Babette's Story (Lawless Fanfic)

Chapter 19: Reconciliation

All I could think about as my brothers and I drove home was the fit Forrest would have if I tell him about deputy Rakes. I know Forrest goes off impulse decisions. He can go from quiet and subtle to deadly and dangerous in the drop of a dime. I gazed out the window contemplating about telling the middle Bondurant. Also because I felt my brother's eyes on me through the mirror. If I gave him eye contact he would be able to tell everything I'm trying to hide.

"C'mon Babette, you think your big brother don't know you by now?" I knew he would have a smirk plastered on his face, but I made no attempt to confirm it.

"I don't know what you're talkin' 'bout Richie." I hear him scoff and from the corner of my eye I can see him shaking his head.

"Sure you do. Just like I know that 'THAT' wasn't the your first encounter with deputy nance. Babette?" He pushed. I always felt like I was in trouble when Richie called me by my whole name instead of Baps. I tried to ignore him. I knew he wanted me to admit that he was right.

"Baps?" Eli's deep voice caused me to flinch. "Now ain't the time to be keeping us out the loop, alright?" He spoke calmly but I could hear the concern in his voice. Our eyes locked in the rear view mirror for a few moments, before I turned away.

"It's fine Eli. She don't have to say anything. Her keepin' quiet says enough." The arrogance in Richie's tone angered me.

"Well if you already know. Why keep askin' Richie?" I snapped. Eli began to snicker while keeping his eyes on the road. Richie laughed as well. He turned around in his seat to look at me.

"That slick mouth of yours never disappoints." He says with a cocky grin growing on his face. I scowl at him for a moment only to cave into his infectious smile. I sigh shaking my head.

"You always know which buttons to push." He nods slowly with his ridiculously huge grin plastered on his face. I roll my eyes at him.

He chuckled before his smile fell. Richie's gaze burning holes into my soul. "That deputy ordered the hit on your... 'Boyfriend', didn't he?" I give him a small nod not sure of where this is going. "What did he say to you? Don't bullshit us either, Babette." I remained silent. "C'mon now, he nearly took that man's life. I hate to think about what he's capable of doing to you." His jaw clenched.

"You can't exactly harm an officer of the law Rich." I mumbled. "He hasn't tried to hurt me or anything, and he only asks me about the Bondurants...." I swallow the huge lump in my throat. "I just don't like the way he looks at me." I tear my eyes away from Richie's- picking a spot on the back of his seat as something new to look at.

"He go up to the station a lot?" He asks as we finally pull up to our home. I shake my head. He lets out a heavy sigh. "If I told you not to hang 'round there, would you listen?" I glare at him ready to give him a piece of my mind. Richie raises his arms in defense. "Hey, it was worth a shot." He and Eli laugh together stepping out of the car.

I smile to myself. It was now that I realized how much I missed talking to him. I would take this Richie over his silent treatment any day.

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"Hey Baps! Wake up!" I groan peeking through one very heavy eyelid at the face of my cousin. I roll over placing my pillow over my face. "No no no, you been sleeping since dinner last night. Time to get up!" Angie says as she rips my blanket from me.

"Ang!" I groaned. I hear her giggle at my disheveled appearance.

She scoffed. "Did you get any sleep at the station? It's almost noon, ya know." Her face holding a sly smile as if she knew something. My eyebrows furrowed as if I had no idea why she would be looking at me the way that she was. "You really are bad at hiding things." She laughed