Her body folded immediately into his, surprisingly small given her height and she exhaled shakily against him, shutting
her eyes again but this time in relief. She didn't wrap her arms around him, tucking her hands safely against his chest
instead but the rest of her body wound close.
"I hate this." She whispered against him. Sighed out again, body relaxing a bit more this time. She turned her head to
rest her cheek on his shoulder. Quiet for a moment.
"I like it here." She told him softly. "I like being with you. I like this house."
"I like this house too." He said. "But we could have gone anywhere. We still can." He said, in case somewhere else
might be better....
"How about," he said. "You go get dressed, I'll finish here, it’s gotta simmer for a while, and I'll show you the rest of the
town." It was a quiet town, no real crowds anywhere.
She rubbed her cheek against his shoulder. She hadn't even seen the entire house yet, most of the house yet, and
she was going to get to see his town. It seemed a bit backward but she kind of liked the idea.
"I'm almost afraid to see what Suz has left me for clothing choices." She murmured, edges of her lips lifting. Voice a bit
more wry, she added: "And I'm afraid of what you'll add to the soup if I'm not watching." Despite both she thought
getting dressed might help center her so she didn't mind. She pressed a kiss to his throat. "Thank you." She
whispered.
"Besides, we'll need dessert, so I should tell Mrs Johnson I'm home. She'll have a cobbler ready by dinner time." He
said with a laugh and kissed the top of her head before returning back to the gumbo to finish up. Finishing chopping
up the crawfish and other ingredients, throwing in the tomatoes, putting a lid on it and letting it brew for a while. Not to
mention he had to get dressed also.
Getting the mail in his boxers was one thing. A whole town tour...he'd rather be dressed!
Andi slipped off the counter when he moved back to the stove. She could have gone through this alone. Or even with
her parents. But instead she'd been given Hector. It alone would have been enough reason to believe in a loving
God. She looked over his shoulder at the oversized prawns with pinchers. Thought with a crooked smile that, indeed,
the likelihood of those becoming 'cute' wasn't good. Then she pressed a kiss to Hector's cheek.
"Mm, the widow that's 'got the hots' for you?" She teased. "And she cooks well too. I'd better go get dressed. I need to
keep an eye on that one."
The comfort he'd given her carried past the kitchen but the worry set in too. She hadn't expected - that. That...
episode. She didn't seem to get much choice in expecting or not and she still felt a bit shaky over going bonkers. It
hadn't even been a thing this time. Just a poor choice of words. And she'd been back in the jungle. She gave a shiver
and tucked her hands into the opposite sleeves of his shirt.
There was a spiritual side she would deal with. And an emotional side too that she'd have to work though. But the side
that took her at the worse times was actually physical. Mental and physical. The physical part she should be able to
face head on though. She was a doctor, after all. It was her job to find out what was wrong and fix it.
She sat on the floor in the bedroom after turning on the light and giving the bed a longing look. Focusing on what was
in front of her. And - she made a growling noise in the back of her throat and muttered a few implications - Suz hadn't
left her much in the way of her own clothing. She ended up hauling the pack up onto the unmade bed and sitting
cross-legged as she sorted everything out across the mattress.
Triggers, she thought as she unpacked. She had triggers. Things that set her off. So until she figured out how to fix
the triggers so they didn't bother her anymore, she needed to find a way to avoid them. Her eyes went wide and she
put the - she wasn't quite sure what it was actually. There certainly wasn't enough of it to give her a hint. Just - red
lace and ribbon and - and Suz had an odd sense of humor, Andi decided as she stashed - whatever it was - back in
the bottom of the pack.
Staying in bed and not leaving the room was probably a good way to avoid most if not all the triggers. Staying in the
house wasn't proof against them either but probably safer. She actually feared the fits themselves more than where
her mind went when she had them. Horrible to say but embarrassment was more motivating than fear for her. She
supposed she should blame that on being British. She picked out a pair of shorts and a vaguely African looking top,
smiling that, all right, perhaps Suzette's taste wasn't entirely off. Gathered up the rest of what she'd need and headed
into the bathroom.
She just needed to make a list of what might set her off. And then do her best to avoid it. She wasn't going to let what
had happened to her dictate where she went or what she did now. She simply wasn't. And if Cassie thought her
brother was stubborn, she'd never seen Andi when she'd set her mind to something.
