Crashing Waves (Wayhaught Love Story)

Chapter Two: Before

Waverly
Three Months Earlier

    The sun shone through the window of the little apartment. Waverly sat with her legs curled up beside her on her worn, gray couch. She had a yellow quilt pulled over her lap. The quilt was from long ago. Before she was even born. It had been the quilt that laid over Willa's bed when she was alive. It had matched the bright yellow walls of her room. Waverly kept it now for reasons unknown. Maybe because it reminded her of her childhood. Laying on Willa's bed and talking with her about their momma and daddy. Wynonna would come running in and jump on Waves, causing her little four year old body to go flying up. They would all land giggling from the feeling in their tummies. Waverly remembered this memory as one of the good ones. Stored away in the mental file cabinet labeled 'happy.' If Waves looked close enough, she would see that this file cabinet held only a handful of memories with Willa. Most of those memories were in the 'bad' mental filing cabinet. Waverly didn't like to open that one.

    Waves picked at the yellow fabric with her fingers. She missed Wynonna. She missed the homestead. She sighed and grabbed her cup of warm coffee from the cracked wooden coffee table beside the couch. She sipped the sweet coffee and smiled. Her home here was good too, she decided. She was graduating with a degree in history in just two months. She didn't quite know where she would go after, but she was sure she would figure it out.

    A cloud passed outside and the room turned darker. She pulled the yellow blanket closer to her and sighed. Her phone buzzed beside her. A picture of her Aunt's face popped up on the screen. Waverly grabbed her phone. It wasn't unusual for Gus to call on a Sunday morning. She had made it a routine and always checked in on Waves. She was thankful for her aunt and everything she had done for her. Waves answered the phone. "Hi Gus!" She exclaimed.

    On the other end, Gus let out a sigh of relief. She was constantly worried about Waverly on her own. "It sure is good to here your voice, Waves. I was just callin' to say howdy, and to ask how school's been this week." Gus's voice sounded tired. This didn't surprise Waverly. Gus spent most of her time taking care of the homestead and Purgatory.

    "School has been.....school." Waverly laughed. "However, I did get 89% on that test that I was really worried about last week! Thankfully. I'm just excited to be done."
    "That's so good to hear, darlin'. I'm so proud—" Waverly heard some commotion on the other line and Gus cut out. Waverly heard her bark orders at someone about fixing the well that was on the property. Gus came back on the line. "Sorry Waves, I'm just so overwhelmed here."

    "Why are you fixing the well, Gus? We haven't used that thing in ages." Waverly asked curiously. It seemed like just an extra to-do list step, that didn't need to overwhelm Gus.
    "Well, hon, I've decided to auction off the homestead...It's just too much work and I'm gettin' real old, real quickly." Gus stated.

    Waverly gasped. "No!" She cried out in shock. "I'll take care of it! Please don't sell it!" She put her hand over her mouth. She was surprised by her own offer, but even more surprised that Gus would get rid of a place so important to her family.

    Gus was quiet for a moment. "Well, that sure is an option."

    Waverly followed "Give me three months. I will graduate and move back to the Earp homestead. Don't worry Gus, I'll take care of it. Please, please don't sell it."

    Gus took a breath on the line. In the sound, Waverly heard the years of work that Gus had put in to that home. She heard the grief of losing her husband, her niece, her brother-in-law. Gus was tired. She was ready for life to be easier. "Okay Waverly. You've got a deal."

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Eek! Chapter 2 is up! I am loving the direction this story is taking. This chapter gives a little back story to why Waverly is moving back to Purgatory. The next chapter will be from Nicole's POV, and I am so excited to write it! Will there be two chapters in one day? Probably! I hoped to capture Gus's personality, but I felt a little weary writing it. Let me know how I did in the comments! If you have any suggestions, don't be afraid to let me know! Thanks guys!