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Now, everything was gone, as if a void had taken root with no way out. I tried to keep my grief to a minimum around Cameron. He was so young, and I knew in time he would lose the memory of our parents. But not me. I would always remember them.
I would remember everything.
“Me too, buddy, but we’re gonna make it, aren’t we? It’s Sky-Cam all the way.”
Cameron smirked at that. “Just you and me, sis. Forever.”
“So, what manly business did you take care of today?”
“Well, I helped Mrs. Shelly with her chickens. She gave me a jar of her fresh strawberry jam. Then I helped Mr. Orville mend his fence. He gave me fifty cents. And Mr. Jones needed my help finding his television remote. It was under his fancy chair. We watched the Price is Right.”
“Wow. Sounds like you had a busy day.”
“Yep. And Mr. Peter took me into town so I could make a phone call.”
“A phone call?” I questioned. “Who did you call?”
“Mr. Montclair. He’s coming to kick some ass for you.”
“Oh, Cameron,” I groaned. “Tell me you didn’t.”
“I had to. He owes me a debt and you always said a man always pays his debts.”
“Cameron, he gave us money. He paid his debt.”
“Not to me it ain’t paid. I could have left him in the woods, but I didn’t. I saved his life. He owes me.”
There was no arguing with the six-year-old.
I knew that.
Especially Cameron Hobbs.
My brother was more Dad than Mom. Reason flew out the window with the Hobbs men. Once they put their mind to something, nothing would stop them.
Stubborn as a mule, Momma would say.
I moaned. “Cam, Mr. Montclair has his own life. He doesn’t want to be bogged down with our problems too. I wish you hadn’t called him.”
“Well, I did,” my brother stubbornly said. “He owes me and now he’s gonna pay up. Um, sissy?”
“Yeah?”
“When I was in town, I saw that man again.”
Slowly sitting up, I winced. “Where?”
“He was talking with Clive over at the hardware store.”
“Shit,” I moaned, lowering my feet to the floor.
So much for taking another day to heal. If that son of a bitch was in town again, I had to be ready for him.
When Mom and Dad died, I didn’t know what to do. I was in shock when the sheriff told me the news. I didn’t see Gunnery Sergeant Hiller standing next to him. The moment the sheriff said what he came to say, Wade Hiller told me he would take care of everything, that he was here to visit Dad and felt bad for not arriving in time. Because I was in shock, I accepted his help.
And boy did he help.
More than I realized.
