DOWN N DIRTY

2.

Veronica PoV
My eyes are glued to the road but my mind is a million miles away.  Charlie had no right, none at all.  Soul mates... Ha as if that exists for me, not anymore, not anymore.... And his blatant disregard of anything I said.  I can't keep doing this.  I've given up on being nice at this point, what is the goddamn reason for him stalking me?  He makes me sick.
My body unconsciously drives me to the spot and I sigh miserably.  Two trees, side by side.  I sit on the floor in front of the pink blossomed one, crossing my legs underneath me.  My eyes close as memories fly into my head, memories of laughter and happiness.  I miss it.  It's been 15 years but I miss it.
"Hey Granny, how are you doing?  How's heaven been treating you?"
I chat to the tree about random rubbish, joking around and telling it everything.  Tears stream down my face silently, even when I'm laughing.  Eventually I move on to sit next to the blue blossomed tree next door.  This one I don't talk to.  I just sit there, remembering our lives together for those few years.  I remember the pain I felt when I found out about Her.  About their kids.  My heart breaks again as I remember the engagement ring he had in his car.  I never knew who he was heading to.  It doesn't matter though.  He's dead, as dead as the day they found him, dead as the day of the funeral, as dead as my granny.  He's gone.  It doesn't matter anymore.

The drive back to work is automatic, semi-paying attention to the road whilst clearing up the last of the salty tears.  My face seems normal finally.  It's funny how I can do that.  Have a clear face whilst inside my body is convulsing in agony.  I hear shouts and thuds as I pull up in my usual spot.  I stroll down to the bottom yard and almost laugh at the scene in front of me.  Max has Charlie pinned to the floor by his foot and is cheering loudly whilst all the boys laugh and jeer at Charlie.  My eyes widen as Max is suddenly sent flying as Charlie drags his body up and out of the effluent.  He reaches down for Max and before I know it, I'm running.  My shoulder collides with Charlie's side before his fist can collide with Max's face.  He flies back into the muck heap, it steams as his body compresses it.  He smirks at the position, I'm straddling him.  A red haze descends over my eyes and I manage to get one good swing at him with a sickening crack before arms circle my waist.  It all seems rather familiar, this situation, almost identical to the one half an hour before.  I turn around in Max's arms and begin examining his face with my eyes.  A throat clears and the group parts to allow my grandad to walk through.  The scene doesn't look good, I'm in Max's arms whilst Charlie is lying half on a steaming pile of muck and half in the lagoon of effluent.
"What is going on here?"
-*-
My grandad's anger is one of the few things I'm genuinely scared of.  It's a huge build up of frustration that ends in yelling and some property damage.  Thankfully, it isn't aimed at me.  It's aimed at Charlie and Max.
"Can one of you please explain to me what the hell that was?  And who on this earth are you?" My grandad slammed his hands down onto the desk in front of Charlie.
"Charlie Mendering sir, police officer and soulmate of Veronica." Grampy's eyes slide to me and I force a smile then explain the ridiculous conversation that occurred before I left.
"And then I came back to Max and that imbecile fighting."  Grampy turns to Max raises an eyebrow, telling him to explain.
"Well this motherfu..dging idiot decided to claim Ron as his and grabbed me demanding to know if we would 'have a problem' like he's some kind of macho di..ngleberry.  I asked him nicely to get the actual fu..dge off of me and when he refused I gave him a bit of a push.  He starts beating me up and that's when Ron walks in." I smile at Max's corrections, knowing full well that they are for my benefit. I have a thing about swearing, I find it slightly unnecessary when there is so much vocabulary in the world. If you use it then you kind of are too stupid to think of an alternative. However, if you annoy me enough, there are times where I may use the odd word or two.
"That isn't how it happened Veronica I swear!" Charlie is silently pleading to me to believe him but I just smirk and roll my eyes.
"Get off of my farm before I call the police and don't call her Veronica or so help me, I will..." My free hand reaches for my grandad's arm and he looks down at me before he turns back to Charlie looking a bit more relaxed.
"Now leave!"
"No." The single word makes me twitch but I keep my cool, choosing to stare at Charlie silently.
"I...er.... Would like to apply for a job." He stutters and I growl.
"Actually, Ronnie here handles the employment area to she will interview you." I flashed a triumphant smirk at Charlie but he shrugs.

So that's how I ended up giving an interview to the douche who doesn't understand the concept of one night stand. We sit down in the office at the meeting table and I just stare. After about 2 minutes, Charlie begins to shift uncomfortably and he lasts a full 4 and a half minutes before he breaks the silence.

"What are you doing?" He gulps as I stand and walk towards him. I bend down towards him and his eyes flicker to my fairly ample cleavage. I am suddenly aware of my outfit; normal blue overalls tied around waist, low-cut vest and flannel shirt- what I usually wear but now seems quite revealing.

"Look buddy. I am not yours. I do not belong to you. I do not like you. This is my farm and my business and you have no part in it. Now you can leave like a good little boy or we will have a serious problem. You following me around for the past year hasn't gone unnoticed by my contacts or my solicitor.  As for your constant abusal of my name, you are.  Just.  Plain.  Stupid." The last three words were emphasized by firm stabs to the chest with my nail, accompanied with his winces.

"Now, I will be handing your references to my dad and he will review them because I do have bias. However, the friction within the workplace with the dislike of yourself from Max and I will play a part in your employment as we prefer to have a happy comfortable family environment- it makes for a more efficient workplace if we all get along. Understood?" He nods and I leave him there and go down the yard.

"Ronnie dear? Ronnie? You can't ignore me forever!" My jaw clenches and I turn slowly to face the she-devil herself.

"That doesn't stop me from trying." I say through gritted teeth in a forced smile.

"Oh sweetie, can't we just make up? I miss my eldest grand-daughter. Please, for your grandad?" Another red haze descends over my eyes but I blink it away and wordlessly walk towards her, watching in satisfaction as she shrinks away from my 6ft 3 form. My hand wraps around the flabbiness of her upper arm, grimacing at the loose floppy flesh and drag her up to the house, ignoring her protests that I'm hurting her arm. When the door is shut, then I speak.

"No, I won't reconcile and play happy families with you. You are a scheming worthless piece of rubbish. You let him work his butt off for you, struggle away everyday in pain whilst you play cheating housewife. You know he would die for you yet you let him grovel at your feet for what? Your perfect life? I walked in on you cheating on him and what? You expect me to sit down and let it continue. The only reason that he isn't aware of your little friend is that it would break his heart due to this stupid little thing called love, not that you understand the concept you heartless cow. Don't come near me because at some point your perfect little world will come crashing down and I will stand and laugh as you crash and burn."

I leave her in the house gobsmacked and storm down the yard and into the delivery Discovery. I drive fast to the bottom yard and hoist half a pack of small straw bales into the back. The open window whips my hair around and I sigh, rubbing my forehead in frustration about how slow this morning has been. Lets hope it's a better afternoon....