One of Us

Chapter 2. Thoughts

As we drove I felt like I belong. We talked or she talked about her kids Thomas and Charlie or he liked to be called Hoyt for some reason she didn't say,and her brother Monty who she told me had both his legs amputated.

She mostly told me about Thomas and his skin condition and how he was protective of his family.

I thought that Thomas was an admirable person for wanting to keep his family safe.

I then began to think about my parents.

But just thinking about them filled my heart with.....not guilt but something, I couldn't tell what. Remorse, malice?

I don't know what but it made me scowl. That was until Luda Mae snapped me outta my thinking.

"Child we here."

I snapped from my thoughts and looked up to see a run down house. Nit as run down as the shop but in my mind I thought it was beautiful.

It was a light blue with a little white and on the porch of the house I could see a little couch there. But also there was a man who I was gunna guess was Monty.

He was wearing a white wife beater with suspenders with brown pants which were rolled up so I could see his amputated legs. He looked just as old as Luda Mae but I didn't say that for fear of Luda Mae not letting me stay in her home anymore.

"Well Babydoll go on in the house. Don't be afraid a Monty, he ain't gonna hurt ya. Go on."

Luda Mae tried to reassure me but I still felt a little scared that he was going to yell at me or something worse.

But I did as told and exited the car and Luda Mar did the same.

She yelled at Monty,"Where Tommy and Charlie at Monty?"

He replied "They out gettin the meat."

He then saw me. "Is she stayin for dinner?"

"Yeah she stayin FOR dinner. Now flower go into the bathroom and wash up. I'll bring you some fresh clothes." She put emphasis on the word 'for.'

By this time we had gotten on the porch in front of the screen door. I opened the door up and before I walked in I said to Monty,

"It was very nice meeting you Monty sir, You have a wonderful sister and you must be just as good as her."

I saw his look of wonder and I knew that he didn't get compliments a lot.

I walked in the house and the first thing to hit my nose was meat, smoke from cigarettes and blood. As soon as I smelled it I felt the tension leave my body and I relaxed.

"Babydoll if you wonderin where the bathroom at it's upstairs first door to ya left." I heard Luda Mae yell from outside. I followed her directions and found the bathroom. It didn't have a shower but it had a bathtub. I hadn't taken a bath sense I was 10.

I took my backpack with all my stuff in it and took off my clothes and started the water and waited until it was almost blistering hot to clog the water.

As I waited I looked at my body and frowned for 2 reasons. 1) I wasn't chunky, I was fat 2) My body was riddled with scars. I was always told that I would never find a man who would love me and I believed them.

I was never going to find a man who didn't mind me being the pig I am.

Ever sense high school I've been called many names and they tore me to pieces.

I was about to start crying until I saw how high the water was and stopped it and stepped in it. The water was hot but I toughed through it.

I noticed a rag and a bar of soap on the edge of the tub and used them to wash up.

As I washed I day dreamed just about everything. I thought of Luda Mae and her brother and her sons I had yet to meet, my now dead parents, but the main thing is about the small possibility that I might find a man who doesn't think of me as an animal. As a fat cow that everyone sees me as. The dream man I thought about would be big, strong and he would only see the good in me and protect me.

I laughed at the thought. No man would ever fall for an animal like me. My parents, their friends, my classmates, even strangers have always said that and they were true.

My eyes began to water but I tried to hold them in but I failed and the tears fell and I choked on sobs and and the tears fell faster. I would've kept crying if someone hadn't knocked on the door.

"Flower, I got you some clothes. Is it ok for me to come in?"

It was Luda Mae.

"Y-yes ma'am."

I cursed myself for stuttering as she walked in with a stack of clothes.

She placed them on the counter next to the sink and looked at me.

"Now Baby my boys just got back with the meat and I'm gonna start cookin and.... Flower are you okay?"

'Damn it.' She had seen the streaks that the tears had left. She walked over and kneeled in front if the tub.

"Baby you been crying? What you been crying 'bout?" She wiped the leftover tears from my face and placed her other hand on my cheek. I placed her hand harder onto my cheek. She still smelt like meat, smoke and blood and the scent soothed me.

"Nothing Luda Mae ma'am just got a little water in my eyes that's all."

I tried to reassure her but she seemed unconvinced.

"Well ok Baby. When your done get dressed and meet me downstairs and meet my boys. They just dying to meet you."

She then stood back up and left softly closing the door.

I looked at my fingers and saw they were getting wrinkles so I stood from the tub and grabbed the towel she left as well and dried off.

I unfolded the clothes she left, looked at them and frowned.

It was a long brown skirt that went to my ankles with a blue shirt. I didn't mind the clothes but the shirt was short sleeved and could show of my scars.

But I had no choice in the matter so I put on the underwear she left and the clothes,unclogged the tub and left the bathroom. I walked downstairs to the kitchen and saw Luda Mae cooking what looked like stew.

I could smell rolls and veggies. The smell made my stomach rumble and my mouth water.The smell made me realize how long it's been sense I ate.

"There you are Babydoll, go on into the dinning room and meet my boys. They wanna see our new guest. Go on now."

She said over her shoulder without looking away from the pot.

I did as told and went to the dinning room. I could see Monty sitting with two other men.

One was wearing a sheriffs uniform with a brown cowboy hat with his brown boots on the table.

He had a light stubble and his face and a look of a mean spirited cop but the man who caught my attention was the one sitting in front of him.

This one had long dark hair that went to his shoulders and a mask on his face that hid his nose down. I guess from his skin condition.He had a button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows with a tie and jeans. He was very muscular and hairy but that didn't effect me. He turned to look at me and I froze when our eyes met. His dark, dark brown ones meeting my light brown ones.

Even with the mask he was about the most handsome man I had ever met.

I knew then that I would love it here