Lesley walks in "Rowdy's" and looks around quickly spots an empty stool at the far end of the bar and slides into it. She leans forward looking up and down for a bartender, catches Teresa's attention and waves her over.
"How are you doing honey?" Teresa says coming to her end of the bar.
"Hey Aunt Tree let me have a shot and a beer." Teresa reaches for the bottle of bourbon and pours her a shot then draws her a beer from the tap and places it in front of her.
"That bad huh?" She says giving her a half smile.
"I guess it could have been worse" Lesley salutes her with the shot then downs it and reaches for her beer gulping it.
"Whew!" She whistles. "Do you think I could get a cheeseburger and some potato-skins? " She says placing the half empty mug down on the bar then turns facing the room and looks around.
"Sure. Oh, and he's at a table up top in the corner to your right with his sister and Steph." Teresa states a sly grin playing on her lips.
"I wasn't looking for him!" Lesley scowls picks up her beer and sips it.
"Ha!" Teresa laughs and shakes her head then walks to the other end of the bar.
"I'm getting ready to leave Tree. Everything is redup for tonight. Sean's running the dining room and Alice didn't come in." Emma says coming out from the back and laying her jacket and purse on the empty bar.
"How's the weather out? I haven't been outside all day." Teresa leans on the bar and smiles.
"Beautiful! I told you, you should have come out to lunch with me."
"Nope, I told myself I was going to close the books on this month today and I did!" She slaps the top of the bar and laughs. Teresa chuckles reaching over and patting her on the back
" You are the woman!
"Yes, I am!" Emma bows at the waist making them both laugh.
"So where you off to?"
"I'm going home and making dinner then put my feet up and watch an old movie as soon as Bill gets here" She flips the the latch opens the gate and steps out then turns to picks up her coat and purse.
"I'm gonna go stand on the porch get some fresh air and wait for Bill, night" She yawns then stretches.
"How about I buy us all dinner?" Preston says from behind her. Emma shakes her head her face lighting up with joy
"I know that's not who I think it is!" She laughs turning around and embracing her son.
" Oh Preston!" She begins to weep hugging him to her "What are you doing here" She laughs hugging him again.
"I thought I lived here" He laughs
"I thought so too but, its been so long since I've seen you I was beginning to have my doubt" She teases.
"Hey Aunt Teresa!" He walks around behind the bar and hugs her.
"Hi honey!" She says hugging him tight. "It's really good to see you! We missed you!"
"I missed all of you too!" He smiles "Are Erin and Steph here?"
Erin is at the hospital and Steph is up there on the right with Wellington and Vicky." She says walking back behind the bar.
"Cool I'll catch up to them later. Where's Dad and Gran Pop? I can't wait to see them!"
" Grand Pop and Uncle Don went fishing they'll be back tomorrow and your Dad should be here any minute. Speak of the devil." She says watching him come up the porch steps through the glass door.
"Preston?" He yelps spotting his son standing at the end of the bar. He walks quickly to him embracing him in a bear hug.
"How you are you son? You look good" He says standing back and inspecting him from head to toe.
"I'm doing really well Dad, really well. Why don't I take you and Mom to the other side I'll buy you dinner and tell you all about it." Bill narrows his eyes and smirks Preston looks at him and laughs.
"My treat whatever you want on the menu." Emma nods her head in agreement.
"I don't have to cook and you're paying you don't have to ask me twice." She says picking up her coat.
"Sorry it's the family restaurant but it's a little late to go driving around." Preston apologizes guiding them towards the door.
"Hey, it's fine besides I'd rather spend the time catching up with you." Bill says walking toward the door Preston held open for them. He steps to the side allowing Emma to exist then walks out behind her. Teresa smiles watches them leave then walks to the end of the bar where her niece was sitting stopping by the server window and gets her meal. Lesly looks up at her not liking the devilish grin on her aunt's face.
"Here you go" She says placing the plate in front of her."Why don't you stop watching him in the mirror and go over and talk to him?" Lesley looks at her and laughs.
"Cause that worked out so well for us in the past." She says taking a bite of her burger. Teresa shakes her head.
"Well it's up to you you can either go talk to him or spend the evening staring at him." She says walking down the counter to help a customer. Lesley takes another bite of her burger and looks up at the mirror again. She couldn't help herself. Just like she couldn't stop herself from thinking about the last time they were together. The the feel of his touch the taste of his lips on hers. The phone call in the middle of the night, waking up to an empty bed.
Erin waves to her mother as she walks in the later nods her head toward the end of the bar. Erin looks down the bar spots her cousin and walks towards her.
