The Tutor

Chapter 32

"How? What?"

"I can introduce you to my parents as my fiancée"

"I haven't even given you a ring"

"But you will" she kissed him hard.

"I will," he said when he caught his breath.

"Let's go." She led him out the door, Marcus stumbled down the stairs he was so confused and overwhelmed.

She drove the hour to her parents' house, a little ranch house outside of town. They pulled up and parked. Cora was almost bouncing as she led Marcus to the front door. She rang the bell.

"Cora Dear, you look so much better and who is this with you?"

"Momma, this is my fiancée Marcus" Joan's face froze for a moment and then she broke into a smile.

"You are the man who helped my Cora when those..."

"Yes Ma'am, I was that man, I took care of her"

Joan put her hands on her hips, "And I expect you to continue to take care of her"

"As long as she will have me" Marcus' face split into a grin.

"All right you'll do, Why don't you go out back and see if hank is done with whatever he's doing and I'll have supper read in about an hour"

"An hour?" Marcus asked.

"I need time to discuss this turn of events with my daughter," she said matter of factly.

Marcus walked out to a complex of outbuildings, some for animals others for more utility. He listened and followed the sounds of someone working. He stepped up to a door and knocked. A few seconds later the door flew open. The massive man on the other side of the door looked at him and then looked around. "All right, I suppose this was one of Joan's brilliant ideas?"

"Yes sir," Marcus said "If that was the woman who sent me over here from the house"

"That would be her."

"Then Yes"

"So, you are the boy that my little girl has been pining over for the last three months"

"Odds are it's longer than that but yes that would appear to be the case"

"Did you give up or give in?" A smile slowly spread across his haggard face.

"I think I gave in, she does make a case"

Hank nodded, "When is supper?"

"We have about an hour"

"In that case come in." Hank let him into the small space where several machines sat. He turned to a desk and produced two glasses and a bottle "you drink?" Hank hesitated for a moment.

"Do fish swim,"

"Good I don't trust a man that doesn't drink, but I trust that you keep your drinking under control."

"Most times," Marcus said.

"You were over there?" Hank asked softly.

Marcus nodded.

"You'll take care of my little girl."

"Have and will." Marcus' voice just a hair louder than a whisper.

"I know, I had a little talk with the Sheriff a few weeks ago, he has some interesting things to say about you"

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that" Marcus said as Hank passed him a glass filled with dark brown liquid.

"I'm not, I am glad you were there, Cora hasn't had the best taste in men, hell you are the first boy she has ever brought home."

Marcus sputtered into his glass. "Well I suppose I should tell you that we are engaged"

"Good," Hank said knocking back his drink, "I couldn't think of a better man for the job"

"Thank you sir, but"

"No words son, I had two brothers who served, I was too young and mom made me go to school, I have an idea of what that does to a man when one of my brothers came back and the others didn't"

"I'm sorry sir, for"

"Thank you, the one who came back never did get whole again. He ended up eating the business end of a forty-five."

"My God"

"No, if my Cora can keep you from that and make you mind your manners and maybe give me a few grand-babies"

"I'll see what I can do"

The two men sat in a comfortable silence after that taking slow sips from a diminishing bottle of scotch.

They stumbled out of the building when they were called and Joan looked at both of them disapprovingly as they came in and washed up for supper. Marcus was surprised to find such a well-appointed meal. Roast beef, and gravy, potatoes, green beans with bacon, biscuits, and corn on the cob. Hank nodded to Marcus and recited a blessing.