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No Bully Tolerance

Nova POV:

I knew that I couldn't go to Vera's since she'd side with Cap and I couldn't go to Johnse's since he had too many people as it is in his house, so I did the only thing I could do: I called my uncle. "Can I come over, stay a night or two?" I asked Uncle Perry as soon as he picked up his phone while I drove down the stretch of road that'd take me to the Tug Fork Bridge.

"No." Was my uncle's one-worded answer. One that I wasn't expecting either, by the way.

"No?" I parroted in disbelief.

"No. Roseanna's feelin' poorly and after the role you had in Sarah Elizabeth's custody debacle, well I can't have you in my house right now."

"But, Uncle Perry, I don't have anywhere else to go right now." I protested, hoping against hope that he'd have a change of heart and invite me to stay at his house for the night.

"Either call up Tolbert and see if he'll fix up his spare room or call up the Pikeville Hotel and see if they have any vacancies." My uncle told me in a professional business type tone before telling me, "Goodbye, see you in court.", and hanging up on me.

Damnit, how could he do that to me? My own goddamn uncle just dismissed me like I was some lowlife trash or something. Hell…

As I continued on my way to the Tug Fork Bridge and in extension Kentucky, I debated over the choices my uncle gave me. Either I go to Tolbert for help or to a crappy hotel, that was it. I didn't want to go to some small town hotel and get gossiped about considering that most of Pikeville was crammed into the courtroom today and heard Bud's testimony. Going to Tolbert's seemed like a logical solution, plus I'd be able to talk to him some more about his case and the legal papers he'd given me earlier.

Making up my mind, I quickly scrolled down my contacts list and pressed Tolbert's name. After a few rings he answered with a simple, "'Hey, Ella."

"Tolbert, I need to ask you for a favor." I nervously told him.

"Sure. Go 'head."

"I got into it with Cap and walked out. My uncle won't let me crash at his place, so-" I began to tell Tolbert only for him to cut me off with, "Ya can come ov'r. Just do me a favor an' pick up Sally Elle from school on yer way."

"Um, okay."

"Also, swing by the pizza parlor an' pick up an order. I'll call it in; pay for it ov'r the phone too wit' my card."

"Okay…"

"I'll let'cha go since yer drivin', but Ella, we're gonna be havin' some serious talks when ya get 'ere." Tolbeert told me before hanging up. Oh lord, I can just imagine what he'll want to talk about.

When I pulled up to the elementary school in Pikeville the pickup line was insane. I mean the thing wrapped around the school and down a couple of streets. Ah, the joys of having a school right in the middle of downtown. I listened to Blake Shelton croon out of my speakers as I slowly inched along with the pickup line. God's Country had just ended whenever I came to a stop at the curb where teachers were shoveling kids into cars. A teacher opened up my truck door and asked, "Student you're here for?"

"Sally Elle McCoy." I simply told the teacher, causing the woman to turn around and shout for Sally Elle. A few moments later the little girl came walking up to the curb. Looking at the woman, I told her, "Put her in the back, please. She's too little for up front."

The woman just slammed the front door shut and opened up my truck's back door. Sally Elle batted the teacher's hand away, refusing her help, and climbed up into the backseat of my truck while giving me a simple, "Hi, Ella."

"Goodbye." The teacher said, slammin' my door shut.

Looking at Sally Ell via my rearview mirror while pulling away from the curb, I smiled, "Hi, Sally Elle."

She was on the verge of tears as she asked in a panic, "Where's poppy?"

"He's at home. He just asked me to pick you up since I was on my way to town."

Sitting back in her seat, she let out a sigh before remarking, "Oh, so I'm not orphan'd yet?"

What the hell? "Why're you askin' that for, sweetie?"

"Cause BobbyJo says that when poppy goes t'jail I'll be 'lone an' orphan'd." Sally Elle told me in a tone that was too informative for my liking.

Looking into my rearview mirror, I asked the sweet redhaired girl, "Did you tell the teacher, Mrs. Bray, 'bout what BobbyJo said?"

