QuaranTeam - Dave in Dallas Ch. 05

Some tech issues crept up over the past week and a half, which could impact later chapters. I am still pursuing one last recovery option, but at the moment, my character sketches for everyone past this chapter are gone, along with some future scenes I'd already planned. Rebuilding these may slow down future postings.

In the meantime, thank you for returning for another chapter of QT: Dave in Dallas. Thanks also to CP for creating this world and letting me play in it. Thank you to the QT writer's room for editing help and some great ideas when I got stuck. BreaktheBar, OtterlyMindBlowing, BirchesLoveBooks, SilverRyden, Agathon, LicentiousLaureate, you guys keep me going when I think I'm just another idiot with a bad idea.

Ch 5 -- Healing Begins

October 3, 2020

House Belsus was in mourning.

Lupe and Jan got an arm under Dave's armpits and lifted him up, guiding him to the bedroom once he got his feet under him. Becca and Melanie did the same for Olivia. Together, the quartet removed the shoes and socks of the weeping pair and draped a blanket over them. Roscoe trailed behind the troupe, whimpering and trying desperately to get in close to Olivia. He planted himself firmly against her in the bed once she was positioned.

The pent-up pain manifested itself in force. Edward, Carter, Janelle. Three faces Dave and Livy would never see again. Three laughs they would never hear again. Three hearts they would never touch or be touched by again. It was just too much to hold in any longer.

As he wept, Dave could hear a rustling sound off to the side of the room. He knew one of the women of the household was sitting there, ready if he or Livy needed anything. It was one small reassurance as images of a happy little towheaded boy played through his mind. The boy he barely got to see after the divorce. More images of the angry young man, full of his mother's twisted commentary, coming to him, beginning to realize he may have been lied to. That may be the most painful memory. After years of trying to be a dad, and being rebuffed, his boy had sought him out. They'd rebuilt slowly from there, starting on Edward's fifteenth birthday. Eight years. Eight years he'd had with his son as he grew from his midteens into a young, twenty-three year old man. A damn good man. And now he was gone. A memory, frozen in time. Forever young, static and unchanging. Never to find love. Never getting to be a father himself. Eddie would have been a great dad.

No more Carter either. His friend from college. The man that taught him the value of being prepared. Guided him to take a martial arts class. Taught him how to use a gun. Taken him hunting and fishing. Without that time with Carter, he never would have been able to take Eddie fishing in those early years before his ex began denying visitation.

And sweet Janelle. That lovely face seemed so soft. Most would think she'd never keep up with Carter's active outdoorsy life. They were wrong. She would much rather do nearly anything in the city or suburbs, but the guy she'd fallen for was an avid hiker and camper. She took to it with a borrowed passion that never relented. Janelle did everything with so much energy you'd think she could power a city with her smile and peppy personality. She managed to stay just this side of sickening bubbly though.

Thanks to his newly healed hearing, Dave picked up the telltale sounds of two people working in the kitchen. Dinner? How long had he lain here, whimpering like a little bitch? It was time to get up. Dave tightened his hug on Olivia briefly, then released her and went to the bathroom to wash up and take care of needs. And wash from the elbows down. Roscoe had taken to nuzzling and licking his hands and arms in an attempt to soothe.

When he returned, Lupe sat on the bed speaking soothingly to a quiet Olivia. Roscoe's head briefly turned from Olivia to give Dave a baleful look as he re-entered the room. A quick whisper brought Olivia's head up and around, rolling slightly to see Dave. She sat up and rose shakily to meet him. He hugged her again, and they each steadied themselves to stave off another crying jag. Liv slipped around Dave to enter the bathroom.

Lupe met him where he stood. She placed her arms loosely around his neck, bringing their foreheads together.

"I love you, David. I wish you had shared this with me earlier, but I understand why it hurt too much to address." She kissed him softly on the chin, then looked into his eyes. "I'm here for you David. Even if all you can handle is a hug, I'm here for you." She hugged him tightly.

Olivia emerged, her face cleansed of tear streaks and make up. She chose not to apply new makeup. Why bother when she's liable to start crying again? Her loose black blouse and the large ruffle attached to the neck showed creases and wrinkles from lying in bed. Her work-style jeans showed no such effects, having been made to take more punishment than lying in bed could dish out.

