Adam McFadden gazed down at the truck. "Well, that might finish the old girl off." He said to Crane.
"She's tough as they come." Crane responded with a shrug. "Daddy wrote her off more times than I can count, but somehow we always got her put back together."
"You fellas need a hand?" They both turned their heads as Pete Branton paused in his pickup alongside them. He was the 5th person to ask if they needed help.
"No, thanks." Crane answered. "We are just waiting on Billy."
"Alright, then. Tell Brian to take it easy." He tipped his hat and drove away.
"Well, I guess there's no secrets now." Adam said looking at his younger brother.
"It's a pretty small town, Adam." Crane pointed out. "There never have been."
"True that."
"What about Hannah?" Crane asked.
"Well, I dunno. She was too worried to be mad last night, and is inching her way back to feeling okay about Katy, but I don't know how she's gonna manage her rage." He sighed. "I don't know how I'm gonna manage mine."
"I don't understand it. Why would he just leave her?" Crane shook his head. "The only thing I can figure is that he was drinking and got . . ."
"I don't care how it happened." Adam said, his voice filled with rage. "I don't give a damn about that." He paused, trying to calm himself. "Look, you know I love Brian. He's my brother. But this . . . this I cannot ignore. I can't look past it."
"No." Crane agreed. "We can't."
"Hannah, can't even . . .she's got the most loving heart, you know that, but she's got a temper too. And there's no way he can just come back into the house like it was just another stupid mistake. Katy could've . . ." He turned away. "I can't talk about this. I get too angry and there's nothing to be done."
"There is something to be done." Crane insisted. "You know it."
"Crane, lay off. I didn't get any sleep last night."
"And you won't get any sleep tonight, either, I imagine. It doesn't change things. He's in trouble, and pretending he's not hasn't done us any good. We need to do something."
"Yeah, but I can't . . ." Adam turned back to face Crane. "It's my fault anyway. I pushed him to hard. He was sixteen goddamn years old. I didn't explain things or ask him how he was doing. I just expected him to drop everything and . . ."
"You were seventeen goddamn years old." Crane pointed out. "No one asked you, either. Whatever you think you owe him, he owes you back times 1,000,000. You've bailed him out more times than I probably even know. But covering things up for him hasn't worked, and it's too late for that now. You are right. Hannah's as sweet as honey, and she genuinely loves him - though I can't figure why, but this isn't something that can be easily forgiven. It shouldn't be easily forgiven. Maybe the best thing we can do for him, is the hardest thing, too. He has to face it."
"Let's just get this truck out of the ditch." Adam said, seeing Jimmy pull up with his tow truck. "One damn problem at a time, okay?"
"Right." Crane nodded his head, but he reached out squeezing his older brother's shoulder.
***7***
Brian awoke with a throbbing headache, and sat up to discover he was in the holding cell at Murphy's, again. He glanced around to see if Miguel was locked up, too, but found he was alone. He and Miguel were usually the only occupants.
"Just me today?" He asked expecting to see Officer Donovan, the usual man assigned to the cell but was surprised to see Sheriff Taylor Jackson.
"Just you." Taylor told him.
"Miguel must be out of town." Brian looked up at the sheriff. "I don't suppose you could get me a cup of that." He indicated the coffee cup in Taylor's hand.
"Feeling bad?" The sheriff asked, taking a long sip of coffee.
"Not great." He shrugged, and offered his usual boyish, charming grin. "I'm surprised I'm here without Miguel. That old drunk . . ."
"Right. He's the drunk."
"You know you could bring me that coffee and things would be a little easier to take just now."
"I could." He paused. "What do you remember?"
"Oh, Lord." Brian moaned. "Where's Bill? He's usually here, and he just hands me a cup of coffee and lets me be."
"You crashed the truck."
"Great." Brian said. "I guess I had one beer too many."
"Your blood alcohol level was a lot higher than that." The Sheriff Jackson told him.
"How about that coffee?" Brian asked.
"Later."
"Look, I can see you got it in your mind to give me some lecture, but I was just . . . it had been a long hot day, and I probably didn't eat enough. It happens. I didn't realize that I was a little bit more worse for wear than I thought."
"What were you doing before you went driving?" Taylor asked.
"What do you mean? I was home." Brian rubbed the back of his neck. "Look, I got a pretty terrible headache just now, and I appreciate your concern, but . . ."
"You weren't babysitting?"
Brian looked up surprised. He could feel the color drain from his face, and his heart began to pound. He tried to think back over the night before but everything was jumbled and blurry. "No, Daniel was and then . . . I wouldn't ever . . . And Adam and Hannah were home, anyway and . . ."
