16 - Home

Addie had stopped pulling at Brett's arm after seeing the trick shot that Maisey made because he'd glared at her and told her to go away. Brett waited with his arms crossed with his emotions warring inside. Maisey was here, at Slim's, in a crowd of at least a hundred people, pressed on all sides by strangers and not having a panic attack, for that he was proud of her. He was also scared for her because it was a big step and a trigger could happen at any moment. He was also furious because she was here, he was sure, because of how he'd reacted to Ned's announcement and he didn't want or need a babysitter.

She stopped socializing when she met his gaze, then handed the pool cue to Nate and walked away, out the door of the pool hall. He followed her. "Are you crazy?" he demanded harshly, "coming here by yourself, do you want to land in another coma?!" She raised an eyebrow at him but he didn't let her speak, "And what the hell was that shot? That shouldn't have even been possible. How did you get here?" he was scanning the lot for her car while she stood there silently and Maisey wondered how drunk he could have gotten in the hour and a half since he'd left the house because he couldn't seem to keep his balance.

"Are you about finished?" she asked softly, signalling Anna who had come after them with Lucas with a subtle shake of her head. "Or would you like to keep screaming at me?"

He stumbled and raised a hand to brush hair from her face and tuck it behind her ear, his thumbpad rubbing her cheek, "I'm not done," he said whispering, "I can't believe you're here."

"You're drunk," she accused.

"A line of Jager and two double rum and cokes will do that," Lucas told her before going back into the hall, urging Anna to follow him.

"Oh Brett," she sighed and held onto the hand that was caressing her cheek, "this isn't what you want. You are better than getting so drunk you can't see straight and can't remember what you do."

"How did you get here?" he asked again.

"Anna drove," she admitted, "I needed to come but I didn't trust myself to drive. I thought I was doing okay, until you started glowering at me like I'd done something wrong."

"I wanted to bring you," he told her. "Dance with me." he reached for her arm.

"No," she pulled away and then smiled in the same accomodating way she used to when Luke was drunk and amorous rather than cruel. "Maybe another night, when you will remember it." she told him. He looked like he wanted to argue, "Brett I didn't come to dance, I came to make sure you're ok. Ned is worried."

He sobered a little at her half truth, "I never thought about Ned dying," he admitted. "I don't want him to go live in some home." He sat down on the curb.

"And he doesn't want to be a burden." she said forcefully, standing a little bit away, "can't you understand that?"

"How did you make that shot at pool?" he asked again avoiding her question.

"One thing about being in an abusive relationship: you've got some bizarre motivations." Her eyes went distant as she remembered with a shudder. she was standing away from Brett, "I liked pool, but I learned to be good at it or suffer for every missed shot. I learned not to miss."

"Bastard," Brett growled.

"We established that months ago," Maisey said wryly.

Addie watched the exchange from a distance while she smoked. The tiny red light the only thing that gave away her location. She was angry. She was sure Brett would have gone home with her, finally, but that new girl had turned up. Slim's had been the only place she could be sure Maisey wouldn't turn up, but tonight had destroyed that hope. She'd loved Brett for as long as she could remember, but he'd never looked at her with even half the feeling he looked aft Maisey with. The worst part was it didn't lik like Maisey felt the same.

She felt a little lost as she realized that everything she'd hoped for in her life had just become impossible. There would be no wedding and kids with the man she'd pined after since high school. She was embarrassed that she'd pinned her entire future on a guy who, now it was obvious, didn't like her thre way she wanted him to. She put out the cigarette and went back inside for a shot.

"I'm not going home," Brett told Maisey, "It's Friday night, I'm with my friends. it's dancing and drinking time. You go home Maisey, before something happens," he tried to take his keys out of his pocket and just about fell over, Maisey caught him, "oh, right, Jason took'em so I couldn't drive. We've got to get'em from him." He moved toward the door, "Go home," he said absently, "You're safe there. Not safe here, too many people, panic attack," he was muttering now, mostly incoherent as he stumbled inside. The music distracted him and he grabbed the hand of some cowgirl who was standing inside the door and grinning took her to the dance floor.

"You alright," Anna asked.

Maisey nodded, "He's going to have a hell of a hang over in the morning." Nate was still playing pool and extended the cue to her. She smiled and shook her head, "He said Jason took his keys, who is Jason?"

"Bartender, " Anna motioned to the bar, "he was the linebacker for his college football team: Brett won't be driving if Jason took them." she looked her friend over, "how are you holding up?"

"I'm emotionally exhausted," Maisey laughed, "but I'd forgotten how much energy you can absorb from other people in social settings. I haven't been to a club since I was 21-- the year after we got married--and how fun pool can be when you're not playing for your life." she shuddered, "I might stay for a couple more games before I get Brett's keys and go home." Anna raised an eyebrow and Maisey laughed, "I'll be fine, I promise, besides Doc Andy is already drinking water in case he has to come to my rescue and you're not drinking either so I know I've got the both of you to be my conscience and protection if I can't handle it."

Anna laughed and watched her friend take the pool cue from Nate with a grin. Lucas joined her after Maisey walked away and her heart gave a little hitch. Maisey didn't flirt with Nate or their new opponent or try too hard like Addie would have but she laughed and smiled.

"Can hardly believe that's the same woman Brett called us to come see that first night." Andy stood by her shoulder. "it doesn't feel like it's been long enough for this to be a good idea."

"You should go dance with her, " Maisey told Nate. "you've been watching her all night."

Nate shrugged, "she's hung up on Brett, no one's ever had a shot with her except him."

Maisey raised an eyebrow at her pool partner: "she's sitting at the bar looking like someone kicked her favorite dog, you should go." Nate handed her the cue and went over to where Addie sat with two empties in front of her and nursing a third bottle of Corona.

Addie barely looked up, "Adelaine Jean," Nate signalled for Jason to bring over 2 shots "you either need a dance partner or a drinking buddy, so let's have a shot of fire and then go kick up some dust."

She eyed Nate warily, "Adelaine Jean? Really? You couldn't just call me Addie like everyone else." She took a sniff of the shot.

"Nope," he told her, "Addie was what you were called as a kid, you're not a kid anymore, you grew into a woman and a woman needs a woman's name. I have always thought of you as Adelaine Jean. Now raised your fireball and let's drink to being grown up."

Addie lifted her shotglass, "to growing up," she muttered, and swallowed the burning liquid.

Nate took her hand and pulled her after him toward the dance floor. Addie thought about arguing but she wanted to dance so she went along with him. He soon had her twirling and spinning in the two step so smoothly that she was laughing from pleasure. She hadn't even known he could dance.

Maisey waited for Nate and Addie to start their second dance before introducing herself to Jason and taking Brett's keys from him. She said goodnight to Anna, Andy and Lucas and left the hall.

She climbed into the cab just as the shakes of a panic attack took her. She had stayed too long, pushed too hard. She forced herself to breath, counting backwards from 50 and closing her eyes. After several minutes she was calm enough to get home.

Home, she thought, she had a home, friends, family, she felt grounded in life for the first time since Luke. She smiled and turned on the ignition, the passenger door opened, and Andy helped Brett in.

"He was barely upright, " the Doc said, "time for him to go. I'll follow you to the Bogs, he will pass out before you get halfway there."

"Would serve him right to have to sleep it off in the truck." Andy laughed and closed the door.