"Yes." Sally Elle simply nodded.

"And did BobbyJo get in trouble for bullyin' you?" I asked, hoping that the brat had to take a trip to the principal's office or had to sit out of recesses or something.

"No, she didn't." What the hell? Oh no, no no no, that's not flyin' with me. Without even thinking, I quickly turned the truck around and barreled back towards the school. I was going to have a word with Mrs. Bray about her bitch of a student pickin' on Sally Elle. "Where we goin'?"

"Back to school. I need to talk to your teacher 'bout BobbyJo." I told the little girl in the backseat of my truck as I pressed the gas pedal a little bit harder than I should've.

"Oh no…" Sally Elle sighed, looking a bit worried that my meddling was going to make the bullying worse.

"Don't worry, honey, once I'm done talkin' with your teacher BobbyJo won't be mean to you anymore." I assured the cute little girl with wild red curls, giving her a comforting look via the review mirror, as I quickly turned into the school.

"Okay." Sally Elle nodded as I pulled into a parking space.

Quickly, I turned off the truck, got out, and then took Sally Elle out of the backseat. Holding her tiny little hand, I walked us up to the school. None of the teachers on pickup line duty said a word, just stared at me. I reckon the look on my face portrayed that I was pissed. Since I didn't see Mary Bray in the pickup section, I figured that she was in her class cleaning up or something. So, I went to the classroom looking for her. Just like I thought, she was inside cleaning the desks off with some Clorox wipes whenever I opened the door and walked into the room.

"Mary, we need to talk." I told my old high school friend as I walked further into the room.

Mary jumped up, slightly started at hearing my voice. "Oh, I wasn't aware that you were pickin' up Sally Elle today." She told me, her eyes going between me and the little girl by my side.

"Yes, well, since I was in town Tolbert asked me to." I told her before telling her the real reason why I was standing in her classroom. "As soon as Sally Elle got into my truck, she told me about a little girl named BobbyJo picking on her. That she told you, but you didn't do anything about it."

"I talked to BobbyJo and she assured me she was just teasin' and playin' with Sally Elle." Mary told me, wiping off a desk, and acting like her student being a bully brat wasn't that big of a deal.

"Bullshit, that little bully girl wasn't just teasin' and playin'. She told Sally Elle that she was gonna be an orphan cause Tolbert's goin' to jail." I seethed, pissed that my old friend didn't view the bullying situation for what it was.

Moving to another desk to sanitize, Mary Bray told me, "That's not bullyin', that just BobbyJo repeating something truthful she heard at home."

I tilted my head at her and scoffed, "Oh my god, are you kidding me? You don't view that as bullying?"

"I'll talk to her about being more aware of how words, even truthful ones, can hurt other people's feelings."

"These are pre-k kids, Mary; they shouldn't be talking about anything related to Tolbert's trial. It's off limits for kids."

A fake line of a smile appeared on her face as Mary told me in a passive aggressive tone, "Novella, I'm touched that you're so concerned about Sally Elle, but you're not her parent. Tolbert is; he's the one that should be talking to me about anything."

I narrowed my cornflower blues at my old friend while telling her with a hard edge to my voice, "Well, according to some pre-k brat, he'll be in jail soon and then I'll be her legal guardian so you better talk to me about Sally Elle and listen to me when I say you better take care of the bullying problem with BobbyJo cause if not then I'll go straight to the Principal and raise a fuss about having you fired for not complying with the no bully tolerance policy."

Mary nodded before assuring me in a slight stutter, "I'll call up BobbyJo's parents and talk to them about their daughter's behavior."

"You better or you'll be out of a job. I'd hate for that to happen." I told Mary before turning my back to her and walking off. Right as I reached the door, I looked over my shoulder and told her, "Oh, Mary, when you get home ask Ransom about Bud's testimony. I think he'll tell you something very jaw dropping about it." I didn't even wait for her to respond, just opened the door and ushered Sally Elle out of it.