As they passed Esme's room enroute to the stairs, they heard a shout of "Dave!" just before 80 pounds of love bug smacked into the man so named and wrapped her arms around him tightly. Esme had met Eddie a few times, had a few memories of him. More than that, she wanted to console Dave in his grief. He was a figure in her young life and he was hurting. The outpouring was almost enough to set Dave off crying again, but he choked it back.

Lupe gave Esme a short time to show her support, then shooed her back to her room with a hug and a kiss. "Did you get something to eat mija?"

"Yes, mama. And I have a few good books in my room. I'm good for awhile."

The trio continued to the stairs and emerged into the living room. Becca sat on the couch fidgeting, not really watching an anime. When she looked up, she immediately rushed to Dave and hugged him fiercely. Their height difference left her cheek bone pressed against the top of his sternum, the top of her head nestled under his chin. Dave stroked her back softly. "All those times you comforted me about my family, and you never once mentioned Eddie was gone?" She said as she pulled her head back, looking up into his eyes. Her arms remained firmly encircled around his chest, not budging a millimeter. "If I wasn't hurting for you so much, I'd be peeved at you."

"Wow, didn't take you long to start talking like a wife."

"Better believe it buster."

"Yes dear."

Her eyes laughed as she pulled him down for a comforting kiss. Their eyes stayed locked for a moment after they broke the kiss.

Shawna, Janice, and Melanie slipped in from the dining room after each dropped off an item from the kitchen. Shawna still wore her on-air clothes. Today it was a stylish, breezy blouse in a vibrant shade of orange that contrasted beautifully with her dark skin. A long, loose, tan skirt below it reached to mid-calf at it's lowest point, the bottom cut at an angle that exposed her right knee when she walked. She typically wore short heels at work, but had already ditched them somewhere downstairs, her feet bare but for her sheer pantyhose. Without her heels, she was barely an inch shorter than Dave, the tallest among his household. She came straight to him and wrapped him up in a warm hug. In his ear she whispered, "Anytime you need me baby, what ever it is you need, just tell me." Dave nodded and she peeled away.

Jan came to him next, gently leading Mel along with her. Jan gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek, her eyes conveying her sorrow and support as eloquently as words or a hug. "I knew you may not be hungry David, but if you are so inclined, I asked Mel to make bruschetta for the grazing meal we've prepared."

A week or so ago, Jan's culinary journey had turned to a discussion of favorite appetizers and finger foods. Dave's number one favorite was bruschetta.

"Hey now, I just made the olive tapenade and the tomato topping, you assembled it, including toasting the bread." Melanie took Dave by the hand and led him to the table decked out with several offerings, from of course, bruschetta, to deviled eggs, pigs in blankets, and a charcuterie board assembled from things Dave knew they'd had on hand this morning. Except for the bowl of fresh rolls beside it. The aroma of fresh bread permeated the air.

"It looks and smells wonderful. Thank you." He gave them each a soft kiss on the cheek. He stepped back to the living room. "Shawna, I take it you are also partly to thank for tonight's spread?"

"Oh, they were well along in the making when I got in from work. I just slapped some canned dough around some smokies and baked 'em."

He kissed the top of her head and hugged her from behind as she sat in one of the soft chairs. "Thank you." She patted his arm lightly before he pulled away.

Not hungry, but wanting to show appreciation for Jan's thoughtfulness, Dave went back to the table and snagged a piece of bruschetta before returning to the living room. The only empty spot was on the couch, with Becca on one side, Olivia on the other and Mel between the arm and Olivia. Dave settled in before taking a bite.

"Oh, wow. This is great ladies." Dave said after savoring for a moment. "And Jan, before you try to turn all of it aside to Mel, proper presentation is important. Besides, the toast is perfect. Just the right amount of olive oil, nicely crisp with just a little give. Those are important parts of getting bruschetta right. And ... I really appreciate the thought and the effort."

"Thank you," Jan beamed. The others took turns getting plates in pairs while everyone engaged in chit chat.

During the interlude, Dave took some time to look over Melanie. He knew less about her than the others, but more than he'd known about Jan or Shawna when they'd shown up on his doorstep. He knew from a glance that she dressed more stylishly than Olivia, though he'd be hard pressed to describe why. He thought both looked great, even if he could tell a difference instinctively. He was always a fan of variety. Silver studs in her ears support three short silver chains each, drawing the eye tantalizingly into the chasm of her russet mane. The verdant green of Mel's satiny top provided the perfect counterpoint to the auburn tones of her hair. The cinched belt securing the crossing panels of her blouse held it together well, yet giving tantalizing views of her medium sized breasts. The black slacks clung closely to her well-shaped thighs and calves without the 'painted on' look.

