2019-07-23 - Bennie's NOT Okay

It starts with a phone call, but perhaps not one that Easton would expect. It's the guard house at the apartments, explaining very calmly that there is a somewhat distraught Bennie Oakes in their office, having arrived on barefoot in a night shift obviously injured but refusing their care or the offer to call 911. Would he please come and collect her? Now.

By the time he arrives, Bennie has somehow talked herself out of remaining in the guard house, and now she's just standing out on the curb restlessly shifting her weight. By some grace, she's been given someone's windbreaker, though only one arm is threaded through the sleeve and her dirty feet rub against each other. Her hair is wild and tangled, bits of leaves and twigs knotted into the locks and there is a cut above one eye.

Easton's confused when he gets the call, and it takes him a few times before being told to just get down there. He rouses himself to get dressed enough, which takes a fair amount of time sadly. The leg was already off! But eventually he makes his way down stairs and to the guard shack where they just shake their heads and point outside. Easton is horribly confused by the time he makes his way to Bennie.

"Bennie? Babe? What the.."

He takes in the general disheveled look, the twigs in hair, the barefeet, the cut above her eye and he stops short. He motions with his head toward the building and says, "Let's get inside and get you cleaned up.." He puts an arm around her to move her towards the building.

Bennie flinches when she's touched, but doesn't quite pull away, favoring her left arm that just sort of dangles beneath the drape of jacket at her side with the mottled colored skin of poor circulation. Her head tilts to look at him, as if knowing that he's talking to her but not quite absorbing the words until she gives a vague sort of nod in agreement before moving in tandem with him. Her chin wobbles but she manages to swallow back any emotion besides feeling the need to duck her head as they walk past the guard post where she just imagines that they have their nose pressed up against the glass.

<<Sorry.>>

It's not like she really meant to project that word to Easton, maybe the whisper didn't exist at all and he's just picking up on her body language.

What is even going on? Easton's face doesn't show any of the confusion that is currently causing his head to spin. Instead he just leads her inside and into the apartment. He doesn't say another word, but does his best to project a feeling of safety to Bennie, like a mental hug. He's not good at it so it's likely loud and overwhelming, but hey, so is he most of the time. It's fitting.

Once they are inside the apartment, Easton says, "Let's get you cleaned up. I'll get you something to wear. Something to drink. And then if you want, you can tell what happened." He's calm, but firm that they are doing this. He leads her towards the bathroom and gently starts to unwrap the windbreaker if he can do it without hurting her arm. He tries not to show how concerned he is, it's not the time for that. Not yet anyway.

Bare feet shuffle along with him, Bennie not complaining about the jarring effort to reassure her nor the insistence that they do this or that. She doesn't have the fight in her, nor would she rebuff his efforts when she so clearly sought out his specifically while refusing others. When they're in the bathroom, she rubs her foot over the top of the other again, relieving an itch of some random bug bite she endured while apparently being exposed to the elements in just her night gown.

Gingerly, Bennie tries to move with him as he unwinds the jacket, her face twisted up in agony. "My shoulder is dislocated." She finally talks, her voice hoarse and flat. "If I walk you through it, can you help me get it back in place?" Because apparently just slamming it into a wall all Lethal Weapon style isn't really the correct way to do things. At least that explains why she's trying to move her arm as little as possible, and when the jacket finally falls away, it reveals the bloom of fresh bruises that are still developing on her forearm and bicep, approximately the shape and size of large hands.

Easton nods and says, "Okay.. I can do that." He knows how to set a dislocated shoulder. Or at least he knows how to do it to another marine. Someone who is in pain and he wouldn't feel bad inflicting more pain to set it right. But the thought of doing that Bennie, of causing her to possibly cry out in pain actually gives him pause. But then he just sets his jaw and says "Let me know what I should do.." She may after all have a correct way of doing it versus the kind of awesome pull and slam method he's used before.

