Charlie's Whiskey

by Harlow Brown

  "Yes, Whiskey, a hundred times yes!"

  Gasps and awws fell from the girls' mouths.

  Then he surprised me again. "Hey, ump." He ran over to him and whispered something to him. The ump smiled and patted him on the shoulder.

  "You ready to do this, babes? Right here, right now. The marriage license and all that, we can just go to the courthouse and get later. It’s just a piece of paper. Marriage comes from within. I have my vows somewhat figured out. You can wing yours. I know they come from your heart. Let's start our forever here, where you’re happiest."

  "But I’m dirty and sweaty. This is going to make terrible wedding pictures.

  "We can do all the other stuff later, Charlie. I want to make you mine, here on the same day that you won your championship. Two of the best memories you could have on the same day."

  ''How did I get so lucky?" I knew I’d asked that question too many times, but really, how did I land him? "Okay."

  "Oh, Charlie." He ran up to me and kissed me quickly. Jazz took over and lined up the girls down the first base line and the boys down third base line.

  She left room for her right beside me, and then Raige, Rumor, and Haze. The guys lined up in order of Briar, Magnum, Fury, and Shooter.

  "Ready, you two?" Jazz snapped her fingers. Whiskey stepped into the left side of the batter's box and I in the right, separated only by home plate.

  “So, I hope you two know what you want to say to each other because I haven't ever married, or pretended to marry, anyone," the ump said.

  "I'll start," I blurted before I realized what I'd volunteered myself for. I looked my man in the eyes. "Whiskey, I don't know where to start."

  ''The beginning is a good place," Magnum mouthed off.

  "Right. The beginning." I grinned from ear to ear as I reminisced about that day. "Well, the beginning was rough. I didn't like him, or any man for that matter. I kneed him in the crotch. I was mean to him. I damn sure didn't deserve for him to keep trying. But he did. He won me over by never giving up. This has all been a whirlwind. It's happened so quickly most of you probably think I have lost it. Maybe I have, but I have never been happier than I am right now. Whiskey, you saved me. You took the broken, sad, angry person and showed me how love is supposed to feel. I have never known love like that. I'm sad that our time together couldn't have started three years sooner. A very wise man told me that everything happens for a reason. I trust that. You came to me when I needed you most. You are my safe place. My heart is yours. Take it, take all of me, from here to eternity. I'm all yours. For better or worse, richer or poorer. All I need in my life is you. Well, you and a ball, glove, and bat."

  Laughter rang out, and Whiskey smiled at me. He knew I'd done it to lighten the mood.

  "I love you more than I care to admit." At that moment, a cool, out of season gust of wind came between Whiskey and me and I knew it was Daddy. "Whiskey, I love you as big as the ocean and as far as the eye can see."

  "Charlie. I'm not sure how to follow that. I think I should have gone first."

  He took a breath and looked at his guys, then back to me.

  "Charlie, I would have never put this much effort into just anyone. I am no angel and damn sure am no saint. You changed me and made me want to be a good person. You quiet my demons. You silence them so I can think clearly. You say I saved you, but, babes, it's the other way around. I was headed down a dark, scary, dead-end road. By the grace of God, you were at Jazz's house that night. You put me in my place and made me see past the outer beauty that you exude. There on my knees I saw a strong woman. You showed me that you didn't have to, nor would you, put up with any of my shit. So I didn't try again. I knew you were serious. But when I looked into your eyes later on, I saw something that hooked me. I can't put a finger on it, but I knew you were the one. You complete me, Charlie. I have my woman, my brothers, and my bike. I don't need anything else. With you by my side or on my bike, I am unstoppable. Charlie, today is the first day of the rest of our lives. I swear to you that you will come before all else. I am vowing my undying love to you and only you here in front of our most trusted friends. You're the keeper of my heart now. I love you, Charlie."

  "Well, if no one objects, then you too lovebirds kiss and take this home.'' The ump smiled at both of us.

  Whiskey pulled me to where I was standing on home and bent down to kiss me. This one was different; it was full of love, soft, and gentle, but possessive and urgent.

  "All the good stuff happens at home, yeah?" he whispered.

  "You own me, Marshall Evan Williams. You own me, heart and soul."

  He stared at me as if I had two heads.

  "Whiskey, I know I’m filthy and sweaty, but that’s no reason to stare at me like that."

  "Do you realize what you just said?"

