I gave her fur a ruffle, kissed the top of her head then super careful but as quick as I could, I dashed down the hall, the stairs, through the house and outside.
Tuck was standing at the partially opened back gate.
I ran across the yard and when I was close enough, he reached right down, grabbed my hand and pulled me through the gate. He closed it slowly behind us then he moved, real fast, dragging me with him through the woods.
It was then I knew this wasn’t fun. This wasn’t like meeting him at the lake. This wasn’t like when I went to his house with the squirt guns, got him out of bed and we had a squirt gun fight at night, in the dark, in the woods.
This was something bad.
When we were well away from the house and no way Daddy could hear, I asked, “Tuck, what’s the matter?”
He let me go but he didn’t stop walking. He walked to a tree, slammed his opened hand on it then slammed his shoulder into it and turned around. He then slammed his back against it and slid down to his behind, pulled his knees up and dropped his head.
Oh yes. This was something bad.
I rushed to him and got down on my knees beside him.
“Tuck, what happened?” I asked.
“Sheriff brought Mom home.” He told his lap, stopped then kept going, “Again.”
I got it then. His Mom got drunk all the time and she got pulled over for driving that way. Tuck told me they took her license away. Now she had to walk, take a bike or get a ride everywhere. It put her in a bad mood and she took this out on Tuck.
I got closer and put my hand on his knee. “Oh, Tuck, I’m sorry.”
His head came up, turned and his eyes came to me. “She lost her job, Sylvie. Two days ago.”
I didn’t know a lot about these things but I knew that wasn’t good. They didn’t have a lot already. I knew, Mrs. Creed without a job, now they’d have less.
“Tuck,” I whispered.
He shook his head. “Not Tuck. Creed.”
“What?”
“Sheriff’s deputy had a partner. They got Mom in on the couch but I heard ‘em talkin’ outside. Said they didn’t get it. Said she was a mess. Said she always was a mess. Said, ‘cept her bein’ pretty, they didn’t get why Dad liked her. Said she was trouble. Too much. Not worth it. Even too much for Brand Creed. Said she was good for nothin’. Said they hoped her boy, me, was more like Brand than her.”
He stopped talking so I whispered, “Okay.”
“Mom gave me the name Tucker,” he told me. “Dad used to tease her. Said she was crazy, namin’ me Tucker. ‘Least I gave him Creed,’ he’d say, laughin’, grinnin’ big at her, makin’ her roll her eyes right before she’d giggle and give him a hug. So that’s who I am. I’m not what my Mom gave me. I’m what my Dad gave me. I’m Creed.”
“Creed,” I agreed.
He looked away and muttered, “Done bein’ Tuck. Done bein’ crazy, drunk Winona’s boy. I’m Brand Creed’s boy. I’m Creed.”
“You’re Creed,” I told him.
He turned his face further away and I had a feeling he was trying not to cry or not to let me see him cry so I gave him that. Boys did that and I didn’t know why but I did know it was important.
I sat next to him though, got close, shoved my shoulder into him and started wiggling it so he had to put his arm around me. When he did, I pressed even closer. He got kinda stiff for a second then he relaxed and his arm curved tight around me so I rested my cheek against his shoulder.
But I didn’t say anything. Sometimes, when I was trying not to cry and someone said something, it’d make me cry.
So I just pressed close.
We stayed this way a long time. It wasn’t comfortable but it was warm and it still felt good.
Finally, he said something.
“You know, I lost him too.”
“I know Tu… I mean, Creed.”
“She acts like she’s the only one.”
“I know.”
“It’s been years and I still find her drunk, smellin’ bad and passed out on the stupid couch with a stupid bottle, booze drenched in the carpet, his picture in her hand.”
I pressed closer.
“I lost him too,” he whispered.
“I know, Creed.”
He pulled in a loud breath.
Then he said quiet, “You gotta get home.”
I didn’t want to but I agreed, “Yeah.”
We got up and he took my hand as we walked back to the gate. He stopped me like he always did outside. Then his eyes dropped to my throat, his hand let mine go and he lifted it and twitched the pendant there.
He looked back at me and grinned. “You’re always wearin’ one ‘a those.”