Wake Up Δ Walker

chapter seven

Janie is sitting across from Stella at the kitchen table in their grandparents' kitchen. August is next to Stella with Abilene next to him. Liam is across from Abilene. Cordell stands at the head of the table, closest to his daughters.

"Cordell." Bonham calls, sitting at the other head of the table.

"Yeah." Cordell nods and clears his throat.  "There's no easy way to say this. Um... Carlos Mendoza, um... is innocent." Cordell states and the three siblings immediately look at each other. "He's being released tonight. Um, Captain James and your Uncle Liam did some digging, and we believe Northside Nation, who you met in Laredo, at that soccer game, Oswald and company."

"We-we have reason to believe that they... are involved."

"So, mom's killer is still out there?" August asks.

"And you're... you're what? You're gonna go out there and try to find him?" Stella asks.

"It j-just feels like this person is-is trying to hurt our family. Dad, are we even safe here?" August asks.

"Boy, anyone step foot on this ranch to do you harm, they better bring their rosary." Bonham says. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"It feels like you're going hunting." Stella says.

"Or going completely insane." Janie comments.

"And we're just... we're gonna let you?" Stella asks.

"Stella... I'm not gonna stand idle while he walks free. I can't." Cordell says.

"Kids, I'm gonna be here with you all day. So will mawline and gramps." Liam assures.

They hear a car horn honk out front and Janie can tell it is Captain James' car.

"I am trying to bring peace to us, bring peace to our family, bring peace... to your mother. It's okay if you can't support that, but... can you understand it?" Cordell asks.

Stella sighs and leaves, August following. Janie feels her eyes start to sting and takes it as her sign to leave, following after her siblings.

+++

Janie sits on the piano bench, lazily pressing different keys while Stella and August fight over the latter's phone.

"Give it to me!" Stella orders.

August overpowers Stella and dangles the phone over her face. Stella headbutts him before trapping his arm between her legs and his chest under her left leg.

August exclaims that he's tapping out as Stella pries the phone out of his grip before getting up.

"What is going on here?" Micki asks as Stella stands up and August sits up.

"Wait, you're not here with bad news, right?" August asks.

"No. Hey, your dad's fine." Micki assures. "But, uh, question still stands. What's going with you guys?" She asks as August stands back up.