Charlie seemed unwilling and annoyed that Hex had called him and asked him to come to our apartment. I could hear his muffled voice through the phone as he explained that he had finished work for the day and had no intention of doing overtime. It wasn't until Hex snapped and told him quote 'get the fuck over here now' and hung up that I think he got the message.
It resulted in a small argument between Hex and I because he couldn't understand what the problem was and why he shouldn't talk to his parole officer so disrespectfully. I was also concerned that Charlie wouldn't show up out of spite but a short twenty minutes later he was on our front door step.
"What was so important that you called me outside of working hours, Mr. Rose?" Charlie questions, his expression sour. I hope he didn't have to cancel plans but selfishly I can't bring myself to feel guilty about it.
Charlie walks inside as I close the door behind him, he's dressed in his usual suit and formal shoes as his glasses sit on the bridge of his nose. Hex walks in front of him, leading him to the lounge room as he takes a seat on the couch.
"Call me Hex Charlie or fuck off" Hex mumbles, his eyebrows pulled into a deep frown. I know he's not actually annoyed at Charlie and Charlie knows that too. It's the events of today that has stressed him out and anything else that inconvenience him cops it too, and that includes Charlie.
"What do you want Mr. Rose?" Charlie asks again, this time putting emphasis on using Hex's last name just to prove his point. My eyes switch back and forth between the two men as I wait for Hex to respond but he just hangs his head and shakes it.
"Why the fuck is Alex Pollar in a hospice?" Hex asks, his voice demanding. "Surely I should've been informed?" He stands and starts pacing again as he gets straight to the point, not wasting anymore time.
Charlie remains calm, his face impassive and I wonder briefly if he knew and didn't tell Hex.
"Well there's only one reason someone gets moved to a hospice Mr. Rose" he says it so blantantly and I watch as Hex's jaw ticks in irritation.
"No shit Charlie, that wasn't what I asked. Why wasn't I told" he demands and faces Charlie with his hands on his waist.
Charlie shrugs "the court decided you didn't need to know". Surely that's not right? Alex being in hospice could anger Ace and Amos to the point of coming after Hex and he's not meant to have any kind of warning?
Hex seems flabbergasted as his mouth drops in bewilderment.
"They decided I shouldn't know? The one who is the reason he's in that fucking hospice shouldn't know? " I can almost see the smoke coming from Hex's ears as he starts pacing again and I can tell that the thought of Amos and Ace coming after us has enetered his mind.
"I'm just doing my job Mr. Rose" Charlie says. I take note that he had brought all his usual equipment he needs when he tests Hex.
"Mr. Rose" Hex mocks him and rolls his eyes.
Charlie doesn't say anything or make a noise as he stands and grabs his things and heads in the direction of our front door.
I scramble after him.
"No Charlie, don't leave" I stand and chase after him as Hex remains unphased. "We need your help, please".
"I came here to give advice, not to be mocked Ms. Hart" he continues to the door.
"Hex apologise" I demand as Charlie reaches the door. I see him freeze out the corner of my eye, his hand on the door handle as he awaits to hear Hex apologise.
Hex takes a seat on the couch with his head in his hands as he sighs in frustration.
"It's been a shit day" is all he says, the apology hidden within his words.
I look to Charlie and wait to see if he'll accept it or leave.
"Not an apology but I'm here to do my job" he says with his nose stuck in the air as he walks back over to the couch and takes a seat opposite Hex.
"Thank you Charlie" I say for the both of us as I take a seat beside Hex, my hand rubbing his bicep in comfort as his head remains in his hands.
I see the slight crack in Charlie's expression as he studies Hex and see's how truely distraught he is through the tough exterior he's trying to uphold.
"How'd you find out Mr. Pollar is in hospice? Did you run into him?" Charlie asks Hex. His tone changes as he thinks he'll have to write up another parole violation for Hex.
"No. Hex didn't see him, I did" I step in, bringing Charlie's eye's to me. "We moved Hex's mother into hospice today, turns out it was the same one Alex is in" I say quietly as I watch Hex from my peripheral.
"Right" Charlie nods "I'm assuming that's why you called me?" Hex nods and finally raises his eyes to meet Charlie's.