Hector watched her go and wished there was something monumental he could do. He didn’t' even know where to
start, but was sure there had to be something as he added the rest of the ingredients to the gumbo, stirred it well,
added the roux and put it all on simmer on a back burner. Should be good like that for a couple of hours.
Then he grabbed a soda out of the fridge and cracked it open and sat at his table drinking it with a twinkie unwrapped
in front of him. Twinkies should be their own food group, he decided. They were always a weakness of his, probably
because it was 100% unnatural ingredients and still managed to taste good. Not to mention have a shelf life that
stretched into eternity. That and Kool Aid.
He grabbed a gallon jug out of a cabinet and filled it with cold water, then put a couple dozen tea bags in there, then
set it out on the porch in a sunny place. That was done. Sun tea was better than soda, if not as fast. By the time night
came, it should be ready.
Then he finished his soda and wondered still at the wisdom of bringing her here. Not bringing HER here, bringing her
HERE. Well, in any case, they were here, he'd just make the best of it until she said something. Then he would take
her wherever she felt she needed to go. He'd promised enough people, including himself, that.
He grabbed another twinkie as he was listening for the tell tale sounds of a shower finishing up and a woman finishing
dressing before he headed up for his own shower.
Andi finished up. She'd given in and taken another hot shower. Just for the pleasure of standing under pulsing hot
water without a time limit. Thanks to her shampoo the air smelled like flowers when she finally convinced herself to get
out. Drying off she wove her hair into an easy braid. Realizing how long it was getting. Which was Hector's fault. He
played with her hair and so she had a hard time thinking of cutting it shorter when she enjoyed the feel of his hands in
it so much. She pulled on Suz's clothing line with a sigh. It was such soft fabric. Living with so little growing up she felt
- guilty now. But - soft and feminine too. It left her feeling torn but she was making an effort to simply enjoy the gifts.
She packed away her things in one of the empty drawers. Probably should have asked before she simply moved her
things in but... She was making the bed when Hector came in and she gave him a bright smile. Having finally pulled
the blinds up so the warm sunlight could come into the rooms and the open windows let the fresh air in. It was such a
very nice bedroom. And such a very nice bed.
And so very much a male's domain because there was nothing but the absolute basics. This might have been his
grandparents house but Hector had very definitely made it his own.
"I love hot water." She informed him. Much more relaxed and centered now. Easily well enough to tease him. "I almost
didn't get out. Ever. But then I remembered you needed an escort to visit the widow and forced myself."
"Oh yes. Before she tries to jump me and ends up breaking a hip." Hector said with a chuckle as he went to his
drawers and pulled out clothes to change into. Real clothes this time, instead of what he slept in. "Of course we
should be chaperoned. Having a doctor there should be good too, you know, just in case my heart gives out or
something." He said with a wink and went into t he bathroom.
His hot water heater was working nicely, in that there was hot water left for him after her shower. He wasn't one for
loitering or languishing in the shower, too ingrained. So he soaped up, rinsed off, and got out. Dried off. Shaved.
Brushed his teeth. All under ten minutes. Dressing took another thirty seconds, including sitting to put his socks on.
He came out and grabbed his sneakers, sitting on the bed to put them on. "So, ready to go wrangle the randy widow?"
Andi's laughter was quiet and she gently rubbed the backs of her fingers against his smooth jaw line as she walked
past to get her sandals. Suz, at least, had left her shoe selection alone. Though - she was going to have to buy
sneakers...
"I think it’s in my contract or something." She chuckled as she shoes on. "As your hired thugee, I supposed to protect
you from little old ladies on the prowl."
She had no doubt that Mrs. Johnson adored Hector. In an entirely grandmotherly way. When he wanted to, Hector
could slip into charming to an extent she really didn't see anyone being capable of resisting. Which meant it was a
good thing he used it sparingly. She joined Hector as he stood up and wrapped her arms around him to give him a
kiss before moving back, her hand slipping into his.
"Of course, if she bribes me with sweet food, I just might be distracted enough for her to have her way with you." She
warned with a smile.
"Damn, I'm in trouble now." He said with a chuckle as he led her out of the room, down the stairs and out the door.
This was the type of neighborhood w here if you were only going out for a little while, you could leave it unlocked. So
he did. He looked at his watch. "She should be out watering her plants about now. What can I say? Complete
weakness for cobbler." He led her down the walk where, as expected, Mrs Johnson was watering her roses in front
yard.
