Mindy
The car pulled up to Addison's place and she saw a fancy red sports car sitting in the driveway. She turned off her car and sat back in the seat and shook her head. "Of course, he would be here." She grumbled before taking a sip of the soda to calm her stomach, then got out of the car and started walking to the front door.
She fixed her shirt and pushed her hair behind her ears before she actually knocked on the door. She took a breath as she heard footsteps coming, but wanted to roll her eyes when South Parker answered it. "Hey Min, how are you doing?" He grinned in his easy manner.
"Um, I'm doing okay. Is Ad here?"
"Yeah, she's in her bedroom washing her face off." He answered shutting the door behind her.
"Is everything okay?" She asked.
"I think she will be fine. Tia and Howie took the boys for the night so she could have a couple of minutes of peace and quiet... but I don't think she likes it very much." He admitted.
"Oh, yeah. She loves her boys very much." She nodded thinking of the baby inside her, and then wondered if she should come back later to talk to Ad... but knew it was now or never because Paul wanted to leave first thing in the morning. "So, she's in her bedroom?"
"Yeah." He answered letting her in and shutting the door behind her.
"Ad?" She called out down the hall.
"Yeah, I'm in the boy's room," Addison hollered back.
When she made it to JW and Justin's room, she saw Addison sitting on the bed holding an old stuffed animal with their dog Tennessee laying by her feet. "Hey, how are you doing?" She asked quietly.
Addison glanced up. "I'm hanging in there." She answered, and then glanced at her wrist. "How about you?"
"The same I guess. Hanging in there." She shrugged going to sit on the opposite bed from her.
"Why's South here?" She asked.
"I don't know." Ad shrugged. "He said he wanted to come and check to see how I was doing since he was in town."
"Well, that was nice of him." She offered.
"Yeah... but I'm glad he's here. At least it's something to take my mind off the boys being gone." Addison said with a forced grin. "So, is everything okay? None of us have heard from you for over a week now. We were all worried about you, but didn't want to bother you until you were ready."
"Yeah, sorry about that." She murmured.
"Are you okay?" Ad asked with a frown.
"I am now." She assured her.
Addison looked down and then shook her head. "I don't even know where to begin about what happened, only that I'm so damn sorry." She started and then looked back up. "I have no idea what the hell got into Dax's head saying such bull shit, but I told him that what he did and said to you was so wrong!" She growled.
Mindy reached over taking Addison's hand. "That was one of the reasons I wanted to come over because I wanted you to know, none of this was your fault Addison, none of it... this is all on Dax!" She growled and then shook her head. "And me... I was so damn blind when it came to him, but now I can see the truth about everything.
"Dax never loved me and I never understood why. I could never do anything that would make him want to be with just me, but that night, I finally got it, all of it, and damn did it hurt." She sighed.
"I'm so sorry Min, I really am. I never knew." Addison frowned.
"I know that... I really do. But that wasn't the real reason why I came over today to talk to you." She started.
"What did you want to tell me?"
"Well, first I'm pregnant." She grinned.
"Oh my gosh Mindy, that's wonderful!" Ad smiled getting up and giving her a hug.
"Thank you. But there's more to it than that."
"Are you having twins?" Ad smiled.
"Ah, no, well, I don't think so, but... I'm going to be leaving." She finally said.
"Like going on a vacation?"
"No leaving Nashville."
"Why? Because of what happened?"
"Well, yes and no. Paul got into the UFC and he needs to be in Vegas." She stated and then smiled. "He wants us to get married there and start our family there."
"Is this what you want to?" Ad asked.
"You know, at first I was really torn. I love all of you, I mean... you're my family. But then I started thinking about my baby, everything that I'd been through, and then my mother, and I knew it was time for me to move on and be on my own for a while."
"Because of us?" Addison asked.
"Well, yes and no. I mean not because of you, or Tia, Margie, or Lynn... but because I'll still have to see Dax and I hate him Ad, I hate him so much that it scares me." She confessed.
Addison nodded and then looked up at her. "Your husband and child are the most important things in your life. I get that, and if this is what you need to do, to be the best mother and wife you can be, then I say go for it. Don't worry about us, or what we think Mindy. You do what's best for you." Addison smiled.
Mindy smiled back then got up from the bed hugging Addison. "I knew you'd get it... I just knew it!" She murmured.
Addison pulled away and started walking into the hallway. "So, after you leave here are you going to go and say goodbye to everyone?"
"Well, I'm going to go say goodbye to Tia, and then I'm going to meet up with Paul for dinner. After that, we're leaving at three in the morning." She answered.
"You're not going to say goodbye to Lynn or Margie, why?" Ad asked stopping at the family room and looking at her.
"I guess because I'm still a chicken shit at heart. Lynn and Margie where so mad at me and for such a long time over the shit I pulled. I guess I couldn't handle them looking like they were happy to see me go." She admitted almost breaking down in tears.
"Mindy, no one thinks that," Addison assured her.
That had her just smile and kiss Addison's cheek before making her way to the front door. "Just tell them I said goodbye, okay?"
Addison stared at her, then grinned and rubbed her arm. "Yeah, I'll do that. But make sure you say goodbye to Tia; it would kill her if you didn't."
"Yup, I'm on my way over now." She smiled. "Bye Ad, thanks for everything."
"I didn't do anything you goofball... but you're welcome." Addison laughed.
She got into her car and saw Addison just standing there and then waved before South came and shut the door. She had one more house to stop at, and this was going to be the hardest of all. Tia was the one person that she loved like a sister. "Why is saying goodbye so damn hard." She sighed starting the engine.
Later that night...
Mindy stood in the cool air watching Tripp, Boden, and Heath finish packing up the U-Haul when Paul came over to her. "Are you ready gorgeous?" He asked taking her by the waist.
"Yeah, just a little nervous." She admitted.
"Don't worry momma, everything is going to be okay... I promise." He winked.
"Yeah. I know." She giggled.
"Good, then get that gorgeous ass in the truck so we can get going." He chuckled kissing the top of her head and then smacking her ass before yelling over at Tripp. "You ready to go?" He asked.
"Yup, I'll be right behind you two love birds." Tripp laughed getting into the U-Haul.
"Then we're off." Paul laughed getting inside the truck.
"Yes, we are." Mindy smiled ready for the next adventure in her life.
The roads were quiet and pretty empty as they headed to the freeway when something caught her eye. There on the side of the road was all of her friends. Addison, Tia, Lynn, Margie, even Howie, Jones, and Nickels were there, all holding up signs just for her.
Good Luck Mindy
We love you Mindy
And then Tia's
You better call me when you get there!!!!
Lynn got up on the hood of her car and started yelling. "I'm going to miss you dip shit!"
Mindy started laughing as tears started to fall and Paul reached over and took her hand and squeezed it. "You see gorgeous, they're not mad at you, they love you. Don't worry, they'll love you even when you live in Las Vegas." He grinned and then honked the horn at all of them.
"Yeah, I guess they will." She smiled and then waved at them with both hands. When they had passed them by, she sat back in the seat feeling truly free from everything for the first time in her life. She looked over at Paul and smiled. "I love you."
He glanced over at her and gave her that dimpled grin she loved so much. "I love you to gorgeous." He winked taking her hand and kissing it as they got onto the freeway to start their new life.
The End