13Wow, got a great/heartbreaking response to the first chapter! :)
I listen to country music, so some songs inspired this story. I'm not usually into lyrics at the beginning of a chapter, but if you read these… they explain exactly what Nix is going through.
I expect this story to be about 5 chapters or so….
Please enjoy… or please cry- whatever you feel! xD
"Ruby lips hid a razor tongue
And heart, blue as glacier ice
I was warned, but I was willing
To ignore everybody's advice
The more I gave, the more she took
She walked away without a second look
Pick your poison…"
'Poison' by George Strait
Chapter Two: Poison
"Hello! Who is calling?" Essie rolled her eyes, the stranger panting into the phone line. She figured it was some High Schooler, pulling a ridiculous prank.
More gasps for air, the voice was struggling for words. Her heart's beat sped up; beginning to worry it was somebody begging for help. And in a way, it was.
She tried once more, slight urgency in her voice, "HELLO? Can I help you?"
"Baby? Who is it?" Talbert rubbed his drowsy face, his slippers shuffling across the honey colored floorboards. Essie irritably held up her hand to his face, shushing his mumbles. Floyd shrugged his shoulders, and plopped himself down into his chair at the breakfast table.
Nixon was startled by the tone of her words. Swallowing down a bitter taste boiling in his throat, his slurred words peeked out from his lips. "Esther?"
"Yes… this is she…" she furrowed her brows.
Lewis licked his lips, begging his words to cooperate. "It's uh… it's Lew."
Essie loudly gasped, holding her palm over the small holes in the mouthpiece. She looked back at Tab's bewildered face, and sucked in a breath of air. She had never expected the day to come.
"Nixon?" she held a hand to her chest, trying to calm her pulse. "Why are you calling?"
His heart fluttered, mesmerized by her sweet voice. "I need to see you."
She scoffed, hearing Virginia gallop down the staircase, "Uh, no you don't."
"Please, come visit. I'll pay the fees… I gotta see you…" she bit her lips, his pathetic begging sinking in.
"Yea… pay the fees with what?" Essie attempted to lighten the tense tone. "You barely had enough to send postage!"
He firmly gripped the dusty pillow at his side, "I'm begging you…" He let out a dry cough making Essie clutch her nightgown.
She guiltily glanced over her shoulder, eyeing Tab as he kissed the top of their first daughter's head. "Yea… yea sure. I'll come visit you and Winters."
Suddenly she clicked the phone to the wall, feeling an uncomfortable rock growing in her throat. Memories of the war flooded her as she held her pregnant stomach. Essie looked over at her beautiful and growing family. It was time to get this Nixon dilemma over with.
"Winters wants to see you?" Talbert questioned as Virginia scuttled to her mother's side.
She sheepishly ran her ringed fingers through her daughter's silky blonde hair, "Uh, yea… small reunion I guess." Her lying had not improved.
He talked with his mouthful of half-chewed toast, "Guess I should go too."
Beads of sweat formed on her forehead, "No… I need to go by myself for this, hun. You watch little 'Gina here." She cupped the small girl's chin, making her giggle.
"What about the baby? Doctor said no traveling."
One hand on her daughter, the other on her growing stomach, she sighed. "You do realize you're arguing with a woman that threw herself out of a perfectly good airplane… right?" She cracked a faint smile. "I'll be fine, babe. It will only be for a day or so."
"Dick still lives in Jersey… right?"
She sucked on her tongue, the weight of the world falling on her, "Yea, he still does."
"You gonna see Nixon too?" Tab looked up at her with his big blue eyes that Virginia shared.
Essie's mood swings kicked in, causing her to throw up her arms, "Jesus Christ, Floyd! Got any more questions!? Didn't know I was gonna be interrogated so early in the morning!"
He held his jam covered hands in surrender as she began fleeing up the stairs. Virginia looked back at her father, a puzzled look painted on her face. Talbert motioned her over.
"Never have children, baby girl." He whispered into her hair with a smile, "You'll become a three headed monster like your momma!"
Virginia began lightly giggling, snuggling deeper into his inviting chest. She had gotten that habit from her mother.
B.o.B.
The conductor offered his hand out to her, helping the mother up into the train lobby. Talbert groaned as he lifted her luggage up to the compartment.
"What? You got dead German's in here, babe?" Floyd teased, making the conductor freeze.
Essie whipped her head over her shoulder, and stung him with a warning glare. Tab chuckled uncomfortably, "Oh, yea… forgot it's not World War Two anymore! Sorry, hon!"
