Bitter Farewell (18 page)

Bakersville wasn’t just the town where she had been born and raised. It was also the town where she had found love. True love. The forever kind of love. The kind that makes a person’s heart full. The kind that makes someone’s stomach flutter one second and burn with sickness the next.

It occurred to Liv that she came back to Bakersville to do something she promised herself a long time ago... to wait for love again.

To wait for Danny.

She exited her car and entered her home pondering the thoughts.

When she saw her father sitting in his chair with his table, his coffee, his paper, and a smile on his face, a sense of reality came to Liv.

This was her life.

Right here, right now.

The smell of bacon and coffee flooded Liv’s senses and she instantly licked her lips. She still tasted Danny and it made her heart feel full and ache at the same time.

She was in love, again. Or maybe she just never fell out of love.

“Liv, hey,” her father said.

He put his hands to the arms of the chair and started to push. His leg bumped his table and some coffee spilled over the mug.

“Hold on, Dad,” Liv said.

She moved the table and helped her father up. He wrapped his arms tight around her and squeezed. As he lifted her and turned, Liv let out a small cry.

“Dad... you’re going to hurt yourself...”

“Never,” her father said. He backed away and touched Liv’s arms. “Look at you. You look so happy. And refreshed.”

“Yeah. I, uh, yeah.”

“Morning, Liv!” Lorraine called from the kitchen.

She had a tone about her that told Liv it was going to be a long morning of sharing stories and blushing. But it was all worth it. Every single second. Maybe it wouldn’t feel worth it in a week, a day, or even an hour, but it was right then.

“Lorraine said you spent the night at the cabin,” Charlie said.

“Yeah. You remember the cabin?”

“Why sure I do. Your mother and I used to go there all the time!”

Liv swallowed and forced a smile. Her father was thinking of a different cabin. One that used to be in the family a long time ago. So long ago that Liv only remembered it in pictures, not memory.

“She’d be proud of you right now,” Charlie said. “Your mother.”

“Oh yeah? Why?”

“Look at what you’ve done. This beautiful house. Taking care of me.”

“Dad, I would never let you leave,” Liv said.

“I just hope I don’t have to deal with noise though.”

Her father waved a finger at her.

“What are you talking about?” Liv asked.

“You don’t think I remember?” Charlie said. “You and Danny... oh, the noise...”

Liv’s mouth fell open.

The noise?

She tried to think back to her younger days with Danny.

“His guitar playing was always so loud,” Charlie said.

Liv laughed. A long, much needed laugh. A fulfilling laugh.

Liv hugged her father tight and kissed his cheek.

“Danny’s not living here. Don’t worry about that.”

“Oh, I’m not sure,” Charlie said. “But you get food now. You’re too skinny.”

“Too skinny,” Liv whispered.

She helped her father back down to his chair and moved his table back in front of him. Seeing the scene she had seen hundreds of times and lived through numerous times throughout the day suddenly had a different meaning. Liv couldn’t put her finger on it but she felt as though she appreciated it a little more.

It could have been worse.

Her father could be gone.

The ultimate loss. One that Liv would have to face someday, but hopefully not too soon.

Lorraine broke Liv’s thoughts when she bumped elbows with her.

“Hey,” Liv said.

“Brought you this,” Lorraine said, offering a steaming cup of coffee.

“Thanks, I need it.”

“Hungover?”

“Not even close,” Liv said.

She smiled and her cheeks flushed. Liv rushed away from the living room into the kitchen with Lorraine hot on her tail.

“Running from me?” Lorraine teased.

Liv moved from the kitchen and went to the backdoor. She opened it and stepped outside, breathing the fresh air. Again, Lorraine was right behind her.

“You can’t rid of me that easily,” Lorraine said. “You need me. Remember?”

Liv turned and leaned against the railing of the deck and smiled. She sipped her coffee and let out a long breath.

“First off, thank you so much for helping me last night,” Liv said.

“Of course,” Lorraine said. She rubbed Liv’s left arm. “You needed it. I saw something in your eyes yesterday...”

“Well, I’m not sure it’s going to get any easier,” Liv said. “But I have last night.”

“Good night I take it?”

“Yeah.”

That summed it up. No need for elaborate details, right?

Just...
Yeah
...

“Did you see Danny play?” Lorraine asked.

“Yes I did. And then he took two punches and dealt some out. And we left.”

Lorraine raised both eyebrows. “Well, you know how to pick them, don’t you?”

“Of course it’s the one Dad loves too.”

Lorraine laughed and clapped her hands together. “You know, he talked about Danny for a little while last night. Said it broke his heart to see your heart broken after the band left.”

“They did what they had to do,” Liv said. “We were young. Confused. Damn adolescent hormones.”

“Yeah, right,” Lorraine said. “I don’t believe that for a second. Not with the look you two had on your faces...”

“Okay, stop,” Liv said.

She turned to hide her red cheeks and enjoy her coffee. She needed the peace and serenity of her house. Memories were great and always welcomed. And memories would be shared right there, right on her deck. Over a cup of coffee. Over a glass of wine. Maybe even over a few cold beers on a warm summer night.

That was the best part about memories, Liv could live them again and again without remorse.

Liv forgot about Lorraine being on the deck with her. When she spoke again, Liv jumped.

“How long is he in town?”

“I can’t imagine much longer. Maybe today even they’ll leave.”

“Chasing Cross,” Lorraine said. “Of all guys...”

