Tomorrows Yesterday

     Coming home is never easy. Why he thought it would be was just wrong! He left because he wanted more! More space, more money, more opportunities, more chances to be the success no one thought he could be. Now his once best friend was looking to reconnect. He was getting married and wanted him to be his best man. even they though they hadn't seen one another in five years. Not since he'd been back to bury his grandfather. The only man that had ever given a damn about him. His own parents leaving as soon as they could foster him off on his grandfather.       He grew up with Darren and Freya as almost siblings. They lived just down the street from his grandfather, but had been as close to him as if they were related. Darren was his best bud almost his entire life. They shared many summer days climbing trees, riding bikes, fishing camping, and chasing girls together. Freya, Darren's sister was right in the middle of it all. Just two years younger than either Darren or him, she was the one they protected from the bullies in school.       When Darren had finally managed to track him down and ask him to come home for a minute, he jumped on the chance. He was burned out. He ran his own company and was his own boss, so time away was easy. He was a commodities broker. Investing other people's money and making them rich. As well as himself a long the line. He needed a break. He left his assistant in charge of the office, packed a bag and hit the road. New York in his rear window. Virginia on his GPS.  He still had his granddad's house there in Ferndale, and Darren said he'd send someone over to clean and stock the fridge for him so he knew he was set.       He was making good time on the freeway, listening to country music and stopping only for food and gas. He was hoping to get there before dark. Darren owned the local bar in town and said he'd be there all night waiting on him so that was where he'd go first.      He had a flat tire just as he's reached Newport News. So he burned time getting the tire repaired and a new one put on. He text Darren with his new ETA and headed in that direction.      Pulling into Ferndale he headed straight down Main st towards the big neon lite sign that read" Big D's." He chuckled to himself. "Big D. Yeah, sounds about right." Shaking his head he pulled the pickup into a parking spot right by the front door that stood open with a screen door keeping the night bugs from going in. He stepped out of his truck and pulled the screen door open. The smell of sweat, beer, and cigarettes hit him in the face, as the sound of pool balls getting struck floated across the room. Men were laughing and joking. He spotted Darren sitting at the end of the bar with a beer mug in his hand. Laughing so hard he was almost falling off his stool as he listened to another man tell him a story.      He walked up to him and laid his hand on the bar top. Darren looked up and spotted him. His grin growing. Darren grabbed him in a big old bear hug. Slapping his back with big meaty hands. "You old son of a b***h!" He yelled. "Bout time you got your ass back here!"      Chase leaned into him. "It's good to you Big D!" A huge smile on his face.      "s**t!" Darren pushed a bar stool at him. "You got that right!" He rubbed his big belly. "Been drinking to f*****g much!" He gave a big laugh. "Maw says this bar is not good for my health." Darren ordered two beers. As they were set down in front of them he raised his mug. "Here's to the only man I consider my brother!" He toasted. "God damn brother it's good to see you. It's been what 5 years?"      Chase nodded.  "Yup. When my Pops died. I came back for his funeral, and the will shit." He sipped his beer. "So Big D's getting married." He grinned. "Where did you manage to find a woman to tolerate your ass?"      "Hahahaha! You remember Lila from school?" As Chase nodded Darren went on, "Well she moved away after she graduated. They all do, don't they? Anyway, she became a teacher. So last year we had a couple teachers retire and she applied for a job and moved back. I ran into her and the rest, is as they say, is history." He finished off his beer and ordered two more. "And you? No little woman carrying around your balls and wallet?"      "No!" He shook his head. "Not even close! I like women too much to marry one. Why deny them the opportunity of all this." He joked.      "Well I think there might still be a couple around town who might be interested in reconnecting if you catch me drift." Darren slammed a meaty hand down on his shoulder.      There was a commotion at the front door. Both men turned and watched a fairly drunk man fall on top of the pool table and a gorgeous woman in uniform behind him throwing his arm up behind his back and kicking his legs wide apart as she leaned into him and pressed him onto the table. "s**t!" Darren exclaimed loudly.  "What the f**k now?" He mumbled getting up and walking that way.      