The Life of Buddy

Burt and Amanda

Winters let out a series of profanities as Burt and Amanda left the office. He muttered that he was going to sue and that he would make sure that their idiot son never worked in the town again. The two ignored him as they walked down the hall.

"Thank you." Amanda said.

Burt looked at her surprised and then gave her a confused look. "For what?"

"For being there for our son." Amanda said with a small smile. "For standing up for him." She gave him an uncomfortable look as she said "I think it really meant a lot to him that you were in his corner."

"I think it meant a lot to him that we were both in his corner." Something that we had not been often Burt thought as they walked into the empty kitchen. Too often that been quick to side with everyone else against him instead of listening to his side of the story. Taking the belt to his backside or grounding him before making sure that he was the one at fault.

Guilt gnawed at Burt as he thought that has to change.

"I agree." Amanda said as guilt flashed across her face. "And I just want to assure that Tony was never serious about sending Butch away to military school." Burt shot a her a skeptical look. "Its true Tony would have never sent him away."

"Perhaps." Burt said not believing her protest. "But I still don't like the idea that he threaten our son like that."

An uncomfortable look crossed her face. "He was trying to keep Butch from getting in trouble that's all."

"I still think it would be a good idea for him to stay with me for a couple of days." Burt said.

"That's fine." Amanda said. "I know he would really like that." A quizzical look filled her eyes. "How is Elizabeth going to react to him staying with you though." Not well she thought. I could see her throwing a Texas size fit over his presence.

She was then hit by a wave of discomfort at the thought of Butch being around Elizabeth. Not just because of the fit that she would throw though. But there were other things that bothered her about Elizabeth that she had seen over the years. Things that she wanted to talk to Burt about but never thought it was her place to say.

"I'm leaving Elizabeth." Burt then announced.

"You are?" She said floored. She never thought that this day would come was certain that Burt would remain with that toxic, horrible woman until one of them died. She wondered what finally caused him to leave his loveless excuse of a marriage but then realized that there was probably only one reason. The same reason that their marriage ended. "For who?"

Pamela she thought its got to be Pamela. He's finally getting together with her after all theses years.

"For my sons." Burt said. "Especially Buddy who I need to get away from that woman before she does him anymore damage."

"What happened?" Amanda asked but had a sneaky suspicion.

Burt then stopped at the grilling station and told her everything that he had found out. Anger and revulsion crossed her face and she felt the sudden urge to hunt that woman down and give her a far worse thrashing than Winters received.

"I wish I could say I was surprised." Amanda said as she blinked back the tears. "But I had long suspected that she was a little too close to her sons." She thought how Elizabeth had always reminded her of uncle and how he was a little too affectionate with her daughters. She was right about him too. "Especially Mason." Her stomach churned in disgust as she thought what Elizabeth put that poor boy through. She was shocked that he was able to have a normal relationship after how his mother abused him.