Family Reunion

9. New Family

Morning had come and Karen was tied to a chair while being questioned by Charles, Jimmy and Tommy. "Who are you?" Charles asked. "My name is Karen." She said calmly. "That's a pretty name." Said Hunter. "Be quiet Hunter, we are talking to her not you." Charles said in a bitter tone. 

"Why did you save Buddy?" Jimmy asked. "I, I couldn't just leave him there alone. I had to keep him safe." Karen spoke truthfully. "Who's the father of your baby?" Charles asked. "I already told you." She said. Charles got up holding a knife to her throat. "Who is he?" He asked bitter again. "I was raped ok. I was raped." She spoke through tears. "He was a classmate and he raped me, he's not in the picture because he's in prison." "What did Buddy tell you about us?" He asked. "He didn't tell me anything, just that he lived on a farm like me. That's it." 

"Does he know that we had your father? Maybe he snuck away so he could try to impress us by bringing you here." "I swear it, he didn't tell me anything. I promise. I brought him back to my house and I, I fed him and made sure that he was comfortable. We watched some tv and we walked. We went to motels and slept there, and we got food. I saw to it that he was well kept with me and I just wanted him to be safe." Karen said through the tears that were falling down her face. 

"You could be a threat to him and us, and we could string you up on them meat hooks right now. All I have to do give Tommy the order. So, you want that?" Charles said. Buddy was upstairs in his room. He was told to stay up there with the others. He secretly snuck out watching from upstairs without their knowledge of him watching a terrified Karen. 

"I told you the truth." She said. "Tommy!" Charles spoke loudly. Tommy came over to her. "No, no I told you the truth. I promise." "Shut up!" Charles snapped. "Please don't kill me." Tommy grabbed hold of her head ready to cut her a bit before putting her up on the hooks when Buddy came running down. "No!" He screamed. 

"Buddy? Get back upstairs." Jimmy yelled. "Let her go, she saved me!" He said getting his dad's way to protect Karen. "Please, Charles please don't kill me please. Please." Charles looked over at Karen and waved his hand to signal to Tommy to let her be. He growled and did so. "Buddy, you know the rules son. You could be punished for this." Tommy said. "She saved me dad. I'm proud to call her my big sister whether you like it or not I want her. I want her to be apart of this family. She already knows of us." 

"Enough! We will have a family gathering right now and Buddy you will tell us everything that went on with you two while you were gone." Charles snapped. He called for everyone to come downstairs. Everyone gathered round the table some sitting and some standing. Buddy had to sit in a chair next to Karen. He wasn't tied but he sat there telling them everything. "So Karen took you to her house, what did you do there?" Gabriel asked. "We watched some cartoons and I played with my toy plane. Karen bought it for me." 

"She did?" Tommy asked. "Yes, she did. She was kind to me. She saved me." Buddy looked down at his hands before breaking down and crying. "It's my fault. I was too busy playing with that toy and when I went to go look for you guys ya'll were gone." "Buddy it's not your fault." Charles said consoling his grandson. "I broke the rule, never lose sight of one another and I did. I'm so sorry dad." Tommy looked away from his son. Tommy blamed himself but didn't wanna show it. Carrie came over to her son. "Mommy." He cried into her. "It's ok baby, it's ok." "Please, don't eat Karen please." Buddy cried looking at everyone. Charles stood up unable to bear hearing his own youngest grandson cry. He walked over to Karen who was also crying. He untied her then spoke to her. "Karen, I'm so sorry. We won't ever do this to you again. You are family now."