A sad visit and a request

Workin' hard in the kitchen, doin' my fuckin' best to keep up.  Ain't easy bein' me these days.  Fuckin' hell, I even got to take the shit out to tables sometimes since we're short some wait staff as well.

Thought Sam was gonna hire another cook, or at least a fuckin' bus boy.  This good lookin' boy ain't bussin' no tables.  Ain't happenin'.  

Doin' my famous french fry dip, lookin' up to see Arlene walkin' through the door.  

"Arlene, honey!  Whatcha doin' here?"  Going over to give her a quick hug, I look at her face.  That girl ain't slept much lately, and that's not good.

She had paced the house while Coby and Lisa were at school, Mikey with her cousin for a few days...said she needed time to herself. Yeah, well no one knew that being alone was not what she needed. Andy was at work, Holly covering her shift and Adilyn was holed up in her bedroom. She bit her nails down to the skin and cried so much her head hurt. Life wasn't the same without him, without Terry. She wiped at her eyes, smearing mascara and grabbed her purse and keys. Sam had told her to stay home but she just couldn't. The silence was horrible, she needed noise, needed familiarity.

Driving to work, she remembered today was pay day anyway. It wasn't like it would be a huge check, but it would be enough for more gas in her car. The insurance company was still investigating Terry's death so she couldn't touch the two million dollars. When she walked in and was greeted by Lafayette, she smiled and hugged him back. "Oh, you know...trying to survive. That's what we're called you know, the ones left behind when someone dies....survivors." Her lip quivered slightly and she covered her mouth and shook her head. "It's not easy to survive, Lafayette."

"It's not easy to survive, Lafayette."

I ain't normally a mushy-type person, but hearin' those words coming from Ol' Red, it 'bout broke my heart.

"Holly! Can you cover the grill for a minute?"

Puttin' my arm around her shoulders, giving her an affectionate squeeze - after all, even though I bitch, I do still love my Arlene. She's one person in my life that really hasn't changed. She's still human, doesn't drink blood, or change into some kind of animal.

"Honey, whyn't we go into Sam's office for a minute, and talk? I can get your check for you, and we can sit a spell. Holly won't burn nothin' down. These folks can just keep their pants on and wait a few minutes - have another beer. You want anything? Sweet Tea or a Coke? Or mebbe somethin' stronger? Sam's out right now so we have it to ourselves."

She buried her face into his shirt and sniffled, nodding to answer his question. Looking up with tear streaked face, she said in a tired voice. "Make it strong Lafayette, real strong." The pain in her heart was sharp as glass to an open cut and she never imagined her life without him. He had been everything she wanted and more, but it was horrible it took so long for her to realize it. Sookie's words that day at his funeral had meant so much. So very, very much.

She followed him to Sam's office and grabbed a tissue from her purse to dab at her eyes as she took a seat in the chair. Waiting for him to return with alcohol, she looked at her hands and saw the ring on her left hand. Running her right thumb along the band, tears came more and she tried to stop but couldn't. When Lafayette came back into the office, she dabbed her eyes and inhaled sharply. "Sorry, I'm a wreck..."

Returning to Sam's office with a double shot of Jack for Arlene, he hesitated at the door, hearing muffled sobs.

Steeling himself for the worst, he opened the door and went in.
"Sorry, I'm a wreck..."

"Hey baby. There now. Take a sip o' this. You've been through a lot. I remember when I lost Jesus. I was 'bout as messed up as you." Hesitating, he added, "He loved you deeply. You know that, right? Not everyone is lucky enough to find that."

Going to Sam's desk and retrieving her pay envelope, he handed it to her, reminding himself to let Sam know he gave it to her.

Trying to lighten the mood a little, adding, "Dumbass Sam thinks he put the pay in a secure place. Shit - we all know where the checks are."

A thought occurred to him - "Arlene - are you ok? I mean money wise. Cause if you ain't...."

She took the glass and took a sip, grimacing at the sweet taste with the burn that slid down her throat. Whiskey was never her go to drink, but anything to numb the pain might help. She smiled a little when he said everyone knew where the checks were. "Well, that's Sam Merlotte for you." She slid the envelope in her purse and took another sip, cupping the bottom of the glass and dabbing at her wet eyes again.

"Did it ever get easier? You know when you lost Jesus...easier to deal with? He was my husband, Lafayette...the other part of me. I feel like I'm walking around like half a person." She felt the sting of her tears again and dabbed her eyes.

