Tacoma Falls: Blazing Hearts

You got to be kidding me

Maury

Shep brought me a clean pair of clothes. After showering, I dressed in a pair of jeans, a tee shirt, and sneakers. The doctor handed me my discharge papers with a diet and instructions for outpatient therapy.

Shep and I left the hospital and walked to his truck. I climbed inside, buckled my seatbelt, and stared out the side window. Shep drove me home silently, but he didn't drive me to Papa's house.

Shep pulled up to an unfamiliar house. "This isn't my home."

"Yes, it is." Shep got off to the truck.

I got out and hurried after Shep. "No, Shep! This isn't my home! You're supposed to take me home!" I pointed at the truck.

Shep reached the porch and turned to me. "I did. Now come on." He entered the house.

I mulled over going inside before heading into the house with my shoulders slumped. I stepped inside and noticed the furniture I sold. You've got to be kidding me.

I stayed rooted by the front door.

"Are you planning to stand there all day?" Shep put his hands on his waist.

"Why is my sold furniture here?" I pointed to the couch and chair.

"Because I used the money from your estate sale to buy it back."

"Why would you do that? I owed you that money!"

"No, you don't!" Shep leaned forward and spread his arms apart. "I never bought you anything!"

"It's to repay your kindness." I nodded.

Shep scrunched his face at me before rubbing his forehead. "Maury, you don't pay someone back for their kindness." He lowered his hand.

"I do. It stops me from owing people."

"Is that what you think? You owe me?"

"I owe you for what I did."

"Christ. Will drugged you and gave you a blow job. I doubt you whipped your dick out, wanting one."

"Hell no, I didn't want a blowjob from Will! I didn't even want him to come to my house!"

"That makes two of us."

I looked at Shep with my lips pressed together.

Shep approached me. "Maury, I'm working at forgiving you. But you need to help me out here. We take one step forward and three steps back. You got to give me an inch."

"I prefer if you took me to Papa's house."

"No can do."

"Why not?"

"Because I bought this house so we can work through our shit."

"What?"

"Yep. Our names are on the deed. So, you have no choice but to work with me."

"That's not fair, Shepherd!"

"Tough noogies. Not everything in life is fair. We deal with it. So, now, we're dealing with each other while fixing our mess. Get comfy. Because we're taking a journey together." Shep smiled before walking away.

What. The. Hell?

*******
Shepherd

I figured I would get resistance from Maury. He was so damn stubborn when it suited him. Now, why couldn't he be like that with everyone in Tacoma Falls?

These people would rather take gossip as the gospel truth than the actual truth. But then again, sheep follow sheep.

After freshening up a bit, I checked on Maury. He still lingered near the front door.