"Hey Lesley how are you" She says reaching out and hugging her.
"Hey! It's been awhile good to see you!" Lesley hugs her back happy for the distraction.
" How's work?"
"Work is work I can't complain. How are things with you?" Erin asks taking the stool next to her. Lesley swallows the potato skin and smiles .
"Let's see my day couldn't be better. Work sucked, I had bourbon with a beer chaser for an appetizer and the last person I want to see in the world is here." She takes a bite of her burger and glances in the mirror again. Erin follows her line of sight then turns her head and see's Wellington sitting in the booth with Vicky and Steph.
"So I guess you two haven't talked?" She asks stealing a potato skin from her plate.
"No and I don't plan to. I'm going to finish my burger and then I'm out." She says popping a potato skin in her mouth.
"I was kind of hoping you'd patch things up so we could all hang out like old times." She mock pouts. Lesley rolls her eyes and smiles weakly. Erin laughs then give her cousins shoulders a hug.
"No matter what I want, this is about you and I know how hurt you were so whatever you want to do I support you."
"Thank Erin." She smiles wiping her hands on the napkin
"Right now," She says sliding off the stool. "I'm going to go change. Stick around we can hang out." Lesley looks at her rolls her eyes.
"If you're down by the time I finish I'll be here." She winks taking the last potato skin from the plate and popping it in her mouth. Erin laughs and heads out the door Lesley watches her a moment then turns back to the mirror. Her head was telling her to get out of there before it was too late but, her heart was telling her to confront him. Listening to heart had gotten her into this mess in the first place. She reaches in her purse takes out a fifty crumples it into a ball and tosses it at the register behind the bar. She looks at the mirror one more time not sure if he was still there or not. She stands picks up her purse and turns to leave coming face to face with the object of her distraction.
"What?" Her eyes wide one eyebrow raised. Wellington stares a moment unable to find the right words and laughs nervously.
"You know I've practiced this moment in my head like a million times and now I'm..."
"At a loss for words? You should have that checked that seems to happen to you a lot" She says walking around him towards the door.He watches her a minute then walks quickly stepping around in front of her.
"Get out of my way." Her voice flat and cold.
"Please Lesley?" His eyes pleading filled with hurt. Good! She thought.
"Please what? Please they need me? Please understand I have to be there, or please I'm not coming back?" She says in the same cold tone walking around him and out the door.
"Can't you just give me a minute?" Reaching out and grabbing her elbow forcing her to turn and look at him. Her eyes narrow to slits as she pulls her arm from his grasp.
"You had three years! I'm not giving you another second!" She hisses then stomps toward her car Wellington trailing behind her.
"Lesley I'm sorry I don't know what else to say" He pleads stopping short as she swings open the car door. She turns back her voice tight her unshed tears stinging the back of her eyes.
"Again you should really have that checked." She croaks turning to get in the car Wellington reaches out and pushes the door slamming it closed.
"Can't we just talk? Just give me five minutes please?" He pleads running his hand through his hair just like she remembered. She pushes the thought to the back of her mind and glares at him. She leans against the car arms crossed over her chest her head cocked to one side her mouth twisted in disdain.
"Okay lets talk." Wellington searches her eyes and see the hurt the pain and doubt behind the armor of anger and venom. Her pain wrenched at his heart he fought the urge to reach out and hold her leaving him with only one thing to say.
"I love you Lesley." She stands frozen for a moment then a wicked smile curves her lips.
"You love me?" She snorts shaking back the hair from her face her chin tilted defiantly making him feel weak and inadequate.
"I never stopped." He says stepping closer. Lesley eyes open wide pulling back as if he repulsed her then slaps him with all the anger she'd stored .
"If you loved me you would have let me come with you when I asked and kept asking, If you loved me you would have come back to me when it was all over." She grinds.
"I was so lost in my grief!" His anger and frustrations beginning to show only serving to make her more angry.
"If you loved me you would have let me grieve with you not pushed me away and you wouldn't have stayed with her!"
" By the time it was all over she was a mess! I couldn't just leave her she needed me!" He defends wishing he could make her understand and knowing he was failing miserably from the look on her face.
" I need you!" She shouts tears of anger streaming down her cheeks.
"I needed you Wellington!" She wipes the tears from her cheeks shoving him out of the way and reaching for the door handle.
"You didn't need me!" Wellington stands his mouth agape for a moment as she climbs into the car.
"I needed you then and I need you now Lesley, I love you! You're the reason I came back" He shout over the revving of the engine.
"If you loved me you would have stayed wherever the hell you were!" She shouts before gunning the engine and screeching away.
"Harbinger Falls" Copyright 2014
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