Baker Family

The Apology

Ricky let out a sigh as he said "I feel so sorry for both of them."

"Same here." Dawson said.

The front door opened and Lori and Pete stepped out. "Okay boys lets go." Pete said and the four got up. Pete put his arm around Ricky as he said "You guys didn't talk to Scarlet did you?"

"No." Ricky shook his head. "She's over a friend's house."

"And how did you know that?" Pete asked.

Ricky then said "Red junior told us."

"Yeah he came over to apologize for what his dad did." Dawson said as he walked next to his mom.

"That was nice of him." Pete said.

Red Junior is such as sweet boy Lori thought. So unlike that father of his.

"It was." Ricky looked at Benson residence and hoped that he was not paying the price for it.

Red junior felt a twinge of nervousness as he walked into the kitchen with his mom. He had expected his father to be sitting at the table glaring at him but to his relief he was not there.

"Have a seat baby." Rose said motioning towards the table. She rubbed the back of his head as he walked past him.

"Yes ma'am." His voice wavered as he spoke.

Rose sat down and said "Why did you go over to the Bakers?"

"Mom I was just apologizing to Ricky and the others..."

Rose put her hand up silencing him. "I know what you were doing honey." She said as she sat down across from. "It was a nice gesture on your part but very foolish." Rose gave him an awkward look. "How do you think your father would have reacted if he saw you over there?"

"Badly I guess." He said sheepishly.

"You don't have to guess honey you know that he would have reacted badly." Rose said causing Red junior to cringe. "He would have viewed your going over there to apologize as a betrayal."

"I wasn't betraying him." Red junior then hung his head as he looked at the table. "That wasn't my intention anyway. I just wanted them to know that we weren't bad people."

"I know baby and I don't blame you for going over there." Rose said taking his hand. She was about to say something when Red senior's voice came booming into the room.

"Went over where?" Red senior glowered as he walked into the kitchen. "Where did he go?"

Red junior shrunk before him and Rose said "I need you to calm down."

"Where did he go?" He said. "He went over the Baker's didn't he?" He then looked at Red junior "Didn't you boy." Red's fists clenched and unclenched rapidly. "Come here now."

Rose stood in front of him and said "Don't you dare touch him." Rose glared at her husband as she spoke.

"I'm not going to hurt the boy." Red senior said shooting his wife an annoyed look.

She looked down at her tightly clenched fists and said "Really now?"

Red unclenched his fists and said "Yes. But he did disrespect me and for that he needs to be punished." He went go around his wife and said "Come with me boy."

Red junior stood up and Rose said "You are not going anywhere." She said as she quickly blocked him from getting to her son. "He did nothing wrong and you are not punishing him." She screamed in his face much to the shock of the two.

She stood her ground as if she was daring him to try go to anywhere near her son. Red junior nervously watching the scene unfold before him. He loved both his parents and really did not want to see either of them come to blows.

"Mom it's okay I'll..."

Her head snapped around and she said "Quiet Red." Red junior closed his mouth and took a step back. She then turned back to her husband and scowled at him.

A few moments of silence passed that seemed like an eternity.

A look of resignation crossed Red's face and he said "Whatever." He then walked out and Red junior let out a sigh of relief.

He was about to thank his mom when she said "You need go out for awhile." She said as she walked over to her purse and pulled out a set of car keys. She then walked over to him and handed him the keys. "Go get your sister wherever she is and don't come home until I text you."

A worried look crossed his face. "Mom."

"Do as I say honey."

"What about you?" Red junior asked.

"You don't worry about me honey." Rose said. "Believe me if there is any parent's whose safety you have to worry about its your father's." She said with confidence in her voice which only caused his worry to deepen. Rose smiled as she said "Everything is going to be okay honey, just go please."

She then gave him a tight hug and kissed his cheek.

"Okay." The boy said as he took the keys. He shot his mother another concerned look and then walked out.

As he walked out his mind went to what happened in the kitchen. He thought of his mother standing between him and his father protecting him as if he was a baby when he should have been protecting her. How he was spineless he would have just marched off with his father and allowed him to do whatever to him whatever he pleased. He was not the fighter that his mother or sister were. He was nothing but a little boy who allowed people to push him around.

Self loathing filled him as he got into his car. He looked at the Baker residence and thought why can't my dad be more like Mister Baker. Yes he was strict on them, he knew that they received spankings from him but he was fair to them.

He let out a sigh as he drove off.