"Look, I'm gonna get you that cup of coffee, and you can sit here and trying and work it all out. But you aren't getting bailed out this time. That might give you a clue to what you can't or won't remember just now. And I'm not some kind of monster, either, who leave you to suffer and wonder. You just gotta ask and I'll tell you about your niece."
"She wasn't in the truck?" Brian stood up gripping the bars of the cell. "I didn't bring her with me?"
"Nope." Sheriff Jackson said before turning away. "You didn't, thank God, I guess. She's safe now."
"What do you mean now?" Brian asked him. "What happened? I didn't take her."
"No, you didn't. You left her behind. Alone."
Brian stumbled backwards landing on the dirty floor of the jail cell unable to move or speak.
***7***
Guthrie leaned against the counter, waiting as Marley rang up Mr. Anderson's groceries. He couldn't help but grin as she worked. She was really pretty and he loved the way she would crinkle up her nose as she punched the buttons on the cash register.
"Have a great day." She told him, handing him his bags of groceries. They watched him leave and she turned back to Guthrie. "Everyone is talking about it."
"Well, it doesn't help that the truck is smashed right in front of Mrs. Tulley's yard."
"Another foot to the left, and it would be smashed in her living room. What are you going to do Guth?" She peered at him with beautiful, dark brown eyes.
"Me, nothing." He shrugged. "The question is what are the brother's gonna do."
"But Katy is fine?"
"Yeah. I don't think Adam and Hannah will be able to leave her with any of us anytime soon. She starts wailing if Hannah walks out of the room for a second. It is kind of . . ." He struggled here.
"It has to be just awful. Have you talked to her about it? She's got to be so furious."
"No, we dont', I mean, you know how it is."
"I bet you bring her tea every ten seconds, though." She smiled at him, and he smiled back knowing she did understand him.
"I get it, Guth. I know words aren't your thing, but sometimes a girl appreciates a guy trying to say the things he can't say." She raised an eyebrow at him.
"I guess." He shrugged. "It won't change anything though. Everything is pretty much a mess."
"What's gonna happen?" She asked again.
"I really don't know. He can't just come home. There's no way that's gonna happen. I'm too angry so I can't imagine how Adam and Hannah feel. And things are really screwed up." He sighed again. "Let's eat dinner at your house tonight?"
She smiled at him, and shook her head. "Sorry. I'm working until 7. Beside you can't avoid it. And anyway, you know Hannah needs you."
"I guess. I'm not looking forward to it. When's Mr. Danner come back from lunch? How long can I hang out here?"
"Not long enough." She said smiling at him sadly.
***7***
Home was tense. He felt it as soon as he walked in the door. He had seen the truck in the barn, and knew that Daniel was trying to put it back together. He could hear the banging sounds as Daniel hammered out the front fender. He went into the kitchen and found Hannah at work at the stove. Katy clapped her hands from her playpen and called out, "Gutty!"
"Hey kid." He said lifting her up as she clung to his neck. "You watching Mama cook?" He kissed her cheek, trying not to think of her alone in the dark kitchen.
"You are home late." Hannah said.
"I stopped by the store." He told her.
"How is Marley?" She asked with a smile.
"Don't tease." He said, blushing. He sat down at the table with Katy on his lap. "Can I give her a banana?"
"That's fine."
"Do you need help with supper?" He asked, as he broke off pieces of banana feeding it to his niece. He was surprised when instead of responding, Hannah sat down at the table in the chair to his right.
"Guthrie," She began, her dark blue eyes serious.
"Hannah, we don't need to . . ."
"Oh, I think we do." She interrupted. "This stressful for everyone. These are your brothers, and your house."
"Yours, too." He responded fiercely.
"I know that." She said. "But I know you are worried, but you don't have to do chores and watch me, all the time. I am alright."
"No, you aren't. No one is." He said angrily. "You don't tell lies, Hannah. Don't start now."
"No, that's not what I mean. I mean, we will find a way to be okay. Things are just really bad right now, and I know it causes you stress. You can talk to me."
He sighed. "I know that." He said softly.
"Okay." She said reaching across the table and rubbing a hand across his cheek. She rose and went back to the stove. "There are brownies if you can't wait until supper." She told him.
Guthrie sat where he was. He felt miserable. He watched his niece gleefully devour the banana, smiling as she did. He could see Hannah, out of the corner of his eye, cheerfully making dinner for him and all his brothers - well, all but one of his brothers. He wondered about Brian, too - alone at the jail. He felt such a conflicting mix of rage, grief and love. He rose suddenly, and kissing Katy's forehead lowered her back into the playpen, handing her a toy as he did. Immediately distracted, she turned away from him. He stood where he was for along moment - Katy beside him in the playpen, and Hannah, her back to him at the stove.