  "Yes, and I mean it. It's not hard to say when it's with the right person. I know you won't hurt my heart. It's fine for me to give it all to you. I don't have a chance in hell when it comes to loving you. I want you to have me, all of me. No questions, no restrictions. You are the keeper of my heart. I'm yours."

  The next day

  "WHISKEY, WHAT DO you say to taking Hensley back to Rudy? I want him buried at home, I think."

  "I think this is your revenge, so ultimately it's your call. I personally think you should end him here and feed him to the sharks."

  "I suppose the ocean is as good, if not better, than the well on Acres."

  I thought about it for a minute, running pros and cons through my head. Whiskey was right; the ocean was the right place. "Okay, you're right. Let's end him. The sooner it's done, the sooner we get to go back home. After all, we have to get you moved in."

  "Can't wait, Charlie! Are you ready to go talk to Hensley?"

  "I think so."

  We made our way downstairs where we met Riddick again.

  "What's new from in there?" I asked, my heart racing.

  "Not a peep out of him. I haven't even gotten to put smashed-up Aspirin on his tongue for the pain. Depressing, really. I was looking forward to the faces he would make when he had to chase it with only a drink of Diet Coke."

  Whiskey looked at me and plainly said, "You are cruel. I hope you never have plans of killing me!"

  "I'd end you quickly. No worries there. He made me suffer, so I’m doing what I can to make his last hours disgusting," I stated as I blew through the door. Upon my entrance, I saw a mangled mess in front of me. He'd clearly not had proper nutrition and was a weak shell of a human. A flood of mixed emotions took over my soul. Happiness that he also suffered, sadness that it had gotten that far, pride knowing I was the one inflicting such grief on him, and peace in being the one who got to claim his last breath. I held all the power he thought he held. There was no better feeling.

  "So, Hensley, are you ready for me to put you out of your misery yet?"

  "Char, you won't. You don't have the guts."

  "Oh, but I do." I walked around him as he was bound to the chair. The stench of urine, blood, infection, and feces was almost too much to handle. Pulling up my bat, I walked around him slowly, very lightly dragging it behind me. I picked it up and tightly gripped the handle, wiggling my fingers so he could see my ring.

  "Sloppy seconds, man," Hensley blurted. Immediately following those words, I swung and shattered his tibia. Just as he started screaming in pain, I got his other one. With tears in his eyes, he finally started to beg. "Char, please. Stop. I will let you go. I'll leave and never return. You keep your money. Garyn and I will never bother you again."

  "Got that right, motherfucker. You’re about to join her." Whiskey chuckled out loud.

  Hensley widened his eyes the best he could. I grabbed his face and bent over with my hands on my knees, saying very calmly, "Garyn isn't around anymore. You and she can spend your afterlives together."

  He had the look of love gone wrong all over his beaten face. With his eyes still wide as could be, I made sure he saw me draw back my bat in the perfect stance.
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br />   "You should never have fucked me over. Now no one will find your body. You’re a mistake I wish I could unmake. Rot in hell."

  I swung the bat so hard and fast that all I heard was the whoosh of it slicing through the air followed by a loud crunch of his skull. One final blow to the head and that was all it took. That chapter of my life was over. I felt so liberated, so free.

  "Babes?"

  "Yeah."

  "You okay?"

  "Never been better. Now he needs to be taken to the same place Garyn was and disposed of in the same fashion. Riddick, do you need anything from me to make that happen?"

  “No, Miss Charlie. I’ll handle it."

  "Thank you. If I can ever help you, please let me know."

  Thank you for reading this book. It means so incredibly much to me that you took your valuable time and read my work. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Stay tuned for the next installment in the Chosen Series. It will be titled Rumor's Fury. You'll find out why Fury is the way he is and a couple of surprising things about Rumor. Remember, Don't Look Back. - Harlow

  About the Author

  I'm a mother of two, a wife to my high school sweetheart, and avid Atlanta Braves fan. I live in rural Arkansas and love the outdoors. By trade, I am a nurse and a cosmetologist. When I'm not on a ball field coaching my daughter's softball team, on a football field watching my son, or at a basketball court somewhere I enjoy reading and writing.

  Music strongly influences my characters. There is a wide variety of genres of music on my iPod. I can hear a song and get a hundred different ideas for a story line and it literally takes off from there.

  To follow me and keep up with exclusive news, teasers, and reveals join me in my reader group, Harlow's Chosen One's, on Facebook www.facebook.com/harlowbrownauthor and tell me you want to join my chosen ones. I'd love to see you there!