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Walt nodded.
Earl wasn’t sure why a boy his age would ever be afraid to talk, but he knew he had to keep pressing, since Walt was finally answering questions in his own way. “You know that there’s nothing to be afraid of here, right?”
Walt’s eyes went again to the wall of the barn, and Earl looked at the rein. He reached out and touched it and Walt covered his head with both arms.
Earl suddenly understood. “Did someone hit you with this?” He left the rein where it was and went to kneel beside the boy on the hard floor of the barn.
Walt nodded. “P…papa.”
“Your father hit you with this? That’s terrible. Walt, I promise you, I will never hit you. Do you understand?”
Walt nodded, tears streaming down his face. Earl gathered the boy to him and got to his feet, carrying him to the house. He’d go back and finish milking Sally in a bit. Walt was more important at that moment.
When they reached the kitchen, Charlotte turned from the dishes with a smile. “Finished so soon?”
Earl nodded. “Walt just told me something.”
Charlotte dried her hands on her apron and looked excited. “He spoke?”
“Yes, he did. He told me his papa hit him with the horse rein.”
“What?” Charlotte was shocked. Howard hadn’t been the type of man to hit children. She knew he wasn’t. “That’s not possible.”
Walt pulled away from Earl’s shoulder. “He did!” he shouted at his mother.
“Oh, Walt. I believe you, sweetheart.” She took her son from Earl’s arms and held him close. “When did he do that?” Howard hadn’t spent much time with Walt, other than in the evenings a couple times a week, he would take Walt out to milk the cow with him. “I’m so sorry, baby. I didn’t know.”
“He…he made me promise not to tell. He said I was a bad boy.”
Charlotte shook her head. “You’ve always been a good boy. Every single day. I don’t know why he would say that to you. Or hurt you. I wish you could have told me.”
“I was afraid.”
“I understand that. Are you afraid still?”
“A little.” It seemed as if the dam had broken, and Walt was willing to say anything now.
“Are you afraid of me?”
Walt shook his head, his hair flopping, and Charlotte thought once again it was time to cut his hair. “Are you afraid of Earl?”
“He’s my new papa. I love him.”
Earl felt tears prickling the back of his eyes, and his throat felt so tight. “I love you too, Walt. Don’t ever forget it.”
“What are you afraid of then?”
“The thing he hit me with.” Walt seemed to know exactly why he was afraid. “And my other papa.”
“You know Papa can’t come back and hurt you, right?”
Walt shrugged.
“People can’t come back and hurt others. Not after they die. It’s not possible.”
Listening to her words of comfort to Walt, Earl thought about them himself. Patsy’s death couldn’t keep hurting him unless he let it. She wasn’t going to come back and kill herself again. She was at peace, and that meant he needed to be ready to move on and become a real part of this little family.
“I promise, Walt, if anyone ever tries to hurt you again, all you have to do is tell me,” Earl said. “I’ll knock them down!”