At the reveal of the bruising he tries his best not to wince. He says involuntarily "babe.." not able to stop himself. He exhales again and waits for instruction.

"When you're ready."

Bennie's eyes flutter shut and tilts her face towards the ceiling, mentally bracing herself for what is to come. Reciting the steps is easy and mechanical when her eyes are closed against the reality of the situation. "I'm going to crook my arm at a ninety degree angle. Take a hold of my wrist and my elbow and pull down until you feel the thunk of the head of the humerus bone sliding underneath the shoulder blade." Technically she should be laying down for this, but the thought isn't entertained by the blonde. With a little noise in the back of her throat, she eases her arm to bend at the elbow. "Count to three or something?"

Placing his hands where she instructs him, he gently helps her to bend the arm, knowing full well how painful that is right now. He then very calmly starts to count.

"One..."

Easton then pulls the arm as she instructed. Yes, he didn't count to three as she asked, but he didn't want her to tense up. There is a legitimate reason for it. Kind of. He feels the bone slide into the socket as it should.

There is a sharp yelp of pain and for a moment it looks questionable as to whether or not she'll hurl or pass out or both. Bennie manages to avoid either, her forehead she slumping forward to find his shoulder and rest there as the wave of relief replaces the snap of pain. Some part of her is grateful for only counting to one. The other part of her socks him lightly in the stomach for the affront. "That wasn't three." Comes the weak protest as she straightens and checks her distal pulse in her wrist, satisfied it's back to it's strong thrum.

"I'm in trouble, Easton." She tells him quietly as she turns away and steps into the tub, nightgown and all, to sit in the basin and curl her legs up towards her chest.

Gently placing a hand on the back of her head as she leans in to him. He says, "There ya go." But then she's punching him in the stomach and he laughs, just a single soft, 'heh' and agrees, "No. No it wasn't."

At the admission, he nods and says, "Okay. Do you.." And then she's getting up and sitting in the tub fully clothed.

"Bennie."

His voice is soft, and urging but restrained. He wants to flood her with questions, to find out what caused this and make it go away forever. He can feel every instinct in him firing up to want to fight whatever this is, to get the information and make a plan, but he forces himself to go slowly. His face for the first time starts to show how worried he actually is right now. His eyebrows are pinched up as he kneels outside the tub and asks, "What kind of trouble?"

Bennie keeps her injured arm curled up against her stomach. She'll need a sling and some ice, and perhaps even seeking out Aidan but that will come later. Her blue eyes seek out his grey, the fingers of her good arm going to his cheek to comb dirty nails through his beard. "I'm sorry, Easton. I didn't want to get you involved in this. But the closer we get, the more friends I make. It complicates things. And then I changed jobs, started working for Baylee. And they started to take notice. Today, they came for me. Yanked me out of bed, threatened me. If I have time for a life, I should have time to earn the money I owe them. Oh god, Easton, I owe them so much money."

When she starts talking Easton's eyes widen ever so slightly. He nods as she talks, taking it all in but then he finally can't help himself.

"This wasn't the veil? This wasn't some supernatural shit?"

His voice is starting to rise, he tries to keep the anger out of his voice. He knows the last thing she needs is him going all off the rails and yelling about it, but the look in his eyes is brimming with an intensity that is barely held back.

"This was about fucking money!?"

He stops himself, actually biting his lip and trying to calm down. He shakes his head and says, "I'm sorry. I knew you were in trouble, and I didn't ask. I should have asked. Geoff told me about your dad." He knew that there were debts. He had no idea they were these kind of debts or just how screwed up it was.

Bennie's eyes get dangerously shiny as he makes the realization, but to her credit she's not much of a straight up bawler. Her hand curls away from his face and goes to hug against her injured arm. "After they hurt me, I fled." Which explains why she's barefoot and lacking her normal luggage of a purse and cell phone. "I just...ran. But when I got to the woods I did slip through the veil. I don't know if they followed or if it was idea of them, but then I stumbled on Doc Gideon and he was able to distract them enough that the veil let me go. Spit me back out in the woods and I came here."