"Y'sure did tell 'er off, Ella." Sally Elle told me in an awed tone, looking up at me with a sparkle in her blue eyes, as we walked down the hall.

"Yea, I know." I nodded. "Let's go pick up some pizza and get you home. Okay?" I suggested with a smile as my heels echoed off the tile floor of the vast hallway.

"Okay." Sally Elle agreed, a large bright smile plastered over her face.

"Poppy, poppy! Ella told Mrs. Bray off cause she didn't do nothin' when BobbyJo bullied me t'day." Sally Elle blurted out as she ran into the house.

"What?" Tolbert asked, looking from his daughter over to me as I walked into his house, carrying a large box of pizza in one hand and a little backpack in the other.

"Some girl named BobbyJo told Sally Elle that she was gonna become an orphan so I talked to her teacher about the problem." I explained to Tolbert, shutting the door and hanging up Sally Elle's backpack up on the wall hook. I also hung up my purse before dropping my duffle on the floor.

"Great, now yer defendin' both me an' my kid." Tolbert mumbled as his daughter took a seat on the couch.

"Well, if worse comes to worse and we can't beat this case she becomes mine so…" I trailed off, making my way across the living room and to the kitchen so that I could put the pizza up.

"How'd yer husband take it?" Tolbert asked, following me into the kitchen.

"Not well." I sighed, placing the pizza box on the counter. Turning to Tolbert, I honestly told him, "I'm not sure my marriage can survive me mothering Sally Elle. Cap's a hard man, he's refusing to raise her or give you a deal and I'm refusing to turn my back on her if and when she needs me."

"Reckon he reacted like that, or else ya wouldn't 've called needin' a place t'stay."

I leaned against the counter and sighed, "Yea…like I said earlier my uncle said no. He's still made at me about the Sarah Elizabeth custody thing."

"It is what it is I reckon." Tolbert shrugged. Going to a cabinet and taking some plates out, he revealed, "What you did for my girl today's why I picked ya t'care for her if I can't." Bringing the plates over to where the pizza box was at, he went on to say, "I know ya'd treat her good, make sure she grows up right, an' don't feel 'lone." Of course, I would. She's just a little girl. Opening up the pizza box, to reveal a half-pepperoni half-cheese pizza, he started to plate the food while telling me. "Yer the only one that can raise 'er up an' understand 'er cause ya've been thru it. Ya were raised by yer uncle, not a parent, so ya understand who she'd feel not havin' me 'round no mores."

"Cap wants me to pressure you into finding somebody else to give Sally Elle to, but I can't do that. Especially after the speech you made." I told Tolbert as he took the plates over to the table.

"I don't want Sally Elle growin' up like I did. Poppy's a good poppy, but he's quick wit' a belt an' I ain't havin' my girl grow up bein' beat for stupid shit like I did." Tolbert told me as he went over to the fridge, grabbing some cans of pop. Closing the fridge walking away from it, he told me, "Our views o'child raisin's diff'rent. He thinks I spoil Sally Elle too much while I think he's too stern of a parent."

"Well, Ole Randall's not one to give out bear hugs, high fives, or 'I love yous' so…" I told Tolbert as a way to break some of the tension that was filling up the kitchen when it came to the subject of Randall's parenting.

"Yea, which is why I ain't lettin' 'im raise my kid." Tolbert deadpanned, placing the pop cans on the table next to the pizza plates. "Sally Elle, dinner time!" Tolbert called out before going over to the paper towel holder to grab some napkins.

As I made my way over to the table and sat down Sally Elle came running into the kitchen. She took her seat, looking excited to be having pizza, as Tolbert came over to the table. He handed out the napkins before taking his own seat.

For some reason, sitting at the table for pizza dinner with Tolbert and Sally Elle felt normal. I dunno, maybe in a way it was. Maybe watching Tolbert and Sally Elle interacting as a small family unit on pizza night'll help me fight harder for his freedom.

