BUDDY'S Point Of View

March 18th, 1959. Lubbock Hospital

The nerve of these goddamn people that I call my in-laws!

WE WILL HAVE CHILDREN WHEN WE ARE READY. SIMPLE. CONCEPT.

JESUS CHRIST GIVE ME STRENGTH.

I smile politely. "See y'all later." I wasn't raised to be rude to my in-laws, no matter how much they piss me off.

"Why are they like that? Why do they undermine me all the time?" Violet sighs.

I frown. "Aw, doll. They have no idea what you do everyday. They could never do what you do." I automatically wrap my arm around her waist.

Vi rolls her eyes. "I forgot how rude they are to me. They still don't like me."

"I like you, doll." I coo.

"Why does everyone think that when we have kids is their business?"

"It's dumb. We ain't ready. Simple." I reply.

"I'm sorry about them, really. They're rude."

"Hey, it's okay doll." I unwrap myself from her and just grab her hand. "I knew what I was gettin' into."

"You did?" She intertwines her fingers in mine.

"I mean, I got the jest when I asked your dad if I could marry you." I laugh. "He basically begged me to."

"Yeah, suuuuure Buddy."

"Well, didn't beg persaaaaaaay."

May 10th, 1956. 4:55 pm, The Winter Household

"You wanted to talk, Charles?" Mr. Winter asks, sitting on the couch across from me. Mr. Winter and his father are the only ones to call me Charles.

"So, in regards t'Violet," I start to say. I can practically feel my heart stop.

"What about her?"

"I was plannin' on askin' her t'marry me. Are you okay with that?"

His face goes blank. "Oh."

I freeze. "What?"

"You absolutely have my blessing." He says after a minute. "Please do marry her."

I grin. "Really?!"

He nods. "You two are made for eachother. How are you going to propose?"

I don't think I should say that we're already secretly engaged.

"Uh, at a dinner, I guess. What do you think?"

"Perfect!" Mr. Winter smiles. "Mrs. Violet Holley, yeah?"

I nod. "Hopefully she'll say yes."

"She will. I appricate that you asked me. I always imagined her with some sleezbag, honestly. She's attracted to that type."

I shrug. "Nah."

"Please just take her." He mumbles.

"Of course."

I start to stand up. "Oh, and son,"

I turn around. "I respect your and Vi's privacy, but are you being safe?"

My face goes hot. "Uh,"

"Sexually, I mean"

I awkwardly nod. What makes him think it's okay to just ask me that? It's bizarre! Aren't we entitled to privacy?

"Good. I actually had a conversation with your father about that once."

I pretend that it was my dad (not my brother) and that I wasn't listening to the conversation that he's referring to. "You did?"

"Yes. He said some stuff about teens being teens and rebelling and that we should step back and let them make mistakes."

"Okay,"

"He trusts you, Charles. More than I trust Vi."

Can he go three minutes without insulting my girlfriend?

Well, fiancee?

Well, future fiancee?

Wait, what are we?!

I dunno.

She's just my girl, I guess.

"She's a sneak, be careful,Charles." Mr. Winter shakes his head.

"Sorry sir, but she's been nothin' but good t'me."

"She hasn't cheated?"

"No, I don't think she ever would, either. She's a lot more amazin' than y'all give her credit for."

"Huh. Well, I have work here soon. I'll see you later, Charles." He stands up and grabs his medical bag, walking out of the house.

Now I'm offically alone in the Winter house.

If I'm honest, I hate this house.

It's too big and showy. All the houses in the neighborhood look the exact same and all the people here are stuck up.

It's not a home as much as it is a museum.

Should I stay here and wait for Vi to get home or should I leave and come back when she calls?

Whatever, I'll stay. They have better snacks here anyway.

I walk into the pristine kitchen and open the refridgerator.

Leftovers. Lunch meat. Fruits. Vegetables. Various other cold items.

I grab an apple and head upstairs into Vi's room. I bite it as I walk up the stairs.

I hope she doesnt think that this is a violation of privacy. Not like I'm gonna go through her panty drawer.

Though, I have seen her panties many times.

And I can't read her journal, it's written in French.

I sit on her bed and continue to eat the medicore fruit, looking around the oversized room.

Jesus, there's so much empty space!

