Blood Wrong

** All characters portrayed in this story involved in any kind of sexual act are 18 years of age or older. **

Note: This is a work of pure fiction. Any persons, places or events that may seem familiar are purely by coincidence.

Blood Wrong

The sound, frogs croaking and of millions of crickets tuning up their legs for the same night time symphony that is played on most every night out here by the big pond. The occasional sound of a bird or two calling as they flit about the cattails before settling in for the night was familiar too. So peaceful out here. Out where the skies open up and there are no street lights or neon signs advertising anything and everything. The heavens alight with the entire milky way and sometimes the moon in one phase or another. This was a safe haven for so many years. Now it just seemed like a memory really, even with the frogs and the crickets and other familiar sounds.

The long neck bottle had long since lost its chill even if the contents were only half gone. It seemed like a good idea earlier, to grab a few beers and drive out to the big pond and drop the tailgate and sit a spell. To watch the sunset over the water and welcome in the night. The feel of the rusty tailgate under me, the creaky sounds the old truck made when I sat down or moved any at all really. Yeah, it was a good idea… until reality set in, and the memories came calling. Oh sure, some memories were good, so many good times spent here at this place, growing up. But we did grow up. Grow up and grow apart. Life can really be fucked up sometimes. Ours definitely were, thought Tom.

Tipping the bottle over and watching the lukewarm contents pour out into the grass at the edge of the pond… until it was only a sad slow drip or two. Too often that same elixir had deadened the pain, pushed it aside so that it could be forgotten, if only for a little while. It made it easier to do things that were hard to do when the mind wasn’t fogged with alcohol, like forget and pretend. Pretend that what happened hadn’t happened, that it was all just imagination or a bad dream. Yeah… but it was neither, it was all true and too real to keep pushing away and forgetting. Sobriety, like the sunrise of the new day always brought back the clarity and the pain.

Tom drew back his arm as if to throw the empty bottle into the pond. He took a heavy breath and sighed, and instead half turned on the tailgate and dropped the bottle into a wooden box in the bed of the old pick-up truck. The empty bottle clinked against the two other empties that had been drunk earlier. Some things seem to stick with us, like the old man’s declarations of keeping the place clean and tidy. The old farm still looked good even after so many years of neglect. Sure, there could be work done like cleaning up the fence rows and knocking down some weeds and tall grass around the barn and the outbuildings. The old house was still in good shape mostly though. Of course, it was lived in until the old man died. If you can call that living.

The word that the doctors gave was that the old man had died from the cancer, it ate him up on the inside and finally the shell just gave up and he stopped living. Tom knew there was far more to it than that simple explanation though. Yes, the old man was eaten up on the inside but the cancer was barely a whisper compared to the secrets that he had kept for so many years. Secrets, some of which Tom was only learning of now that the old man was dead and gone. Some that had rocked Tom to the core and made him rethink his entire world and beliefs… and the events of his life leading up to this point. So many things in the past could have been… would have been… different. Life could have been so much easier and happier. If only he had known then what he knew now. The pain was still there, the past would not change.

Turning back around to resume his statue like perch on the tailgate, Tom gazed off across the water of the big pond. He wasn’t seeing the ripples on the water, or the shooting star reflected in surface of the water. Tom was seeing the past, better times when life was simpler as a child. All of the world was wonder and exciting to explore.

“Aint Deeny I’m hungry!” little Tommy whined as he sat and fidgeted on the uncomfortable wooden pew of the little old country church.

The little old country church was sweltering that day. Tommy tugged again at the tight collar trying to loosen the little red necktie that his momma had put on him that morning. Momma was all dressed up in a pretty light blue dress. She was upset that she couldn’t wear a white dress for some reason but Tommy couldn’t figure out why. His aunt Deeny had come to visit today and told him that he was going to go home with her for a day or two cause his momma and Mr. Richard were going to have a celebration at their house. That was something else little Tommy couldn’t understand. But aunt Deeny promised him ice cream this weekend so that he was excited about. But going to church was never fun and it was just too hot, and he was hungry.

“Hush Tommy, we’ll go get something to eat in just a little bit. Now be a good boy and be quiet, your momma and Mr. Richard are saying their vows.” Geraldine Simmons whispered in little Tommy’s ear as she gently pulled his little hands away from tugging at his cute little neck tie. Tommy sat back and pouted a bit more.

Geraldine Simmons, or “Aint Deeny” was Tommy’s mother’s older sister. This was the second time that she had been in attendance at this little country church for her younger sister’s wedding. Her younger sister Lee, Juanita Lee, had been wed here once before two years ago. It had been a small service then as well. Lee had been two months pregnant with Tommy at the time. Tommy’s daddy was about to ship out to boot camp with the army. He had been drafted two days before he found out that Lee was expecting. Deen thought that it was honorable of the boy to marry her sister, but she never did like him much. Sadly, it didn’t matter in the end.

Lee’s new husband and the father of her unborn child was killed in a training accident in boot camp. The details never were very clear but that didn’t matter much either. What mattered was that Lee was pregnant and now a widow at a very tender age of 19 years old. She had barely finished high school six months before and now she was a mother to be and a widow.



Tommy came into this world kicking and screaming, but he was healthy even if he was a little on the small side of average newborns. Lee lived with her folks and worked whatever hours she could get at the little diner out by the exit coming into Helton Missouri, just off of Interstate 35. The diner was one of only a few businesses in the small town of Helton. Somewhere between Plattsburg and Lawson, there just wasn’t much else around except farm land.

Most of the customers at the diner were travelers who got off the interstate for gas at the Sunoco across the road from the diner. Oh sure, locals ate there occasionally too, at least the food was decent, and the coffee was good. It was one of the locals that eventually took a liking to Lee, he became a regular customer at the diner. It wasn’t the food that kept him coming back though, it was Lee. Enter Richard Alva Burton. Rich fell head over heels in love with the young girl. He didn’t even flinch when she told him about her baby boy. It was less than six months before he asked her to marry him and she said yes. So here we were, back in this same little country church, Lee getting married again. Deen prayed that things would work out better for her younger sister this time.

Little Tommy stayed with his aunt Deeny after the wedding and all that weekend. It was a happy time for him. It was a happy time for his momma too. Life was looking up for her finally. Sadly, it wasn’t for long though. One year to the day of her wedding they were back in that same little country church again but the ceremony this time was far sadder. Juanita Lee Burton was being told goodbye by her friends and family. She had passed away from cervical cancer that had not been caught before it was too late. Two weeks after being diagnosed by a doctor in Kansas City, she was being laid to rest. Little Tommy was quiet and sad. He sat between his beloved aunt Deeny and his new dad Mr. Rich.

Richard Alva Burton was heartbroken to say the least. When asked what he was going to do about the boy, he told anyone asking that he made a promise to the boy’s mother. He would care for him as his own, and that he did. Richard went on to eventually meet and fall in love again. Enter Teresa Mae Singleton.

Teresa was the granddaughter of the owner of the local hardware store where Richard bought everything he needed for his small farm. She had been in Helton visiting her grandparents that fateful day. Richard was struck by her self-confidence and outgoing personality. She was cute too, in his eyes, which didn’t hurt. Standing five foot four next to his gangly six foot two, she might as well have been ten feet tall though for the impact she had on Richard. She was fair skinned with a light dusting of freckles on her bare arms and across the cheeks and nose on her face. Startling bright blue eyes and curly red hair made it hard for Richard to even make a complete sentence when speaking with her. And likewise, Teresa, a city girl from Kentucky, was quite taken by this tall gangly man. It was something about his sad deep brown eyes yet he still had a warm sweet if shy smile. His gentle demeanor and the way he looked at her made her heart swell.

The two weeks visit that Teresa had originally planned on turned into a month, then two. Richard would find any reason he could to come to town and the hardware store if just to see Teresa and talk with her a spell. Being a single dad, Richard always brought along little Tommy of course. For her credit, Teresa fell in love with Richard despite the fact that he had a child. She adored little Tommy and they became fast friends. Teresa eventually had to return home to Kentucky, Richard was despondent the day she left for home. They wrote letters to each other almost daily for two months after that. Tommy didn’t understand why Teresa had to go away, he was just too young at three years old.

Teresa did return however, reasons were never clear or even talked about, but return she did. She moved in with her grandparents and was again helping in the hardware store. It wasn’t long before Richard and Teresa were inseparable. Soon they were engaged, and not long after that they were wed.

