Hidebound

Chapter Thirteen

Hex shrugs "the sooner the better" is all he has to say before turning back to his food.

"Hex, that's three months away" I state firmly. Does he realise we're in February or is he still mentally back in last year?

"I know" he grunts, this time not bothering to look at me.

"Three months is not long enough to plan a wedding" I turn in my seat to face him fully. I know that mum and Harley are like bobble heads as they switch between looking at me and then looking at Hex as we talk.

"It is now" he finishes the conversation. I sit in shock staring at his profile before turning back in my seat and silently taking a bite of my food. It's silent for a moment as I wrap my head around the date.

The longer I think about it the more it grows on me and within minutes I'm seeing the positives. Hex must be able to notice it because he comfortingly squeezes my thigh and rubs his thumb over the skin, making me shiver.

"The 21st of May is a good date" Harley shares her opinion and I nod my head slowly.

"Yeah, I guess it is" I say quietly, a small smile making it's way onto my face.

The rest of dinner is filled with random conversation about whatever pops into our heads and by ours I meant us three girls because Hex and Banks just sat quietly listening. I could tell that Hex was tired as he kept patting my leg to gain my attention and he had a glazed look to his eyes.

As for mum, it was way past her usual bedtime by the time everyone stood from the table so I sent her off to bed. Besides, she had made dinner, Harley and I would clean it up and clear the table. We sent Hex and Banks into the lounge room, Hex takes his seat next to Teddy who had been sleeping on the couch for hours now. We had hope that maybe they would start a conversation but that hope was gone when I heard the TV click on as soon as we left the room, making me roll my eyes.

"Boys" Harley states and rolls her eyes making me chuckle.

I take on the task of washing the dishes while Harley dries them. I catch the sight of the open window above the sink and quickly close it and shut the curtain over the top. I don't miss the strange look Harley gives me from my right.

"You seemed shocked with the wedding date?" Harley questions as I hand her a wet plate.

"Well yeah, I had no idea he was going to say that" I explain. She snorts and doesn't even question it; she knows what Hex is like and doesn't seem surprised that he had made that decision by himself. "Anyway, when's your wedding?" I ask jokingly as I knock my hip into hers as I manage to turn the conversation away from myself.

"Don't even get me started" she huffs and blows the hair out of her face.

"You seem less angry then this morning" I say, wondering what had changed.

She shrugs "yeah, we talked about it" I wait for her to say more but she doesn't.

"And..." I hint.

"He's moving in with me" she says quietly, a light blush taking over her cheeks as she takes another wet dish from my hands. I'm not surprised.

"What changed?" I ask. Only this morning she had been raging at work, like a bull ready for anyone to step in their path with a red flag.

She shrugs "he convinced me to give it a chance. Said if he needed to he can just move back out if it's too much" I nod, seems reasonable. I don't voice it but I know deep down that there won't be any need for Banks to ever move out. They're Darlings, they are genetically made to work together, to fit like two puzzle pieces and I'm confused on why Harley hasn't worked this out yet. Maybe she's still denying it, even if she doesn't realise it.

"Any plans for tomorrow?" I ask, changing the subject. It's Saturday tomorrow and I know Hex is planning on staying in bed for as long as possible and I plan on lying beside him the entire time.

"I'm going to see mum" she says and I lift my eyebrows in surprise.

"How come? You only went the other day" I ask. The promise I had made to Hex about going with Harley to visit Wyonna flashes to the forefront of my mind.

"Yeah, I know but-" she quiets her voice and looks behind us in the direction of the lounge room and I know she doesn't want Hex to hear "-she's getting bad Poppy, like really bad, she'll be put in hospice soon, I just know it" I gulp at her words. I hadn't seen Wyonna in a while and from what I had been told she had gone downhill drastically since then.

"Right" I say quietly.

"I want to spend as much time with her as I can before... you know" she whispers the last two words and I can tell she's holding back tears. "Even if she doesn't know who I am".

"Yeah" I whisper. Hex will lose his shit when he finds out about this, unless he already can tell from the late night phone calls, is that what his breakdown was truly about? "Can I come with you tomorrow? If you don't mind" I ask hesitantly, it's understandable if she just wants to spend one on one time with her mother.

"Yeah, I'd really appreciate that" she gives me a weak smile and I give her one back.

"I guess I shouldn't expect Hex to join us?" She asks with a deep breath.

I say nothing but shake my head, no. She says nothing more as we work in silence, both of us thinking about Wyonna and what we're going to do and how long she truly has left.

We walk into the lounge room when we're done. As expected the room is silent except for the noise of conversation from the TV, I don't even know what they were watching, some kind of sport I think.

Harley gives her brother a hug goodbye and he seems to be taken aback for a moment before he wraps his arms around her. I watch in surprise as Banks and Hex share a handshake, maybe they had talked. I say goodbye to both and close the door behind them, making sure it's locked.

When I turn around Hex is behind me, nearly scaring me half to death because I hadn't heard him move.

"What's up with Harley?" He asks. His voice croaky, showing his tiredness. I step up to him and wrap my arms around his middle, my forehead finding the crook between his neck and chin.

"I'm going to see your mother tomorrow" I whisper to him in the silence. He tenses for a moment when he realises that's why Harley was upset but he deflates into me with a sigh afterwards.

"Thank you, baby" he presses a kiss to the top of my head. I say nothing back; he doesn't have to thank me.