Walking the Water

Untitled Part 1

I'll never forget that day my mom walked into the house. She had on her old yellow dress. It was the only dress she owned, and she only wore it on Sunday. Then it was to church. She had started church a few months before that day. Still, it was a day I will never forget. Woven in my memory forever.
That day had started no different. Mom went to church. I stayed home with father.I was at home because he refused to let me go. He didn't me want there. He'd told mom that. Mom did what she does. She listened to him. Mom does what he wants. That was how things worked.
That was the day mom announced, 'she had been saved by the grace of God.' I didn't know what she had meant. I thought she'd been in an accident. She wasn't. I'm still not sure what she meant that day.Anyway, she had been saved.
My father sure enough understood what she had meant. He didn't seem to like it. Not one little bit.His face turned this bright red. If you looked hard enough you could see purple spots. I thought about leaving. It crossed my mind that would have been the thing to do. He was going to explode. I knew this. Mom knew it too. It was going to end badly. We all knew this.
My mom was giving my father looks. The kind of looks I got when I did something stupid. I got those looks a lot. Mom didn't do that. She just didn't. Not to my father. She would do anything he said. It didn't matter what it was. She would just do it. That was how things worked. This time it looked different. The madder he grew, the madder she got. This was all new to me. This was new to her. It would have to be. I'd never seen it before. I had seen her upset before, never mad.

I'll never forget mom standing there. That yellow dress being blown by the wind coming through the door. She wasn't backing down. Not this time. I could feel my heart beating in my toes. What scared me the most, he hadn't said a word. Not one. Only it was coming. We all knew that too.
He stood up. She didn't back down.It was like a stand off. Scary really. It hit me to run again. Only I couldn't. No, not this time. I couldn't leave her. Not like that. Not with him. She was going to need saved all over again. She should learn that it is okay to run. To stay hid. I do it all the time.
She smiled. It wasn't her nice smile either. I knew that smile. She has aimed it at me enough to know it well. Never at him. No, that would not be something she would do. Not mom. Not like this. I mean,there were times she did say things to him. Not nice things. That is why this surprised me so much. She knew how it would turn out. Not good, never good.
Father didn't speak a word. If you know father,then you know he is one to speak his opinion. He does it often. He is loud when doing so. He doesn't know how to be anything else. He is good at his opinion speaking. I'm not allowed to do that yet. I would like to.
Mom pointed at the door. I knew she meant me when she did so. That was her permission for me to leave. Or her way of telling me to get out. Now I was torn. I really wanted to hear what she told him. I also didn't want that smile aimed at me.
I did what my heart wanted. I ran. I didn't stop until I was on the path in the woods. I slowed down until I got to my spot. It was near the creek. He wouldn't find me. Mom knew where I was. She would bring me to play here when I was little. Now I know it was to get away from him. Then I just loved it. I still do.
All I could do was glare at the creek. Mad at myself for running. I was eleven. I know I just turned eleven, but still. I was a man. A small one. Okay, maybe a really small one. I couldn't help that. I was a man and a man doesn't run. My father did teach me that. Men stood for what they believed it. I just don't think I believed in what he did. I just don't think it is right. That is my opinion that I'm not allowed to speak yet.One day I will tell him. I'm not going to be this little forever. I hoped not anyway.
I kicked a rock. I just didn't believe like my father did. I couldn't. It was wrong. The things he done. He was a horrible man. A man that scared me. Nothing could touch that fear.Closing my eyes I eased down next to the creek. It just couldn't. There was a slight chance I wouldn't tell him my opinions. I just don't think I could do it. That and live through the telling. He'd kill me. I know he would, because he told me so. I believe him. I don't see why she doesn't.
All I heard was the wind. The gentle sound of the creek. I couldn't hear if they were fighting. Usually, I could hear him. Most of the neighborhood could hear him. Someone would usually call the police. That would keep him quite for a few days. He didn't like the thought of going to jail. They took him a few times. Mom was even trying to stop them. That was years ago. It was the cop in the silver truck that arrested him. I watched from the window. Father hates that cop. His name is Cade. If I was honest.Mostly, I am. I would have to admit he hates all cops. It amazed me mom tried to stop him from arresting him.

 It was warm for the first day of Spring. Mom had said that this morning. It had snowed last week. I opened my eyes watching the path. I had to wait on mom. That was our deal. I'd wait until she came for me. That could take hours. Sometimes she didn't come at all. I would have to wait until I heard his truck. That I could hear.

Then I heard it. A rumble went through the woods.He had started his old truck. My heart begun pounding all over again.Jumping up I knew he was leaving. Why I didn't know. I ran back to the house. I stayed hid behind the pine tree in the back yard.Sometimes being small came in handy.
He threw a bag of what looked like trash in the back of the truck. It couldn't be trash. It was Sunday. Everything is closed on Sunday around here. Even Mr.Jenkins closes his store. He calls it the Lord's day. A day to rest.I think he enjoys his Lord's day very well.

He pulled out. I waited until the truck disappeared out of sight before deciding to creep up to the back door. I'm not even sure why I was creeping. It wasn't like he was in there. I just couldn't help it.
"Mom?" I stood in the doorway. Everything looked fine.
"In here! He is gone!" She yelled from the living room.
I saw him leave. Did she think I was stupid? She knew me better than that.
Mom was in the chair he had vacated."He isn't coming back."
We both knew that wasn't true. My face must had shown how I thought. She put her hand up to keep me quite. I didn't know what to say anyway.
"I had a little talk with Cade after church this morning."
She had to be kidding.That wouldn't scare him off. I don't think it would. Make him mad.What was she thinking? That was just crazy. He would come back. She was going to get us both killed. "Why? Why go do something like that?" What would she want to be talking to a cop for? That didn't make any sense. None what so ever.
"I'm talking," She held that hand up again. "This is important. I need you to listen Kyler."
Listen? "What did you tell him? What did you have to talk to Cade for?"
"I had to talk to him about you." She answered.
Me? She had to talk to him about me? Why did she do that? She had no reason to talk to Cade about me. I know I didn't do anything.
"You do know he is a cop." I thought I might need to point that out. She may have forgotten. My father and cops do not get along. Father said it is their fault for not seeing reason. That is another one of his opinions. Mostly I agree with the cops. His opinions are really wrong.
"I know." She looked out the window. "That was a hard talk to have. Now, I have to have the same talk with you. This isn't easy Kyler."
That was twice she said my name. Not honey, not sweetie and not Kye. Just Kyler. She was right about one thing. This wasn't easy. I wasn't the one wanting to have a talk. I wasn't the one talking to a cop either. Not the one in the silver truck, not Cade. Still? What could she have told him that was about me? Somehow, I think I needed to know that. I knew I did.

"He will kill us, you do know that." I thought it was best to remind her once more.

"Lane? He isn't going to kill anyone." She actually shook her head a little bit before getting up.

"I'll be right back." She walked off to the kitchen.

I took over her spot. Maybe she was like me and need to get her courage up. That happened to me sometimes. Maybe she needed coffee. Maybe she needed both. All I could do was wonder what she had told Cade Knight.