Another wedding in that small country church. Deeny was there again with little Tommy, she would again have him stay with her for a couple of days after the wedding. But then he would be going home with his new momma. At first Deeny was a little leery of Teresa, but she soon warmed to the younger woman and even grew to like her. The fact that Teresa and Richard, both welcomed her any time she visited the farm, and that they both loved and adored little Tommy certainly helped. Deeny would also come to love and adore the new addition to the little Burton family seven months later. It would seem that Rich and Teresa hadn’t waited to be wed before consummating their love for one another.

Into the world came a little bundle of joy and wonder, Richard and Teresa’s first child. They named the little girl Adaliene Rae Burton. When little Tommy met her for the first time, she was but a tiny little wrinkly pink squirming curiosity wrapped in a soft pink blanket. He wasn’t sure what to think of this tiny creature, that is until she wrapped her tiny little fingers around one of his and then her little eyes opened up and looked at him. Something changed in little Tommy that instant. He fell in love with this little bundle, his heart swelled and he was speechless. It was a situation that would repeat itself over and over again for the rest of his life… being speechless and lost in those eyes.

Tommy had difficulty pronouncing tiny Adaliene’s name, so he called her Addy, and the name stuck. Addy was his baby, his little sister. He loved her so much. They were inseparable growing up on that little farm in Missouri. Wherever Addy went, Tommy was there too, and likewise, wherever Tommy went Addy followed along as well. Chores, playing in the barn or around the farm, exploring the woods and swimming in the pond, or just laying on their backs staring up at the clouds or the stars. Things would change though, they always do, life makes certain of that.

Tommy started school when he turned seven years old. He hated that he couldn’t take Addy with him, and she hated that she couldn’t go with him too. She did, however, make it a point to get up every day with him as they did the chores before going to school. Addy would walk to the end of the long dirt driveway and stay with him while they waited on the old school bus to come collect him. She would also be there waiting for him when the bus came back later in the day to return him to home. Addy was always excited to hear about his day and adventures away at school, and Tommy always told her all about everything. Three years later they both still made that same walk and waited on the same bus but now Addy was going with Tommy to school too.

Two years after Addy started school Life stepped in and made another change. The day started like any other ordinary day on the farm. Both kids were up with the roosters and doing their chores before getting ready to go to school. On this day however, Tommy had to climb up into the hay loft of the barn to pitch down a bale of hay for the cows. As he was turning to climb back down though he slipped or tripped somehow and fell out of the loft. Addy heard his yelp and the sickening crack of bones breaking when he hit the floor of the barn. Tommy’s wind had been knocked out of him and his eyes were bugged out with the pain. Addy screamed and ran to get their Daddy.

It was a long wait for the ambulance to reach the farm. Addy had sat with Tommy holding his hand and telling him everything would be okay. She teased him for trying to get out of going to school that day to avoid a quiz that he had studied for the night before. Teresa had covered him with a blanket and sat with him as well telling and trying to get Tommy to lay still and not move around. She knew enough that he may have broken his back and that moving him could cause more damage than the fall. Richard paced the barn and later ushered the ambulance crew into the barn to help collect Tommy. Teresa rode in the ambulance with Tommy to the hospital in Kansas City. Addy was upset that she couldn’t go with him but she and Richard followed the ambulance in the pickup truck. It was a long drive.

Tommy had indeed broken his back when he fell from the loft that morning. Teresa’s knowledge not to move him had prevented more serious damage to his spine thankfully but he was still badly hurt. The doctors realigned the broken vertebrae and immobilized them with metal rods. Tommy was encased in a full torso cast and put in traction for the first few days at least. He ended up spending two weeks in the hospital before the doctors said he would be able to go home, as long as he remained in bed and let the bones heal. And so, it was. Addy was by his side almost constantly when she wasn’t doing their chores or away at school.

Addy would play board games with Tommy or sit and watch TV for hours. Addy did her homework in Tommy’s room and asked for his help when she had trouble with anything. She would tell him all about school and her classmates and teachers. She would also tell him about the outside world, what the weather was like, how big the baby animals were getting. Sometimes they would just talk. Addy would share her dreams with Tommy and he would share his with her. On more than one occasion Teresa or Richard would have to pick up Addy from the chair beside Tommy’s bed to carry her to her own bed as she was fast asleep.

One night in late summer, a storm blew up and thunder and lightning raged for what seemed like hours. After the storm had passed and Richard had gotten up to check the house and looked in on Tommy only to find that Addy had snuck in to curl up at Tommy’s side so that he would not be frightened by the storm. Or at least, that’s what she said later in the morning when asked about it. Tommy ended up missing that whole year of school and it was decided to let him repeat that grade when he recovered from his injuries.

Now only separated by two years in school, Tommy and Addy still rode the same bus the next year but they were only two years apart instead of three. So, when they both made it to high school, Tommy was a junior when Addy began as a freshman. Tommy had recovered from the broken back as a child and all the hard work on the farm had turned him into a sturdy young man, his natural athletic ability made him an integral part of the school’s baseball, basketball and even football teams. He may not have been the star quarterback or top man on any of the teams, but he was respected and relied upon all the same. There were a few girls that were infatuated with him but they all seemed to be frustrated that he was pretty shy and reserved. He often talked about this and his own frustrations with Addy of course. She was after all, his best friend.

Addy blossomed in high school herself, she was outgoing and friendly and made friends easily. She was bright and did well in most of her classes, and the ones she struggled with Tommy helped her find her way. Nature was changing Addy as well, her body was developing and changing into that of a young woman. No longer was she that gangly little wisp of a girl, a tomboy if ever there was one. Now she was filling out and curves were appearing where there used to be nothing but straight lines and bony limbs. Her strawberry blond hair was still wild and virtually untamable but it was getting thicker and longer. She had freckles just like her mother, and they both shared the same dazzling electric blue eyes. The slight gap in Addy’s front teeth grew to be more and more of a sense of shame and embarrassment for her as she got older and started noticing boys. Not that anyone ever really said anything about it, well, except for Delbert Evans.

Delbert Evans was a bully, plain and simple. He was a spoiled brat and when he saw something he wanted, he thought he was entitled to it, no matter what. And Delbert took a liking to Addy their freshman year. Delbert had moved to Helton the previous summer so he was the new kid amongst the freshman class. At first everyone welcomed him of course, but his personality and his very nature soon earned him enemies and people began to avoid him. Delbert was not exactly handsome. Rather, his eyes were just a little on the beady side, close together and with a slightly pug nose gave him a piggish appearance. It was his constant sneering almost cruel smile that set most people on edge though. Addy wasn’t one of those who out and out shunned him, at first, as her nature was to be kind to everyone. That all changed the last week of school that year.

Addy often spent her free time in the library, studying or simply reading while Tommy was at practice for whatever team was in season. They would both ride home in the old pick up that their dad had given Tommy his junior year. It made more sense for Tommy to drive to and from school especially if he had to stay over for practice or a game. Often Addy would still ride the bus home to do chores, but just as often or more often, she would stay and wait for Tom.

Delbert lived not too far from the high school, and he would often loiter about school grounds getting into mischief. One afternoon, after school, knowing that Addy was in the library waiting on Tom, Delbert decided he was going to have some fun. It was a day that would set things in motion that would prove fateful for all involved. Life was about to get complicated.

Addy sat in the window at the end of a blind aisle near the back of the library. She loved this spot because it was always warm and sunny on her back as she sat with her legs tucked up under her as she read whatever book she had at the time. She was lost in the story when Delbert and one of his like-minded tag-along friends came strolling down the aisle. Delbert walked with a swagger that most recognized that he was up to no good. Addy didn’t notice it though, lost in her book. It was only after He and his buddy had been standing there looking her up and down for a minute that she even registered that they were there.

“What are you looking at?” Addy asked a little timidly.

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out.” Delbert responded and elbowed his buddy as if joking around.

“Huh?” Addy said, not getting Delbert’s meaning.

“Well, you almost look like a girl with that long hair and all, but you dress more like a boy. So, we were wondering, just what are you?” Delbert said with a nasty smirk as he gave his buddy a sidelong look causing his buddy to snort.

“I’m a girl, dufus!” Addy huffed and went back to reading her book, or tried, Delbert was far from finished with her.

“Prove it then!” Delbert demanded, folding his arms across his chest covering up his Harley Davidson sweat shirt. His friend put his hands on his hips and smirked too.

“What do you mean, prove it? Of course I’m a girl!” Addy said and rolled her eyes at him before dismissing him and his buddy and trying to read again.

“I don’t believe it! Why don’t you show me you are a girl?” Delbert challenged Addy again with a mean looking grin.

“And just how do you expect me to do that?” Addy fired back annoyed with his persistent presence now.

“Oh, you could just show us your tits maybe.” Delbert stated and chuckled like he had just said something witty.

“I will NOT!” Addy declared looking into his face with a shocked expression on hers.

