Healing Over Time

Chapter Twelve

"When will you be back?" Alex asked him.

"Not sure," Kayce shrugged. "Would you mind..."

"What?" Alex looked at him.

"Tate's had a lot of mom and dad time," Kayce was choosing his words. "If you've got some free time today would you see if he could hang with you? You don't have to do anything really. Just have someone other than us around him?"

"I was gonna see if I could tag along to the grocery store with Gator and the wranglers later," Alex offered. "Could see if Tate wanted to come with?"

"Sure," Kayce nodded. "If you can get him out of this house then more power to you."

"What about Monica?" Alex said as Kayce opened the door,

"Steer clear of her if you can," Kayce nodded before walking out of the house.

**

"Surprised you were allowed out," Lloyd looked over his shoulder at Tate and Alex in the backseat of the truck.

"We didn't tell Mom," Tate smirked.

"We told her," Alex glared at Tate.

"You wrote her a fucking note, Alex," Rip laughed from the driver's seat. "She's gonna have your hide when we get back."

"I can take her," Alex shrugged and looked out the window. "And besides...I told his father and he was fine with it."

"Of course, he was," Rip pulled into the parking lot.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Alex frowned.

"Alright," Rip parked the truck. "Now we're here to get what's on the list and only what's on the list...everyone got that?"

"Got it, Mom," Alex opened her door and they all piled out.

**

Alex walked with Tate down the magazine aisle as they waited for Lloyd and Rip to finish their rounds. She let Tate walk a bit in front of her while her eyes glanced at the rows of printed pictures.

"Oh, look at that," Tate pointed at one of the magazines.

Alex bent her head lower to see which one he was pointing at. It was one of the hunting ones, a new rifle was shown with gadgets and colorful wordings all around it. Alex raised her eyebrow and looked at Tate.

"Ain't she pretty?" Tate smiled at the picture.

"Tate," Alex laughed. "It's a gun...not a woman."

"Guns can't be pretty?" Tate looked up at her.

"No," Alex shook her head. "But girls can?"

"Ew, no thanks," Tate made a face and walked on.

"Just wait until you start looking at girls," Alex giggled, ruffling Tate's hair.

"Girls are mean," Tate looked up at her.

"What girls are mean?" Alex looked down at him. "Am I mean?"

"No, you ain't mean," Tate sighed and tried to walk away.

Alex reached out and pulled him back close to her, tilting his head up at her.

"Who's mean to you?" She asked.

"My cousins," Tate mumbled finally.

Alex thought a moment.

"On the Res?" She asked and Tate nodded. "Sometimes family can just be...difficult."

"All family?" Tate asked her.