Rambler Basterds

Chapter2

***Savvy***

"Mama, you sure you will be okay with me going back?" Hexley calls out as he carries his duffel bag into the living room, dropping it next to the couch. It's been a week since we laid Stephen to rest, and to say it has been a struggle is an understatement. I miss him every day, but I know I need to pick myself up and push on.

"Yes. Hex, I will be fine. I have your grandfather, who will be checking in on me. I have enough around here to keep me busy."

"That's what Im worried about. How are you going to handle all this?" He waves his hand around the house. I know he is talking about everything inside and out.

I smile at my boy, "Hex, I love you, but Im a grown ass woman, I can handle this. I have been doing this for how long now, and all the times he was deployed, I think I can handle it now. Dont you? Plus, I got blue to keep me company." I nod towards Blue, who is currently passed out cold on the floor by the door.

He raised a brow at me. "That's different, Mama, and you know it. And Blue cant help maintain the place, he can only cause chaos and chase things."

Walking over to him, I reach up, laying my hands on his shoulder. I have to tip my head back as he is as tall as his father, both of them well over six feet, that to my five one is like looking up at a mountain.

"Hexley, I will be alright, I promise. If I need help, I can hire someone, but this place isn't that big, so it's easy for me to take care of it. Sure, I will have more on my plate, but I need to stay busy, and besides, you got your orders; you are to report tomorrow. You do not need to be here hovering over your mother,"

He lets out a sigh, pulling me into a hug. "I just hate leaving you so soon. I wish I could stay longer." My heart breaks hearing his words. He has been my rock since this all happened. I will admit that having him leave makes me sad, but he has his life and career he has worked his butt off for, and I will not let him throw it all away cause I can pick myself up.

Pulling back, I go up on my toes, placing a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you, sweet boy, but your mama will be alright. Im a big girl, remember."

He chuckles, "Yeah, till you can't open a jar and shoot it instead of asking for help."

I snort a laugh, swatting his arm. "That was only one time. And besides, I didnt go through with it." That was only because Stephen came in and took the jar and the pistol. In my defense, I was only going to put a small hole in it.

"Oh, I can see it now, I'll come back to visit, and there will be all these holes lining the walls," he waves a hand around the room. And we both laugh. Making Blue sit up, looking at both of us, only to flop back over.

"Yeah, I can see he will be so much help." Hex waves a hand in his direction. Shaking his head. But we both know that when Blue is needed, he is well-trained and can wreak havoc. One thing Stephen made sure of was that Blue knew his job and did it well.

He looks at his phone, then at me, and I know it's that time already. Smiling at him, I loop my arm with his.

"Come on, I will walk you out."

He bends, grabs his bag, and shoulders it. We walk out the door. Blue jumps up following us out the door. Walks over to his bike, straps his bag to the back of his bike, and turns to face me, pulling me into another hug, squeezing me.

"Love ya, Mama. You call me if you need anything." His hands on my shoulders. "I mean it, Mama."

"Boy, am I not the parent? Anit it me who is to be telling you that line?"

"Mama, the house would fall in before you would admit you need help." He states as he looks at me, and he has me there. I hate asking for help,

"Oh, alright, you made your point, now go on before you're late." I wave my hands at him, shooing him. He leans down with a pat to Blus head he moves to the side of his bike.

He swings his leg over, starting the bike, revving it a few times, and glances back over at me.

"Love you, mama." My boy is the sweetest. He was never afraid to show affection towards his mother.

I blow him a kiss as he pulls out of the drive. My heart hurts as I watch him ride off; it's the same feeling I got when his father would leave out on orders.

Walking back in the house, the quiet settles over me like a blanket. This is so different from when Stephen would leave; at least then, I would know there was a possibility of returning, and now there is none of that. He isn't coming home again. The phone rings, moving to pick it up when I see it's our lawyer,

Douglous is an old army buddy of my husband. We have known him our whole lives, we all went to school togather and he and Stephen served togather.

"Good morning, Savvy. How are you holding up?"

"Morning, Doug, Im doing okay, a little better each day,"

He lets out a low breath, "Yeah, I hear ya, well I wanted to call you and let you know we have a date set for the first court appearance for the charges against the driver."

The air seems to lock in my chest, my heart picks up, but I push it all down. I know this is something I need to face.

"Okay,"

He waits a beat, "It's in three months, that's the earliest they could fit us in. The guy will be staying in the county lock-up until then. He was not granted bail."

A small amount of relief fills me now that he wont be able to drive again or hurt anyone else with his carelessness.

"That's good to hear, Doug. I'm assuming I will need to be there for this?"

"Yes, Im sorry, Savvy, but it will be good on our part if you are there, the judge will see the wife that was left behind by that man's thoughtless actions, and im telling you right now Im going for the max penalty But his laywer is pushing back saying he was on some kind od medication and that is what caused him to black out not the acholol."

My heart feels like it's going to jump out of my throat. How can anyone say that the man was over his limit so badly that he couldnt even stand up? And if he was on medication, why was he drinking?

"Savvy, we will win this. I have all the reports; it shows he was well over the limit, and if there was medication involved, then he shouldn't have been at a bar drinking."

"Thanks, Doug. I trust you and know you will do your best for us."

"Dont mention Savvy, Stephen was a good friend same as you, just like you. If you need anything, do not hesitate to call me."

I chuckle at that cause it was what Hexley said: "You sound like Hex."

"Well, we both know you too well. Now don't we, Im sure he gave you the whole nine yards on whether you will be alright if he leaves."

Laughing out loud now, "That he did."

"I have another client, Savvy, but you keep in touch now, I will come out there if I dont hear from you once a week."

"I promise Doug, thanks again, have a good day,"

I hung up, not really knowing how I felt about all that information as it swirled in my head. I moved to the living room, taking a seat on the couch. Blue was at my feet, letting out a low whine. I know he can tell something is off, and he keeps checking the door for Stephen to come walking through it, but he doesn't, and I know Blue doesn't understand why.