In Juliet and Vincent's rooms, there is not an inch of free space.

It matches Vi's personality, She's just humble. I think she feels out of place in her family. I think she feels like she fits in with mine.

Because she does.

She fits in perfectly with us.

She has so many pictures. Some taped onto her wall, some in albums.

Wait...

I stand up and look closer at one particular picture on her nightstand.

I've never seen this one before.

It's not even on a wall, it's just sitting on her nightstand. No frame.

I pick it up and look closely.

It's a picture of her and a...Nazi soldier?

He has an angular face, high cheekbones, and a tall, muscular stature. I can't see his hair under his helmet, but I assume it's blonde. He has almond shaped light eyes and a slight stubble.

Who is he?

The only way that I can tell it's Vi and not Juliet is a gash on her forehead in the exact spot that she has a scar.

Violet is barely up to his waist and is holding his hand, looking up at him. He almost seems like her father or guardian. Her dress is absolutely tattered and dirtied with what looks like dried blood. Her hair is tied back in a tight braid and she's so thin. So, so thin. I can almost see her ribs through the dress.

Her eyes seem sunken in. There's a scratch on her face and the cut on her forehead. It looks fresh, within a few days before the photo was taken. She looks so sad. So anxious. So scared.

I feel that I shouldn't have seen this.

I know that I shouldn't've.

What other photos does she have that I shouldn't be seeing?

I'm so tempted to look. So tempted.

I glance over to her bookshelf. There's her photoalbum right there.

Wait. It isn't in the same spot as usual. Usually it's on the left of The Wizard of Oz. Now it's on the right. She must've taken this photo out earlier and was looking at it.

Should I look in it?

No! She deserves privacy!

But we're gonna be married here soon...

No.

I can't.

Oh, but I can!

Fuck it. I'm doing it.

Hopefully she doesn't hate me if she walks in on me.

I set the apple on her vanity and I slide out the album.

It's leatherbounded and there's a piece of white ribbon tied around it as a sort of holding it closed.

I sit back down on the bed and untie the ribbon, opening it to the first page.

Her name is written in the cover.

That isn't her handwriting. It's too sharp and jagged.

I look at the first photo.

Three babies, two identical. Atleast a year old. The one who isn't identical has darker hair than the other two.

Vi, Juliet, and Vincent as babies. I can't say that I know which one is Vi and which one is Juliet.

Vi and Juliet are wearing little dresses with bows in their hair. Vincent is in a little tux, his hair neatly parted.

I have no idea why these three children are dressed so finely.

I look at the next picture.

The triplets as toddlers infront of the Effiel Tower with Violet shielding her eyes from the sun.

Wait, or is that Juliet?

I can't tell.

I flip through the first few pages. Just normal baby pictures.

I stop on one which catches my eye.

It's the triplets, but instead walking though the rubble of a building.

This must be after a bombing.

The time gap slowly grows through the next photos.

Hold on, there's the Nazi again. He's holding a crying Violet. The only way I can tell that any of these are Vi is the scar on her forehead.

Her face is dirty. The only clean spots are where the tears have trailed down.

I feel my face heating up. I've always known that Vi's life was hard, but these are giving me a reality check of how hard it really has been.

The next photo is of the same soldier, knealing next to Vi while another person is splinting her left hip and leg. How did she manage to break her hip and her leg at the same time?

Is this why she limps sometimes?!

I can't look at her like that.

I flip the page and see the space where the picture on her nightstand is supposed to be.

I quickly flip past more tragic pictures of her and her siblings. A ton have the same soldier. Who was he?!

Eventually I find her adoption pictures.

I recongize the one where the entire family is standing in front of the doors to the orphange.

This is where standard family pictures start. Them on vacations and such.

Aha, this must be in Chiacago. Vi looks about thirteen with her friends. Debbie Wilson's arm is wrapped around her shoulders. There's a tall, gangly boy behind them and a shorter, stalkier boy next to them. I've heard stories of Violet, Debbie Wilson, Richard Harris, and Warren Sanderson. I assume that the two boys are Richard and Warren.

More normal pictures.

I see a picture of her and her family standing in front of her current house. This must be when they moved here.

Hey, that's me!

