Not Expecting to Collide (COMPLETE) - ABP Fanfiction

Chapter 43 - Forward

Ten days after his meeting with Myra, Bam arrived in Browntown. He was tired and alone but he was home. Now the real work could begin. His first week was spent planning, making lists and taking stock of what he had and what he needed. He got to work on the Integrity as soon as the weather allowed.

He enjoyed the solitude and the quiet with only the bears to keep him company. He threw himself into his work. During the days, he would push his body until he was physically spent. Being completely exhausted was the only way he could sleep in the trapper shack without the memories of October's body rocking underneath his keeping him awake.  

He was busy patching the hull one afternoon, enjoying the sounds of nature around him when he heard a boat motor across the water. He watched from the skiff at the side of the Integrity as the aluminum fishing boat pulled up to the beach and a familiar, curly-haired figure hopped out. Matt waved to the boat's pilot and the boat disappeared again.

Bam threw his tools in the bottom of the skiff and started the motor. Matt stood on the beach and watched until Bam had secured the skiff on the beach. He walked toward him with purpose but to Matt's relief, there was no hint of anger in Bam's posture. When he was close enough to hear him, Matt spoke. "I wasn't sure if you'd be here." 

Bam furrowed his brow.  "Where else would I be?"

"I thought you might have gone after October." Matt replied.

Bam looked away from Matt so he couldn't see him wince. "She thinks I let her go without a fight."

Matt's eyes widened.  "She doesn't know the truth?"

Bam shook his head. "She doesn't know that I didn't have a choice."

"Why haven't you gone after her? Why haven't you told her?" Matt asked.

Bam looked out over the water and sighed. "I can't very well go empty-handed. I have no future to offer her right now."

"Look, I'm sorry for what happened in that meeting." Matt put a hand on Bam's shoulder.

Bam closed his eyes. "It wasn't your fault."

"You know all of us kids were forced into a lose-lose situation. There was no way you were going to get out of there intact. You got the worst of it because of your feelings for her."

Bam shook his head. "What's done is done. I can't undo it, but for the first time in a long time I'm making my own decisions, building my own future and looking out for my own best interests. I can only keep moving forward and hope that when I finally do come face-to-face with her again, it's enough."

"Well, come on then." Matt slapped Bam on the back as they turned toward Browntown. "Let's go build the future so you can get her back."

~*~

A week later,  Gabe and Bear returned to the island.  Without offering any explanation, they went straight to work under Bam's leadership, helping to get the Integrity seaworthy.

With his brothers working on getting the boat ship-shape, Bam was able to concentrate on other aspects of the business. Two full weeks of hustling in Hoonah and surrounding areas, following up leads and submitting bids, Bam had enough contracts to see him through the first month. He also had made enough new contacts that he would be able to secure enough little jobs to pick up the slack in between the long hauls. It wouldn't be easy, but if he kept it up, he would have a very successful first season of running the shipping business without his father. And now that he and his brothers were reunited under the same purpose, he had no doubts of their impending success.

And in between it all, he still found time to call October once a day.  No, she didn't answer.  No, he didn't stop calling.