Babette's Story

The next day I awoke with a headache. It was a challenge to sit up. Looking over to Angie's side of the room I noticed she was gone, but in her place sat my pop. He must have been sitting there watching me sleep for some time. Probably imagining all the worst case scenarios that could have come into play last night. Judging by the worrisome look on his face. His stare was trance like. As if he were looking at me and past me at the same time. I knew this look. It was the same one he gave my mother before she passed. It was the look of not knowing how he was going to go on if something had happened. My pop was a man of very few words these days, but his expressions spoke volumes. With just one look we were able to tell when he wasn't happy with us, when he expected more out of us, when he was proud of us, when he wanted to be left alone.

"Baps you know I never really been the strict type with'chu. You get enough of that from your brothers. I'm usually the voice of reason with ya'll." He sat with his head hung low. "You have any idea what it was like-waiting up for you? To see you walk in the way you did-covered in blood. I can't take another lost in this family, I cant." His voice cracking as he spoke, trying to keep from crying.

"I trust you to make good decisions. You are every bit of your sweet mother and more. That's why I know that keeping you from something you set your eyes on is useless. Your mother fought hard for me. She went against everything your grandpa told her to be with me. She was stubborn. She knew she was capable of doing anything she set her sights on, much like you." He shook his head with a small smile that did not reach his dark eyes.

He stood silent for a moment. I knew he was thinking of a way to deliver his next line of words. I never wanted to worry my pop. He's been through enough as it is. "I know you seeing one of them Bondurant boys." He stated with a cocked eyebrow. My eyes grew wide. How did he know? Did aunt Gillian say something? Maybe I haven't been as good at hiding it as I thought I'd been. "I ain't too sure which one exactly, but I know Babette. Like I said, you are every bit of your mother. I'm not gon' tell you to stay away, because look how good it worked out for your grandpa." He scoffed.

"But I will say this.... You are a smart young woman. You know when things aren't right. You know when things are dangerous. What you have to ask yourself now is- 'Is this worth everything you're going through?'" He stared directly into my hazel eyes. The intensity causing me to turn my gaze to my hands. "Not me-nor your brothers can make that choice for you." With that he stood up from Angie's bed and walked over to me. Grabbing the back of my head he placed a gentle kiss on my forehead. "I love you" he whispered. He left me there in the room asking myself many questions. Questions that I didn't even know the answers too.

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I stared at myself in the mirror. I was a wreck. My eyes were bloodshot from the lack of sleep or possibly from all the crying I did last night. I pinned my hair up into a bun. Taking a deep breath I made my way downstairs and into the family room. I didn't have much of an appetite today, and I was still worried sick about hearing anything about Forrest. I shook my head as if it would help take the thought away. The voices in the kitchen began to get louder. I heard Angie's whimpers, my pop trying to diffuse the situation, and my brothers demanding more from Angie. My heart stop when I realized exactly what they were discussing. I knew Angie had given in to my brothers.

"WHAT!!?" Chairs scraped across the floor making that god awful screeching sound. "Babette! Are you ok!?" Richie asked more angry than worried. Eli stepped in behind him saying nothing. He just stared at me his lips pressed in a straight line, with his fist balled by his side. "I don't ever wanna hear about you girls going to that station again. Do ya understand me? You stay away from that station and those Bondurant brothers altogether. Do you hear me Baps!?" His voice rose. I couldn't hold back my tears that fell. I couldn't find my voice.

My pop spoke up for me. "Richie, she's been through enough. Let her be." Richie turned toward my pop with fury in his eyes.

"You... You knew about this, and you weren't even goin' to say a damn thing. You were gon' keep letting her go back to that hick station." Richie spoke through gritted teeth. Aunt Gillian held and consoled her daughter who cried uncontrollably. "Are you losing it old man?!"

"That is no way to speak to your father young man!" Aunt Gillian scolded Richie. Eli's eyes never leaving my face. He looked torn between being the big brother who needed to protect the porcelain doll, and the big brother who had promised to let me make my own decisions. Richie took a deep breath letting it out in one big huff, in an attempt to reel in his anger.

"Pop we can't let her go back there." He spoke a little more calmly. "Had she been there some time sooner that could have been her with her throat slit." He shook the image from his head. He turned to me. "Who's to say whoever did this won't come back to try to off the rest of 'em? I'm not willing to leave that to chance." His dark eyes held mine. Making sure I understood what he was saying.

The tension in the room was extremely uncomfortable. "We've had this discussion over and over again, Richie. It's my life and I'm gon' do what I want with it." I cried to Richie. Aunt Gillian grew rigid, while Angie stared in disbelief. Eli's intense stare turned to one of shock. My pop braced himself for the chaos that was coming.

Richie looked at me as if I had lost my mind. "You gon' do what you want with it?" He asked in a voice that was too calm. "So you gonna go that station and get yourself killed? 'Cause its your life?" He chuckled but his face showed no humor. "After the shit that happened in New York, you don't value your life." He stated more than ask.

"I'm not saying that!" I shook my head. Uncontrollable tears falling down my face. "You keep treating me like a kid Richie. I'm 19 years old-"

"Exactly!! You're still a kid Babette. You don't know anything about life just yet!" Richie yelled.

"The reason I don't know a thing about anything is because you shelter me! This has nothing to do with my age! I get that we suffered too much loss, but I can't live my life the way that you say I should. I'm not as naïve as you like to think Richie." I glared at him.

"Really? 'Cause I think it was pretty naïve of ya to still hang around them brothers after I told you about 'em." His eyes lit with fury. Richie tried to tame his rising anger.

My aunt Gillian stepped forward. "This arguin' is not goin' to get either of you anywhere. You both need to take some time and cool off. Before you say or do something you gonna regret."

I stood up from the chair I was seated in and walked passed Richie. "Where the hell you goin'?" He asked.

"Out." Was all I said when he griped my arm tightly.

"No the hell you're not! You think you just gon' run off to the Bondurants?" He said through gritted teeth.

"I'm not staying here!" He shook me hard making me face him. His anger getting the best of him again. "What? You gon' hit me again? Huh, Richie?" I watched as his expression went from one of anger to one of guilt. I knew it was a low blow, but I had to get out this house and get to Forrest. His grip on my arm was still tight.

"Hey Rich, just let her go." Eli finally spoke. Richie looked to his older brother sadly, contemplating if he should. After a few tension filled seconds Richie released my arm. I looked to him as I took a few steps backwards towards the front door. When he made no move to come after me I bolted out the door.

I ran towards town. As I ran I thought of the sight of Forrest last night. A pale Forrest lying on the ground clutching at his throat. A pool of blood all around him. I prepared myself for bad news. There was no way for him to survive a vicious attack like that. If by some miracle he did survive-would he forgive me for leaving him alone? I can't even forgive myself for that. I don't think I ever will. Howard and Jack must be going insane right now, and Maggie-she must be scared shitless.

With the hospital in sight I slowed my pace. I had no idea what news I was about to receive. Standing in front of the hospital I stopped. I took many deep breaths to slow my heart from racing. To calm my nerves. I slowly walked into the hospital.

Please god let him be okay....