"Ruin and Redemption"

Denning's Return

Joe grinned. “Alright. I suppose we’ve said enough. I’m heading out ‘fore Derrick catches me on his front porch sayin’ things that are better left unsaid with his wife.”

“Oh, Derrick! My husband! For f---k’s sake! I could really care less what Derrick hears at this point! Do you know he’s trotting Scarlett around like she’s his wife! Going for walks and, and who knows what else! They’re putting on quite a show for the rest of the plantation! I’m married to, a, I don’t know, what do I call Derrick? And I should be a proper lady for him? I don’t need to sit here and pretend its always been Derrick, Derrick, Derrick. It could have been any one of the three of you, so why the fuck do I need to sit around pretending?!”

Joe stared at her, obviously taken back by her frank acknowledgement, and by the unlikely appearance of the f word, which he had never, ever expected to hear coming from Lizzie’s mouth.

“Well, um, Lizzie, I think I should go now. But Denning is bein’ taken care of over at my house by Mindy and Izzie right now. Hope you and Patsy can come by today or tomorrow and help out, too.”

“Alright, Josiah. I’ll talk with Patsy and see what she says. If she’s willing to help, I suppose I can tag along and assist. Who knows, maybe Denning will finally apologize. Miracles do happen sometimes after all.”

“Well, see you back at the house, Lizzie.”

“Goodbye, Josiah.”

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“Try to be nice to that boy, Lizzie. They all just lost their heads over you. You’ve got to forgive. It’s the Christia thing to do. How do you think I stand living the way I live?”

“I don’t care if it’s the Christian thing to do, Patsy. I don’t think I can! I can’t look at his pasty, ugly grinning face without thinking what he did to Michael. At least Joe has apologized and tried to repent. Even Jesus asks for repentance before he forgives!”

“Lizzie! Joe said he had half his face almost blown off. He doesn’t need your judgement now! He’s letting us come to help him, Lizzie. Now you need to change your attitude if you want to assist me.”

“I don’t care!! This whol;e I don’t want to assist him! I don’t mind if you do, necessarily. Be my guest. Forgive and forget. But I could care less whether he lives or dies, Patsy. Nobody was there with any herbs to take care of Michael. He didn’t just lose half his face, he lost his life, Patsy!”

“I know Lizzie! We all know! Me and Scarlett and everyone else on the plantation. And there were plenty that mourned for him, and miss him to this day. Still, Lizzie, just like you.”

“No, Patsy. You don’t miss him the way I do. Neither does Scarlett, apparently!”

“Just because she doesn’t dwell on it, and pretend Michael is going to raise from the dead like Jesus doesn’t mean she doesn’t miss him, Lizzie. Get a grip on yourself. He’s dead. And we have to accept that, and try to move on with our lives.”