“Why don’t you just take off and leave me alone, pervert!” Addy declared with an angry glare.

“Pervert? What the hell? You’ve lost your mind girl! I have half a mind to just find out myself!” Delbert barked back at Addy puffing himself up and looking indignant.

Addy ignored him and tried to start reading again. Delbert looked to his friend again and his eyes narrowed as his true nature asserted itself. Turning back to Addy, Delbert uncrossed his arms and stepped up to the window and grabbed Addy’s ankles and pulled. Addy was caught by surprise as she was pulled feet first off of the window sill. Her book went flying as her hands and arms waved as she tried to catch herself. The back of Addy’s head hit the window sill as she fell butt first to the floor in front of the window. She was stunned and the world was spinning as Delbert and his buddy began laughing at her.

The world continued to spin and tilt as Addy pushed herself up onto her knees. Suddenly she felt her arms pulled behind her and she was lifted to her feet. Delbert was standing in front of her sneering that mean smile of his while his buddy was now holding Addy up with her arms pinned behind her back. Delbert told his buddy to hold her up and hold her still, as he reached out to Addy’s blouse.

“Wha… what are you doing?” Addy puzzled still stunned from the blow to the back of her head.

“I’m gonna see what you are, bitch! I want to see your tits, and I’m GOING to see your tits!” Delbert declared as he pulled her blouse up out of her jeans.

“STOP! NO! YOU CAN’T DO THIS!” Addy shouted as she struggled against the arms holding her.

“Cover her mouth damn it!” Delbert barked at his friend. Addy felt him let go with one hand and then it covered her mouth and nose.

The hand smelled like cigarettes and motor oil. Addy’s eyes went wide as Delbert finished tugging her blouse out of her jeans then he reached up to unbutton the blouse from the top. Frustrated that the tiny buttons were hard for him to manipulate he simply grabbed either side of the blouse and ripped it open as the buttons went flying. With the blouse now open he saw that Addy had a bra on that held and covered her breasts. He sneered even more nastily, almost looking like a snarl at this point. As he reached out to grab the bra though Addy panicked.

Not knowing what else to do, Addy’s reflexes and her body took over. She bit down on the hand that was covering her mouth. That caused the boy behind her to yelp in pain and release her arms. Addy whipped her head backwards and it connected with a crunch against his nose and lips. At the same time Addy kicked out with her right leg and her knee connected with the soft tissue between Delbert’s legs.

Delbert’s eyes literally bugged out and his face turned beet red as he clasped his hands over his crotch and he sank to the floor with a whimper. Addy, still woozy from the blow to the back of her head, made a break for it. She managed to grab her book bag and dashed out of the blind aisle and towards the front to the library. Seeing that there was no one else at the desk she bolted on by and out the door into the hallway. As she was going through the door, she heard Delbert scream at his friend.

“Catch that Bitch!” Delbert groaned at the top of his voice. His friend, holding a hand over his bloody nose and lips, dashed after Addy.

Addy ran down the hall and turned the corner towards the front doors out of the building. Outside she looked around in a panic as she tried to focus on the still slightly tilted and spinning world around her. There! She spotted Tom as he was just putting his athletics bag in the back of his pickup truck. She screamed his name and stumbled towards him.

Tom was exhausted after the full gear practice and was glad the day was just about over. As he slung his bag into the bed of the pickup, he heard a pitiful cry that sounded familiar somehow. Turning back towards the sound he saw Addy and his heart stopped. She was stumbling awkwardly, her face red and tears streaming down her face. Addy’s blouse was open and fluttering in the wind as she stumbled towards him calling his name. Tom dashed towards her his heart racing now.

“Addy! What happened to you? What’s wrong?” He asked worriedly as he caught her just as she was stumbling to her knees. She wrapped her arms around his neck and shuddered and wept into his shoulder.

“D… D… Delbert Evans! He… He…” Was all Abby could get out before Delbert’s friend burst out of the front doors of the school followed shortly by a stumbling and very red-faced Delbert Evans.

Something inside Tom came to life at that moment. He put two and two together and realized that Delbert Evans had hurt or tried to hurt Addy. Tom gently pried Addy from his neck and let her down to sit on the pavement of the parking lot. Delbert, still mad as hell from being kicked in the balls, continued towards them not knowing that he was in mortal danger now. Tom stood back up and turned to face Delbert and his friend. He took a step towards the approaching bullies, and then another. Tom’s hands balled into fists and the adrenaline flooded through his veins as his heart raced on. Tom’s vision narrowed down to just the two boys approaching him and his sister.

Delbert’s friend finally realized that this might not be such a good idea and slowed down as his pea sized brain began to debate the merits of staying with Delbert of making a hasty retreat. The retreat won out in the end and he turned and beat feet in the other direction, unbeknownst to Delbert who stormed on in a rage. Delbert had been bound and determined to see Addy’s tits, and by God he was going to see them. This punk, her brother, was not going to stop him. He had no idea how wrong he was.

Tom stopped when Delbert was two steps away. Delbert was all puffed up like a raging bull, but only giving Tom a passing glance as if he didn’t matter. He almost looked shocked when Tom stopped him cold with a stiff outstretched arm, his open palm on Delbert’s chest. Delbert looked down at the hand and then up at Tom questioningly as if to say “How dare you?”.

“What did you do to my sister?” Tom growled menacingly.

“Out of my way asshole! I’ve got some unfinished business with Addy.” Delbert spit back as he went to brush Tom’s hand away.

That’s when Tom’s right fist connected with Delbert’s jaw. The right cross was a haymaker if ever there was one. The sickening crunch of Delbert’s breaking jaw could be heard yards away, but only Tom and Addy heard it. Oh, Delbert heard it too, but more, he felt it. He felt the stinging pain just before he lost consciousness.

Tom dashed back over to Addy and knelt to pick her up in his arms and carry her to the truck. He sat her in the passenger side and made sure she was okay. She complained about the bump on the back of her head but otherwise she was alright. He put her seat belt on then closed the door and went back to grab her book bag. Delbert was still crumpled on the ground but he was breathing fine so Tom just left him there. Tom drove home to the farm and Addy told him what had happened in the library. As he listened to her tale, Tom grew angrier and angrier with Delbert and his coward friend. He vowed silently to look after Addy better in the future, never again would the likes of Delbert harm her if he could help it.

Richard and Teresa were livid when they learned of what had happened to Addy. They were proud to hear what Tom had done in response though, even if they didn’t say as much. Rich merely placed a comforting hand on Tom’s shoulder as the two of them watched as Teresa dabbed a damp cloth at Addy’s bump on the back of her head. Teresa had once again had enough knowledge of medical care to know that Addy might have a slight concussion even though she seemed to be fine other than the bump. She sat Addy at the kitchen table and put her to work peeling potatoes for dinner as she sent the men off to finish the day’s chores. Addy had wanted to lie down and take a nap but Teresa wouldn’t allow that. In the end it was okay though. Addy was a tough tomboy at heart and her head was hard as they come.

The next day at school, Delbert was missing. Tom had gone looking for him specifically but had only found his would be henchman, the cowardly friend who ran away. Ryan Betts. Ryan had two black eyes and his lips were swollen. It was hard for him to speak clearly when Tom slammed him up against his locker and questioned him about the day before and his buddy Delbert. Tom learned that Ryan had come back looking for Delbert and found him unconscious in the parking lot. He had found someone in the school office and they had called an ambulance. Delbert had been taken to Kansas City to the hospital with a broken jaw. He was home now with his jaw wired shut. He might not be at school for a few weeks. That was all fine with Tom. Tom told Ryan to pass along something to Delbert. Ryan nodded his head nervously. Tom told Ryan that if he ever saw or heard that Delbert or Ryan ever bothered Addy again, he’d come after them and they would not like it at all.

Apparently, the message got delivered, as Addy was never bothered again the entire school year. In fact, Addy was not bothered by Delbert or his friends for another two years. Tom of course, went on to graduate at the end of Addy’s sophomore year. She was now going to school by herself, but she was still protected by that curtain of threat, at least in the eyes of Delbert and his crew.

Tom graduated from high school but he had no interests in going off to college, even if Richard could afford it. He couldn’t afford it of course, but that was beside the point. Instead, Tom took correspondence classes while still living on the farm. He did get a job with Teresa’s grandparents at the hardware store in town. Tom would stock shelves, load and unload trucks and even make deliveries around the county. As such he made a little money to help out with the farm and he met lots of people and learned about the county. He found the best fishing holes and even places to park and make out with a like-minded girl whenever he might have one. No girl really held his attention much though, his heart was bound to another, one that he would never be allowed to have and hold as would be normal.