Nancy POV:

After dinner I sent my children off to go play while I cleaned up. My husband was in the kitchen with me, just sittin', since I asked him to stay. We needed to talk about what happened today in court. "Frank, what'd you think about Bud sayin' Nova married Cap to help my cousins' case?" I asked, washing a serving dish.

Sitting at the breakfast bar, my husband nodded, "Think it makes sense. She can butter up the fog-eye bein' married to him better then not." As I rinsed off the serving dish, he added in, "Plus, she can rummage thru his files and see what he's planning."

Shaking my head, I chuckled incredulously, "Hell, if Bud's words are true then Nova's more shrewd and calculatin' then I thought.", as I scrubbed another platter.

"She was a lawyer in Baltimore, had t'be smart and tough to make it on her own two-feet their I reckon." Frank told me, making a valid point. Coming from Appalachia I reckon she did have to fight her way to acceptance in the city.

"She better know what she's doin' and get Pharmer and Tolbert off. Hell, Tolbert's a dad; he can't afford to be locked up." I told my husband, placing the platter aside on a drying rack before grabbing another dish to wash.

Frank opened his mouth to say somethin', but closed it as soon as his phone went off. He took his phone out of his pocket and looked at it. "It's Ransom. Might be somethin' 'bout the Sherriff's campaign." He told me 'fore answering it and steppin' into the other room.

Bad Frank POV:

"Ransom, got campaign news for me?" I asked my detective partner as soon as I answered my phone.

"No. Gotta tell ya what happen t'my wife today."

"Why? Is it important?" I asked, hoping it wasn't somethin' stupid that'd make me lose time I'd never be able to get back.

"Yes, it's important. Least I think so." Ransom told me, soundin' like he was ready to blurt out whatever he had to say.

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I relented in a sigh, "A'ight, go on then."

In one large breath, Random rambled, "Mary told me that Nova picked up Sally Elle today; came bargin' into her classroom raisin' hell 'bout RJ Williamson's lil girl pickin' on Tolbert's girl. She was fiercely protective of the lil girl; even said if god forbid she couldn't win Tolbert's case then she'd be Sally Elle's legal guardian cause that's the arrangement her an' Tolbert's got. Told my wife to ask me 'bout Bud's testimony too."

"Ah…seems that maybe Bud's right. Miss Nova's outwittin' and outplayin' 'em demon Hatfields with her womanly charms. If not, she wouldn't be fiercely protective of Sally Elle; Tolbert wouldn't trust her wit' his girl either."

"Yea, changes everythin' we know don't it, boss?"

"That it does, Ransom." I nodded in agreement even tho I was on the phone. "I need'a go tell Nancy 'bout this. See ya t'morrow for campaign work."

"Sure thing, boss."

I hung up my phone and pocketed it before walkin' back into the kitchen. Nancy was finishin' up with the dishes as I came to a stop by her side. "Ransom told me somethin' interestin' 'bout Nova." I told my wife.

Lookin' over her shoulder at me while dryin' a dish, she asked, "What'd he say?"

Leanin' 'gainst the counter, I informed my wife of my conversation. "His wife told him that your cousin sent Nova to pick up his daughter. Furthermore, Nova had some words with Mary 'bout the lil Williamson girl bullyin' Sally Elle; even went as far t'say that if Tolbert loses his case then she'll become the girl's legal guardian."

Closing the cabinet after puttin' the last dish up, Nancy shook her head and chuckled incredulously, "Goddamnit, she's been tryin' to protect my cousin this whole time in her own shrewd way. I know my cousin; Tolbert wouldn't make her Sally Elle's guardian if he didn't trust her or know what she was up to."

"Seems we just gotta sit back; see how everythin' goes." I concluded, placing a hand on her sounder and peckin' her cheek.

Nodding, my wife simply told me, "Reckon so, Frank. Reckon so."

AN:

Well, things are getting interesting aren't they? Well, next up Nova and Tolbert have a serious talk. Nova also has a bonding moment with Sally Elle too.