Babette's Story

"Oh my goodness! Babette I was so worried about you." I was rudely awakened by a fierce hug from Angie. Ruining my sweet dream about Forrest. "Where did you go? Your pop said he went looking all over town for you."

I stretched feeling the tired ache and stiffness of my body. I sat up "Good morning to you too Ang." My voice sounding a little raspy.

I filled her in on my whereabouts and explained everything to her. "Wait, so you were alone?" I nodded. "With Forrest?" I nodded again and a huge smile spread across her face.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" I shifted uncomfortably.

"Don't play coy with me Babette. Something happened and I gotta know. Please! Please tell me something." She giggled. I grinned at her shaking my head.

She raised her eyebrows and I finally gave in. "I kissed Forrest." The words rushed out of my mouth. Her eyes widened as she place her hands over her mouth to keep from screaming. I felt the blush in my cheeks and rested my eyes on my hands in my lap.

"You KISSED Forrest Bondurant!" She nearly yelled.

"Shush Ang keep it down!" I hissed at her, worried that my brothers were still around. "Yes I kissed him I don't know why I did it, I just did." I sighed.

"Did he kiss you back? What was it like? Is he a good kisser?" She bombarded me with back to back questions.

I took a deep breath, "Yes, he kissed me back... And I have no idea what a bad or good kisser is like. All I know is the feeling that I got was a good one."

"Your first kiss and it just so happened to be with the most legendary man in the county." She giggled. At the mention of him being a legend I decided to push for some info on the Bondurant brothers.

"What's that about anyway?" I asked nonchalantly.

"Well those boys have sort a reputation 'round these parts. Now I'm only saying what was said to me, okay?" I nodded and she continued. "Howard went away to fight in the war, said he was the only one to survive a beach landing while the rest of the men drowned. As for Forrest, he and his parents got the Spanish Lady flu. He was the only one to throw off the sickness, leavin' them boys to take care of themselves."

"So they got a reputation for evading death?" I asked skeptically.

"Yup, that's the word around town." She laughed. "Now why don't we get ready and head out?" She looked at me waiting for my confirmation. I laughed and got up from my bed.

Before I knew it summer was coming to an end. The relationship between Forrest and I was filled with small smiles, hidden smirks, the brushing of our arms as we passed each other. We hardly spoke but when we did we were always interrupted. Left with unspoken words neither one of us could get out. My brothers still gave me grief about going to the station to hang around with Jack, but they tried to trust me.

One beautiful summer day Angie and I headed over to Cricket's house to see if he and Jack wanted to accompany us to the lake. Me and Ang were giggling and joking around when I spotted a car driving towards our way. The smile on my face faltered as I notice the weird looking deputy staring at us with that disgusting hunger in his eyes. We stood frozen in our place as he drove pass.

Ang finally found her voice, "What do think he was doing up at Crickets's?" She asked worriedly. Her voice a bit shaky. I glanced at her and suddenly took off running towards Cricket's house. As I made it to the front yard I saw Cricket standing in the threshold of his front door, looking a bit shaken up. It wasn't until a small movement caught my eye that I noticed Jack lying on the ground. Horror struck when I seen the blood all over his face.

"Oh my god! Jack what happened!?" I couldn't shake the images that plagued my mind. It was as if I was having déjà vu. I heard Angie gasp in shock. Cricket was now standing over me trying to frantically explain the events that occurred.

"We have to get him to the station. Now!" I said as tears streamed down my face. We got him into Cricket's car and drove quickly to Blackwater Station. Maggie was seated outside as we arrived. We scrambled out of the car taking jack out and helping him up the stairs.

"What happened to him?!" She asked panicking and running over to hold the door open for us.

"That disgusting new deputy did this to him." Angie said not able to keep her crying under control. Maggie went behind the counter grabbing whatever she could to clean Jack up. A few hours had passed, the diner growing silent after a while. Howard sat at the bar occasionally sneaking glances at his youngest brother. I sat in between Howard and Jack with my hands resting on the counter. Jack nervously filling up the salt shakers. Angie sat at one of the tables with a blank stare. It wasn't until Forrest walked through the screen door that everyone's eyes shifted towards the door. My eyes never leaving Forrest as he walked over to Jack leaning very close to him.

The seriousness of Forrest' voice made the hairs on the back of my neck stand. "Alright. So you wanna get into this racket, but I see you sittin' there, lookin' like somebody's punchin' bag. So I ask you, what do you intend to do now?"

Jack looked very nervous even fearful of his older brother. "What do I intend to do?" He asked confused.

Forrest stared at Jack intensely. "Yeah. You. What, you expect somebody else to handle it?

Jack stuttered "N-No."

"Howard maybe?" Forrest asked nodding over to their eldest brother.

Jack shook his head. "That ain't what I meant."

I couldn't move from the barstool to let them speak alone. I was frozen in my spot by the sound of Forrest' voice. "What did you mean?" Forrest asked.

"I don't need no help." Jack spoke almost impossible to hear.

"I'm sorry?" Forrest pushed for a louder answer.