“Yup. I could bring home a lawyer or doctor and Dad would find something wrong with him. I bring home a rockstar and he’s smitten. Always was. Even when Danny was a skinny, grubby looking kid. Wearing a black guitar bag and ripped jeans. Dad always took to him.”

“You know, your father has always had good judgment,” Lorraine said. “Always.”

Liv looked at Lorraine.

What was she supposed to say to that?

“Rockstars are always on the road,” Liv said.

“Unless they’re not,” Lorraine said.

“So I sit here all day, every day waiting for him again?”

“Time passes,” Lorraine said. “And the sex is better when you have to wait for it.”

Liv choked on a sip of her coffee. She put the mug on the railing and put her hands to her face. Her eyes watered as she struggled to find her breath to laugh.

“What? Just because I’m an old woman I don’t understand that stuff?”

Liv shook her head and put a hand to Lorraine’s shoulder. “You caught me off guard with that.”

“Don’t tell me I’m wrong,” Lorraine said. Her eyes were stern and almost motherly. “So... how was it?”

“How was...?”

“The sex.”

Liv’s mouth fell open. “I can’t believe I’m having this conversation...”

“Was it that good?” Lorraine asked.

“That good? What do you mean?”

Lorraine laughed and pointed behind Liv.

When Liv turned there was Danny at the edge of the property with a dirt bike and a bag. He grabbed a piece of the broken fence and started to compare it to the other pieces.

Liv was in complete shock.

“I never had sex that good,” Lorraine said. “So good, he’s come to fix your fence.”

And he’s come to fix my heart...

(14)

After a couple days of trying to line the wood up and nail it all back together into the perfect pieces of fence that it once was, Danny dropped a piece of the fence on the ground and cursed. He looked up to the house, more importantly, to the deck, and saw Liv standing there with her morning cup of coffee. This became a routine for them, Danny eyeing her, loving her even from the distance they were at.

The distance was too much for Danny. But he feared getting any closer to Liv. He wasn’t sure what that meant. Every second free they spent hugging, touching, kissing, and more. They snuck to Liv’s cabin and put the bedroom to good use, feeling things that both hadn’t felt in years.

Danny dropped his hammer on his bag and walked the long backyard. It was going to be a sad walk to the house, one to admit defeat, and one to offer to pay to have the fence properly fixed. It wasn’t a money thing as much as it was a pride thing. Danny wanted to fix what he ruined and he was well aware that the fence was nothing but a metaphor to what he really wanted to fix.

Liv.

But he wasn’t sure what that meant or how to do it.

When he reached the back steps to the house, he put his hands up and shook his head.

“I’m in defeat,” Danny admitted.

“Aw, come on,” Liv said. “You were so close to actually hammering something.”

“That’s not fair,” Danny said.

“What’s not fair?”

Danny saw Charlie trying step to the deck, biting on his tongue, trying not to look as off balance as he really was.

“Dad...”

“No, no,” Charlie bellowed. “Let me come say hi to Danny here.”

Danny walked up the steps and met Charlie on the deck. The two shook hands and Charlie looked beyond Danny.

“Get that fence done?” he asked.

“Not even close,” Danny said. “I can play guitar but I can’t really use a hammer.”

“Ah, well, can’t be the best at everything.”

Charlie squeezed Danny’s shoulder, showing some of that bear grip still existed.

“Do you have someone to call?” Danny asked looking at Liv. “I’ll pay, whatever it costs to get them out here today. That’s an eyesore and I know you spend a lot of time out here...”

“Like hell,” Charlie said. “You don’t pay for something you can do yourself. Come on, Danny, let’s take care of that.”

Charlie took a step and Danny looked at Liv, wide eyed.

“No, Dad,” Liv said. “Those steps.”

Charlie froze, his left foot on the first step. He looked at his daughter. “Liv, let me help out, okay? I can’t just sit around here waiting to die.”

Danny saw the way the words struck Liv. She put a hand to her mouth and blinked fast. Danny knew that face. He rushed to Liv’s side, touching her back and her arm.

“I’ll walk with him,” Danny whispered. “If anything happens... I’ll take care of him.”

Liv nodded and looked at Danny. “Are you sure? If he talks crazy...”

“I don’t care,” Danny said. “He needs this. It’s his victory, let him have it.”

“Okay,” Liv said. “Okay...”

Danny hesitated for a second. He wanted to kiss Liv so bad. The chance came and went when he heard Charlie groaning, still working down the steps. He looked at the steps and felt Liv kiss his cheek. He smiled and he let her take a step before his hand grabbed her wrist. He pulled her back to him and touched her face with both hands.

“Don’t tease,” he whispered.

He put his lips to Liv and kissed. He held there and if it were up to him, he would stay that way forever.

Charlie cleared his throat and both Danny and Liv looked. Charlie stared at them.

“Sorry,” Danny said.

“Dad...”

“No, it’s okay,” Charlie said. “Leave the old man down here.”

“I’ve got to go,” Danny said.

He moved from Liv to Charlie and began their walk across the backyard.

It surprised Danny how fast Charlie moved. Probably because the lawn was flat and there was nothing to trip on. And because a hammer and some nails waited for Charlie at the end of the yard.

When they got to the broken fence, Charlie shoved his hands into his pockets and surveyed the damage.

“Well, Christ, you were going fast,” Charlie said.

“Yeah. I still feel it.”

“That’s a good thing, I mean, going fast. You basically just knocked everything off. Didn’t break any of the wood.”

“I went flying off the bike though,” Danny said.