Out Of Time

The Gift

Sam was stroking Hosea's head as he slept, tears falling down her cheeks. She almost lost her son today due to her stupidity. How could she be so stupid and not thoroughly check if he was alive? And what did the buck have to do with any of this? Had he kept her son alive long enough for Clarice to dig him up and for someone to find him? For that, she was eternally grateful, but she still had so many unanswered questions. Distracted by her thoughts, she jumped when Arthur called her name from the door way. She turned to him, her eyes a bit narrowed as she rubbed her tears away.

"Come to accuse me of suffocating him in his sleep?" Sam asked Arthur.

Arthur gave her a deep frown, crossing his arms and leaning his shoulder against the door frame. "No, baby girl."

"Don't you baby girl me, you son of a bitch!" Sam growled.

Arthur sighed and pinched his nose, squinting his eyes shut. "Sorry, swee- I mean Sam. Look, can we talk? Please? I want to-"

"What's there to talk about? You accused me of trying to kill our son, then you threatened to shoot me."

"I know. And I'm so sorry about that. It was stupid of me, and-"

"You're damn right it was stupid of you!" Sam shouted.

"Momma?"

Sam looked back over at Hosea and smiled. "Hey baby...I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

Hosea nodded. "Why are you guys fighting?"

Sam's face dropped and Arthur walked in, setting himself on the end of Hosea's bed. "Well, I said some mean things to Momma. Things I didn't mean to say."

"Why?"

"Well, I was angry. Real angry. We'd just found out you was alive and...well..."

"Was it about burying me alive?"

Arthur looked abashed. "...Yes."

Hosea tried to sit up a little but flinched. "Hosea, you shouldn't try to sit up," Sam urged.

Hosea held up a hand. "It's okay, Momma. I got this," Hosea assured her.

Sam snorted a little and smirked. "Okay, tough guy."

Hosea sat upright and looked at the both of them, putting his hands in his lap. "Now, what did you say, Pa?"

Sam looked at Arthur with a raised brow. Arthur cleared his throat and jerked his head. "Well, son, I don't think you're at the right age to know what I said."

Sam looked back at Hosea who was nodding. "Okay. Momma, can you forgive him, please?"

Sam sighed with a shake of her head. "No."

"Will you ever forgive Pa?"

That was definitely a question Sam didn't know how to answer. "I...I don't know."

Hosea looked at her with wide eyes. "But don't you love Pa, Momma?"

Sam got closer to Hosea. "Of course I do. I will always love your father."

"Then why don't you know if you can forgive him?"

Sam took a big sigh in and out. "Love doesn't always work like that, Hosea."

"It doesn't?"

"No, I'm afraid not."

Hosea bit his lip and looked down. "Well, what if I did something bad? Would you not be able to forgive me?"

Sam eyeballed him. "That's different. You're my child. My love for you is...unconditional."

"But not your love for Pa?"