Tannin smiled.Then he told her, “You busted my heart when you talked about leaving this place, you know that right?”
Bethy looked confused.“But you were talking ‘bout leaving too back then.How do you think I felt?You said you and your brothers were leaving in two weeks to find out if there was somewhere you could find to settle down.More opportunities, you said.”
Tannin shook his head.“I also said I wanted you to come with me.Or didn’t you hear that part?”
Bethy caught her breath.“I didn’t know if you were serious or not.I mean I was only seventeen back then.”
Tannin shook his head and sighed.“I was only twenty and you locked into my heart so hard I couldn’t breathe without you.I think that’s what hurt so much.I thought we were going in separate directions.But I always knew I would come back here.”Shrugging he admitted, “We were just going to see other places, experience life outside the swamps or something like that.But we always knew this place was our home.When we finally had enough of everyone and their crazy out there...we came home.”
Bethy reached out and cupped his cheek with her hand.“I wish I had known that.I would have begged you to take me with you.I loved you fiercely back then.”
Tannin closed his eyes and admitted, “I never should have left like that.Your dad told me on the phone when I called that you just up and left.So I felt hurt and I did leave after that.”
Bethy was crying now.“I should have known!He made sure I wouldn’t or couldn’t leave.”
Chapter Five
Maudie came back inand said, “Bethy, why don’t you go catch a bath and get cleaned up.Then we can get you some food and a good night’s sleep will do wonders for a person.”
“What about Micah?”Bethy wanted to know.
Maudie grinned.“Been a while since we had a new little one round here, but I think we can handle him.Tannin can get him cleaned up and fed.I bet you been handling everything all alone.So take somemetime.We ain’t gonna hurt him none.”
“I know that you would never hurt him, Ms.Maudie.It’s just hard to let someone else take care of him, you know?”Shaking her head she added, “My daddy was always threatening him and never wanted to see him, let alone take care of him.”
Maudie snorted.“Weh, dat alone says a lot ‘bout your daddy, don’t it?”
Bethy swallowed hard and looked down at her hands then back up at her.“Ms.Maudie, I need to tell you something and I don’t know how?”
Maudie paused, then she reached out to cradle Bethy’s cheek.“Chile, you know you can tell me anything you want.I’m never gonna judge you.I be a healer, not a judge in black robes.”
Bethy nodded.“Remember I told you that Daddy had been drinking?Mais, it wasn’t him alone.He had company.A man and a woman came to our house last night.I think they are trouble,bad trouble.I just got a feeling in my gut that they aren’t good people, but what bothered me the most was the fact that the woman called my daddy her uncle.I didn’t know what she meant but she didn’t seem like the type of woman that grew up in the swamps.She actedbig cityall the way.”
“Weh, I know the type.“Maudie looked puzzled.“She called your daddy her uncle?Did ya hear her name?”
Bethy nodded her head.“I ain’t never seen her before but he called her Lou.”