Her teeth worry one spot of her bottom lip, drawing it raw. "What did he tell you?"

As she pulls away her hand from his face he sighs and says, "I'm sorry. I won't get upset." Whether he's reassuring her or himself though isn't clear. He reaches out gingerly to brush some of the hair out of her face and maybe take out a leaf or twig while he's at it.

"Babe. This can't happen. We gotta go to the cops or ... something." It's a relief to have a natural problem in some ways. These are things that he can understand and fix. Maybe.

But then the veil of course complicates it and he frowns as she describes getting lost.

"About your dad? Just that he was.." Easton's met her dad. Kind of. At least he's seen what Bennie went through as a kid or maybe as an adult. He realizes that he assumed those were things from her far past, but might be more present. "That he wasn't great. And that he racked up debts."

"What kind of money are we talking about?"

The last question causes her to wince almost as deeply as when he set her shoulder. "Somewhere upwards of six hundred thousand? My father got in deep but from what I can piece together, he was allowed a chance to make it all up in one go. I don't know if he was supposed to take something to Canada. Bring something from it? But whatever it was, drugs maybe? He thought he could do better. Take the money to the Indian casino and double if not triple it. Of course he lost everything instead. Now he's gone. I don't even know if they killed him or if he just disappeared."

"Look, you have every right to be upset. I should have told you sooner. But what then? I was afraid you'd think..." Bennie takes a deep breath, trying again. "I was afraid you'd think I was using you. I mean, poor ass girl goes out on a work call, meets single ex-marine who's obviously well off." At least by her standards. "Clearly all I saw was dollar signs. That's why after those dreams, I couldn't face you. It's almost always about them coming after the money. Taking everything except the barest minimum I need to survive and keep on working. I don't even own my trailer anymore, Easton."

The figure causes Easton to wince a bit. Oof, that is not just write a check kind of money. At least not for him. Not anymore.

The story about how the debt ended up being that high cause Easton to roll his eyes. "Of course he did." He's already pissed at Bennie's dad for just being a schmuck but to find out he's an idiot of this proportion is still a little surprising and not surprising at all, all at once.

"I'm not upset."

He is. But not with her.

And then she very clearly lays out somethings. Something that they haven't really said out loud. But it's clear from the slight wince that it did at least cross his mind.

"Bennie. I didn't think that. I ... I was a little worried. But not because of you, because of.." It sure sounds like it's her though and he finally shakes his head and says, "Look. I own the bar. I own this place." He sighs, and wants to try to explain why he didn't tell her, or other people. He looks like he might start saying something but then shakes his head. But it's damn hard to explain why he was hiding his wealth in the face of her hiding her debt. Especially with the symmetry of their living situations.

"I didn't want money to be a thing that defined me. It's fucked up my whole family. And I get that that probably sounds insane to you, and where you come from and your problems. But believe me, I don't think you're with me because of money. I think you're with me because of my fantastic ass and maybe some dead brother issues."

Hopefully the last part is softened by the joke about his ass. But still, if they're being honest, it's probably as good a time as any. Despite the fact that she's still covered in scratches, twigs and mud and sitting in a bath tub.

"Move in with me. Fuck the trailer. Live here."

Because during traumatic events is the best time to make life changing decisions. Eastons' awesome at this.

Well. If he's looking to shock her, Easton's doing a good job.

First, with the admission about the money that has Bennie's eyes rounding out with surprise.

Then, with the proposal that she should just move in with him.

Her mouth guppies open, a thousand things to say but none of them finding a voice so it just leaves her opening and closing her lips repeatedly. Finally she tries, but all that surfaces is an, "Easton, I..." But then her head is shaking, emphatically even. "I can't. There's just no way. Move in with you where they don't have full access to me anymore? Where they can't just drop by and check in to make sure I'm doing everything they tell me to, can't come by to stick their hand out? Honestly, I haven't figured out why they haven't just ...why they haven't just killed me yet. I'll never be able to repay the debt. I'm probably not even covering the interest no matter how many jobs I work."

