Beth and Travis had their heads together at the kitchen table, whispering. They wouldn't whisper about homework. Normally I wouldn't eavesdrop, but something told me I had better find out what was going on.
"I'll always protect you, Beth. I won't let anyone hurt you again."
"You can't protect me against my pa. He's bigger and meaner than you. It's best you just stay away from him."
"But what will you do? You can't just let him keep doing that."
"No. I can't. I'm going to run away. But I'll be smarter than Ma. I'll go alone, and no one will ever find me."
"You can't go alone. You don't have any money and you don't know how to take care of yourself. You would just end up in worse trouble."
"You could come with me." She looked at him wistfully, like this was a math problem he could easily work out for her.
"No, I can't take care of myself — I mean, us — either. Not yet anyway. We'll have to wait."
I breathed a thankful sigh. I wouldn't have to break his trust by interfering.
Travis continued. "Right now, you have to figure out what makes your dad so mad and don't do those things. Be the best kid you can be so he has no reason to beat you."
"He gets mad about everything," whined Beth. "Every little thing. I can't do anything right."
"You have to try. Just until we're bigger. Then we can run away together. And I'm going to make sure Jake leaves you alone."
"How are you going to do that?"
"I just will."
The look she gave him was full of adoration and trust. Poor child! Having no one to turn to but another child. It broke my heart.
No one could ever accuse Travis of cowardice or of not working out the best solution to a problem.
I found out later that he had approached Jake and warned him if he ever laid a hand on his sister again, Travis would make sure he regretted it. Although Travis was several years younger, and smaller than Jake, something in his demeanor, or maybe the fierce glint in his eye, must have convinced Jake he meant it.
As far as I know, Jake never hit Beth again.
YOU ARE READING
A Soldier's Heart
General Fiction"Travis was a soldier with heart. His love for his family, his country and his community is unquestioned. He never hesitated to put his life on the line for those he loved- and he loved many and deeply." So begins Travis Barrett's eulogy. A true her...
