Bells

Date/Timing: 1 November 2002
Setting: Medowie, Australia
.
Herc pushes away his empty tray, leans back on the bench, and stretches his arms over his head.
Garrison, across the table, sets down his fork. "How're things going with the girlfriend?"
"Fine."
"Only 'fine'?"
Herc shrugs.
"You've been spending a lot of time with her, ay?"
Another shrug.
Garrison grabs his fork, stabs some vegetables. "Being in love sure hasn't made you more talkative."
Herc snorts.
""Hansen Junior!"" hollers Crossley. ""Phone!""
"'scuse me." Herc slides out of his place, jogs over to the front office.
Crossley offers the handset, hand muffling the mouthpiece. "A woman and it sounds serious."
"Thanks." Herc takes it and a deep breath, then greets, "Hansen here."
""Herc—"" Angela's voice is thick, urgent. ""—we need to talk. Now.""
He swallows. "Where?"
""I'm out front.""
"Be there in ten."
""Thanks.""
Dial tone.
Herc hands the thing back to Crossley.
"Everything okay?"
Herc leaves without answering.
The jog's a blur, but it's still tough enough in the summer sun for him to be wringing wet by the time he spots Angela, sitting on top a picnic table in a puddle of shade, gazing into middle space.
He mops his face with his shirt hem, alters course to approach her from the front.
She spots him, smiles weakly. "Hey, Tiger."
Herc climbs up next to her. "Hey, Angie."
She offers him a water bottle.
"Thanks." He swigs, passes it back.
Angela sips, sets the bottle aside.
A car rattles past.
"I'm pregnant," she rasps.
Herc's heart stutters, impales itself on a rib.
"I'm about a month along—" Deep breath. "—and I'm keeping it."
Herc struggles to breathe around the lump in his throat.
"You're the only one with the right timing, but I'll, um, take a test after it's born to make sure."
Herc ....
"This probably happened that first time and it's totally my fault, so I'll understand if you want nothing to do with us."
"Marry me," blurts Herc.
A beat.
"What?"
Herc fights with the chain around his neck as he steps down, kneels. He offers up the battered, too-big ring, croaks, "Marry me."
"Are you serious?"
Herc swallows. "Yea, I am." Swallows again. "I want to be a proper dad to my kid." Blinks rapidly. "And I—" Deep, shaky breath. "—I love you, Angela Margaret Martijn."
Angela ....
"Will you marry me?"
Angela takes the ring, slides it onto her thumb—the only finger it'll fit—croaks, "I'll marry you, Hercules Donovan Hansen."
Herc's shoulders drop and he hauls himself back up beside her.
She twists the ring.
Herc tries to will his heart to slow down and his head to stop spinning.
Angela presses against his side
A truck grumbles by.
The world stabilizes a little bit.
"What's this ring's story?"
"It—my dad's. Was kind of a miracle they found it after .... Scott didn't wa—" Hangs his head, rubs the back of his neck. "I'll get you a proper one soon as I can."
Angela hums absently.
A car putters past.
Dogs bark.
Another car.
And another.
""Hansen!""
Herc and Angela jump.
""You're late!""
"Sh—sorry—gotta go." Herc pushes off.
"'s'okay, Tiger."
"I'll call tonight, yea?"
"Yea. Please do."
Herc flutters a moment, then pecks her check and flees for the hangar.
He ducks through the door, steps to the side, scans the space, exhales. Strolls—
A hand on his shoulder.
—startles almost out of his jumpsuit.
"You've been avoiding me long enough," says Scott, towing Herc to a corner and trapping him against the wall.
"Uh, well, I ...."
"Listen, Herc. Shit /happens sometimes. I understand and if you're cool, I'm cool, alright? You can stop creeping around."
Herc shifts his feet.
"Now, you look like you have something to say to me."
"I—we—I mean ...."
"Last I checked, you spoke English. Give it a try."
Herc ....
Scott sighs. "If I promise not to start a fight, will you just /say it?"
Herc swallows, traces cracks in the concrete with his eyes. "Angela and I've been dating."
"I know that."
"She's pregnant."
"Oh." Scott's voice is flat.
"I asked her to marry me." Swallows. "She said 'yes'."
"Right. Congratulations," growls Scott. He snaps a turn.
Herc listens to his boots strike pavement, quickly fading away.
He sags against the wall, counts aggregate stars in the concrete.
His Brother's Girl | Bells | Cold Feet | Perfect
Category:Ficlet
Category:Herc
Category:Herc's POV
Category:Herc (ficlet)
Category:Angela
Category:Angela (ficlet)
Category:Scott
Category:Scott (ficlet)
Category:Medowie (setting)
Category:Ficlets with images
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