"What am I meant to do? Let my mum die by herself because of these stupid fucking parole conditions?" Hex rants again. Charlie's hard exterior doesn't change even as my own drops at Hex's words.
"Well, it'll take some time but I'm sure the court will be able to give an exception considering it's surrounding a loved one's death" Charlie says what Hex had mentioned earlier. The relief at the confirmation floods both of us as I feel Hex slump under my palm. Who knows how long it'll take to get though, Wyonna doesn't have much time left.
"Any idea on the time frame that'll take?" Hex asks, his tone finally becoming less hostile as hope rises in him.
"Could be up to five months" Charlie explains. Hex's fist shoots out and slams down on the wooden coffee table separating us from Charlie. The noise makes me jump but Charlie doesn't move. His mood once again plummets into darkness.
"Fuck!" Hex grunts. I resist the urge to reach out and caress his red knuckles as he reels his arm back into his lap.
Charlie watches us impassively through his thinned framed glasses. If you didn't know him it would look like he's judging us but we've interacted with Charlie long enough to know that's he's just assesssing the situation.
"How long has Mrs. Rose got left?" Charlie asks quietly, his tone as sympathic as he can get which isn't much besides the slight drop in his monotone voice.
I wait for Hex to answer but he doesn't so I answer for the both of us.
"A couple of months at best" I mumble. My hand moving to Hex's back and running up and down his spine in comfort.
A distant meow from Teddy can be heard from mums bedroom and I know he's sleeping on her bed, his favourite place to nap.
"Then it'll be quicker to just wait it out" Charlie exclaims. My stomach drops and I feel the air leave my lungs. Hex tenses under my palm and I feel his rush of emotion through our bond.
My mouth drops and I wait for Hex to lash out but he stays eerily calm although his hands clench into fists.
"Wait out my mothers death?" Hex talks through his teeth as his jaw clenches. I squeeze his bicep to remind him that I'm here and to keep calm.
"Don't be stupid" Charlie snaps "you're parole ends on the 8th of May Mr. Rose. Or did you forget?" I straighten my posture as I feel Hex freeze under my hand.
We had completely forgotten about Hex's parole. It had become so routine to us, the conditions he had to follow and Charlie dropping in. It had all become such a normal routine for us that we had completely forgotten that this isn't how we are meant to live life forever.
"Oh my god" I mumble as Hex remains quiet "oh my god, we forgot".
Hex's quietness remains as thoughts race through his mind. I can feel it in our bond that he's confused, slightly shocked and a little embarrassed at having forgotten his own parole date.
"You... forgot?" Charlie asks like he can't believe it.
"Y-Yeah, a lot has been going on recently" I explain. Charlie accepts it with a hesitant nod, I guess he hasn't been in this situation before.
Hex stands and walks into the kitchen and disappears around the corner. Charlie and I sit in silence as we listen to Hex opening cupboards and glasses banging before the tap turns on as he fills a glass with water.
I wait silently for him to say something, anything but he doesn't and a little while later he is walking back into the lounge room and takes a seat beside me again.
"Shit" he runs his hand through his hair, a smile of stupidity on his face like he can't believe what he's being told. "Shit" he repeats.
A sudden thought enters my mind as the date of Hex's parole ending rolls over and over again from the back to the front of my head.
"Hex, that's the day after the wedding" I suddenly exclaim.
Hex turns to me, making eye contact with me for the first time since Charlie arrived. His face appears lighter, his cheeks have the colour back in them and his eyes have that sparkle back.
"Wedding?" I hear Charlie mumble but I don't pay attention to it as Hex and I share a moment, it breaks when Hex's hand finds my knee and he squeezes it.
"Thanks Charlie" Hex stands, wiping his sweaty palms on his pants.
He waits for Charlie to stand so he can walk him to the door but Charlie doesn't stand.
He pats his bag instead.
"I was going to drop in tomorrow but I just figured I'd do it tonight" He unzips his bag and pulls out everything he needs to test Hex. "You're not done just yet".
"Of course you did" Hex mumbles, his tone dropping again as he retakes his seat.
I leave the two of them together as Charlie starts to work on Hex.