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going to stand and watch."
"You couldn't melt Randy Tyler and pour him on me. Bunch won't do nothing unless he's got half a dozen of his friends backing him up. If Trip and Gaylor get into it, well, so be it."
"He'll be all right once he sobers up."
"That's just it Momma, he ain't been sober in three months," said Buddy as he tied the top of the garbage bag together with a piece of string.

"But he's my husband. I can't just let you throw him out of his own house."
"He might have bought the house, but I put the roof on it while he laid up drunk. And I fixed the floors and the back porch and I crawled underneath it and fixed the busted pipes. I been buying groceries for the last six months while he spends his money on bootleg whiskey. No, he's gone he just don't know it yet."
"Don't do this. It ain't right."
"No, what ain't right is Susie and Corey and little Jim having to live like this. You're grown. You can decide for yourself to stay or to go, they can't.
"You know I can't leave my children."
"Then stay and take care of them, but he ain't coming back."
Buddy tossed the bag of clothes down the hallway towards the front door, turned and went to the dresser that held all the children's clothing. He opened the top drawer, took something out, put it into his pocket, and shut the drawer.
The children sat huddled on the bed, wrapped in an old quilt. Little Jim still sniffled occasionally, but Corey was almost asleep. Susie sat with her arms around both of them, big blue eyes fixed on Buddy.
Buddy crossed to the bed and knelt, putting his hand on Susie's head.
"I'll be back in a little while."
"I don't want you to get hurt," said Susie, her eyes filling up with tears.
"Hey, none of that. Ain't nobody going to hurt me."
"But momma said," Susie began.
"I ain't never lied to you have I? Ain't nobody going to hurt me, I promise."
Susie leaned forward letting her head drop to Buddy's shoulder. Buddy hugged her to him, then kissed her on the top of the head and stood up.
Marlene grabbed at Buddy's shirtsleeve as he turned to the door. Buddy stopped, looked at his mother then shrugged her hand off.
"You gotta make a choice Momma. The kids or him. And you gotta do it right now."
"I just can't."
"Yes you can. I'll be back directly. You can tell me then."

Learn more about this author, Don Barnhill AKA STRONGBOW.
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