Hidebound

Chapter FiftySix

I couldn't sleep that night. Hex had taken a while to calm down and eventually he had, although the rest of the day he had been mostly quietly and stuck in his head. But that night, oh my god that night, while he slept beside me I couldn't rest my eyes for a second as Charlie's words echoed in my mind over and over again.

Put him back in therapy.

Had Charlie witnessed something that worried him? How would he have witnessed anything though? He didn't even see Hex.

My mind spun in any which way it could have, any direction that would make sense and be seen as a normal and reasonable suggestion.

But I couldn't and by the time the clock struck 1am I couldn't lay there any longer with my head spinning in circles.

I scroll through my phone and dig up a number I hadn't thought I'd ever need again.

"Charlie?" I whisper through the phone as I walk into the dark kitchen. I didn't bother turning lights on, my eyes had had all night to adjust to the dark.

"Ms. Hart?" He snaps, not surprising. After all it is one o'clock in the morning.

"Hi, yes, hello" I ramble, stumbling over my words. I had woken him up and while I felt guilty, it didn't compare to the anxiety that had been eating me all night.

"It's one in the morning!" He whisper-hisses into the phone so I can only assume he doesn't wake his wife - the wife we had never met.

"Yes yes, I know-" A soft thud echos in the kitchen as I hit my toe on the island. I have to hold my hand to my mouth to stop the pained groan that wants to escape.

"Has something happened, Ms. Hart?" Charlie questions, his voice just as pissed, if not more.

"Ye- no no, I just need you to clear something up" I almost beg, hoping he doesn't hang up.

"And it couldn't wait until morning?"

"No" I say but by his tone he doesn't believe me, I push on anyway. "You said to put Hex back in therapy" I wait for him to confirm.

"Yes, I remember" he must have left his bedroom because he's not whispering anymore.

"I-I just wanted to know what you meant by that" it sounds pathetic leaving my mouth. It was definitely something that could have waited until the morning but my head won't let me rest until I know.

"You woke me up to ask that?" Charlie doesn't fail to make me feel more pathetic.

"Please" my voice cracks as I beg "just explain".

He takes a deep sigh and I can almost feel his anger decreasing through the phone.

"I don't think he's going to re-offend, if that's what you're worried about" the breath I release is silent as my shoulders drop and I feel like I can suck in a lungful for the first time since he recommended therapy. "But going through a significant life event like losing a parent will effect anyone badly. I'm not saying he's going to re-offend but therapy would make it much more unlikely and even if he does, therapy would look good on his record to a judge" it makes sense. Therapy would improve how he grieves for Wyonna as well as stop him from making a mistake.

"Any other questions Ms. Hart or can I go back to sleep?" His tone turns sour again.

"No that's all, thanks. Sorry for wak-" but he had already hung up.

*

"Therapy?"

"Yep" I pop the 'p' as I turn to face Harley. It's Monday and we're back at Darby's for the new week.

Harley shrugs as she makes up a drink for a customer. "Maybe it's a good idea".

"You think so?" I raise an eyebrow at her.

"I mean, yeah. Why'd he stop going anyway?" She asks, her eyebrows pulling together. "He was doing well, wasn't he?"

"Yeah, he was doing great. He stopped because his parole ended and it wasn't mandatory anymore" I explain, wiping down the bar.

She nods her head.

Just then the door to Darby's opens with a bang and Kevin stumbles through, already drunk.

"What do we do about him?" Harley asks me softly as we both watch him stumble into a seat at a table.

"I don't know. Maybe he'll snap out of it, it's been less then a week" I answer back. I can only hope this is apart of his grieving and once he's done mourning, he'll stop drinking. It sounds stupid but the only thing we can do is hope it happens.

"Mhmm" Harley hums.

The back door bangs open behind us and Sarah walks through, her cheeks red from the cold air inside the storage room. She carry's her bag and a water bottle.

"Oh! Look who's back!" Harley exclaims. I had noticed the lack of Sarah's presence but hadn't really questioned it. I guess Harley had forgot to inform me that Sarah had taken time off and today is her first day back.

"I was beginning to wonder where you had gone" I say as she places her belongings down. 

"Headed down the coast with Daniel" ah yes, I forgot she has a Platonic, she rarely ever mentions him. "And look what I got!" She holds out her left hand, showing off the diamond ring that decorates her ring finger.

"Oh my god! It's huge" Harley grabs her hand and takes a closer look. Sarah's smile lights up her whole face as she proudly displays the ring.

It's pretty and almost too big for her finger and I can't help the rude little voice in the back of my head whispering that my ring is better.

"You're next" I bump my shoulder into Harley's. Her cheeks darken immediately and she shakes her head.

"Not anytime soon" she chuckles uncomfortably.

I catch sight of the camera moving in our direction, the red light flickering lets me know that Stevie's on the other end watching us closely.

"Alright, get to work you two" I say playfully without hinting at Stevie; that's just asking for Harley to blow up and we don't need that today.

It's still mostly empty inside Darby's, too early for most people to want a drink. Harley and I remain behind the bar as Sarah walks around the tables.

"So" I clear my throat "did you get far in planning yesterday?" I ask hesitantly. The last thing I want to do is dampen the mood for the rest of the day. Thankfully for me, Harley is someone who can take things well.

"I couldn't focus after you guys left so not a lot" she chuckles dryly. "How's Hex?" She asks.

"He - he feels like it's his fault Wyonna's sick so young" her entire face drops at my confession. "He thinks he brought it on by being incarcerated and stressing her out."

"You told him that's not how it works, right?" She shifts her entire focus to me. I side eye the camera and note that it's still watching us.

"Oh course I did" I push back a strand of hair off my face. "I don't think he believes me though".

"Fuck" Harley rubs her hand down her face. "I think Charlie's right" she mentions therapy again. I nod in agreement.

"Hey guys" we're interrupted by Sarah as she leans over the bar and gains our attention and pulls us away from conversation. "Kevin's asking for whiskey.  Do I give it to him or just water?" She asks.

For a moment I'm confused on why she's asking us for permission but then I remember that when she started we had told her not to serve him alcohol after recently coming out of rehab.

I look over her shoulder at Kevin, his face sunken and his eyes glossy as he taps a random beat on the table with his pointer finger.

I don't have time to answer before Harley pours his drink and passes it to Sarah.

I look at her as she shrugs. "He needs it". I guess I can't argue that.