Her and I on my 16th birthday! I remember my mom taking this when we were sitting on the porch. I can't believe that she's kept it.

Our entire relationship is laid out in photographs. Starting from when we were just friends, to best friends, to CLOSER friends, to dating.

You can see us progessivly standing closer together. Touching more. Eventually there's hand holding and soon enough, a couple of candid shots of us kissing.

I had no idea that she kept track of all of this.

She really does love me, I guess.

Sometimes I doubt it. Sometimes I wonder if she feels the same way. Sometimes I feel like she doesn't think of me like I think of her. She's tried to tell me many times that she does love me and that she just doesn't know how to show it. I still can't wrap my head around the fact that someone like her actually likes someone like me.

Does the fact that I question if she loves me make me a bad boyfriend?

No, I know, she's bad at expressing it. I know that. I understand why now that I've seen the photos.

Shut up, Buddy. She loves you.

The last picture in the book was a couple of weeks ago when we were TRYING to have a moment, only for Vincent to pop up with a camera.

Well, hey, it's a cute picture.

I close the book and tie the ribbon, putting it back where I found it.

Well, atleast I can say that I understand her a little more.

I grab the apple and lay down.

I feel like shit for invading her privacy like that.

You know what? I'm just gonna tell her that I did that.

The door opens and I bolt upright.

Vi smiles at me. "Hey Buddy."

"Hey doll."

She sits next to me. "What are you doing here?"

I shrug. "Talked t'your dad."

"For my hand in a civil union?" She says dramatically.

I laugh. "Actually, yeah, kinda."

"Great! What did he say?"

"He said yeah." I glance at the bookshelf. "Doll, I gotta tell ya somethin'."

She pulls up her legs and sits criss cross. "What is it?"

"I, uh, I went through your photo album." I mumble.

"You did?!" Her eyes go wide.

"Uh-huh."

"Oh, uh, shit."

"I'm so sorry, Vi."

She takes a deep breath. "It's okay. It'll be okay. What did you think?"

"I'm sorry..."

She grabs my hand and squeezes. "I'm okay."

"You broke your hip?" I ask, pulling her close to me.

She nods. "Yeah dislocated it, and my leg. I fell just right and it dislocated and broke."

"Aw, I'm sorry. Is that why you limp sometimes?"

"Yeah."

"Vi, can I ask you somethin'?" I set the apple core on the night stand once again.

"Yeah, what is it?"

"Who's that soldier?"

Her face turns red. "A great man. He was just a great man."

"He was a Nazi."

"Not by choice, Buddy. Only 10% of the German people followed Hitler's regimen." She sighs.

"Oh, I'm sorry."

She lays back. "Can we talk about him another time? I'm not ready right now."

"Of course, doll."

"Did you see the one where I was shielding my eyes?" She laughs.

"So it was you!" I smile "I couldn't tell."

"That was certainly me."

I lay back next to her."You were a darlin' little kid."

"Why, thank you sir. I must say, you were a cute kid too, Buddy." She rolls onto her side to face me

"Thank-"

"What happened?!" She interrupts.

We both laugh.

"Callin' me ugly?" I say between breaths.

"Yes!"

We both laugh again.

"I love you, even if you look like a sad poodle." She kisses my cheek.

"I guess I love you too. Even if you're a god forsaken ginger." I reply.

She scoots closer to me and puts her head on my shoulder. "I love you so muccccch!"

I wrap my arm around her. "Why are you so affectionate today?"

"Because I love you."

"You're never this cuddly!"

"I'm probably about to start my period." She replies.

"Oh, makes sense. D'you want me t'get you anythin' in preparation?"

"Your love."

I smile. "Doll, you already got that."

"Well then, I guess chocolate wouldn't hurt."

"I'll pick some up later."

She somehow scoots even closer to me. "You're the best!"

"Thanks." I kiss her head.

She pulls her leg up over mine. How do women find this whole 'lay on your side with one arm under your head, one arm cuddling something, and one leg hiked up at a 90° angle' position comfortable?!

She looks up at me. "No, seriously Buddy. I love you so much. I know I'm not always great at expressing it, but I love you more than anything and I can't imagine life without you."

I grin. "Same t'you, doll."

Eventually she falls asleep. She looks so georgous when she sleeps.

