this love, walker

006. the side step

Cheyenne goes into The Side Step, the manilla envelope in her hand.

"Hey." She greets, spotting August with Trey.

"Oh, hey, Ms. Cheyenne." August smiles.

"Hey, Cheyenne." Trey waves.

"Hey, Trey." Cheyenne greets. "Here. This is a photo that your dad hounded me for." She holds the envelope out to August. "It-- it's the five of us from a couple years ago."

"Sweet. Thank you." August grins, taking the envelope. "Yeah, it-- it's for this sort of memory wall thing we're doing." He informs, pointing to the wall that already has quite a few things up.

"Oh. That's really cool." Cheyenne comments, giving the boy a small smile. "Okay, I'll, uh, I'll see you guys later."

"See ya." Trey bids.

"Bye." August waves.

+++

The family is at the opening for The Side Step that night, the teenagers mostly hanging out with Stella and August.

"All right, folks, it's getting late, so let's start this one off nice and slow." The band starts to play a slow song.

"Come on, you." Cheyenne grabs her oldest's hand.

"Mom." Cody whines.

"No, no. You can dance with your mother." Cheyenne states, pulling him to the floor.

Cody sighs, but doesn't resist, knowing he'll lose.

"If you have to put me through this, can you at least put Randy through it too?" Cody asks.

"Once I find him." Cheyenne promises. "Come on, it's not too bad." She insists. "Won't have too many more moments like this, soon to be college boy."

"I'm gonna be, like, ten minutes away." Cody rolls his eyes.

"Still." Cheyenne says. "My baby's not a baby anymore." She pinches his cheek.

"Mom." He complains, pulling away, and she laughs.

"Okay, okay, sorry." She tells him. "Seriously, though, I am very proud of you."

"Thanks." Cody mumbles.

Cheyenne smiles at him, her mind flashing back to when he was a baby and attached to her hip. Watching her kids grow up has always been bittersweet. She loves watching them grow into amazing people, but she also wishes they'd stay little forever.

"Randy!" Cody immediately calls when he spots his brother.

"Randy!" Cheyenne grins. "C'mere, baby." She holds one hand out and Randy walks over. "Dance with us."

"Us?" Randy asks, sharing a look with his brother.

"Yes, us. My boys." Cheyenne says. "You don't get a say in it, you're doing it."

"I knew I should've gone home with Taylor." Randy sighs, but accepts the small circle the three form a small circle, dancing together.

+++

"I don't see why we're here." Cheyenne quietly complains.

"Oh, behave." Her mother scolds. "Hoyt's a decent kid."

"Yeah." Landon scoffs.

"You behave, too." Katherine chides. "I swear, you two... he's not a bad kid. He just... went down a few wrong paths."

"A few?" Landon questions.

"You be nice." Katherine orders. "You, too." She demands her daughter.

"I'm not saying he's evil." Cheyenne says.

"Guys, guys, they're here." August quietly calls out. Everybody gathers at the door and wait. Hearing Hoyt right outside, August slides the door open, everybody yelling out.

"I love it!" Hoyt shouts as they clap.

Cordell rushes up behind Hoyt and knocks the hat off. Hoyt turns to him and the two hug for a moment until Cordell starts wrestling Hoyt.

"Back, back." Cheyenne ushers her kids out of the way.

Cordell slams Hoyt onto the ground making Cheyenne wince. Cordell gets up and helps his friend up.

"Payback for your last homecoming." Cordell says.

"Oh, come here, man." Hoyt hugs August. "So, what, you guys, you planned a surprise party for little ol' me?" Cordell points to something and August rushes off. "You two." Hoyt puts his hands on Geri and Cordell's shoulders. "You make quite a team." He pulls them into a hug.

~ ~ ~

"Ladies and gentlemen," Hoyt jumps up onto a table, "barflies, friends and family, it warms my heart that you're here celebrating my freedom. I'm a new man with big plans, boy. You." He points to Geri. "There ain't a body I'd rather do time with than my girl, Geri." He kneels on the table. "You are my rock, baby, and if all I get in this life is your love, then... I can die a happy man. An honest man."

"Geraldine Broussard..." He holds up a straw ring.

"Oh, an honest man has got more to give than trash jewelry." Geri remarks, walking over to him and taking the ring.  "Baby, come on, get down here!" She holds his wrist as he jumps off the table and she pulls him into a hug.

+++

Cheyenne pulls up to the Walker house and gets out of her car, hesitating. She takes a deep breath, walking up and ringing the doorbell.

It takes a few moments before Cordell is answering the door.

"He-hey." He greets.

"Hi." Cheyenne breathes out, the two standing in silence for a few moments. "I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have just-- just come out here unannounced like this. I--"

"No, no, you-- you're fine." Cordell assures.

"I'm really sorry. About Hoyt and... and what you all went through." Cheyenne says.

"Right. Yeah, thanks." Cordell weakly smiles.

"I, um... I made brownies." Cheyenne holds the container out. "I-I figured maybe chocolate was a good idea. Who doesn't like chocolate, right? Plus, I do kinda suck at cooking, so..."

"So you made something?" Cordell lets out a small laugh.

"Cooking and baking are totally different things, smartass." Cheyenne says. "But here... there should be enough for everybody as long as you boys don't hog it all."

"Thank you." Cordell takes the treat. "I-- we appreciate, really. Thank you."

"Yeah. Yeah, no problem." Cheyenne gives him a small smile. "So I-- I'll get out of your hair. Just, uh... text me if you need anything. Food, company, get the kids together or something."

"Yeah. All right. Thank you." Cordell gives her a small smile.