Life was hard, but it was happy for those few years. Addy excelled in school, being a natural reader, she consumed books as if breathing air. Her mind absorbed so many things. Addy didn’t have much of a social life outside of school however. She didn’t find any of the boys at school interesting enough to hold her attention, so she went on few dates. Tom likewise didn’t date often or very much at all really. More often than not the two of them could be found together.

Since Tom still lived on the farm, he did the majority of the chores but Addy was always there to help out. And there were the fun things like fishing or just walking the fence lines and exploring. They talked about their hopes and dreams. They talked about other people. They talked about love and what they hoped it might be for themselves. They didn’t talk about their love for each other though… that was a given. Theirs was a bond that no one could break. Tom took Addy to the ice cream shop for her eighteenth birthday. They both ate ice cream till they were sick.

It was a few weeks before Senior Prom in Addy’s last year of high school when life made the next big change for the Burton clan. A couple of different boys had asked Addy to go to the dance with them, but she politely declined. The fact was, she had little intention of even attending the Prom really. Over the last two years Addy had blossomed physically and it had not gone without notice to all the boys, and even some girls in school. She still dressed much as she had all along however, jeans mostly and blouses often covered with a loose sweater or a sweatshirt. Her wild strawberry blonde hair often pulled into a pony tail or even gathered into a bun. Addy had had to start wearing glasses in her junior year and now her dazzling blue eyes seemed even larger whenever she looked your way. Her usual expression was one of distracted pensiveness. Almost as if she were daydreaming. He lips slightly pursed when she wasn’t smiling.

One of the many boys who had taken notice of Addy’s blossoming was none other than one Delbert Evans. The very same who had accosted her in her freshman year and gotten his jaw broken as a result. To say that he harbored a grudge would be massively huge understatement. Every time Delbert saw Addy around school he would sneer and grind his teeth. “Some day…” he thought to himself.

During her senior year, Addy found that often the reading material she sought out was not available in the school’s library. She did discover that most of it could be found, however, in the town’s public library. Whenever that happened, Addy would walk after school from the high school into town to the library. It was not a long walk, at least for a country girl. Usually, on days like that she would meet up with Tom at the hardware store as he was getting off work in order to ride home to the farm with him. Addy was always welcomed at the hardware store, after all she was the owners’ great granddaughter. Often, she would help Tom finish up whatever job he was working on that day.

Late one afternoon, Addy had walked into town from school to check out a couple of books for a research paper. After collecting the books, she headed over to the hardware store, but ran into trouble on the way. Addy was only half paying attention to where she was going as she had one of the books open and was reading as she walked. Addy pulled up short when she recognized Delbert Evans stepping out of the shadows between two shops. It wasn’t that he wasn’t familiar to her but that the look on his face promised trouble.

“Well, well, well… what have we here?” Delbert asked with a malicious grin on his face. His eyes taking in Addy with her heavy armload of books.

“Delbert, you need to step aside and leave me be.” Addy said with all the authority she could muster even as she took a cautious step backwards.

“Oh, I’ll leave you be alright… right after I have my fun.” Delbert growled as he took a half step closer to Addy, his hands still in his pockets as if he hadn’t a care in the world.

“You’ll have no fun with me you bully, besides… aren’t you afraid of my brother Tommy? He might do more than break your jaw this time.” Addy said again taking a step backwards away from Delbert.

“Well, I don’t see Tommy around anywhere, looks like it’s just you and me bitch.” Delbert growled as he held his arms out to his side and his hand open and palms up.

A car drove by down the street about that time and the driver blew the horn but kept on driving. As Addy turned her head to watch the car, Delbert lunged at her. He grabbed her by her pony tail and twisted her head so that he could wrap one of his lanky arms around her neck in a choke hold. Addy dropped her books so that she could dig her fingers into his forearm and try to pry it off of her neck. Addy couldn’t scream, she couldn’t even breathe. Delbert’s arm was under her chin so she couldn’t bite him, and as he was turned sideways her feet could only flail ineffectively as she kicked and squirmed.

Delbert dragged Addy kicking and choking into the alleyway from which he had emerged. It was dark in the shadows between the two buildings and no one could see into it unless they walked down into the alley. Addy’s fight got weaker and weaker as she neared blacking out from lack of oxygen. Eventually all the fight went out of her as she slipped into unconsciousness.

Addy regained consciousness with her head swimming and feeling pain. There was a grunting sound and the pain was coming from her most private of places. With a shock she realized that she couldn’t move her arms and her legs were being pressed down onto her chest. She couldn’t see anything because her blouse and sweatshirt had been pulled up and over, covering her face and eyes. In a panic she realized that something was poking inside of her, something that shouldn’t be there! Then whatever it was or WHO she realized stopped and grunted one last time before pulling out. She tried to scream but all she could do is sob.

After Delbert had pulled the unconscious Addy into the alley, he had pulled her blouse and sweatshirt up over her head. He had then ripped her bra off and used it to tie her hands behind her back. He groped and squeezed and molested her breasts bruising them. After that, he had pulled down her jeans and panties to her knees and pushed her onto her back and lifted her legs up, pushing them onto her chest and pulled his own pants down and… and raped Addy. She had come to just as he was finishing up. He shot his malicious load into her virginal teen-age womanhood. When he had finished, he first sat back on his heels and looked down at the writhing sobbing Addy. Standing up, he added insult to injury by pissing all over her before zipping up his pants and walking away smiling that sadistic smile and he spat the words “Take THAT bitch!”

Addy lay there sobbing and crying for who knows how long. For her, time had no meaning. At some point she realized that she had to get up, to get out of there before Delbert came back. She needed to find help! She needed to be with Tommy! Still not able to see, she rolled over and then onto her side and tried to push herself along to get the sweatshirt and blouse at least off of her face. The rough ground and dirt and debris of the alley ground into her soft fair skin, the urine mixing with the dirt making a foul-smelling mud that smeared her flesh and her clothes.

Once her face was clear of the shirts, she was able to at least grab the back of her jeans and pull them up to her butt. The jeans were still open and loose but she could get to her knees and then unsteadily to her feet. She held onto her jeans with her hands behind her back. Her breasts and entire front torso were bare to the world as she stumbled out of the alley and then down the sidewalk. Cars passed on the street going the same direction but they didn’t seem to notice her plight, perhaps they were going too fast. Half a block, then another, she finally stumbled to a stop at the front window of the hardware store. Her muddy breasts smooshing up against the glass and leaving dirty wet streaks as she sank down to her knees sobbing.

Tom had just returned from a delivery and was walking around the counter from the back room when he looked up to see Addy pressed against the front window. He was out the door and had her cradled in his arms in less time than it takes to tell it. Addy was whimpering and sobbing so much she was unintelligible. Tom pulled her blouse and sweatshirt down to cover her modesty and picked her up to carry her inside. Shouting for someone to call for an ambulance.

Once inside, Tom laid Addy on the old sofa in the back office and untied her bra from her hands freeing them. Addy brought her hands to her face as if to hide from the world. Tom knelt on the floor beside her stroking her hair and murmuring trying to soothe her, to calm her down. He himself was wound up tighter than a spring though. Seeing Addy this way was like a knife in his heart and he desperately wanted, no… needed… to do something… to lash out or strike back.

“Addy… who… who did this to you?” Tom asked softly in her ear as he continued to try to comfort her.

“Delbert…” Addy said in a meek voice so quietly that it was hardly more than a whisper and so full of hurt and shame that it sent another dagger of pain through Tom’s heart.

Addy lay curled into a fetal position on that old couch and shook with her sobs. Tears flowed from her eyes and ran down her cheeks through the dirt on her cheeks. Tears also clouded Tom’s vision but not nearly as much as the blood red rage that grew from his gut. How could anyone be so cruel he wondered. He silently vowed that he would make Delbert pay for this if it was the last thing he ever did.

Richard and Teresa arrived at the hardware store about the same time as the ambulance did. The EMTs did a quick evaluation before gently transferring Addy to their gurney and taking her out to the ambulance. Teresa rode in the ambulance with Addy on the trip to the hospital in Kansas City, Richard followed in his truck. Tom said he would follow along shortly, he had to do something first.

Tom watched the ambulance drive off with lights and siren blaring, Richard in his truck close behind it. The fire in his gut raged as the hatred for Delbert grew from contempt to an all-consuming obsession. He stuck his hands in his pockets and traced Addy’s steps backwards from the hardware store to where her books had fallen on the sidewalk a block and a half away. He followed the drag marks into the alley to where the vile act had taken place. The scuffed earth and smell of urine only served to fan the flames of hatred in his heart.

