The Outlaw's Son

Doin' the Dishes

CHAPTER 15 - Doin' the Dishes

"Oh you poor thing!" Aunt Maria squealed as she fussed over Mary Beth, who was standing in the living room dripping with rain water. "C'mere and let me get you some dry clothes!"

Mary Beth looked back at me and I gave her a reassuring grin and she smiled. I watched her silently follow Aunt Maria to the back of the house and into the back bedroom. I could hear my cousins playing in their room and could faintly hear Paw and Uncle Seth talking from out back. It was still flooded, but it was slowly dropping. The sand bags were still in place, holding the water away from the house.

I stretched out on the couch and pulled my hat down to cover my eyes. I was glad the water wasn't flooding the house anymore and the thought made me think of Mary Beth's house. It was more than likely still underwater since it was so close to the creek. The fire crackling in the fireplace had my eyelids getting heavy. I didn't realize how worn out I was until now.

"Damn boy, you gon' sleep all day!" Paw shouted as he kicked the couch. I jumped up and my hat fell to the floor. I heard a girlish giggle and looked to the fireplace to see Mary Beth smiling. The fire gave a soft, warm glow to her face and I returned her smile before picking my hat up from the floor. "Lazy."

"Old."

"What was that?"

I covered my grin when Paw turned around to glare at me. I looked up to meet Mary Beth's eyes while I sat up on the couch. She had her long hair pulled into a low messy bun at the nape of her neck and she was wearing Aunt Maria's pale blue dress. I didn't realize I was staring until she blushed and averted her gaze back to the fire. Paw cleared his throat and I glared at him. He grinned and again I saw the youth on his face.

"I'm gonna go help Mrs. Maria with supper if ya'll will excuse me." Mary Beth said as she stood and smoothed out the skirt of the dress she was wearing. The waist clung to her like another layer of skin and the collar was an off white lace that seemed to contrast against her skin. She wasn't as dark as Aunt Maria, but the white made her look tan.

"Go on, darlin'. I hope you can cook at least a little better than Maria." Paw said the last part with a hushed voice. Mary Beth smiled and took off to the kitchen. Paw got up from the chair and pulled it closer to the couch where I was still sitting. "You ain't gon' find a woman as pretty as that every day. You better be plannin' to do more than stare at 'er."

"Paw, I'm not talkin' to you 'bout what goes on between me and Mary Beth."

"You can't! 'Cause ain't shit goin' on between the two of you!" Paw laughed and even though it was true, it still made me mad.

"She ain't like Mama, Paw. She ain't just gon' run away with me."

Paw sat there for a second and his face softened. I knew he was thinking about when he first met Mama. He leaned forward and propped his elbows on his knees. "You think your Mama ran away with me, willingly?"

"What?" Paw's eyes had taken a mischevious look and I couldn't help the grin that was slowly curving my mouth.

"The only reason your Mama came with me was because I gave her no other choice. I went in the saloon and I brought her out. End of story." He leaned back in the chair and looked at the fire. "Of course, if I hadn't got her then the Morrison gang would have. I told you that story, didn't I?"

"Yes, sir. You and Uncle Seth told me."

"Look at things this way. My excuse was the Morrison's gang, yours can be this flood. Everythin' happens for a reason, Britt." Paw grinned. I laughed in spite of the situation and leaned against the cushions on the couch. "Don't let that one get away."

"I don't plan on it."

Supper was okay, considering the burnt potatos and the falling-apart-cornbread that Mary Beth had made. I kept my comments to myself and acted as though I enjoyed it. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't that great. She was so eager for me to eat a bite of everything she had cooked and would ask me how I liked it. I would just nod as my response and that seemed to work for her.

I helped Mary Beth take all the plates to the wash bucket by the back door. "You shouldn't be helpin' me, Britt." I bent down and picked up the bucket once it was full and opened the door.

"Shouldn't, but I am."

Mary Beth huffed, but then she smiled and followed me outside. I heard Paw's exaggerated cough from the living room and I slammed the door after giving him a 'go to hell' look. I carried the bucket to the well in the back and set it down on the muddy ground.

"I can do this, Britt. You should go inside and let your food settle." Mary Beth said as she tried to grab the well rope before me, but I got it first. "Britt Mason."

"Why don't you want me to help you?"

She stood there for a few seconds, hands on hips, before letting her smile cover her face. "I just think it's silly that I have an outlaw helpin' me do the dishes."

"Well, let's be silly then."