Arissa had brought the last time she was out at Ed’s farm. Hilda seemed to enjoy them more than the regular.
“You get chicken shit on that suit, Hank, I’m gonna kill you,” Hya said as she walked across the deck and into the house.
“She’s a sweet one, isn’t she?” Noah chuckled and took a pull from his beer.
Mike laughed. “Should have seen her and the rest of them last weekend at the bachelorette party.” Mike shook his head like he was trying to erase a memory. “Never gonna get the image of a naked drunk Hya outta my head.”
“You try therapy?” Noah asked seriously.
Hank chimed in. “What about shock therapy?”
“Shock therapy.” Mike nodded slowly, the idea sounding like a good one. “I might look into that.”
“Brains already fucked, so what’s the worst that can happen,” Noah added before draining his beer. “Thinking of moving back.”
Both men’s heads turned to him. “Yeah?” Hank asked.
Noah nodded. “Yeah, think it’s time to come home and settle down.”
Just then Hya appeared, rushing across the deck, taking the steps quickly and shouting to Danielle McHugh.
“Bring lots of aspirin and protective eye gear when you do.” Mike deadpanned as all men kept their eyes trained on Hya, her cane high in the air.
“What the hell is that?” Hya shouted, her cane jerking to the flowers. “That is not what we agreed to.” Her cane was now shaking in Danielle’s face.
“I couldn’t get pink.” It was not lost on Danielle that she was usually the temperamental one, but having already had one run in with the cane wielding Hya, she wasn’t eager to have another.
Hya leaned closer and spit out the next words. “Peach…PEACH! Any other color but peach.” She threw her hands in the air, losing her cane that went flying and narrowly missed Dehlia’s head. “I can’t work with amateurs,” Hya hissed and stalked away.
Hank removed the bottle from his lips; let the cold beer rush down his throat before he yelled across the yard to Danielle. “Don’t worry, she’s up to date on her shots!”
Danielle threw a look at Hank, let her gaze linger on Sean before she started pulling the peach roses from the arrangements.
“Burn them!” Hya shouted over her shoulder. “See Sal. I know he’s brought some fireworks.” Her old eyes finding Hank and despite her annoyance she grinned. “Didn’t frisk him, did ya, Sheriff.” A twinkle before she added, “Hell, you ain’t frisked me yet.”
Hank shivered but the house screen door opening caught his attention. There she was, his gorgeous woman. He smiled. Jesus, he’d never tire from the feeling he got every time he saw her. She moved to him, pressing her plump belly into him. He touched his lips to the top of her head. “You been drinking enough water today?”
Arissa didn’t hide her smile. Hank had always been so attentive, but he was even more so now and she loved it. Meeting his gaze she said, “I am, but I’m craving one of your burgers.”
Hank didn’t miss a beat when he eyes darted around the yard, finding Sal, he shouted. “Sal, go grab the plate of patties in the fridge will ya!”
It was Sean that muttered, “I’ll get the grill going.”
Hank looked down at Arissa. “Then a burger you will get.” Then he pressed his lips firmly to her smiling ones.
“Burgers!” Hya screeched. “You cannot be grilling right now, Hank. Jesus. You are going to upstage the bride with the scent of your goddamn burgers.” Her brows furrowed. “Though I could really use one of those burgers too. Make it rare with cheese.”
Arissa pointed, her head going from the chaos in the backyard to Hank. “Is that Hilda wearing a bow tie?”
“Don’t fucking ask,” he grumbled, eyeing his yard and counting down to the time they all left and he could give Arissa her lavender bath, something that had become a nightly ritual since finding out she was pregnant.
That thought was shattered when an out of tune Sal came over the speakers, singing Ave Maria.
“Who the fuck gave that man a mic?” Hya shouted. “My ears are bleeding.”
Danielle approached Arissa. Her bun was coming out; she had scratches from the thorns on the roses she’d discarded. Her hands dropped on her hips. “Is this a wedding or a fucking circus?”
“I think they’re playing poker inside,” Dmitri said, appearing all of a sudden and looking like he’d seen a ghost. “Strip poker. I can’t unsee that.”
Hank smiled at both of them, widely till it reached his eyes. “Welcome to Summerville.” Laughing, he moved inside since Sal was too busy impersonating an opera singer to retrieve the burgers. The screen door hadn’t even shut when the mob of people heard a loud rumbling Hank shout, “For fuck’s sake, get your goddamn clothes on and help would ya!”
Maureen and Millie walked over, looking like they stepped out of the pages of Vogue. “The fountain is done.” Maureen said with a grin. “Jo is trying it out.”
“We got enough to keep it flowing?” Arissa asked. It wasn’t a champagne fountain. It was a Jack fountain.
“We bought them out, so if it’s not enough, this town needs to go to rehab,” Millie said, then glanced around at the madness. “To an outsider, this is crazy…” Her focus shifted to Maureen and Arissa. “But to us, it’s home.”
Arissa’s hand moved to her stomach. “Yeah, it is.”
Sal hit a particularly
high note and they all cringed. “He’s going to be breaking glass soon,” Maureen muttered.
Arissa looked at her watch. “‘We’ve got an hour. Just enough time to eat a burger, or two.”
Jo appeared, her focus on Sal. “In another minute, I’m going to shove fireworks up his ass. Good Lord, that man can’t sing.” Earning her agreement in the form of head nods.
“Are you ready?” Mille asked, her gaze shifting to Hank as he walked back outside with a plate of patties.
Arissa exhaled and said, “As we’ll ever be.”
* * *
The soft strains of Canon in D drifted on the breeze, the attendants grew silent as the music grew louder. Hank watched as the women, one by one, started down the white runner lined aisle. He drew in a deep breath through his nose, holding back emotions that wanted to surface. Hya stepped up next to him and whispered, “Wasn’t too long ago we stood in this very spot, huh?”
Hank glanced at the wedding ring on his left hand before looking down at her, her eyes came to him and she smiled. “No, it wasn’t.”
She touched his beard covered cheek. “When you asked me to be the one person you escorted down the aisle before taking your place at the altar, words can’t—”
“Stop, Hya, please,” Hank said, cutting her off, swallowing a lump forming in his throat.
Hya smile widened, tears welling in her eyes when she asked, “You ready to walk me down that aisle?”
Hank grinned, one that reached his eyes. “Even though I question your choice of a groom, yeah,” he teased, giving a quick glance at a very proud Elmer waiting for his bride. “I’m ready.” He put his arm out for her to take and started out of the house.
* * *
Two years later
Arissa sat on the deck, looking in the distance. She never did the feature on Hank’s home because his home became their sanctuary and they didn’t want to share it. That wasn’t to say Summerville hadn’t been showcased a few times in the magazine, including a country wedding spread that featured none other than Hya and Elmer’s wedding.