Authors note, Ok guys, I'll try and un-complicate things. Bear with me. I'm a big fan of making things worse. Hopefully this chapter will clarify a little.

To my surprise the house was empty except for McKnight by the time I got home.

He was putting a rug on the holes in the floor. He looked up at me as I closed the door, "Diana told me to fix the holes."

Speaking of Diana, I stated, "Her car's gone."

McKnight nodded while he adjusted the rug, "She got called in to work." He wasted no time in his next question, "Who was the kid?"

I fell back against the door, tired. "Bryan Gibson."

"I know his fucking name. Why was he in this house? What's he? Your cousin, brother, uncle?"

I didn't bother to ask how McKnight knew the kids name. He was buddy buddy with all the M.P.s on the whole damn base. "Brother and I don't know why he was in here. Lookin for something I guess."

Happy with the rug McKnight stood and looked me in the eye, "No shit."

I didn't elaborate so he asked, "Where'd you take him?"

I didn't say home. This house was my home. That kid lived up yonder in a mansion. "Up in Sandy Creek."

McKnight's mind was piecing all this shit together.

"His daddy wouldn't be the Gibson that lives up there? The same Gibson that was a Supreme Court Judge? The same Gibson that's looking to be the next Senator of this state?"

I nodded, "Yeah." I either needed a drink or I needed to go to bed.

A drink, a beer sounded very nice. And maybe a smoke. Yes, a beer and a smoke. I pushed myself off the door and headed for the kitchen. McKnight followed me, "What the hell were they doing in here?"

How the hell should I know?

I walked through the messy kitchen and opened the fridge, McKnight closed it, "Hoot?"

Just the way he said my name, it pissed me off. I turned and glared at the man who was a foot from me. "I told the damn man to leave me alone. Aight? I told him he didn't have'ta worry bout me ruinen his damn life. I ain't gonna be a damn skeleton."

McKnight listened and seemed to take a lot from my rant. He thought it over with his hand on the fridge, "A skeleton? So he's worried about you and your brother and mother fucking his life up."

"I guess. But I ain't never seen the man b'fore tonight. So he ain't got nothin to worry about."

"Well politicians are fucked in the head so don't worry about it Hoot."

I nodded, I knew it was true. But I ain't never been called a fucking skeleton before.

"The man say anything else?" McKnight asked.

My mind had already forgotten about the beer. I shook my head, "The kid told me bout that. The man was more surprised then anything to see me. I had enough of his shit, I'd like to get sent out just to get the hell away from him."

McKnight listened, actually listened. Just like Diana did. Now I knew where she got it from. It was as if the man could translate my rants. "He's tried to get a hold of you before?"

I nodded.

McKnight waited till I had no choice but to tell him, "He's been callin me on base here and in Africa. Damn man ran into Diana in the food store."

McKnight raised his eyebrows, "You're not supposed to use your judge position to get classified military phone numbers."

Yeah but shit happened.

"Maybe I'll luck out and the man'll file a restrainen order against me."

McKnight raised both his eyebrows at me.

"I punched him," I told McKnight.

That impressed McKnight, "You punched your own daddy?" I made a face at the word he used. McKnight noticed, "Well Hoot, would you mind elaborating? Just so I can explain your behavior when I'm called to court as your character witness."

No longer interested in the beer, I stepped back and hopped on the counter. My legs hung off the edge but didn't reach the floor. McKnight crossed his arms and waited ever so patiently. Almost like a Nazi interrogation.

"That man, Thad Gibson, Judge or whatever left my Momma when I was little, I don't remember him. He pretty much left us in a shitbox. Momma raised the three of us best she could and he ain't never wanted anything to do with us since then. He's been callin Albert and me for the past few months. I guess to make sure we don't ruin his new life, with his new family an shit."

A wife you left to fend on her own with three small boys was a big damn skeleton in the closet. I began to swing my legs at the thought.

McKnight shook his head, "When my wife died Diana was the only thing that kept me sane. I could never imagine just leaving her….even when I had to to go out I left her with Grandparents, and that broke my heart."

I actually smiled, I could understand that.

My father was a entirely different matter.

McKnight stood straight and told me, "Go to bed, I'll make some calls and look into this shit."

Apparently my surprise was apparent on my face.

"Well by the looks of it your going to be my damn son-in-law. So I don't want these asshole relatives of yours bothering us." McKnight told me.

I could feel the love.

"Thanks," I told him.