He took a step forward, nervously, and standing to the right of Hannah said, more forcefully than he intended, "He's a drunk and I'm so sorry that Ford and I left. I would never, ever, EVER leave Katy alone. And I can't . . . I don't want to see him. I'm too . . . Hannah?" He stopped as dropping the spoon in her hand, she covered her face with her hands, crying. "Hannah, I'm sorry." Maybe Marley was wrong. Maybe talking was a bad idea.
Hannah turned and wiping her face with a towel, wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a tight hug. "I know that Guth. You love Katy and if your brother had been thinking clearly he would say the same thing. You know he loves this family." She pushed back but kept her hands on his arms. "I am angry, too and I am so scared to think what will happen when I do see him, or when your brother sees him. But he's in trouble. He's been in trouble for a long time."
"Yeah." Guthrie agreed. He dipped his head low, embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry."
She smiled up into his face, he was taller than her now. "Oh, well, I can cry all the time nowadays." She shrugged. "And I was crying because you are such a good brother to me." She kissed his cheek and releasing him, turned back to the stove. "Go on, and have a brownie."
"Yes, ma'am." He responded, but paused to kiss her cheek before darting out of the kitchen and across the yard. Adam had joined Daniel and they were both staring at the truck.
"Has it breathed its last?" He asked them.
"Too soon to tell." Daniel told him. "I think I can put her back together."
"If you can't, no one can." Adam said, reaching out and ruffing Daniel's hair, as Daniel ducked trying to avoid it. "What you doing? Chores?"
"Bout to start. Checked in on the girls first." He grinned.
"Stole a brownie is more like it." Adam said with a smile. "They doing alright?"
"Hannah's cooking." Guthrie shrugged. "I'm gonna check on that baby goat first. He said turning to leave them. "Ford is still in town. He's got a late tutoring session."
"If Mike graduates, it will be because of Ford's hard work." Daniel said.
"If Mike graduates, it will be a miracle." Guthrie laughed. "Tell Hannah I won't be late."
Adam nodded and then turned back to Daniel. "Alright, just let me know what you need. Hopefully, it won't break the bank."
"At least there is a bank these days." Daniel offered.
"Proof that miracles exist. I guess there's hope for Mike then." Adam left Daniel to his work, and crossed the yard taking the back steps two at a time. He entered the kitchen to find Hannah on the phone.
"Dada!" Katy stood up, her arms lifted up to him. He scooped her up, kissing her cheek. "Katybug!" He said and danced with her in the kitchen.
"No." Hannah said into the phone. "I already told you."
Adam turned to her, his eyes wide with concern at her tone of voice. "What?" He asked but she brushed him aside. "I know you only get the one call. We've done this before."
"Give me the phone." He commanded, his voice filled with rage. She stepped back, her face white and handed him the phone, lifting Katy out of his arms as she did.
"I got like a minute left. I know I screwed up Hannah, but you guys can't leave me here to rot until Monday."
"Tuesday." Adam barked into the phone.
"Adam? What . . .Hey, man I was just calling to say how sorry I was and to . . ."
"To ask her to bail you out again. Why'd you call now? You know what time it is - you know we'd all still be out. You selfish bastard! You counting on her forgiving heart? You can stay where you are until your hearing on Tuesday."
"Adam, look, I . . ."
"Maybe you can sober up, for goddamn once. Don't you call us and you leave her the hell alone." He wanted to slam the phone through the wall, but instead hung it gentle on the hook. His movements, and his rage, highly controlled. He stood where he was, facing the phone, his back to her for a long moment, just trying to breathe.
"Well," He said, turning around to face her, trying to keep his voice light and cheerful. "You need help with supper?"
She opened her mouth to speak, stunned, and then shook her head, saying nothing at first and then finally managed. "I . . . I . . . could use a . . . nice tomato or two."
"Alright, Katy and me, will find you one. Right, Katybug?" He lifted his daughter out of his wife's arms, and fought the strong desire to pull her in close. He wasn't ready to talk and knew he couldn't trust himself to even meet her eyes directly, let alone allow himself to take comfort in the familiarity of her soft embrace. "Your pot's boiling." He said softly, nodding at the stove behind her.
"Oh," She turned from him, her attention diverted, and it was only as he reached the door, that she looked up saying softly, "Adam . . ."
"Later, sweetheart." He responded, his voice suddenly husky. "Let's have a nice dinner first."
She nodded, understanding, and he felt himself relax slightly. In spite of all his anger, confusion, guilt, frustration, and sorrow, he felt deep comfort that she not only loved him, but knew him well and understood him. He set Katy down in the garden, and holding his hand, he led her to find the brightest, reddest tomato they could. It was the very least he could do for his sweet wife.