With hooded eyes, Tom turned and walked back out of the alley to collect Addy’s books and things that she had dropped. There, on the edge or the sidewalk were Addy’s glasses. He carried her things to the hardware store and put them in his pickup truck. I climbed into the cab and sat behind the wheel and leaned forward to rest his forehead on the steering wheel as his hand gripped it in a deathlike hold. The rage in his soul fought with the searing pain that he felt for his defiled precious Addy. The light of his life, the one person he loved in this life more than anything in the world. Tom wept.

That evening, late, the doctors had examined Addy and found only superficial wounds, bruises mostly and a slight tearing of her vaginal opening. They followed procedure and completed a rape kit for law enforcement if it were to be requested. She was cleaned up and given a hospital gown to wear home as her own clothing was soiled and smelled of urine. After discharge, Addy was wheeled out to the front of the hospital where she was loaded into Richard and Teresa’s pickup truck. Tom followed them home in his own truck.

Once back home, on the farm, Teresa walked Addy to the bathroom where she helped her draw a bath. She soaked and scrubbed and cried until she could cry no more. Richard and Tom sat silently at the kitchen table, each lost in their own thoughts. Richard was as worried about Tom as he was his own flesh and blood daughter. He knew that the two were very close and this was hurting the boy, the young man, as much as any of them. Tom was stoic, sitting there with his arms hanging at his sides, a faraway look in his eyes as he stared at the table top. Richard could almost hear the gears turning in his mind. There was a storm rising.

After Teresa got Abby dressed and tucked into bed she came downstairs to the kitchen. Her eyes were red rimmed from crying and the hurt was all over her face. She rested her hand on Richard’s shoulder briefly before walking around to do the same with Tom. Tom finally looked up and turned to glance at Teresa. Teresa swallowed and cleared her throat before speaking.

“Tommy… Addy wants you… she wants you to come be with her, like when you were younger. She said she needs you. Be gentle Tommy, she’s been hurt bad…” Teresa told Tom in a voice that sounded as much as pleading as it did instruction.

Tom stood slowly and Teresa Wrapped her arms around him and hugged him fiercely. Tom stood rigidly for a moment then returned the hug briefly before heading off to go upstairs to Addy. At the bottom of the staircase, he paused. His left hand on the banister, his right running through his hair as he looked down at his feet. Gathering his thoughts and separating the raging hate that was boiling just under the surface, from the love that he had for his dear Addy. He didn’t want to bring any more hurt to her than she had already experienced. With a deep breath he climbed the stairs.

Tom took his boots off outside her bedroom door before slowly opening the door and letting himself in. Addy was curled once more in a fetal position, her back to the door as she faced the window beside her bed. The low light from her bedside lamp giving the room a warm glow. Hearing the door open then close, Addy rolled over enough to see who it was. Upon seeing Tommy, she sobbed and opened her arms beckoning him to her. Tom’s heart melted just a little more as his vision grew blurry from his own tears.

Tom lay in the bed next to Addy and enveloped her in his arms, her head nestled into the crook of his neck and shoulder as she shuddered and shook with silent sobs. Tom stroked her back and murmured reassurances into her hair. After some time, she calmed and began to breathe steadily and fell asleep. Tom continued to hold her as she slept. Again, he vowed to God and himself that Delbert would pay and pay dearly. After some time, he wasn’t sure just how long, lost in his own thoughts as he was, Addy stirred.

“I’m so sorry Tommy…” She whimpered into his chest, her words slightly muffled by the heavy flannel shirt he still wore.

“Why are you sorry Addy?” Tom asked in a low but confused voice, perplexed by her words.

“I… I’m not clean anymore… I’m ruined.” She said sadly as she sniffed and coughed a choking sob into his shirt.

“Shhhhhhh… baby, you’re not ruined. You are not dirty, not by any stretch of the imagination. What he… what he did was wrong. It was horrible, but you are better than that. Not even he can ruin you Addy. He’s a pig… he’s shit. Wash him off of you and hold your head up high. He’s not worth your spit.” Tom growled even as he stroked the back of her head gently.

“I’m so ashamed… I just want to hide away from the world.” Addy sputtered softly.

“It’s okay, Addy, you’re safe now, nobody can hurt you. I’m here. I’ll always be here for you.” He told her gently.

“I… I love you Tommy…” Addy cried in a quiet sad voice, as she snuggled in closer to him still.

“I love you too, Addy. I always have, and I always will baby. Now hush and rest. Go to sleep Addy. I’ll stay right here with you.” Tom promised her softly.

Addy shook softly for a while longer but finally stilled to where her chest slowly rose and fell with her relaxed breathing. She had drifted off to sleep again, wrapped in Tom’s arms.

Tom was awakened by a hand gently shaking his shoulder. In the in the light cast by the open bedroom door from the hallway, Tom realized it was Richard. Addy was sleeping soundly her back to Tom as she had spooned up next to him in her sleep. Tom eased himself up and away from her and then pulled her blankets up around her shoulders and kissed her gently on her exposed right cheek. He turned and walked softly out of the room and closed the door quietly behind himself and Richard.

“I figured I should wake you up so you wouldn’t be late for work. I’m sure Teresa’s folks would be understanding but they are pretty dependent on you son. You go get cleaned up and have a bite to eat before you go. Addy will be fine here at home, her momma will be here with her and I’ll be close on the farm if she needs anything.” Richard spoke quietly to Tom in his gravelly deep voice. Tom was sure he heard heavy emotion in that same voice this morning, he knew that Richard too seethed with anger and pain over what had happened to Addy.

Tom raised his hands to his face and then ran them both back through his hair before taking a deep breath and lowering his arms. He looked Richard in the eyes, the old man’s were as red and his own.

“She told me who did it…” Tom growled quietly. “The son of a bitch will pay for it!” He spat with venom.

“Tommy… Tom… Son. I feel the same way, but it’s not for us to do. I’m going to talk to the county Sheriff this morning. The little bastard will pay, but let the law handle it.” Richard spoke rumbled with his gravelly voice, one hand on Tom’s shoulder.

“I can’t make any promises… but I’ll wait and see what happens… for a while.” Tom vowed with a steady gaze into the old man’s eyes.

Richard nodded sagely and gave Tom’s shoulder a brief squeeze before releasing him. Tom turned and headed down the hall to his own room. He stretched then took off the clothes that he had put on about this time the day before, and ended up sleeping in. He went down the hall to the bathroom and showered quickly. Back in his room he dressed in clean work clothes. All but his boots, they were still outside of Addy’s door.

As he walked in his sock covered feet down the hall Tom heard murmuring coming from Addy’s room. He saw through the gap where the door was only partially closed, that Richard was on his hands and knees beside Addy’s bed. His hands clasped together and his elbows on Addy’s bed with his head bowed. The old man was praying softly for healing for his only daughter, and for patience for his boy. Tom felt his heart do a little flip in his chest. Silently he bent over and picked up his boots and then carried them quietly down the hall then down the stairs. Sitting on the bottom stair he put them on and tied them.

“Coffee will be ready in a minute Tommy, sit down and eat.” Teresa told Tom as he entered the kitchen. She set a plate on the table before him with bacon and eggs and a couple of biscuits. Tom bowed his head and said a quick prayer of thanks silently… then thinking of Richard praying at Addy’s bedside, he added a prayer for Addy as well. Tom picked up his fork and ate mechanically, not really tasting the food as his mind was preoccupied with how he would track down Delbert Evans. The boy was still in school, the same senior class as Addy at the High School. Maybe after school, the punk liked to hang out around the school. Yeah, Tom was distracted.

“Tommy? Did you hear me?” Teresa asked with a hint of concern as she touched the tips of her fingers to his left that was balled up into a fist on the table to the left of his plate.

“I’m sorry, I’m a little foggy this morning… worrying about Addy…” Tom apologized to Teresa.

“I can tell, we all are. Tom, you and Addy are close. Closer than most brother and sister. She looks up to you. Be careful how you deal with this, please. It’s hard for us, but it’s even harder for her.” Teresa said softly as she patted Tom’s left hand before standing back up to fix a plate for Richard as he walked into the kitchen.



Tom wiped his mouth with his napkin then pushed his chair back to stand. He let his hands lay flat on the table on either side of his plate. Looking to Richard’s face as he sat down across the table, Tom asked him.

“You’ll call and let me know what you find out… from the Sheriff?”

“If I find out anything, yes, I’ll call. Tom?” The old man began to question.

“I know… be patient…” He sighed and bowed his head breaking eye contact briefly before standing up straight and leaving the table to find his jacket and hat.

