Chapter 2

Supper at the table that night was quiet at most. Lou watched as the boys talked like nothing was wrong. Jimmy right in the middle. Eli had crashed at the table. He was sitting sleeping in his chair with food still in his mouth. The girls were quiet and staring at their brother's and Daddy silently fuming. Lou stood and went to Eli. She woke him up and carried him over to the chair in the front living room. She had just eased him down when she heard it start.

"Dad, Hunter went into town and roughed up Billy." Annie said.

"No, I didn't." Said Hunter.

Lou took a deep breath and walked back into the dining room where they were all gathered. She sat back in her chair to finish eating.

"He didn't do no such thing." Said Lucas.

"You were with him!" Said Lori.

"No proof of that." Smiled Lucas while Hunter laughed.

Lou listened as the bickering started going around.

"How do y'all know that the boys weren't running an errand for me?" Asked Jimmy.

"Oh please. You probably sent them there!" Yelled Annie.

"Girls, just calm down." Said Jimmy.

Lou put her hands on her face. Such a wrong thing to say.

"Calm down! Hunter and Lucas just went and scared my boyfriend away! Now he won't have nothing to do with me cause of my crazy family!" Shrieked Annie.

"I didn't hurt him. I just had to make sure that he understood some things." Smiled Hunter.

"And you still ain't got no proof of that." Said Lucas still eating.

"Dad!" Screamed Annie.

"Quiet! You know how I feel about all this. Y'all are too young to be seeing anybody and that's it." Said Jimmy staring back at his teen daughters.

The girls slammed their forks down. They growled as they grabbed their skirts and ran upstairs. Lou put her fork down as well.

"Hunter, Lucas, your Dad and I need to have a talk."

"Uh oh." Smirked Hunter.

"Get. Now."

"Sorry." Whispered Lucas in his Dad's ear as he stood up.

The boys grabbed some rolls and left. Lou crossed her arms and stared across the table. Jimmy looked down at his food.

"What are you doing?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Jimmy mumbled still looking at his plate.

"Look at me."

Jimmy looked up and put his fork down. He eased back in his chair.

"You can't do this you know."

"Do what?"

"Don't play that with me. Those girls of yours are growing up and of course, you have to deal with new friends."

"No, I ain't gotta deal with nothing. They can court when they are twenty five."

"Seriously. You're gonna say that. Were you twenty five?"

"I'm a boy. It's different."

"No it ain't. You can't act like this. I can understand if the boy is bad or trouble but you can't just chase off every single one. People think we are crazy."

"Good."

She stood and sat closer. She looked in his face.

"You are gonna stop right now so life can get back to normal around here. You're also gonna set those two mini yous straight. You're gonna apologize to your daughters and give them some freedom. Understand."

"Lou."

"It ain't that hard, Jimmy."

"It is. What if I let them see boys and something happens? How can I trust some boy?"

"You have to trust your girls. We raised strong girls, Jimmy. We have to trust them and if something comes up then guide them in the right direction."

"I don't know."

"Well, I do. It's time. Lucas has been sweet on girls."

"But he's a boy. I talked with him about, you know. Things."

"Let our girls have some freedom. A dance is coming up in a month. It'll be a great time for you to practice and still be there to watch over them. Let them dance and have fun. I'll have that talk with them. Don't worry so much."

"You know how young boys are."

"Don't I know it." Smiled Lou.

"That ain't helping."

"Jimmy. Let them court. It will make everyone happy. I will keep up with them. I promise."

"Ok. I'll talk to the boys."

"Thank you." Lou leaned down and kissed him.

Jimmy closed his eyes still feeling the electricity between them. He pulled her on his lap. She laughed.

"Now you better break up your little gang you got going on before I do it. You didn't think that I didn't know about you boys working together. Now get. I got to clean up this mess." She said as she kissed him again and stood.

Jimmy smiled as he slapped her behind as she jumped up. She turned back around.

"First, clean up that little hellion of yours in the other room. Then handle those other two."

"Yes, ma'am." Jimmy said walking to gather Eli.