Chapter 10 this is my last goodbye Faint strains of what sounded suspiciously like 'Achy Breaky Heart' were sneaking out under the door of Room 7. Maybe Adelaide had talked someone into listening to a country music station on the communal radio. Personally, Brodie would have preferred 4 days worth of Garth Brooks than the three-and-a-half minutes of torture that was 'Achy Breaky Heart', but then this was Oklahoma; both were in frightening abundance. It would have been so easy to blame her sitting alone outside on harmonica and fiddle happy tunes. She could wonder out loud why no station was playing pseudo-not-really country, like the Eagles or Santana, and hum a bit of 'Desperado' for anyone that went past. Unfortunately, country music had never been that overly repulsive to her ears, and she probably would have endured it in company, if she'd been feeling more up to it. But no, the butterflies in her stomach had become hawks, ripping her insides apart in their frenzy. Which wasn't really all that surprising. Brodie knew she was a compulsive worrier, over-prone to stress and high blood pressure – it ran in the family. By the time this whole ordeal was over she'd probably need years of therapy to recover, plus a few hugs on the side. Or affectionate nuzzles, if the person in question was a canine. Rugs had come to lay beside her almost immediately after she'd found a place to sit. The retriever was supposed to be watching her favourite person's car, and knew it too, since she kept glancing back toward the old Mustang. Yes, it was still there; man, even the dog was paranoid. Scratching Rugs' belly made her happy though. If only Brodie's anxieties could be cured so easily. It was the same two problems that had been hounding her the entire way. Tracey. Hanson. And she couldn't do anything about either of them. Time, place, food, the barbecue itself, even footballs, bats, tennis balls and a frisbee, everything was out and ready to be packed (or thrown) in car trunks tomorrow morning. Everyone had agreed that Orr's Park was gorgeous and the best place to hold their little jaunt, everyone had agreed on what salads to buy and how many pounds of sausages to buy. Two things left hanging out of so much she, Maddy, Dylan and Byron had managed to organise wasn't so bad. In fact, it would have been damn nigh wonderful if they weren't the two most important things on this whole trip! No Tracey meant no tangible link to Hanson, and no Hanson. . . . "Needed some fresh air, hey?" * next morning, mad rush; waking Byron; Tracey arrives; mini-meeting; Byron driving Brodie & co over * the wait * Hanson shows; Hanson's perspective; T-Town's perspective; Ike briefly with group around BBQ; Zac with Bro while Tay joins in touch football (Tay & Kellie flirt outrageously, section ends with Bro joining in the game, Zac good-naturedly chasing her from the shack) * Byron and Lorri/Andrea leaving the four at the bus station – drives off, Maddy and Bro talking, bus shows, quick banter w/ Bro and Dylan – B: *smiles* "Let's go home,"