"Dave, could you make me one of your 'ginger ales' please?"

"Sure, Liv. Anyone else want something?"

"Can you make me one of those drinks you made that first time?" Becca asked.

"Yeah, that's what Livy is asking for. Seven-Up and Captain Morgan mixed to look like ginger ale."

"Oh, okay, then one of those please."

"You got it."

Dave got to mixing drinks. Jan asked if anyone else wanted wine. All the others voiced their interest, Jan pulled two bottles of blush from the pantry and brought them to the living room. Lupe grabbed wine glasses for each of them and handed them out as Jan poured.

Dave watched Becca's first sip carefully. He'd mixed this one normal strength, not the light pour he'd given her last time. Eyes flared, she took a smaller sip than usual, but nodded before setting it on the side table.

"Olivia, dear," Lupe asked softly, "I hesitate to ask, but can you tell us about your parents? Should we contact them that you are here, or, are they...?"

"Dad died six weeks ago. Mom passed a week later." Olivia took another sip. Melanie hugged her loosely. Olivia's voice took on a husky note. "She called me, near the end. She told me Dad had died. That she was very ill and wasn't ... wasn't, ah, ... She knew she wouldn't make it." One hot tear dallied along the top curve of her cheek before coursing downward. Dave took her hand. "She said I should pursue my dreams. All of them." Livy looked Dave dead in the eyes. "She said she'd known for a long time it was more than a crush, that she was sorry she'd belittled it by calling it that. And then ..." Olivia sucked in a breath.

Mel hugged Olivia again.

"We're all here for you. Let it out at your own pace." Lupe encouraged softly.

"She said 'Love him. Love him like I never did. Love him like he deserves.' And then she closed the call." A hard sob shook through Olivia as more tears fell. Dave and Mel hugged her, one from each side. Dave did so while looking at the ceiling with a distant gaze.

After several minutes of silence, Jan got up for a second plate. Dave stood to join her. "My mind still doesn't want to eat, but my stomach got a taste of that bruschetta and wants more. Of that, and everything else." Jan smiled and gave him a quick kiss, which he returned.

"Can you tell us something about Eddie?" Shawna asked after Dave sat back down.

Dave thought for a minute. Slowly, a proud smile spread across his face. "His Eagle project." Olivia smiled and nodded.

"Eddie was an Eagle Scout?" Jan asked.

"Yes, he was. Got his Arrow of Light as a Webelo too." Livy provided.

"Eddie and I were just beginning to reconnect when he began working on his Eagle rank. For his project, he decided to build a foot bridge across the stream in the park."

"Armadillo park? The bridge on the south end?" Becca asked.

Dave smiled broadly. "That's the one. Before that bridge, anyone walking the path and crossing the bridge at the north end would have to turn around when they hit the ends of the u-shaped path. For some folks, that was more walking than they could handle, so they wound up getting less exercise, or taking their walks in the few areas with sidewalks or walk along the side of the road. Either way they got very little 'green time'. He found a bridge design appropriate for the location, one that would last with little maintenance and convinced a local construction company to donate materials. He met with the city manager and then spoke before the city council to arrange an agreement for maintenance."

"The foreman of the construction company and his best concrete specialist offered their services to supervise the volunteer workers and ensure the quality of the work. I think Eddie had a hand in that." Dave's pride in his son couldn't have been any louder on his face.

"The kicker was, he vetted the design to make sure the angle of the curve was suitable for someone in a wheelchair. So at the ribbon cutting, the young lady that cut the ribbon, and the first to cross was in Eddie's class. I think she wound up the class Salutatorian. Anyway, she was paraplegic, lost the use of her legs in an accident during her eighth grade year." Dave paused. "I think she and Eddie started dating not long after."

Olivia snorted. "They were already dating. I think that night was the first time she gave him the goods though."

"Go Eddie." Shawna said huskily.

"Seriously?" Dave asked Olivia.

"Pretty sure. Not 100%. I mean, I know they did it. Like a lot. Once they opened up that part of the relationship they were like bunnies. I'm not absolutely sure that night was the first night though."