Chase remained on his stool and watched the whole thing. The woman was handling herself pretty well. He noticed how fit she was, and curvy. Great rack, tiny waist, and killer hips which led down to legs that seemed to go on forever in the policeman uniform. She had a hat on and her black hair was hanging down in her face to he couldn't see her well, but he kept thinking he wanted too. He stepped away from his stool and wandered that way.      "What did he do this time?" Darren was asking.      "Pissing in public!" She yelled. "Darren really, I realize he's a friend of yours but does he really need to get this drunk?" She asked. "Jesus! I pulled up and he was pissing in the street and on his shoes. When a hollard at him he took his d**k in hand and wagged it at me." She was taking cuffs off her belt.      "Awe come on! Do you have to arrest him?" Darren pleaded.      "Public indecency. Insulting an officer." She rattled off.       "I did not insult you!" The drunk yelled.      "The hell you didn't Tommy! Really? Offer me to suck your tiny little d**k? Your lucky I'm only charging you with pissing in the street!" She leaned into a radio mounted on her shoulder. "Scott, where you at? I got a drunk over here at Big D's that needs to sleep it off." There was static on the radio then a man's voice said "Pulling up now Chief."      Chase watched her put the cuffs on the guy, and hold him while she still spoke to Darren. "I realize that these are your last few nights as a single man, but you need to keep your friends off the streets when they get drunk. He's just lucky I love you and own part of this bar brother, or he'd be in a world of shit."      That shocked Chase. He looked at her harder. Now that she wasn't struggling to handle the guy her hair had fallen to the side of her face. Her sky blue eyes were smiling up at Darren, and it was then that he realized he was looking at Freya. A very beautiful Freya at that. No more skinny little girl in braces and pigtails.      "Freya?" He spoke up. Watching her brows wrinkle when she turned to face him. Surprise coming over her face.      "Wow! Chase!" He couldn't tell if she was happy to see him or not. "I haven't seen you in a while. You here for Darren's wedding?" She seemed a little cold towards him. It bothered him. This was Freya, the little kid that followed him and Darren every where.      Another officer came in and took the drunk off her hands. "As I was pulling in Shara called in a domestic. Leroy and Tammy. Again." Freya nodded.      "Okay, I'll take it. Put him in a cell and release him in the morning. When he's sober!" She reached in and hugged her brother. "Duty calls" She offered Chase a small smile. "It's good to see you again Chase." Then she was out the door.      "Wow! A cop huh?" Chase asked       "Not just a cop, She's the damn Sheriff." Darren grinned. "An bad ass too!" He said proudly. "My kid sister can kick ass!" He went back to his seat and drank down his beer. Chase followed suit.      He couldn't believe how much Freya had changed. He always knew she would be a knock out. Eyes bluer than any he had ever looked into, hair as black as night. She had always worn it long, now it was shoulder length. She looked good in her uniform , but he knew she'd look better in tight jeans. Just thinking about her caused his d**k to twitch. Humm, that hadn't happened in a while. He's kinda been burned out on a lot of things lately. The women in his life included.      "How did she become the Sheriff?" He asked. He was finding her to be totally hot!      "When she came back home from Afghanistan. Oh and when she was in college she studied criminal justice." He motioned for two more beers.      "Your sister was in Afghanistan? What the f**k!" He took a big swallow of his beer.      "Yup, Marines. Military intelligence. I told you my sister was bad ass." He slurped his beer. "She was deployed 5 years ago. Got married three months after she got over there."      "Freya is married?" He felt his heart jump. He didn't like that.      "Yeah, she's Sheriff Miller now. Got herself a cute kid too. A Little girl. Her name is April. Cutest little s**t you'd ever lay eyes on. Maw or Kellum watch her while Freya works." He explained.      "Kellum? That her husband?"      "No, her best friend. He was in Afghanistan with both of them. Her husband was killed before he even met his daughter. IUD struck the humvee he was in. Kellum too, but he was thrown and lost part of his leg. Good guy though! He works here during the day sometimes when he needs extra money.      "Damn! She's been through some s**t! Man, I don't know what to say."      "My sister! She's tough as nails you know?"      "She didn't used to be. I remember how she used to cry at the Saturday afternoon movies! That little girl had a tender heart."      "She still does, but she's seen some s**t, been hurt. It messes with you. She has changed. She and Kellum went through therapy. Kellum still does. PTSD. He's got it bad, but being involved in her life and helping with April helps. He's doing okay."      "You like him." He watched Darren's grey eyes smile.      "Yeah. He's good for my sister and niece. He takes care of them."      Chase felt a tug in his stomach. He hadn't thought about Freya in years, but now he knew he would be thinking about her a lot!