When Country Meets Pop

Chapter 17

Niall

When Zayn called me and told me he had a problem and needed my help, I never thought it would have to do with Tammy. Sitting here with a sobbing girl in my arms, I looked at Zayn who looked really upset, and as lost as I felt about what to do.

Taking a deep breath, I put my arms around her and said, "Tammy, angel, tell me what's wrong. I can't help if I don't know."

She looked up at me tears running down her face and said, "Mama would be so upset with me Bubba. I shouldn't have talked to that fan girl the way I did, no matter how mad she made me. It was rude and uncalled for what she said, but me screaming back didn't make it right. But she got all up in my face!"

Tammy wiped a hand across her cheek and sniffled. "She said I was ugly, and that I didn't deserve Zayn. Even though I know it isn't true Bubba it still hurt. She hurt my feelings, but I should have just walked away, that's what Mama would have wanted me to do. I, I..."

"You what?" I questioned her. She looked down and wouldn't look at me. "Tell me, Tammy, tell Bubba the rest."

"I told her maybe her mama should have givin' her more butt whoopin's and that one day she was going to get up in the wrong person's face, and they would slap her down and stomp the tar outta her. I honestly wanted to slap her down myself, I really did. But ladies don't do things like that, and I try to be a lady, I really do. So, I just dragged Zayn away as fast as I could." Then she lay her head on my chest and sighed.

"Tammy, everyone gets mad. Zayn and I, and even the other lads have gone off on someone even though we knew we shouldn't have. It's all part of being human. It doesn't make you less of a lady either. Tammy, I don't think your mum would have just sat back and let that girl talk to her that way, do you?"

"No, but Mama wouldn't have screamed at her either. She was just a young girl, maybe fourteen or fifteen."

"Okay, so what would she have done?"

Tammy looked at the wall for a minute, and I could tell by the look on her face she was thinking hard. Then she glanced back at me.

"She probably would have grabbed her by the ear and said, "You come with me right now young lady, we are going to find your mama. If she doesn't' teach you some respect then I will, by layin' the hand of education to the seat of learnin' for your lack of respect toward others!" Then she laughed, and laughed, as if imagining her mum doing exactly that.

"So, in her own, yet different way, she would have told the girl off. Is that what you're telling me?"

Tammy peered at me sheepishly, with a slight blush and said, "Yeah, I reckon so. So, I over reacted, didn't I?"

Taking a deep breath, I gathered my thoughts and then said, "No, angel, you didn't. She didn't just attack you; I think you could have ignored that. She attacked Zayn, your new marriage, and your love for Zayn. Because of that your feelings were hurt. She could have insulted you all day, but she attacked your love, that you couldn't take, and you struck back. That's okay. People can talk about me till they turn blue, but don't let me catch them talking about my family, it brings on the fightin' side."

Then she smiled, a real Tammy smile. "Thank you, Bubba. I love you," she whispered in my ear. Then she leaned out to look at me. "Can I tell you a story?"

I glanced over at Zayn, he shrugged. Then I looked back at Tammy, slowly saying, "Okay..."

"Do you remember asking me one time why I always jumped on your back for a piggy back ride?"

I nodded not knowing where this was going at all.

"Well, Mama told me that when I was about five I told her I wanted a big brother. She told me that any babies they had would all be younger than me, and they couldn't give me a big brother because I was born first. I didn't accept this, and still kept asking for an older brother. This went on for weeks and mama and daddy both tried to explain it to me.