She's struggling to stand suddenly, needing to get out of the bath tub. Get out of here. "I shouldn't have said yes to a date with you. I shouldn't have gotten so involved. I damn well should never have fallen for you."

Easton's face contorts into a WTF look as she explains that they currently have her under surveillance and are dropping by whenever they like. His mind races through legal, and less than legal ways of dealing with these people. But he doesn't have time to dwell on that as she is shooting him down and he finally grasps that.

When she stands up, he stands, though she towers over him. He shakes his head and says, "No. Stay. I shouldn't have said anything. Forget it, just..."

And then she's saying that she's fallen for him. And it stops him from talking for a second.

"Bennie."

The name comes out almost plaintively, as if he's asking her for something with it. But if it's to continue, or to stop, it's not clear.

"I'm sorry if being with me has made this worse. It's the last thing I want to do. Believe me."

His mind is meanwhile spinning, thinking through assets, financials, numbers and trying to do all the math at once. And then it's going back down the path of calling the cops. And then it just comes back to:

I damn well should never have fallen for you.

"Bennie. Please. Stay."

It's probably the most vulnerable he's looked outside of a Dream, his voice hoarse as he asks her not to leave.

It's not like she can go anywhere fast right now, so Bennie is just left standing in the tub, biting the inside of her cheek and trying to look anywhere but at Easton right now. Not after she sees that look on his face that has a fist clenching around her heart and the other slamming into her stomach. "Don't you understand. If you have money. If you own the bar...this apartment...they'll make me use you. Or use me to get to you just to get their payout. They'll bleed us both dry. They already told me tonight they want me to ask Baylee for a raise. And I know she'll give it to me. Where does it end? I need to go back to being on my own. It's better for everyone."

Finally she looks at him, but as she feared, her eyes well with heavy tears. "But please for a second don't think that's what I want to do."

Why can't he make this better? Easton knows that he needs time and information but it's still frustrating that all he wants is to be able to make this go away for her. To let her not have to work 5 jobs and live in fear that people are going to drag her out of her trailer and beat her or try to make her use her friends for money. But it's sinking in that no, he can't just make this better. There's no snapping of fingers here.

"I'm not going anywhere."

He reaches up to gently brush away some of the tears with a thumb. He eventually just steps into the tub with her, and wraps his arms around her, leaning his forehead against hers, if she bends down a little.

"I didn't find you just to lose you. We will figure this shit out together."

And then thought strikes him about how rugged this has really been. On top of everything else she's had to deal with.

"You're not alone. You're not doing this alone anymore."

Bennie starts to protest as he steps into the tub with her but his words make her own die on her lips. She leans into his lean, rests her forehead against his forehead and she just seems to melt into the embrace that almost immediately becomes necessary to keep her on her feet.

She just doesn't have the strength any more. At least not tonight. So she'll share the burden she's been shouldering for so long. So maybe in some small way he has made everything better, if only for this one momentary slice of time.

After a thick swallow, Bennie says the only word she's been longing to say since he asked her to move in, "Okay."

Of course the sweet moment is shortly followed by, "You're hurting my arm." That has her laughing amidst the tears that are still tumbling down her face.

"I know."

A little bit of laughter is a good thing right now, because damn if that wasn't a lot to process. But Easton does at least release her.

"Okay, so you're gonna shower. I'm gonna make you some tea with whiskey and then you're going to spend the night."

He can't help but make a plan. Yes, he can't see what the plan is for fixing the whole situation but he can start with the battle infront of him and craft a larger strategy. Maybe.

He steps out of the tub and turns back to say, "This doesn't change a thing."

It's meant to be reassuring.

But he winces as he leaves the bathroom. He knows it changes everything.