Jack sat up a little straighter and answered his brother again. "I don't need no help."

Forrest raised his brows slightly. "Oh, you don't. Here it is. As long as you are my brother, you will never let this happen again. Do you understand?" The tone of his voice sending shivers up my spine.

"I get it." Jack said lowering his head.

"I don't think you do." Forrest said.

Jack started to whisper to Forrest, as Forrest leaned in a bit closer. "What if I can't? I mean, I'm not built like you and Howard. I ain't never been like you."

"It's alright. Jack, it is not the violence that sets men apart. Alright? It is the distance that he is prepared to go. Jack, look at me. We are survivors, we control the fear. And without the fear, we are all as good as dead. Do you understand? Do you?" As Forrest spoke those words it was then that I realized why this man was truly feared around town.

"Rakes told me to tell you they're comin' for you next." Jack said desperately trying to change the subject.

Forrest grunted. "Yeah, well, they'll be back. You can be sure of that. Um... A present from your preacher friend. You gonna open it?" He asked. Jack pulled out a shoe that caused me to giggled at the sight of it. Bertha had already told me about Jack's little appearance at church. Howard laughed out loud. Forrest walked into his office.

"I'm gonna step outside for some air." Angie announced. The tension in the diner being a lil too much for her to handle.

"Need some company lil Ang." Howard snickered wagging his eyebrows at her.

"No! I most certainly do not Howard Bondurant. Gutter rats would be better company than you." She spat, causing Howard to howl.

"Playing hard to get? I like it." Howard grinned at Angie.

"Oh Howard you're such a pig." She said as she stormed out on to the porch. I shook my head at the two. They were always bickering with each other. I got up from my barstool with my sights set on Forrest' office. I felt Maggie's eyes on me as I walked to the back. I knocked softly suddenly second guessing my decision to do so.

"C'mon in." He grumbled. He stopped writing in the book that lay before him to look up at me. I stepped in a bit more shutting the door as I did. He offered me his seat as he got up and leaned on his desk. The awkward silence went on for a few minutes.

"I saw that deputy driving away from Cricket's house." I looked down at my feet. I heard him growl in response at the mention of the deputy. "He scares me... I mean the way he looks at me scares me. It's almost as if he's envisioning everything he could possibly do to me." I confessed to Forrest. Finally looking into his stone cold eyes.

"I would never let him hurt you." Forrest said as matter of fact.

"I know." I smirked but then it dropped. "But look at what he did to Jack today. It was merciless." I swallowed. "Beating on a defenseless boy just to send a message."

"You don't worry 'bout that I'll deal with him." His words held promise and a viscous touch of vengeance. Giving me goosebumps. I placed my hand on top of his.

"I just don't want anything bad to happen to you." I said softly. I stood up walking out the office to join the bickering two outside.

Forrest joined us outside after a while taking his place on his rocking chair with his mug in hand. "Jack and you girls hungry?" Maggie asked stepping out the screen door. We all nodded our heads especially after a very eventful morning. A couple of minutes passed when the sound of a car pulling up stopped Angie mid sentence. We all ran over to the window just in time to see deputy Abshire and deputy Richards stepping out of a car. If we were really quiet we could hear the words that were being exchanged.

Deputy Abshire looks slightly bashful as he opened his mouth to speak to Forrest. "Forrest Bondurant, it seems you've been involved in certain illegal activities."

Forrest looked unbothered by the deputy's statement. "Illegal activities, huh?"

Deputy Abshire smiled nervously. "Look here, Forrest. You play ball with us we can make this here summons disappear."

"Are you tryin' to shake me down, Henry?" Forrest mumbled sounding annoyed.

"I'm just the messenger here, Forrest." The deputy said giving a nod to Forrest. I was startled by the stomping of feet coming from the back. I turned to see Howard with fury in his eyes.

"Have you met, Howard?" I heard Forrest ask as Howard burst through the screen door. Howard ferociously approached the deputies. Deputy Abshire tried to draw his gun.

"Oh, what you gonna shoot me, huh?!" Howard yells. punching him in the face. "You gonna hurt my brother?" Howard screams as he kicks deputy Abshire. I turn away from the window unable to stomach watching a man get beaten nearly to death. I rushed to the door.

"That's enough Howard!" I screamed causing everyone to look at me. "I think there's been enough violence for one day. That's enough!" Forrest walked over to the deputies, speaking to them. He took the gun off the ground emptying out the deputy's revolver, then handing it back to him and sending him on his way. Howard marched up the stairs and back inside.

Forrest slowly made his way to the porch. Stopping in front of me. I couldn't bring myself to look at his face. "Is this how you're gonna deal with that deputy, Forrest? By causing more harm than good" I spoke softly. My eyes glassy with tears I did not wish to share.

"I'm gonna deal with him the best way I know how." He walked inside leaving me alone on the porch. I shut my eyes letting my unshed tears fall. Was I scared of the Bondurants after what I witnessed today? No, I felt safe in fact. The one thing I was scared of... Were the feelings that were growing for the middle Bondurant.