She was finally content as she sat down into her long seat. Essie lifted the heavy stain glass window, revealing her beautiful and small family standing on the platform. She blew a kiss to her spirited daughter, and gave a loving wink to her beloved husband. Though she had seen so much and suffered, Esther was now a happy young woman with a decent and promising life ahead of her.
Her body jerked forward, her arm hitting the frame of the window as the break was released. Tab lifted Virginia onto his shoulders, and she wrapped her small and delicate arms around his forehead. Though she would be gone for a little amount of time, Essie knew she would miss them.
Taking one last glance, Essie withdrew her arm and settled into her red velvet seat. A wave of nausea swept through her as the food cart rolled down the aisle to her right. This pregnancy was proving to be rough, and the nine months were slowly trudging on. Every time she thought of a new child on her hip, her heart fluttered with contentment. Floyd was a marvelous father that played his part. Life was treating her well, but the painful memories of Lewis Nixon still bothered her.
Essie gently shut her eyes, feeling sick with the tall oaks that sped by as the train gained speed. Choosing instead to reminisce, she thought back to riding the train to North Carolina to further their training. She remembered Liebgott teasing her for sitting next to Tab; when their love was fresh and young.
She was happy the war was over, as it damaged her so much. But, she missed the men of Easy Company gravely. She missed their laughter, their jokes and their constant loyalty and brave hearts. Inside she knew seeing Nixon and Winters would just make her miss them more. As terrible and odd as it sounded… Esther missed the war.
B.o.B.
The taxi timer monotonously clicked with each turn of the wheels. Her driver smelled of rancid ketchup and dank laundry. As she fought the dire urge to hold her nose, Essie's heart ached for the peace and quiet of her farmhouse. She hated the city with a deep and fiery passion and nothing about it appealed to her.
The ancient apartment buildings loomed over her, and she began straightening out her A-line sundress. Essie tilted her floppy straw hat to the right just a smidge to shield off the polluted sunlight. Children hopped and skipped over makeshift jump ropes, mobsters with their heads tucked away into their collars. Clearly, this was the not-so-great part of town… and Lewis lived here.
"This it, sweet cheeks?" the grimy driver's big lips snapped as he questioned.
Essie dramatically rolled her eyes, "Yea… this is it." She checked once more by looking at the address scribbled on the back of her hand. Fishing around the small pocket of her snow white cardigan, she pulled out a wad of ones for each mile the taxi took her.
"Thanks," he thumbed through the bills.
She pulled open the yellow door, the rank smell of the gutter wafting into her nose, "Sure. No problem."
The car sped away, its bald tires kicking up empty cartons of cigarettes. After the cloud of dust left her, Essie adjusted the thick white belt that accentuated her small frame. She gulped as her eyes followed the dramatic green vines that danced and twirled around the gray and crumbling bricks.
Gathering up any remaining courage the city life hadn't drained from her, she took her first step up to his apartment. Kids eyed her as her small white heels clomped down the hallway. She felt uneasy and began wringing her sweating hands together. His letters had instructed her that he lived upstairs, so she let memory lead her around the dark and frightening building.
"Ah, here it is…" she looked down at her hand, lighting tapping the number plastered to the wall.
Essie swallowed hard as she balled her hand into a fist. Slowly and hesitantly, she brought her knuckled to the dark wood three times.
No response.
She tried again, this time knocking five times. After waiting patiently, it evolved into utter frustration. Why the hell would he beg me to come, and not even be here!?
"Lew… I know you're in there! Open up!" She stood on her toes to bring her wandering eyes to the small glass ring in the middle of the door. After standing there for nearly ten minutes, Essie refused to give up. She sat down in the hallway with her legs crisscrossed. She spun her ring around her thin finger, admiring the small green stone.
The loose door knob finally rattled to life, making her heart race. Essie jumped to her feet, her hazel eyes hastily searching for Nixon. The joints of the hinges squeaked and eerie sound, making her want to scuttle home. Essie now began preparing herself to say, "Sorry, wrong house."
A dark and scrawny figure appeared leaning heavily against the door from within. Slowly she inched forward, fear coursing through her veins.
"Esther…" a familiar slurred voice breathed.
His arms hung awkwardly at his sides, so filled with happiness he wasn't able to move. Essie had thrown her arms around his neck with pure joy and mystification.
"Lew!" she laughed into his neck, so happy to see her dearly missed friend. Finally he wrapped his arms around her small waist.
Tighter and tighter he squeezed, seeming to want to take her heart and pump it next to his. "You came…" he whispered into her hair, making her skin shiver. His touch was so different and confusing in comparison to Tab's calm feel.
Kind of a cliffy, but not really…
Next: a long conversation… ;)
Thank you for any feedback you have to offer me!