24

"Now look what you did boy! You gone and tore up the dining room!" Charlie snapped. I took Thomas' hand and pulled at him.

"Thomas sit down." I replied but he would not move. He remained standing with a crazy look in his eyes. Ned and the rest of his family remained seated as they looked up at him.

"I am not suggesting anything new. This has been tradition in our family for years now." he said and I looked at Luda Mae to see her old jaw clenched. "You say… Tatianna is a part of this family, yet when come together to speak on truce and peace, you act surprised."

"Oh boy sit down." Charlie demanded. Thomas' chest heaved up and down before he slowly moved to sit down. The ground was wet and dirty from all the food on the ground.

"There is no way our son is marrying that thing." Leanne said, and I was too worried about Thomas to care about the insult thrown at me. I looked at Tom gauging his reaction and he was just watching Thomas carefully keeping his arms out in front of his mother and sister as if ready to shield them. Ned shrugged.

"Then we bury the hatchet right now. Everyone apologizes for what's been done or the marriage will become my only proposal to bury the hatchet." he said. Luda Mae and I looked at Charlie to see him leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms now as if thinking. He couldn't seriously be considering this proposal, could he?

"Well since your daughter was the one who started this entire thing, I suggest she be the first to apologize." He said.

"Now wait just a minute!" Leanne spat.

"I did nothing to her!" Mary Jo replied sharply. Charlie just remained calm and he let out an amused laugh.

"We're waiting." he said.

"My daughter isn't going to apologize she is the victim-"

"Leanne shut up! No more bitching from you! I am sick and tired of it!" Ned shouted catching his entire family off guard. He pointed to Mary Jo. "Say you're sorry so we can get the hell out of here or else we stay here and plan wedding dates!"

"Ned." Leanne started.

"I said shut it!" he snapped.

I tensed at the man's sudden burst of confidence and Luda Mae and I looked at Charlie once more who just nodded.

"Agreed." he said, and I winced as Thomas just stared maniacal daggers at Tom. His body was shaking uncontrollably now. It was as if he was ready to explode and I didn't blame him. Mary Jo just looked back at me now with a scowl and I knew she was trying her hardest to hold in her words.

"I'm sorry." she said through clenched teeth. I stared at her for a moment before looking back at Charlie who just motioned for me to say something back. I looked back at Mary Jo and shrugged.

"What are you sorry for?" I asked.

"Oh come on!" Leanne drawled and Ned pointed at her sharply to not speak. Mary Jo glared hard.

"Sorry for not bashing your cunt face in!" she said standing up from her chair and I was happy for her insult, I was ready for a fight. We both moved to grab each other only to be held back by Tom and Thomas.

"Ladies now is not the time! Mary Jo just say why you're sorry so we can end this!" Tom demanded as Mary Jo pushed at his face to be released. She had some strength on her. I couldn't even try and fight Thomas's hold because he was so large. Leanne stood up.

"Look at you Charlie you're not a man you can't even control your fucking dog!" she hissed acidly. Charlie's eyes widened and now he was on his feet.

"Screw you you stuck up racist bitch! Who do you think you are coming into my home like your queen of the underworld!" he yelled. Now the room was filled with shouting. Mary Jo and I were shouting and clawing at the men who held us so we could tear each other apart. Tom tried to reason with his sister, and Thomas was silent as he held me back. Tom finally looked at Thomas with frustration.

"Hey you want to actually help instead of just stand there!" he shouted. Thomas stared at him for with a hard glare before releasing me on both of them. I was so close before the sound of a shot gun went off into the ceiling causing everyone to freeze and look in the direction of the noise and there she was. Luda Mae standing at the doorway of the hall, with the large gun in her elderly hands. I looked up at the hole in the ceiling and now watched as she pointed it at Ned and his family.

"Get out of my house. There will never be peace between our families. NO GET OUT!" she screamed pointing the shot gun at them and the family raised their hands and made their way to the front door. I just watched as the shot gun followed the family out until they could no longer be seen. Charlie raised his hand carefully toward Luda Mae.

"Okay Momma… just put that gun away. Everyone's gone. You don't need that now." he said carefully. Luda Mae was huffing and puffing, tears falling down her face as she whimpered. The gun shook a bit with her unsettled body, but Charlie got the gun from his hand and held it tight.

"Tommy you help me clean this mess up." he said softly, his voice tired. I moved over to Luda Mae and wrapped my arms around her shoulders gently and she just cried and hugged me back.

"Those sons of bitches ruined my dinner." she sobbed, and I pet her hair gently and felt immediately guilty for how I acted.

"I'm sorry. I was acting like a child." I said and she looked at me shaking her head. Her eyes were soft through her glasses as she gently caressed my cheek.

"They insulted my baby and they are not welcome in this house ever again." she replied and I nodded softly and hugged her once more. Once Thomas flipped the table over he disappeared into the basement. The rest of us cleaned up the mess which took only an hour and a half to clean up. There was so much stew on the ground.

"What a shame. That was good meat too." Charlie had said before retiring to bed. Now the house was quiet and I knew Thomas had not come up from the basement. I moved down there to see what he was doing and I saw him sitting down on a large stood in front of a large work station covered in thread and skin and nails and I just stared at his back for a moment. I walked up to him and he continued to fiddle with the face of an unknown man he had skinned. I sighed and moved to look at him, my hand moving over his to stop him. His eyes remained on his hands before slowly meeting mine.

