Thomas Hewitt: End Of The Line

Daylight

"Go on, Tommy," she heard Hoyt say from behind him.

Ronnie's stomach was a mess of knots as she watched the large man who was about to be her 'husband' step closer to her. She could tell he was making a concerted effort to keep his eyes on anything other than her. When he stopped in front of her he allowed himself a glance. She knew this wasn't his idea, but she wasn't sure if he was quite as devastated as she was. She looked up to see him studying her. Though most of his face remained hidden, she could see he had words for her in those blue eyes. His message seemed to be the same as before, he wanted her to trust him. That was harder for her to do than he knew. After this 'wedding' she wasn't sure what to expect. That conversation she overheard led her to believe they were going to do more than just force her to call him her husband. At that point, she'd beg him to kill her and hope he showed her the same mercy he had before and give her what she wanted. When his eyes fell on her lips she returned her gaze to the ground. She did her best to hold back any tears that threatened to escape, she refused to let them see her cry.

"You do clean up nicely, don't you," Hoyt whispered in her ear before he took his place between them.

He gave the two tensed individuals before him a pleased look before he cleared his throat, "I ain't done this before, so I may skip a few steps," he said before he turned to Ronnie, "you don't mind now, do you? I reckon you'd rather just skip to the fun part like Tommy here."

"Hoyt," Luda said sharply.

Ronnie clasped her hands together tightly as she heard the man let out a low chuckle.

"Let's see," he began again, "We're gathered here today in Mama's house before, well, Mama and uncle Monty and I suppose God to witness the holy matrimony of Thomas and," he looked over to Ronnie and waited for her to finish his sentence.

"Ronnie," she said quietly.

"Ronnie? Gotta be short for something better, that right?"

"Hoyt, get on with it," Luda interrupted again.

"Right, the holy matrimony of Thomas and Ronnie," he continued, pleased that he'd successfully managed to agitate each person in the room, "We thank the lord for the blessing that brought these two kids together."

Ronnie shot him a sharp look as he paused once again. It was sickening to watch him get off on this.

"And what a blessing it is, idn't?" He said.

Ronnie wasn't sure what was making her more ill, the fact that this was actually happening to her or the way each word that fell out of his tobacco stained mouth always seemed to have more malice than the last. She looked back up to Thomas to see he kept his gaze controlled and firm on the ground underneath her feet. Her shaky breath was the only sound that filled the silence when Hoyt stopped speaking. Some blessing this was. She could feel the heat rising to her face with each tense moment that passed with that man's eyes on her.

"Look at that," Hoyt said as he took his hand and turned her face to him, "she's blushin'. I say we skip to the good part so you can give the girl what she wants, huh Tommy?"

Ronnie yanked her face out of his hand and faced the ground again.

"Let's get on with it. Thomas Hewitt, do you take this woman to be your wife?" Hoyt said.

Thomas' eyes didn't leave the ground, but he gave a reluctant nod in response.

"Good," Hoyt said before he turned to her with a sick self satisfied smile, "now, Ronnie-uh, what's your last name?"

"I'm not tellin' you," Ronnie said in a low tone full of venom.

Hoyt laughed, "Well, don't matter anyway. You're a Hewitt now, girl."