Teresa met him at the back door and handed him a brown paper bag with a sandwich for his lunch. Tom accepted it and told her thanks, then turned and went out the door. The sky was just beginning to lighten with the coming dawn. Tom’s old pickup creaked as he opened the door and climbed into the driver’s seat. Glancing up to the window over the front porch, Addy’s room, he said another silent prayer for his little sister before starting his engine and driving off.

The day went by almost unnoticed, Tom was in a fog his thoughts and worries for Addy mixed with a seething hatred for the bastard that did that to her. Teresa’s grandparents were understanding that he was hurt and upset and so overlooked some mistakes that he made, like taking deliveries to the wrong addresses. Tom snapped out of it enough to correct the mistakes, but he was still distracted. There weren’t many deliveries that day so by three o’clock that afternoon the old man told him he could knock off for the day. Tom thanked him and promised that he would do better tomorrow. Before he left the hardware store he asked if Richard had called while he was out. He learned that there had been no phone call. Tom hung his head and then went out the door and climbed into his old pickup truck.

Sitting behind the wheel again, Tom let his mind wander. Where would that prick Delbert Evans be on a day like today? It was cloudy all day and threatening to rain, but as of yet there hadn’t been a drop to fall from the skies. In the end, Tom started his truck and drove off towards the high school. Maybe he would get lucky and find him at or around the school.

As Tom was crossing the outskirts of town, he spotted a group of guys sitting on an old propane tank next to a closed and abandoned gas station. He recognized one of them instantly even though the last time he had seen the guy he had two black eyes and swollen lips. Ryan Betts. Tom slowed the truck and turned into the gravel parking lot and pulled up to the pump island that still had two broken gas pumps on it. The weeds were grown up around it and in several spots around the parking lot. The guys were all just sitting there on the propane tank drinking beers and smoking, trying to look tough or something. Ryan almost choked on his beer as he recognized Tom when he opened the door and climbed out of the truck. Ryan’s face went pale but he sat still on the tank trying to act cool… and failing miserably.

Tom walked slowly across the parking lot towards the tank with an expressionless face. His eyes were cold as he stared a hole through Ryan though. A couple of the guys recognized Tom as well as he got closer and raised their beer bottles in salute, all smiles. They might not have been drunk, but hey were buzzed and feeling no pain all the same. Ryan, however, had sobered up very quickly. His heart was racing in his chest.

“Hi guys.” Tom spoke in greeting, sounding infinitely calmer than how he felt inside. The smile on his face was on his lips only.

“Hey Tom! How’s it goin’ man?” One of the boys sitting next to Ryan asked.

“Oh, not bad I guess…” Tom replied as he stepped a little closer, sliding his hands into his front pockets of his jeans as if he were bored.

“Say, have you guys seen Delbert Evans around today?” Tom asked, glancing at the other guys but locking eyes on Ryan.

“Oh man! That guy is so full of shit! He’s been bragging all day today at school about fucking some slut yesterday… he just wouldn’t shut up about it.” The guy to Ryan’s left spoke up and chuckled before taking another swig from his bottle.

“Yeah… He’s probably tryin’ to git some more of that this afternoon.” The guy to Ryan’s right chimed in and laughed.

Ryan didn’t think that his day could get any worse, but the fire he saw in Tom’s eyes made him nearly wet his pants. Tom, somehow, some way, managed to keep his voice even and calm, almost as if he were bored.

“Yeah, he’s a lot of talk, isn’t he? Say, Ryan… could you come over here to my truck for a minute? I need to ask you something in private?” Tom asked and tossed his head over his shoulder towards his truck. “Thanks guys.” He said to the three other boys sitting on the tank.

Ryan swallowed and saw his life flash before his eyes, it only took a moment, he was only 18 years old after all. With a deathly white face, he slid off the tank and nearly crumpled to his knees into the gravel as his shaky legs nearly buckled. He dropped his beer bottle and the lit cigarette fell from his lips as he stumbled along in a dead man’s gate just a few steps behind Tom towards the pump island and Tom’s truck. At the truck Tom turned and leaned his back against the side of the bed and crossed his arms as if in a friendly conversation. Ryan stopped a hesitant step or two away from Tom.

“Ryan… Do you know anything more about what your buddy Delbert did yesterday?” Tom asked in a low voice that rumbled like distant thunder in Ryan’s ears.

“He’s not my buddy… anymore.” Ryan nearly whimpered and then swallowed. His eyes were huge and frightened.

“So, you finally wised up to the fact that he’s no good… that’s good Ryan… but you didn’t answer my question… did you? I’ll ask you again, please think very hard and tell me the truth… okay? Do you know anything more about what Delbert did yesterday?” Tom asked quietly and jutted his head slightly forward and raised one eyebrow before tilting his head a bit towards his right shoulder.

Again, Ryan swallowed. His bottom lip was trembling as his fight or flight instincts were screaming at him to run to RUN LIKE HELL. In the end though, he swallowed again and took a deep breath and bowed his head in defeat.

“I overheard him tell a girl that he was trying to hit on that he fucked… uh… had sex with… your… with Addy.” Ryan whimpered again and figured he was about to be pummeled. When it didn’t happen, he looked up to see what was going on.

“Do you believe him Ryan?” Tom asked in a voice that cracked but was still soft and quiet.

“I… I… I don’t… know man… Tommy I swear! I didn’t have anything to do with it man! I don’t hang around with him anymore… he’s bad news.” Ryan sputtered nervously.

“Yeah, he’s bad news alright. Listen Ryan, buddy… Delbert hurt my sister yesterday, really bad. You didn’t have anything to do with that so relax.” Tom said almost affably. It might have been thought of as friendly if it weren’t for the cold look in Tom’s eyes.

“Is… is she okay… Addy?” Ryan asked meekly with a nervous voice.

“She will be, Ryan. She will be. I can’t say the same for Delbert though.” Tom said with venom dripping from every word.

He smiled again at Ryan and unfolded his arms and reached over and patted Ryan on his right shoulder. He leaned forward and away from his truck and turned to get in. Ryan was rooted where he stood, he damned near wet his pants with relief as Tom started the truck and put it in gear and drove off. The other guys on the propane tank, still clueless as to what was said all raised their beers and saluted Tom as he drove away.

Having spoken with Ryan and hearing what the other guys had said had only soured Tom’s mood all that much more. It was only fitting that the skies finally opened up and it started raining as he drove home to the farm. Yes, Delbert Evans would get what’s coming to him, one way or another. Tom had made a promise to Richard to wait and hear what the Sheriff might have to say about the situation first. That was a hard pill to swallow but he had done it. Now, though, it was time to be with Addy. His sweet precious Addy, the light of his life.

The rain had let up briefly to the point of only being a light drizzle when he got home to the farm. Tom pulled into the barn and parked his truck in front of the tractor. He unloaded some barbed wire that Richard had ordered from the hardware store. There were a few spots in the fence line that needed to be restrung. Tom was just taking his gloves back off when he looked up to see Richard stepping into the barn to join him. The old man looked almost ill. He stood there just looking at Tom silently in the eye for a moment then he walked over to a wooden feed box next to one of the stalls and opened it. Reaching down, he sifted through the feed until he found what he was looking for. His hand came out with a flattened glass bottle. A fifth of whiskey. Tom knew that the bottle was there, Addy had found it last year. He and Addy had smelled it and even took a tentative sip before putting it back.

Richard closed the box and turned around and sat down on it. He looked up at Tom and motioned with his head to come have a seat next to him. Tom walked over and silently took a seat next to him. Richard then twisted the top off then held the bottle up to look at it for a moment. He then took a couple of draws of the drink and winced after he swallowed it. He looked at the bottle again and half turned to Tom and handed him the bottle. Tom took the proffered bottle and took a draw himself. The liquid burned all the way from his mouth to the fiery pit that was his stomach. He then handed the bottle back to Richard. The old man started to take another pull from it but then changed his mind and sighed and put the cap back on it and set the bottle on the box beside him.

Tom sat quietly and waited. He sensed that Richard had something to tell him and from how the old man was acting it was probably not going to sit well with him. Richard put his elbows on his knees and put his face in his hands before dragging them down and sitting back up straight. He cleared his throat and spat on the dirt and straw covered floor. Thunder rolled as the rain picked up again outside, coming down in sheets again.

“Sheriff Cambrick stopped by this morning, not too long after you left.” Richard began. His voice sounding wearier than Tom had ever heard it.

“We told him what happened, to Addy, yesterday… He was polite and concerned, of course, but he said he would have to hear if from Addy herself… and she would have to make charges against… the boy.” He went on to tell Tom.

“Well, she did, didn’t she?” Tom asked. “What did he say after that?” Tom asked as well.

