The Hard Road

Part 32: Home At Last

It took me a good moment.

It took me a very long moment before I found the strength to stand up and take the opened envelope from the coffee table and read it.

It was all there.

The truth.

And yet....

And yet I still feel...I feel lost.

And upset.

But not so much with Luna.

And maybe not even so much with Sharpe.

But with me.

Getting to the outside Mrs. Aster's door, I take a few moments.

A long few moments before I find the ability to knock on her door.

But I do.

Hearing a scuffling of wheels across the floor, I am greeted by Mrs. Aster in her wheel chair and her hip still in a black metal brace from when she broke her leg months ago.

"Ah! Max! We weren't expecting to see you. Come in!" She welcomes me into her home and I smile softly as I enter the very vintage looking home. It looks as though I stepped back into the 1960's with this furniture and wall decorations. "Luna just laid Jack down for a nap. He's been a tad fussy as of late. But that's a baby for ya. How have you been, Max?"

"Good...I mean...busy. Um...yeah. Very busy."

"I heard you were in Haiti. How was that?" She asks as she sits back in her wheel chair and pushes her glasses up her face slightly.

"Interesting. Different. Um, very hot- beautiful views. But I spent most my time in medical centers so...so not the best views I've seen." I say and she smiles. "I wanted to say I really appreciate you taking Luna into your home. I'm sorry it was all pushed on you and..."

"Nonsense. Her coming here allowed me to leave the recovery center early because I had someone here to help me out. And she has been a very good help. I keep telling her she should be a home aide. So very helpful and Jack— oh my goodness, he is the sweetest little shit I've ever held."

"Ha...I'm glad to hear that. Luna is great at taking care of people. I've always told her that— but she has her heart set on writing."

"Yes, I know. She was writing me short stories the entire time and she'd sit and read them to me- we'd revise them together. She wants to send one to a publisher."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. She's quite dramatic and romantic and...well funny. Haha, that girl makes me laugh more than my husband Frank used too."

"She is a character for sure." I say and out of the corner of my eye, I find Luna peeking around the corner of Mrs. Aster's front hallway. "Hey, Bambi..."

She slowly and cautiously comes out and I just smile softly to her. She wears a knitted beanie with long rabbit ears on them and I notice her hair is very stringy and she's missing quite a lot. Her face seems slightly sunken in and her skin seems dry and paler than normal.

"Goose..." She quietly says as she comes around the corner fully. Her clothes seem overly baggy and she's surely bundled up in several layers despite how warm the apartment is. It honestly breaks my heart seeing her this way. Slowly walking over to her, I smile weakly and open my arms as tears rise in my eyes. She folds into me and I gingerly envelop her in my hold. "I'm sorry..."

"No...shhh...you don't have to be. I'm sorry, Lu. I'm so sorry, Bambi. I am." I hold her and she begins crying against my shoulder. Her hands curl up and hold my shoulders as I try to rock us a bit back and forth to sooth our tears. "I'm so sorry, Luna...I'm sorry I left you."