ALWAYS THERE, Eddie Roundtree (Eddie Loving)

04| THE WIND CRIES MARY

A WEEK HAD PASSED.

A week had passed since they last heard from Tatum. During this time, Tatum found herself expelled from her familiar residence, marking a significant week since the decision had been made.

In the preceding two days, Warren visited her residence without the awareness that she was unwelcome there. This encounter resulted in a confrontation with Mr. Ackerlund. It came to light that numerous attempts had been made to contact Tatum via their landline, reaching a frequency of a million calls per day. Disturbed by the situation, Warren promptly departed and, with determination, drove to share this revelation with his fellow band members.

Eddie, considering the possibility that Tatum sought refuge with Camila, made his way to Camila's residence for confirmation. Despite Camila's evident concern, she emphatically shut the door on Eddie's inquiry.

CAMILA: He said to me "If you hear from her, tell her we're packing up in two weeks". I was hurt and furious because Billy didn't tell me and worried. After all, I was sure Tatum had gone home.

TATUM: I was parked outside the fucking Dairy Queen for about five days, using the swimming pool's community shower near me. I only ate in the morning, because I ran out of money.

Tatum, her hair still damp, traversed the street and headed towards her car with a heavy burden of guilt occupying her thoughts. The familiar sight of Eddie prompted her to retrace her steps, but before she could initiate a conversation, he intercepted her, desperation evident in his voice. Despite her weariness, he managed to catch her attention.

"Tatum, stop!" Eddie's urgent plea resonated as he hastened to reach her, placing a hand on her shoulder to halt her progress. She turned around, her eyes avoiding his, and, out of breath and fatigued, she allowed him to spin her towards him.

"Where have you been? What are you doing on this side of town?" Eddie inquired, enveloping her in a hug, though she did not reciprocate. Her gaze wandered elsewhere, avoiding direct eye contact.

"Around," she responded warily, her gaze darting in various directions. Eddie observed that she was wearing the same clothes from the day she left, and her wet hair hinted at an untold journey. She shrugged off his embrace.

"Can we talk? Either at your place or mine? Where are you staying?" Eddie bombarded her with questions, sensing an unusual mood. Unaware of the circumstances, he could only speculate on the reasons behind her demeanor.

"Take me to my car, and we can go to your house," she suggested, sighing.

After directing him to her car, Eddie became suspicious, considering the considerable distance from where they initially encountered each other. Throughout the ride, Tatum remained silent, even as The Grateful Dead played on the radio. Eddie pondered whether she had walked this entire way.

Upon arriving at the gas station, Tatum disclosed that her car had run out of fuel. She had parked there after being informed by Dairy Queen employees that she could no longer stay on their premises.

"This was a mistake. You should go," Tatum insisted, running her hand through her hair.

"I can fill up the tank for you. It's no big deal," Eddie offered, stepping out of the car and closely observing her movements.

"Please, go," she urged, moving toward the driver's door. Undeterred, Eddie followed.

"Give me the keys," he requested, extending his palm, but Tatum resisted, attempting to claw out the keys. Eddie persisted, managing to shift her slightly, allowing access to the lock. As he unlocked the car, she muttered, "Fuck you," her voice hoarse, with a tear streaming down her face. Eddie was momentarily taken aback by her words. She retreated to sit on the sidewalk, her head in her hands.