“She didn’t tell him, Tom… she’s not talking at all. Not even to her momma, or me. She just stares off into space…” Richard said with a catch in his throat.

“Cam said that happens sometimes, she’s traumatized he said.” He went on to say. Another flash of lightning and a rumble of distant thunder rattled the tin on the roof of the barn.

“So… he can’t do anything?” Tom asked, but already knew the answer to be no.

“He said that he’d check back in day or two and see if she wanted to talk or press charges then.” Richard said.

“Meanwhile that punk bastard is out there free as a bird and probably terrorizing some other girl… That’s just not right!” Tom spat in disgust.

“I don’t like it any more than you do Tom… son. But you have to give it time. Right now, you need to go be with that little girl. You’re the only one that can get to her right now. She needs you Tom… help my little girl… please?” Richard’s voice broke as he brought a trembling hand up to his face as if to wipe the frustration away.

“A couple of days… a couple of days.” Tom repeated and then stood up.

Tom looked down at the old man and realized that this was really hurting him too. Tom walked to the door of the barn and out into the rain on his way to the house. He was soaking wet by the time he got to the back door. As he stepped into the mudroom, Teresa came out of the kitchen with a towel for him. The worry was all over her face as well, her eyes were haunted. Tom took the towel and dried his head and face, then removed his boots. He looked silently down at Teresa as he stood back up and handed her the now damp towel.

“I’ll change my clothes first.” He said as he walked through the kitchen to the stairs.

“I’ll keep your dinner warm for later.” Teresa said softly.

Tom climbed the stairs and walked down the hall to his room. He peeled off his wet shirt and jeans and pulled on a pair of sweat pants and a tee shirt. As he turned to go back out of his room, he saw a child’s crayon drawing that was pinned to his wall next to the light switch. Addy had drawn that when she was five years old. It was a stick figure drawing that was supposed to be himself and her sitting on the bank of the pond fishing. Tom’s breath caught in his throat for a moment. He swallowed and sniffed back a tear that threatened to escape his eye, then turned off his light and left his room.

The soft knock was not necessary, but Tom was a creature of habit. Not hearing a response, Tom eased the door open and peeked around the door. Addy was laying on her bed in a fetal position with her back to the door. Tom’s heart broke just a little bit more. Quietly he closed the door behind him and walked over to sit on the edge of her bed. He reached out with his right hand and gently brushed a few stray locks of her hair out of her face and back behind her ear. Addy’s eyes opened slightly and her head turned to see him smiling softly down on her. In a flash she was sitting up and wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him as if her very life depended on it.

“I was so afraid when I woke up earlier today and you weren’t here… I was afraid you wouldn’t come back. Don’t ever leave me Tommy…” Addy keened into Tom’s shoulder, her body trembling in his arms.

“I had to go to work Addy, you know that. You also should know I would come home to you. I would never leave you baby. Momma and Pa were here, you were never alone little one.” Tom spoke softly into her hair as he rocked Addy gently and stroked her hair on the back of her head.

“That man… the sheriff… he… he wanted me to tell him what happened. I… I just couldn’t Tommy, not again… I just want to forget it all like it never happened, but just can’t.” She moaned pitifully between gasps and sobs.

“Addy… I know it hurts baby… but if you don’t talk to the Sheriff, he can’t do anything to make it right. He can’t even talk to Delbert unless you tell him what happened to you…” Tom tried to explain to Addy while comforting her. He felt her tense again in his arms.

“I… I don’t care! I just want to forget it… I want to forget all about it… I’m so ashamed…” Addy cried into his shoulder and neck.

“Shhhhhh shhhhhh shhhhhh… It’s okay baby…. It’s okay… Don’t worry about it right now… it’s okay…” Tom repeated softly over and over as he rocked his sister in his arms calming her.

Addy sniffled and sobbed for several long minutes, maybe it was an hour or more before she relaxed and fell silent. Tom continued to hold her close and rocked her gently all the same. Eventually he realized that she had indeed fallen asleep. He carefully turned her around and lowered her head to her pillow and then laid down on the bed next to her. Even though she was asleep, Addy clasped his right hand in both of hers and drew it to her chest, close to her heart. Lying on his left side, his right hand captured within Addy’s, Tom allowed himself to drift off to sleep as well as the thunder and rain played their lullaby.

A soft hand gently shaking Tom’s shoulder woke him. His face was still buried in Addy’s hair as he lay on her bed with Addy curled up with her back next to him. Tom lifted his head and turned, to see Teresa smiling sadly at him as she turned on the bedside lamp.

“I brought you some creamy chicken soup, and some biscuits. I also brought a jar of apple butter, maybe you can get Addy to eat a little too. She hasn’t eaten anything all day, Tom. I’ll be back with some lemonade shortly.” Teresa said as she tucked her hands under her armpits, crossing her arms, her face a mask of restrained worry.

“I’ll try to get her to eat something. Thanks.” Tom said as he sat up and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands for a moment.



Looking out the window, he saw that the storm had passed on and though it was dark out now, the rain had stopped. The crickets were tuning up and, in the distance, he could hear the frogs at the pond warming up for their nightly chorus as well. Looking down at Addy sleeping peacefully, he almost felt like letting her continue sleeping rather than wake her. Teresa had said she had not eaten all day though, so he reached over and shook Addy gently by the shoulder. She groaned and turned her head to see who was rousing her. Her sleepy eyes made out Tom’s face and his warm smile, so she smiled back.

“Hi.” She said sleepily.

“Momma brought you some soup, why don’t you sit up and have some.” Tom told her as he reached for the mug and began stirring it with the spoon.

Addy frowned a bit but even Tom heard her stomach growl, and her frown turned into a sheepish grin. Pressing up with her hands and elbows, she rose up to a sitting position and Tom handed her the mug of soup. He turned back to the bedside table and split open a biscuit and spooned on some apple butter. He took a bite of the biscuit, savoring the sweet apple flavor. After Addy had eaten three spoonfuls of the soup, he held the biscuit out for her to nibble a bite of as well. Her eyes got wide with delight before she closed her eyes and chewed while trying not to smile. When she had swallowed, she opened her eyes and looked for more of the biscuit, her eyebrows raised in silent question.

“Nuh uh… eat more soup first.” Tom said playfully as he drew the biscuit back out of reach. Addy pouted but then grinned again and spooned more soup into her mouth.

Tom got Addy to eat the whole mug of soup and two of the three biscuits (slathered with the apple butter) out of three that Teresa had brought to them. Tom was spreading apple butter on the last biscuit when Teresa knocked softly on the door before entering carrying two tall glasses of lemonade. She smiled when she saw that Addy had eaten all the soup. She leaned over to collect the empty mug and spoon and kissed Addy on the top of her head. Teresa rested her left hand on Tom’s shoulder and smiled at him warmly in thanks. She then turned and picked up the plate from the bedside table. At the door she paused and turned to Tom.

“I’ve got more in the kitchen, if you’re hungry before you go to bed… or you can come back here and sleep if…” she left her statement open knowing that Tom probably would sleep here again tonight if Addy wanted him to. It was that special connection they shared. Inseparable when one or the other was hurting. They had been that way since they were babies.

“Thanks, Teresa. I might be down shortly. I need to shower anyway. I think our girl can let me go long enough for that.” Tom said with a warm smile as he glanced over at Addy who was biting her lip and watching him and Teresa quietly with a hesitant if worried look in her eyes.

“Tom… will you come back… and stay with me again tonight?” Addy asked in almost a whisper like voice.

“Of course, I will Addy. I just need to shower and get something to eat. I’ll bring you another biscuit if you want too.” Tom said with a smile as he rubbed her shoulder reassuringly.

“Okay then… just come back.” She said as she pulled the covers up to her chin while still sitting up.

Tom stood up and bent over to kiss her on top of her head before turning and heading to the door. He stopped in his room and got a change of underwear and socks. He would put the same sweats and tee shirt back on after his shower. He shaved first, pausing to look himself in the eyes in the mirror. His eyes were red rimmed and tired looking… but something else too. There was a coldness that he knew stemmed from the anger and hatred that grew in his gut. The poison that had to be vented, vented on one Delbert Evans… when the time was right.

A quick shower and then down the stairs to the kitchen. Richard was still sitting at the table when Tom entered the room. Teresa got up and went to the stove to fix Tom a plate, a bowl of soup and some biscuits. She also poured him a glass of iced tea. Tom sat and watched Teresa scurry about the kitchen.

He looked at Richard and saw that he was being watched as well. The old man studied him as if trying to measure his mood and or thoughts.

“How’s she doing son?” Richard asked.