"Hell, I was nineteen before my first time. He was always better with people than I ever was." Dave's looked wistfully into the distance, like he was seeing through the walls at something beyond. Then he swallowed hard. He took a steadying breath and blew it out slowly. Becca rubbed his shoulder lightly before giving it a soft kiss. Dave smiled at her, then leaned in to deliver a light peck on her cheek.

He looked outward again, scanning across the room. "Thank you all for putting up with this. I'm sorry for acting like such a p--"

Becca pressed a finger firmly to Dave's lips. "If that word crosses your lips, you'd better be talking about our body parts. The man that I've watched, relied on, and come to trust implicitly sure as hell isn't one of those. And he deserves better than that." The fire in her red-rimmed eyes put the punctuation to her statement. Dave just nodded in concession to his young lover's demand. With an impish grin she added, "And for the record, anytime we're getting frisky, or flirting, I'm perfectly happy with you calling it -- or me -- a pussy." She grabbed his hand and shoved it between her shorts-clad legs for emphasis.

Becca's addendum broke the somber mood of the room. Everyone got a good laugh. A brief quiet descended as everyone ate a few bites or stared into their drink. Dave looked up to see Jan and Lupe gazing at him, concern and sympathy clearly written across both of their faces.

"Well, Becca, since you have some history with our man, tell me something to catch me up with all of you." Shawna requested.

"Oh, tell her about the cupcake exchange." Jan suggested. "Dave told me about it while the two of you were getting vaxxed."

"Oh that one she told me already. Good story."

"Okay, so something new." Becca paused, then blushed. She bit her lip and looked sideways at Dave and cringed. Then she flicked her eyes to Lupe. Lupe caught the look and rolled her eyes. "Go ahead." She said with a sigh. Then she turned her face away.

"So, um, you know how Dave runs a couple times a week, and works out with his staff in the backyard about as often?" Shawna nodded at Becca's narrative, then turned to give Dave an appreciative leer. "Ahem, well, it's cooler now, so he does he work outs in a t-shirt and shorts."

Shawna nodded again, then stared at Dave's torso like she was imaging him bare chested and sweating. Well, she'd seen him shirtless often enough. Melanie's breathing became slightly deeper and slower as she sized him up as well.

"Well, remember we used to live next door. And Lupe's second story windows are high enough to see over Dave's fence."

Mel, Shawna, and Jan all looked at each other. "OOOOOOh." They said in unison.

"You lucky bitches." Jan added.

Dave's mind was working at a slower pace and caught up a moment later. He closed his eyes and shook his head. With a small grin.

"Well, that's not all of it. See, I made no pretense about watching him work out. I mean, mid-August, heat pounding down? Ten minutes into his work out his whole torso is covered in sweat, with rivulets running down his front and back." Shawna looked transfixed. Jan had her eyes closed. Mel tightly gripped her thighs, staring intently.

"Usually I watched from one of the back windows, and just put up with the oblique angle. One day, a few months back, I realize it's very quiet in the house, and I seem to be the only one on the second floor. I decided to move over to Lupe's room, which is at the back corner, with two windows looking out over the backyard, one on each side of the corner." Lupe blushed hard and brought her hands up to cover her face. "So, there was a small space between the curtain panels and I was staring at Dave through the gap as I walked up. I walked as quietly as I could so Lupe and Esme wouldn't hear my footsteps from downstairs. I pulled back the curtain to get a better view. Lupe was hiding in the curtains, eyes fixed on Dave. We both screamed, and Lupe's hand flapped backwards hitting the window frame."

"That's how you bruised your hand?!" Dave exclaimed, trying to suppress his laughter. "You flap your hands around when you're surprised?"

"No. Just, um, I, uh ..." Lupe's muffled response trailed off.

"She took care to wash her hands thoroughly before she let me bind it." Becca interjected. "Initially we thought she'd hurt her wrist, so I stabilized it. But, I recognized later what I had smelled while we were leaving the room."

Lupe peeked between her fingers at Becca, pleading.

"Okay, never mind." Becca conceded. "I've said too much already."

The others looked confused at the abrupt ending until Melanie burst out laughing. When they looked at her questioningly, she said, "I know what I would be doing standing there watching him work out shirtless." And flopped back into the couch giggling furiously.