Sighing, she shrugged. "The insurance company is still investigating his death since he got it so close to when he was shot. They have to make sure it wasn't premeditated or I won't get it. For now, we're okay. Staying with Andy is nice but Caroline can be such a pain in my ass." She smiled and took another sip.

"Did it ever get easier?" Now that was a loaded question.

"Sugar, it don't never get easy. You will always miss him. I always miss my Jesus. Lemme tell you somethin' that my Grandmama always used to say. She'd say 'The Creator made us in pairs, and splits us up when we go to be born.' She said we would spend our lives lookin' for our other half - our 'split-apart'. Sometimes we get lucky and find 'em right away. Sometimes it takes a few tries to find 'em."

Watching her sip the whiskey and dab at her eyes - she was leakin' a little less now - he continued.

"Honey, you were one of the lucky ones. You found your split-apart. It took you a couple of husbands to find him, but the important thing is that you did. Nobody cain't take that away from you. You always got that love that surrounds you. I can see it - like a beautiful cloud swirlin' around you. Terry will always be around in some form to protect you. Most important though - he's in here." Pointing to her heart, he passed her the box of tissues.

"And 'sides, you always got us if Caroline makes you too crazy." He grinned at her as she smiled weakly.

"Glad you are ok money wise though. Insurance will get up off that check soon enough, but you let me know if you need anything. I always has my ways of getting things." He waggled his brows for comic effect.

She listened to his words and thought it was wise, what he said. It meant a lot to hear and shocked her that Lafayette could be so...helpful. She smiled and laughed a bit for the first time in a while, nodding before she sniffled and spoke. "I was lucky wasn't I? I just don't ever think I can be that happy again. Not without him." She smiled softly at his kind words that Terry was always with her and looked down at her wedding ring. "He will, I'll never take it off."

She laughed and looked up. "I'd rather sleep at a vampers house than sometimes be at that old bat's place. She's so...crazy!" She smiled and shook her head, knowing that Caroline was family but was slowly driving her bonkers. "Lafayette, you always have your colorful ways of getting things. Glad I can count on you, and thank you...you know for being there after...and all..." Her words trailed off and she looked down as a thought hit her.

Slowly she looked up to meet his eyes. "Could I ask you something Lafayette?"

He hesitated for a second, having a feeling about what she was going to ask. Taking a deep breath, he said, "Sure sugar. You know you can ask ol' Lafayette anything."

Leaning back in Sam's squeaky chair, "Go ahead - whatcha wanna know?"

"I know you hate it....when they um...take over and I wouldn't ask I swear I wouldn't and when I got the settlement in I'd pay you whatever you want..." Her eyes began to tear again and she spoke through it to ask the one request she had. "Can I please talk to my Terry one last time? Please?" She met his eyes, silently praying he'd give in and help her.

Oh shit. He knew this was coming. Folks always wanna talk to their dearly departed. But this was Arlene, and she was hurtin'.

"Sugar, you know I cain't promise nothin'. Sometimes they come through, and sometimes - well, they ain't in a talkative mood."

Looking at her tear streaked face, and reaching out to take her hands.

"Okay. I'll try. For you - and for Terry. And fuck no - you ain't payin' me. You already done paid with your friendship. He was my friend too. But just you, ok? I don't want Andy or that damn snooty ass Caroline involved. We got a deal? Lemme check my schedule and see when we can do this. We'll do it at my house."

Truth be told, maybe reaching out to Terry will stop the dreams. Maybe he was trying to tell me somethin'....

Hearing him agree gave her so much happiness, the tears that now ran from her eyes were happy tears. She jumped into his arms and hugged him tightly. "No, no just me. Just me alone. I just need to hear him again, just want to hear him say he loves me. I miss him, I need closure." She pulled back to look at him with a smile. "Lafayette, I can't thank you enough for this. Really..."

She stood and grabbed her purse. "You let me know when you're free and I'll make sure I have a sitter for the kids. No one else needs to know about this either. Lafayette, I can't thank you enough."

Seeing the happiness on her face made what he was gonna have to do a little more worthwhile.

Standing and giving her a hug as she rose to leave, he patted her back gently and soothingly.

"I'll check and let you know in plenty of time so's you can find you a sitter. No need to thank me. Remember - it's never a guarantee. He was a man of few words when he was here - might not have changed any."

Grinning at her, he opened the door to Sam's office so Arlene could take her leave. Hearing Holly shouting for him, he shook his head and headed to the kitchen.

"Keep your panties on honey. I's comin'. Shit."