“She’s still pretty wound up, I think. Addy’s scared mostly. She seems to be okay when I’m with her.” Tom spoke. Richard nodded his head knowing it to be the truth.

“Do you think she might be willing or able to talk to Cam… Sheriff Cambrick… in a day or two?” Richard asked hopefully, even as his eyes were locked on his half empty coffee mug, he held in both hands on the table in front of him.

“That, I don’t know.” Tom admitted sounding frustrated. “Addy seems pretty adamant about just trying to forget the whole thing. She feels ashamed of it all.” Tom almost growled as his voice got tight, his own hands balled into fists on the table.

“Son… I know it’s hard, but you gotta be smart. Think about Addy… don’t go doing anything stupid.” Rich spoke in a low gravelly voice.

“The son of a bitch is walking around bragging about it… And if Addy doesn’t press charges… Hell! Even if she does, it’s her word against his!” Tom spat the words in disgust and brought his hands to his face as if to wipe the frustration away.

Tom felt a soft hand grip his right shoulder. Teresa set a bowl of soup in front of him. He looked up into her concerned eyes, her smile more of a soft grimace, but she remained silent. She stepped back over to the stove and collected a plate of biscuits to set on the table as well. Tom picked up his spoon and idly stirred his soup, his mind still a storm of conflicting emotions and thoughts. Richard stood up and patted Tom on the shoulder as he left the kitchen. He paused at the doorway to speak.

“Get some rest son, things will look better tomorrow.” The words still low and gravelly.

Tom nodded then began to eat his dinner, he was distracted by his thoughts though, he got no enjoyment out of the food. After he finished, he cleaned up after himself, putting his bowl in the sink and turning off the light in the kitchen before heading back upstairs to go to bed. Outside Addy’s door, Tom paused listening quietly to hear her snoring softly. Rather than wake her up, he went on to his own room and climbed into bed. Lying on his back with his hands folded behind his head, Tom stared at the ceiling in the dim glow of the bedside lamp. He drifted off to sleep.

Sometime later that night Tom awoke to the feeling of a familiar form snuggling up next to him. Addy had awakened and found herself alone. Feeling vulnerable and scared, she did as she had done so many times before as a young girl, she went to Tom’s room and climbed into bed with her brother. For maybe the thousandth time, Tom realized that Addy was no longer the scrawny little girl who was all knees and elbows and wild strawberry blonde hair.

Addy had grown into a sturdy but infinitely soft curvy young woman. The hair was still wild and untamable, but his sister was not a little girl any longer. This girl, this woman… made his heart beat faster just thinking about her. He loved to hear her voice, her laughter, even her chiding teasing or angry voice. More so, he loved to see her smile. When she looked at him and he saw those dazzling blue eye he could think of little else. Tom loved his sister more than life itself. He knew it was wrong though… It wasn’t natural, it wasn’t right to love your sister in ways like that. Only… Tom knew, in his heart of hearts, he knew that Addy loved him the same way… and that hurt too much to think about. With guilt in his mind and joy in his heart, Tom wrapped his arms around Addy and held her tight as they both drifted back off to sleep.

Tom awoke again later that morning before his alarm went off. He carefully reached over and turned it off before it started making racket. Realizing that he had to get up and get ready for work, he carefully picked up Addy and carried her to her room and gently put her in her own bed. Pulling the blankets up and tucking her in even as she roused sleepily.

“Don’t go Tommy… Stay with me.” She half whined with a pouting face.

“I have to go to work Addy… Momma and Pa will be here, you won’t be alone.” He told her softly as he stroked the hair on her head.

“You will come back though, right?” She asked hesitantly.

“Of course, I will baby… I’ll be back before you know it. Maybe you and momma can make some cookies today?” Tom reassured her teasingly.

“That might be fun…” Addy said sleepily as she yawned and then smiled, her eyes drifting closed again.

Tom stood up and left her room to go down the hall to the bathroom. After returning to his room to dress for work, he made his way downstairs and to the kitchen. Teresa was sitting at the table and there was already a plate of eggs and bacon with some of last night’s leftover biscuits on the table for Tom. Richard’s seat at the table was empty and there was a half empty cup of coffee and a dirty plate. Apparently, Richard had already eaten and gone out to start his day. Teresa sipped her coffee as Tom sat and started eating.

“That boy… the one that…” Teresa began, but choked on her words, bile rising in her throat.

“Is he really bragging about what he… what he did to my baby?” Teresa finally spat out the question.

Tom paused as he was spreading apple butter on a biscuit, his knuckles turning white as he held the knife. Tom’s eyes never left the biscuit, he carefully set it back on his plate and with slow deliberation placed the knife on the table beside his plate. He took a long deep breath and then swallowed.

“That’s what I heard from some guys I spoke with.” Tom said in an even tone that belied how tense he truly was.

Tom looked up to see Teresa’s eyes filling with tears as she stared into her coffee cup. Her hands were shaking so she set her coffee cup down on the table and folded her hands in her lap. Tom wiped his mouth with his napkin, no longer having an appetite.

“Tom…” Teresa began in almost a whisper, her voice shaky but surprisingly stern.

“Be careful… whatever you do. Addy can’t lose you.” She added in the same voice.

Tom looked up to see a new coldness in her eyes, a knowing understanding that didn’t have to be spoken of. She knew that Tom had already made up his mind. She knew he wasn’t going to wait on the law to fumble around and make a mockery of what happened to his sweet Addy. Looking into her eyes, Tom simply nodded then rose from the table. Slipping on his jacket at the back door, Teresa brought him a paper bag with his lunch in it. She gripped his shoulder briefly and then turned to go back into the kitchen. Tom left the house.

As he sat in his old pickup letting the engine warm for a minute or so, Tom thought of how or where he might find Delbert today. Perhaps after school let out. Delbert being a senior this year, the same as Addy. Delbert was 20 years old though, apparently, he had been held back or had failed a grade or two in the past. Being older might have something to do with his being so much of a bully, he had always looked down on everyone else in his grade. Thought he was better than everyone because his folks had money and he was spoiled. The best clothes, the best shoes, he even had a car at sixteen years old. His prized possession, a black 1978 Camaro. Tom’s face transitioned from a grimace to a knowing smile. That’s how he would find Delbert, find his car.

It was a busy day at the hardware store. Two trucks to unload and put into storage and half a dozen big orders to be delivered around the county. Tom ate his lunch while driving between deliveries. As he was driving across the bridge on the narrows across Arrowhead Lake, Tom spotted Delbert’s Camaro parked near the boat launch. There were a couple of other cars parked there too so Tom knew Delbert wouldn’t be alone. The whole bunch were probably drinking or smoking pot. Instead of stopping, Tom just kept driving, unnoticed. He would be back though, now that he knew where Delbert was hanging out.

Back at the hardware store, Tom was finishing up for the day. It was a little after four in the afternoon, all the deliveries had been made and it was time to go home. As he was walking through the store on the way to the back door, Tom paused by a display of electric cattle prods. The nearly three-foot-long fiberglass wands with electrodes on the end were a favored tool with farmers and ranchers needing to move livestock. The prods moved something in Tom’s mind, an idea forming, he smiled and continued out the door to his pickup.

That evening when he got home to the farm, he was pleasantly surprised to find Addy sitting on the back porch as he walked up to the house from the barn. She was dressed in a lightweight summer dress that was yellow with white trim at the collar and sleeves. Addy sat barefoot on the steps with her knees tucked under her chin and her arms wrapped around her legs as if hugging herself. She was rocking gently forward and back staring at the ground in front of the steps.

Tom walked up to the steps and turned and sat next to Addy. He wrapped his left arm around her shoulders and she leaned into him. Tom kissed the top of her head and then rested his chin on her hair as she continued to rock. They sat there for a while before Teresa came to the screen door and looked out at them. She cleared her throat to get Tom’s attention.

“Supper is on the table if you two want to come in and eat.” Teresa said in a soft neutral voice.

“Thanks momma. We’ll be right in.” Tom responded with a nod.

Tom kissed Addy on top of her head again and went to stand up. Addy leaned away from him and looked up at him with sad eyes… soulfully sorry sad eyes. It hurt Tom to see the pain and sadness in her eyes. The dazzling blue eyes that he fell in love with the day he met her when Teresa and Rich brought her home from the hospital. The eyes that had always been so full of light and wonder… joy and happiness… now to be dimmed with sadness… it just wasn’t right. With an extended hand, Tom helped Addy to her feet.

At the table, dinner was a quiet affair this evening. Teresa had prepared meatloaf with mashed potatoes and green beans and there was cornbread of course. Normally Addy would be happily chattering on about this book or that story that she’d been reading. But this evening, her first time sitting down at the table since being attacked, she was subdued.