//------------------------------// // Chapter 13: Repairs // Story: Violet Times // by Echo Breeze //------------------------------// I arrived at Sweet Apple Acres to find that the place was mostly deserted, only Mrs. Smith being home at the time. I parked my car in the usual spot by the barn, climbed out, leaving my phone in the car, and walked into the house, finding Mrs. Smith watching TV. I went into the den and greeted her. "Well, hey there, Violet. How ya doin' today." she greeted back. "Not good, but getting there. If Mac comes looking for me, tell him I'm in the South Forty." I replied, turning to leave and leaving Mrs. Smith in confusion. I looked over my shoulder to see her shake her head. I left the house and headed to the South Forty, the place where Oak and I originally hooked up, and made it official. __________________________________________ I got to Violet's house and saw that her car wasn't there. I was thoroughly confused. Where could she have gone. I decided to call the others. I dialled in a conference call, and Pear Butter was the first to answer, followed by Mac, then the rest. "Hey guys, you're on a conference call." I said. The others all greeted at the same time. "Have any o' y'all seen Violet, or know where she could be?" "Haven't seen her, but Ah'll call ya if ah do find out." Mac said, concern in his voice. The others agreed. "Ah'm jes worried about her, ya know. Our fight today might have stirred up past demons she tried ta bury when her pa got into that accident." I said. "I tried callin' her cell, but she won't return mah calls." "I'll give her a call after this. She's bound to answer a call from her best friend." Candy said. "Alright. Please let me know." I replied. "I will. Just hang in there, Oak." Candy said before I ended the call. I hung my head in defeat, knowing I fucked up bad. __________________________________________ I had just gotten home after dropping Pear Butter off. The phone call from Oak really bugged me, but what could I do. I pulled into the driveway and spotted a silver car in the distance. As I got closer, I saw that it was Violet's GT500. I stopped my truck next to it and peeked into it. I saw Violet's phone lying in the center console. I took out my phone and called Oak. "Hey Mac, any news?" he answers the call. "Yeah. She's at mah place. Don't know where though. Ah'll find out and text ya just now." I replied, climbing out of my truck. "Thanks. Ah appreciate it. Ah'm on mah way over now." Oak said, ending the call. I walked into the house and found my ma watching TV in the den. "Hey ma, Ah'm home. Ah saw Vi's car outside, do ya know where she is?" I asked. "Oh, yeah. She told me ta tell ya she's in the South Forty. Dunno why though." she replied. I knew exactly why. It was the place where she and Oak hooked up, and she was bound to be under the tree where they had made it official. I texted Oak, and made my way to the South Forty. __________________________________________ I was sitting under the tree that Oak and I made our relationship official under, the first time I kissed him of my own free will, the cold glint of steel shining through my fingers. I brought my switchblade with, but hadn't actually done anything yet. I didn't want to spiral out of control, not when I still had so much to live for. 'I don't have anything without Oak, and all I did was fuck that up too.' I thought darkly to myself as I raised the blade up to eye level to inspect it. It was still sharp after six years of ownership. I heard someone shouting my name in the distance, and I knew it was Oak, but I didn't respond. I didn't trust my voice not to break. I pressed the blade to my left forearm, and at that moment, Mac came running into the clearing where I was sitting. "Violet. What are ya doin'!" Mac yelled, running up to me. __________________________________________ I got a bad feeling as I pulled up to the driveway to Sweet Apple Acres, and I barely slowed down, taking the corner in a powerslide. I gunned the motor and tore across the driveway, kicking up a cloud of dust behind me. I saw Violet's GT500 haphazardly parked next to the barn, along with Mac's F100. I pulled up behind the two vehicles and cut the motor. I climbed out, slammed the door, and tore off towards the South Forty. 'I'm coming Vi.' I thought to myself, hoping to the gods that I wasn't too late. I approached the South Forty to hear Mac yelling. "Violet. What are ya doin'!" I put on a fresh burst of speed and arrived at the crest of the hill overlooking the clearing. I looked down to see Mac slap something out of her right hand, the glint of silver in the sun telling me it was a blade of some kind. I saw it hit the ground and skitter a few feet away from them, and then I saw something that was truly gut wrenching. Violet barely reacted, but sat holding her left arm to her chest, hiding something from our view. I sprinted down the hill, coming up to where the two of them were. Violet was standing now, looking Mac squarely in the eyes. "What were ya thinkin'?" Mac said. "Do ya know how worried ya made the others and Ah. How worried ya made Oak." "I don't think I made him worry. I took our love for granted. How long before I do that with our friendship. It would be better if I just ended it all right here." she replied, a dead tone to her voice, like she was tired and just wanted to sleep. When she said it, and the way she said it, brought fresh tears to my eyes. "No. It won't." I said as I approached them. The look in her eyes could only be described as dead, with no emotion in sight. "Ah wouldn't be able ta live with mahself if ya were ta end yer life because of mah stupidity." "Ah'm gonna leave y'all to it." Mac said, turning to leave. "Ah'm gonna call the others and tell 'em Vi's okay, but Ah'll leave y'all ta tell 'em about what just happened." "Thanks Mac." I said. I came up to Violet, giving her a hug. While she was wrapped in my embrace, I could feel her shuddering, like she was crying. "Words alone can't express how sorry Ah am fer what I did. Ah shoulda never snapped at ya like that. Will ya forgive me and give me a second chance?" __________________________________________ I couldn't believe it. Here Oak was, apologizing for a fuck up that was mine to begin with. "It's okay, Oak. You don't need to apologize for a fuck up that was all mine. I just feel so useless sometimes. I should never have put you in that situation." I said. "So, will you accept my apology, and give me a second chance?" "Of course. Couples fight all the time. It takes love and patience ta move past it. Ah love ya, Vi, and nothin' will change that." Oak replied. "Thank you, and I love you too, Oak." I replied.