"You know Charlie would never marry me to that boy." I replied gently and he looked away his eyes showing he wasn't so sure. I looked him over before leaning forward to kiss his temple. "He wouldn't survive the first night with me." My voice was gentle and soft and this time he let out a gentle laugh. I could see his cheeks rising to reveal a smile.

"There's my smile." I replied kissing his temple and he leaned in to me.

"I would kill… anyone… who tried… to take you… from me." he said and I smiled at his words.

"And I would kill anyone who tried to hurt you." I promised and he smiled and removed his mask before leaning over and kissing me. I caressed his cheek as I felt his warm lips against mine. I moved back from him and smiled. "I'll be waiting for you in my bed. Don't be too long."

As I walked back upstairs and moved toward the stairs, I glanced outside and saw white falling around the house. I moved over toward the window, a small lamp illuminating my face and body. The snow had finally come. It's been forever since I have seen snow. I loved it. I saw Thomas's large body in the reflection of the window as he stood behind me. I knew he wouldn't stay down there too long and I smiled and looked up at him.

"Soon the ground will be covered in snow." I replied and his eyes just stared out the window in awe as he tilted his head some at the sky. I took his hand in mine and brought it to my lips. They were covered in blood from the mask he had downstairs. I kissed his knuckles and pulled him toward the stairs. He followed with question or hesitation. Remembering that Luda Mae didn't want her sheets dirty Thomas and I showered in our rooms before he came to visit me. We just lied in bed, curled up into each other. Thomas was calm, his heart beat was steady as I listened to it. I wondered if Tom or his family would come back here. I hoped not for their sake. I fell asleep on Thomas's chest and when I awoke the next morning, the room was white all around. I sat up and noticed Thomas was not here beneath me. I got up quickly and moved over to the window. There was a thin sheet of snow on the ground and it made me smile to see. I ran over to my closet where all of my clothes were now hung up in. I grabbed a beige dress and hose from the dresser and slid them all on. I then grabbed some snow boots Luda Mae had given to me a few weeks ago and moved down stairs. I was just seconds from the door knob.

"Tati is that you?" Luda called from the kitchen. I paused and looked down the hallway.

"Yes ma'am." I replied.

"Good. Breakfast will be ready in a moment." she called.

"Alright." I replied and stepped outside to see nothing but white. I gasped at the beautiful sight

"Well look who's up!" Charlie called from the side of the house. I moved over to the side and saw him in a sheriff's coat, but he was in some big hippy truck.

"What is that?" I asked and he smiled.

"My new ride. Isn't it grooooovy?" he asked and I chuckled and shook my head glancing toward the barn to see Thomas carrying what looked like two people on his shoulders into the barn. I bit the inside of my cheek and looked at Charlie.

"Don't we have enough meat to last us?" I asked and he huffed.

"You can never have too much meat now darlin'." he taught and I just nodded hoping we wouldn't have to kill anyone. We were bound to be caught if we were not careful. The air was colder than expected. I would need a jacket and so I moved back toward the house and went inside.

Normal POV

Charlie was examining the van that had a large peace sign on it. There was bound to be something he could find of use to the house. He heard an engine coming along and he lifted his head to see the familiar black car of Tom. Charlie sighed and shook his head before walking over toward the snowy street. He moved around the car toward the driver side where he leaned over into the window.

"Boy you must have some death wish coming back here. Momma sees ya she's not going to miss with that shot gun. So whatcha want Tomalyn?" he asked and Tom nodded.

"Yeah I know. But I came here to apologize on behalf of my mom and sister. You and I both know all the family gathers here at your place. Momma would lose her mind to know she wasn't welcome to the next get together." he said and Charlie nodded.

"Sure enough she would. Lord knows that woman likes to flaunt." he said. Tom nodded.

"Yes sir she does. Between you and me if the only way for peace is for me to marry your girl, I'd do it." he said and Charlie just gave him a suspicious look. He knew Tom when he was a fat child and laughed at his crush toward Tati. But Tati was a forced guest in their home and she had been trustworthy this entire time and if she was going to have to marry anyone it would be of her choosing.

"I bet you would. You already know that's signing a death warrant right there. All your ladies gotta do is come here and apologize for offending MY family. Then when it's all said and done, they'll be invited to all the family functions." he said before his eye hardened, "but you have until the snow clears up or else you and your family will be outcasts." Tom winced at his words but nodded.

"They'll apologize." he said and Charlie nodded with his usual grin.

"Well that's good to hear. Hope to see yall back over here soon then. I'll let momma know so she can leave the shot gun in the closet." he said with a laugh and moving back toward the house. Tom sighed and rolled the window up. As he did he caught sight of Thomas just standing there in front of the barn with a large meat hook in his hand. He just stared at Tom's car and Tom knew it was time to drive on and so he did. Thomas watched the car disappear and once it was gone, he moved back into the house looking for Tati. He moved upstairs to her room and knocked once only for the door to swing open with the force of his fist. And once the door was opened, Thomas eyes widened as he stared at the sight before him. Tati was on her back propped up on her elbows staring at Thomas with dark eyes. She was naked, legs wide open and waiting.

"I'm so cold Thomas. Help me get warm?" she asked innocently. Thomas's body was frozen for a split second before he entered the room and kicked the door behind him.