Strongest

(Some lyrics are changed to fit the story a bit better!)

She stormed into the living room, grabbing a picture of each of her grand sons.

She sat on the couch, glancing at Branch's room where Branch was finally sleeping.

She grabbed JD's picture and began to sing.

"You sit there with that look on your face like you won.
Like nothing that I say is gonna change how you feel now." She narrowed her eyes and grabbed Bruce's picture.

"You sit there, and you tell me you fell outta love.
And we are in your way, so you just gotta leave now." She looked at all of the pictures for the next part.

"And we just need to understand your reasons, and you are gonna justify this treason.
By telling me the promises that we sworn ain't enough."

Now she grabbed Clay's picture, she knew he hated being the fun boy but still, leaving her with a baby?

"So now you gonna be another person?
And how do I explain this shit to our baby?
How'd you tell a toddler about a best friend?
Brother's gone."

She glared at all the pictures now.

"Well, I will be the strongest that he ever knew.
And I will be there when he needs a love strong enough.
Don't worry, I will carry your share for us.
No matter how bad the storm
I will be strongest that he ever knew.
And we'll leave you alone."

She rubbed her eyes as she teared up, looking to Floyd's picture sadly.

"You sit there with your phone in your hands, and you're hurt.
You tell me that you feel like you lost me when he came.
I'm sorry, but I cannot connect with your words.
'Cause right now what matters isn't yours, but it is his name." She looked back to JD's picture.

"And we just need to find another income." Then she glanced to Bruce's, she'd heard he got a girlfriend. How sweet.

"'Cause she wants you to help her with her own one."

She looked at all the pictures.

"And you want me to tell me that what you've done is okay?" She looked back to Bruce's picture.

"So now you gonna be another father?" She closed her eyes.

"And I will be a different kind of grandmother?
And you'd tell a toddler 'bout nephews?
Brother's strayed."

She glared at all the pictures as tears streamed down her face.

"Well, I will be the strongest that he ever knew.
And I will be there when he needs a love strong enough.
Don't worry, I will carry your share for us.
No matter how bad the storm
I will be strongest that he ever knew.
And we'll leave you alone."

She cried softly.

"Let's talk about family.
Let's talk about family.
Let's talk of the ties and the lies.
And the love that we had in this family." She looked to Clay's picture, she hated how he lied about loving to be the fun boy.

After all, had he told JD he would of listened.

And if not?

Then she would've talked some sense into the oldest.

But now it was too late.

"Let's talk about honesty.
You know nothing about honesty.
I'll let go of your hands and our plans.
And the chance that we had with this family." She looked at all of the pictures once more.

"Well, I will be the strongest that he ever knew.
And I will be there when he needs a love strong enough.
Don't worry, I will carry your share for us.
No matter how bad the storm
I will be strongest that he ever knew." She looked to Floyd's picture for a long moment before looking at all of them.

"And we'll leave you alone
Oh na-na, we'll leave you alone..."

She glanced up when she heard a door creek open, when she saw Branch she quickly wiped her tears away and put the pictures back in place as she wiped her eyes, "Hey baby.." she said softly.

Branch whimpered and waddled over to her with his arms raised.

She smiled tiredly and picked him up, "Shhh, shhh, shhhhh.." she cooed.

Branch cuddled up to her and sucked on his thumb as she carried him back into his room.

She layed him in his crib and kissed his forehead, "Bedtime, sweetheart...it's okay..."

Branch whined and reached for her, he didn't like this room..this was his brothers room...

They were gone.

And it was his fault.

So he hated this room.

She sighed and picked him back up, "Sleepover then, sugar cookie?"

Branch giggled and nodded, "Yes! Thank you lots!"

She laughed, "Of course..."