I gently rub her back as it rises and falls.

I kiss her head one last time and slowly fall asleep as well.

"Excuse us, we're gonna head to the bathroom." Adalyn says.

Bob and I nod as Violet and Adalyn steadily stand up and walk to the bathroom.

"Why do women always gotta go to the bathroom together?" Bob sighs

"So they can talk 'bout us without us knowin' what they say." I reply.

He rolls his eyes. "Yeah, okay."

I start to shake my leg. "That's what I've always assumed, anyways."

"Why is your relationship so good? Why is your life so great?" Bob crosses his arms and leans back.

I purse my lips. "It's not."

"So you're saying you and Vi's relationship is bad?"

I shake my head. "It's normal. It's an average relationship."

"You basically rub it in our faces."

"What? How?!"

"That story about the oh so romantic kiss?"

"Bob, that was staged. A stage manager made her walk out like that."

"Okay, but what about our entire high school careers?"

"Those weren't as great as you think, Bob." I say, shaking my head. "They were just like yours."

"Yeah, okay." He lights a cigarette. "Always together, always loving on eachother. Always bound at the hip."

"Yeah, that's what a relationship is, Bob. That's what it's supposed to be."

"What was the secret?"

"What secret?"

"Where was Vi for that month?"

"D'you actually wanna know Bob?"

He nods.

"A psych ward. She was in a psych ward because she was doin' so badly mentally. Wanna know why we were always together? Because I was terrified that she was gonna off herself. I was petrified that I was gonna lose her." I take a deep breath. "It frustrates me that you assume that we're perfect. It's hard t'be in a relationship, especially with someone with mental illness."

Bob looks down. "Shit."

"You know how worried I was?"

"Why were you still with her?"

"Because I love her. I love her so much, but it was so drainin'."

Bon takes a long drag. "She was suicidal?"

I nod. Jesus, Buddy, DO NOT START CRYING. "Yeah, and real depressed."

"I had no idea..."

"Don't assume that everythin' is always peachy because it's not."

"Buddy, you sound like you're unhappy..."

"What?! No, no I'm happy. I'm extremely happy with my life right now. I'm just bein' honest with you, Bob."

"Do you and Vi ever fight like Adalyn and I?"

I shrug. "Sometimes. We rarely end up in a lasting argument. A huge part of bein' t'gether is forgivin' eachother."

"Sometimes we just get so angry at eachother over dumb stuff."

"That's for y'all t'work out. I can't say I have any great advice."

The girls walk out of the bathroom.

Vi sits down next to me and I immediately put a hand on her thigh. Whenever I talk about her issues, I feel extra protective.

She squeezes my hand. That's the code for 'Are you okay?'

I squeeze back. That's the code for 'Yeah, I'm fine'.

I wonder what they were talking about in the bathroom.

August 21st, 1954. 2:49 pm, The Muni Household (across the street from the Winter Household)

I feel my heart skip a couple of beats. What's wrong? All I'm doing is sitting here reading.

Wait, something is wrong with Violet.

That's what it is!

She's upset. She's upset and I'm not with her. What can I do to make her feel better? I am across the street at the moment...

Aha!

Flowers and chocolates. She loves that stuff!

I close the book and set it on the glass coffee table, walking into the bathroom.

"Hey, dad?" I ask.

He sets down his putty knife and turns around to face me. "Hey, Buddy. Whatddaya need?"

I lean against the door frame. "D'you have a sorta censor for when mom's upset?"

Dad nods. "'Course I do. Why?"

"I think I got one for Vi and it's goin' off right now." I respond.

"Aw, y'all are gonna last. Once ya get the censor, you ain't goin' back."

"I was thinkin' of gettin' her some candy and flowers or somethin." I say.

"You should! Women love that stuff. Really, they do."

"Okay,"

"Here, take the truck. Imma be a while, I ain't gonna need it in the time it takes you to get all your stuff." Dad digs in his pocket and fishes out the truck keys.

My eyes go wide. "Dad, you sure?" I ask.

"Yeah. I'm proud of you, son. You always treat your lady right." He tosses me the keys.

"I love you, dad."

"I love you too, Buddy. Now go make your girl swoon."