She was incredibly little, even for an elderly woman, which she definitely was, slightly stooped over with slightly
gnarled hands and white hair pulled back carefully into an intricate bun.
"Why there's a face I haven't seen in such a while." She said in a smooth southern accent, straightening as much as
possible when she saw their approach.
Andi felt the sunlight hit like a wash of warm liquid and raised her face to inhale the air as they stepped outside.
Everything smelled warm and green and alive. She wrapped her free hand around Hector's arm. For the closeness
but also because that let him steer so that she was free to look around. She hadn't had much of an impression of the
outside. First too tired and the second time around far too wound up inside. But this - this was nice.
There were old oak trees with hanging moss and thick green grass everywhere. It looked like most people had
flowering bushes in their yards and there were glossy green vines with white or yellow flowers growing on one of the
fences. A bird bath. Some cheerfully gaudy garden gnomes half hidden in some dark green bushes. She almost
forgot to look at the houses at all.
And then she was looking at a pixie of a woman surrounded by roses in brilliant colors and listening to a voice even
smoother and more honey edged than Hector's own. Mrs. Johnson was apparently trying to lull her into a false sense
of security, she thought, edges of her lips quirking upward. More than content to listen to Hector and the older woman
exchange pleasantries before she had to respond. It told her more about Hector in truth. Watching the way people
who knew him here, and only here, were around him.
"I've been busy." Hector said with a smile.
"Ah yes. You young men and your travels." Mrs Johnson said. "At least yours have a point. That's something."
Original take on his job, but a good one, Hector supposed. "And who's this you've brought to see me?" She asked,
turning faded blue eyes on Andi and scrutinizing her closely.
"This is Andi White. Andi, Mrs Johnson." Hector said.
Mrs Johnson peered at Andi for a long moment before turning her gaze back to Hector. "Some unhappy women
around here soon." She observed, making Hector roll his eyes again.
Andi stood still while she was given the once over and then laughed low when Mrs. Johnson gave her assessment.
"I told him the same thing." Andi offered with a pleased smile and the little woman chuckled.
"Suddenly things have become much more interesting. I can tell I'm going to be spending more time watering my
plants than usual. That's an English accent, isn't it, dear?"
"I blame it on my mum and da." Andi agreed comfortably. "These are lovely flowers."
"They keep my company." Mrs. Johnson agreed before getting back on subject. "So where are you two off to? Hector
hardly bothers to put on shoes when he's just coming to visit me."
"Well, that was before the evil poodle started crapping on the sidewalks." Hector said with a laugh.
"It’s not an evil poodle. Its just not used to people walking around that yard, is all." She said, almost pointedly. If he
spent more time at home, the dog would get used to his presence and therefore bark less. That was her theory
anyway.
"Good. Maybe it will scare away the hordes of women coming to harass me." He said. He'd never had 'hordes.'
Whatever amount a horde was, he knew he didn't have it.
Mrs Johnson just smiled at him patiently and took Andi's arm. "You should meet more of my colorful friends." She said,
meaning her gardens.
"Chopped liver?" Hector asked, meaning him.
"Oh you've seen them. And are hardly appreciative of them." She said. "Men never are, dear." She said to Andi
conspiratorially.
Andi laughed softly. Giving Hector's hand a squeeze before letting go to thread her arm though the old woman's.
"Are you quite sure I should leave him?" She asked with a decent attempt at fake concern. "He might get kidnapped
while I'm distracted."
Mrs. Johnson chuckled.
"He's a very fast runner." She waved her free hand. "And besides, I'm taking you off to pump you for information and
the juicy story on how you two came to be while I pretend to show you my flowers. He'll only tell the story wrong."
Andi shot Hector a laughing look over her shoulder before dipping her head to the older woman's.
"Well, it all started out when he rode up on this giant white horse." Andi began, voice carrying enough for Hector to
overhear before it muted down again as they walked. "Quite without a shirt on, I'll add..."
Hector made an attempt to follow them, and interject when needed, but Mrs Johnson knew his weakness. At least
when it came to her.
"Dear, I have a peach cobbler on the counter. Could you by chance make sure it's cool enough?" She said and led
Andi further into the gardens, which like any self respecting Southern woman with time on her hands, were quite
extensive and intricate. "So, go on...without a shirt you say? I thought he looked rather tan." She said with a smile.