"Mom, if you love me, you'll take me back to Richmond." John Curtis pleaded to his mother. They were outside in her car right outside the Walton House. They have been in the car for over an hour since John Curtis refused to get out of the car.

"I do love you. That's why I'm making you stay here this summer. Now. Get out of the car." commanded Mary Ellen. John Curtis groaned before exiting the car.

Once Olivia heard the car door shut she came outside. "I never thought you two were going to get out of that car." said Olivia before hugging Mary Ellen. She went to go give John Curtis a hug, but he pushed her away. His arms hurt, he knew his arms would hurt even more if he did hug her.

"Aren't you getting hot wearing those long sleeve shirts? Its summer time." Olivia asked John Curtis after noticing the long sleeved black shirt he was wearing. "Mama, that's the only thing he wears." said Mary Ellen. "That's okay. Cindy and I went and bought you some new clothes. Let's go out to the mill and see your daddy." said Olivia.

When they got to the mill they saw John, Ben, and Charlie. Charlie was the first person to notice them. "JOHN CURTIS!" Charlie yelled as he ran and gave his cousin a hug. "Cant breath." John Curtis uttered out. Ben pulled his son off of his nephew.

John went in for a hug, but John Curtis stopped him. He held out his hand. "I don't hug. I only hug Clay and Katie." said John Curtis. "Well Charlie, how about you and John Curtis talk here in the mill while Mama, Daddy, Mary Ellen, and I take John Curtis's bags in?" asked Ben. John Curtis was wanting to yell out no, but of course Charlie eagerly nodded his head.

Once everyone left Charlie started to talk while John Curtis looked around. "You don't talk much do you?" asked Charlie. John Curtis didn't reply. "I know you don't especially talk when the last thing Virginia said before she died was that she wanted to see you." said Charlie. "Shut up." said John Curtis getting mad. "Where were you when she wanted you? Huh? In the waiting room refusing to go in there!" yelled Charlie.

"I SAID SHUT UP!" John Curtis yelled before pushing his cousin out of the mill. Charlie fell onto the ground. "GRANDPA!" yelled Charlie. John, Olivia, Mary Ellen, and Ben ran outside right when John Curtis punched Charlie in his face.

John quickly pulled John Curtis off of Charlie. "What started this?" Ben asked. "He started talking about Virginia and he wouldn't shut up." said John Curtis. "Charlie you go in the house and John Curtis you take the truck and I need you to go pick up a package for me at Ike's. And I'm expecting you back.'' ordered John.


John Curtis got out of his grandpa's old truck in front of Ike's store to see a teenage boy and girl in a argument. "Leave me alone Colton!" yelled the girl. "You listen here Jamie. When I tell you to stop you stop! I'm your boyfriend and you do what I tell you to do!" yelled Colton. "I'm not your girlfriend anymore!" yelled Jamie.

Colton slapped her. "HEY!" John Curtis yelled as he ran up to them. "Who are you? Nice shoes. Let me guess. You some city boy?" asked Colton. "She told you to leave her alone." said John Curtis. "And what if I don't?" asked Colton. "You'll have to deal with me." said John Curtis. "I don't need this. Later city boy." said Colton as he walked away.

"Who was that guy?" asked John Curtis. "My ex-boyfriend. He's a jerk." said Jamie. "I can tell. I'm John Curtis Prescott." said John Curtis. "Jamie Godsey. I'm Ike and Corabeth's granddaughter." said Jamie.

"You must be Aimee's daughter." said John Curtis. "And you must be John Walton's grandson. He was telling grandpa that you were spending the summer down here." said Jamie. John Curtis nodded. "Why are you here with your grandparents?" asked John Curtis. "Momma died of breast cancer two years ago. Daddy got arrested and I was sent here." said Jamie. "I'm so sorry."


By the time John Curtis got back to his grandparents four hours later it was pouring down rain. He noticed that his mom was gone. He ran inside with John's package. "Where've you been?" asked John. "At Ike's. I was talking with Jamie." answered John Curtis. "John Curtis, supper's almost ready. I laid you out some new clothes. I want you to change before supper." ordered Olivia.

"I'm not going to change." said John Curtis rolling out his shirt sleeve. He gritted his teeth at the pain. Charlie's eyes shot out at John Curtis saying no to his grandma. "What did you say?" asked Olivia thinking that he would change his answer. "I said no." said John Curtis still messing with his sleeve. He stood up and started to walk to the living room

"Why wont you change? And why do you do you keep messing with your shirt sleeve?" asked Olivia as she, Ben, John, and Charlie walked after him. She grabbed his arm and pulled his shirt sleeve up. Their mouths dropped at the site of the many scars on his arm.

John Curtis had tears running down his face. "How did you get these?" asked John. "I did them." replied John Curtis. "When did you last do it?" John asked again. "At a gas station on the way here." replied John Curtis. "Why do you do these?" asked Olivia trying not to cry. "I just wanted the pain to go away grandma." said John Curtis hysterically crying.

She quickly pulled her eldest grandson into a hug. He cried into his grandmothers shoulder.


Charlie knocked on John Curtis's bedroom door. "Come in." John Curtis cried weakly. Charlie walked in. He was laying on the bed facing the wall. "Hey." said Charlie. John Curtis looked over his shoulder. "Hey." he said back. He sat up on the bed as Charlie sat next to him. "How long have you been cutting yourself?" Charlie asked.

"Since the accident." said John Curtis. "Since your and Virginia's car crash?" asked Charlie. John Curtis nodded as he started to cry again. His cousin pulled him in a hug.


Charlie and John Curtis walked down stairs to see Olivia on the phone and John and Ben standing in the living room. "Dad, can I spend the night here John Curtis?" asked Charlie. "So you two started out today wanting to kill each other and now you two are best friends?" asked Ben They both nodded. "I guess." said Ben. The boys smiled. "Here he is." said Olivia. She handed the phone to John Curtis.

He mouthed out who is it to his grandma. She mouthed back your momma. "Hello." said John Curtis. "How come you've been hurting yourself?" she asked obviously crying. "To make the pain go away." answered John Curtis calmly. "To make the pain go away? Therapy helps makes the pain go away." said Mary Ellen. "I don't want to fight with you. I didn't even want to talk to you." said John Curtis. He handed the phone back to Olivia.