I duck out of the bathroom, wander through the living room, and out to the truck. I look across the street to Violet's house. It looks the exact same as the one I was just in. Same layout, same building, same bricks. The only exterior difference is the gardens outside. The interiors are obviously decorated differently, but they have the same floor plan. None of these houses have personality.

I climb into the truck, starting it and trying to find my way out of the maze of identical houses and perfectly manicured lawns.

I pull up to the store, kill the engine, and walk in.

I guess I'll get a card first.

I manage to locate the card section. Shit, what should the card even say? "I'm sorry you're sad, here's some candy"? "I love you even though you're clinically depressed"?

I spot a simple card. It's white with black text that reads "THANK YOU". I open it. It's blank. Perfect. I'll say thanks for being my girl.

I grab the envelope for the card and head to the flower section. Much to my dismay, there's another man there. I quietly walk up beside him and gaze at the display.

"You fuck up too?" The man turns to me. He's easily twice my age.

"Uh, no?" I reply.

"You ain't getting flowers to make up for something?" He asks.

I shake my head. "I'm doing it just because."

He nods and turns back to the display. "Not married?"

"No sir, I'm seventeen."

"Huh, you look older."

I shrug.

"How long you been with this girl?"

"Year and a half or so." I shift.

"I've been with Mary for twenty years, boy. I've learned plenty of lessons."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Like if you get her gifts 'just because', you'll get laid."

"I ain't doin' this just t'get laid. I'm doin' it t'be nice."

"You're gonna get bedded, just wait." The man picks up a bouquet of daisies. "You always buy daisies when you fuck up. Roses are for romance. Marigolds for just because. A mixture for anything you want."

I nod.

"I'll see ya later, kid. I gotta go makeup with my wife." He turns on his heel and walks away.

Well, I guess I'll get her marigolds.

I pick up a batch of the beautiful yellow flowers. Now I just need some candy.

Hey, lucky me. The candy is right here across the aisle!

I turn around and pick up a simple box of mixed chocolates. Vi will eat any chocolate that you put infront of her.

I proceed to the checkout.

"Surprising Vi, Buddy?" The cashier asks.

Shit, how does he know me?

"Uh, yeah, I am."

"Too sweet, y'all are." He smiles.

Where do I recongize him from?!

English! He was in my English class freshman year! Shoot, what was his name?

Wait, how does he know Vi?

Well, I guess she's popular. She was a cheerleader, after all.

"Thank you!" I smile, handing him the money.

He hands me the change. "Take care, Buddy!"

I grab the bag and walk back out into the truck.

I manage to get back to the house my dad's working in. I find a pen and open the card. What to write?

Ummm, here, I'll start on the left of the card.

"Just you know why
Why you and I
Will bye and bye
Know true love ways

Sometimes we'll sigh
Sometimes we'll cry
And we'll know why
Just you and I
Know true love ways

Throughout the days
Our true love ways
Will bring us joys to share
With those who really care"

Huh, not too bad.

I move to the right side.

"I love you so much, Violet. More than you know. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you. Thank you for being you and thank you for being an amazing girlfriend.

Love,
Buddy"

I finish up writing and shove the card in the envelope. I write her name on the front.

I gather up everything and sneakily head up to the Winter's porch, setting everything down. I make sure that the card is facing up so she knows it's hers.

I jog back across the street and walk back into the house. I quickly find a phone and dial the Winter's number.

"Hellllooooo?" Juliet's voice streams through the line.

"Juliet, it's Buddy. Have Vi come to the phone."

"Why?" She asks.

"I left her a gift of flowers and chocolates outside."

Juliet squeals. "Too sweet!"

I sigh. "Just have Vi come to the phone."

"VI, PHONE!" I hear Juliet yell.

I hear Vi's footsteps down the stairs.

I hope she likes what I got her.

A/N: Yeah, that's right! A POV STORY!!!!! So, my friend suggested that I do multiple POVs, seeing as a SHIT TON is about to go down in this book. I also don't want the flashbacks to become stale, seeing as there's only so many significant memories that Violet can flash back to.
I'm not too sure how I'm gonna do this, whether it be every other chapter is from Vi's POV or what. I'll play it by ear.
INBOX ME IF YOU HAVE SUGGESTIONS OR ADVICE!!