Hidebound

Chapter Eighteen

"I found a hospice" Harley says from beside me as I fill two glasses with alcohol.

I swing my head to look her way. "Oh yeah? Where is it?" I ask. I want to ask if this had been a joint find between Hex and Harley but I doubt it. The last thing he's wants to do is talk about his mother, let alone talk about picking a hospice for her.

Hex had gone back to his routine last night. I had awoken to the dip in the bed he had made when he crawled back in. His chest was freezing from the air outside as he cuddled into me. He's getting better at leaving the bedroom without me noticing.

"Just down the road, ten minutes from here" she answers "it's the only one that's not on the Eastside so it's our only option" she continues on. I nod.

Hex may refuse to see Wyonna but there's still no way that Wyonna can be placed on the Eastside and make it completely impossible for Hex to see her if he ever chooses to.

"Have you had a tour?" I ask as I set alcoholic drinks on the bar and Sarah runs it to a table near by that's occupied by two men.

"Going tonight" she says as she places a cleaned glass on the rack. "Do... do you think I should ask Hex if he wants to come with me?" She asks hesitantly. I look back at her warily.

"I mean, I would ask... j-just don't hold out hope" I say quietly. She nods, agreeing with me.

I watch as she places the tea towel down and whips out her phone, her fingers typing quickly before she backs out of it.

"Send" she whispers to herself before placing her phone back into her pocket. I watch as she wrings her hands nervously.

"Hello ladies" we both jump as Kevin slaps his hands down on the bar "woah, sorry" he chuckles.

Each time he comes into Darby's happy, healthy and sober I believe more and more that he'll stay sober.

"Hi Kevin, how are you?" I ask as I fill a glass of water and place it on the bar for him to grab.

"Good darlin'. The suns shinin' and I get to see your two pretty faces" he grins. Both Harley and I laugh, watching as Kevin leaves the bar and takes a seat at the table with the two men Sarah had served earlier.

Harley pulls her phone from her pocket and I wince, waiting for the disappointment to show once she reads Hex's texts.

Instead she gasps "Poppy, he wants to come with me" she doesn't give me time to react before she's shoving the phone in my face, showing me the texts Hex had sent her.

Sure enough, Hex had agreed to tour the hospice.

She takes the phone back just as another text comes through. "He said he'll come here after work" she reads.

I nod, still slightly shocked. I'm also worried now too, what if he decides to go to the bar again after the tour. He was lucky to get away with alcohol once, the chances of him getting away with it again is slim. Besides, Charlie hasn't dropped in to test Hex in a while so I know he'll be around some time soon.

"Oh my god, he's actually coming" she speaks to herself before putting her phone away. I grin, happy that Hex had made this decision and I want nothing more than to see him but I'll have to wait until he makes his way here later on.

Just as I open my mouth a shout cuts me off. "Harley! Phone away!" It's Stevie, yelling from the doorway of his office. We hadn't seen him in a few days and to be honest I had mostly forgotten that he even exists.

Stevie turns and walks back into his office.

"Don't Harley" I say as I watch the anger roll onto her face. Her fists clench and her cheeks redden as she squints her eyes in his direction.