A few nights had gone by since the incident at Winnie Pate's house and Jack was just starting to stand up straight again. His face had turned an awful color as it healed and they kept an eye on his right cornea just in case, but it seemed to be doing just fine.
Lucy was finding that for an hour or so at random times of the day she could lay her baby down and give her arms a rest. Lucy herself was still weak and wispy, as if a big gust of wind could carry her off, but things were looking up.
The restaurant slowly emptied as time wore on. She wiped down the counter and watched the front door. Forrest had a deal going down and he waited in the office for Howard, just in case things went south. They had a lot of money on hand. But her stomach began to churn again when the night wore on and Howard didn't show. She peered her head down the hall and she looked back at him and shook her head.
She went back to the counter.
"Hey, legs," one of the men spoke, "How 'bout another drink?" he smirked.
She stood in front of him, behind the counter, "Gotta pay now, we're shutting the counter up here soon…"
The man shook his head, "I'm not paying for nuthin'," he gave her a toothy smirk, "How about you just give me a kiss instead…"
She began to walk towards the hall to call for Forrest but suddenly there was a gun in her side. She paused, frozen the man smirked, "Now be a good girl and get me a –" but he couldn't finish. Her panic kicked in and she grabbed the knife on the cutting board and spun. The man tried to counter but took ahold of the knife with his hand before she could get him. He yelled out and struggled, "Bitch!" he exclaimed.
She wouldn't let go of the knife, for fear that he'd turn it on her.
But when Forrest entered the room, the man let go, "She wouldn't give me another drink when I paid for it…then that bitch pulled a knife on me!" he exclaimed, sucking the blood from his fingers.
Forrest's eyes flickered to Lucy who gave the slightest shake of her head.
"I think it's time you boys leave," Forrest stood as a sentry, Hal next to him now. "These boys wanted a drink for free…when she wouldn't give…he pulled a gun on Lucy…" Hal said to Forrest.
Forrest took a dangerous step forward, "Did you pull a gun on this woman?" he asked slowly. His body became aware of the iron knuckles in his pocket.
The man shook his head, "No, we didn't-" but Forrest stopped him, "Did you pull a gun on this woman?" he asked again.
The second man in the bar lunged forward but Forrest saw it coming. He fought the guy down before moving on to the second man. The fight was quick but bloody and brutal. Forrest and Hal tossed the two men outside. Somewhere in the middle of the fight, the baby had begun to cry again.
Lucy watched as Forrest came back inside, "Sent Hal home," he said, not acknowledging the blood splatter upon his clothing or the gash on his eyebrow.
"C'mere," she whispered, her hands shaking slightly. Forrest walked forward and she examined his eyebrow, "Best take a seat, Forrest, I'm gonna need to stitch that up," she said. "Go on now…the baby will cry herself back to sleep," she held back a yawn.
Forrest unwilling took a seat as Lucy found all the supplies she recently used on Jack. She just hoped that it wasn't becoming a pattern for these boys. She silently cursed Howard as she stitched up his deepest gash.
The night became darker but Howard was still not there.
When she was done, she kissed his wound gently, "All finished," she whispered. She put the supplies away, "You should go on up to bed now," Forrest said. "I'll lock up," he finished, heading back out the front door.
Obliging, Lucy found her exhaustion again as she went up the stairs to her bedroom. She would give another try to feeding her daughter. She rocked the child in her arms and she looked out the window. The single light in the lot illuminating Forrest's old Model A as he took a look under the hood.
But then she saw two men enter into the light as well, and before she knew it they were brutally attacking Forrest.
"No!" She exclaimed. She put Lucy down in her cradle again, the baby wailing as she was separated from her mother. With a new found energy she flew down the stairs. She grabbed the shotgun that was behind the counter and flew out the door, "Get away from him!" she called. Forrest was a heap on the ground, holding his neck together and Lucy felt her whole body go cold. She took a shot but barely nicked the second man's shoulder. They advanced on her and she shot again but missed, shooting over the first man's head.
The men took ahold of her, each arm and dragged her back into the County Line. She kicked and screamed, her cries joining that of her daughters. "No! No! Forrest!" she called but it was no use. The men proceeded to each have their way with her. Her screams echoed into the deaf night.