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“People thought I did that. I could have gone to jail. For life.”
“I came to talk to her not kill her, but as we’ve learned tonight, accidents happen.”
This time it’s Wade who grabs me when I go to step forward.
“She had enough breath in her to promise me she hadn’t touched the money herself while she was bleeding out. Maybe she thought I’d be grateful and call an ambulance. I put a bullet in her brain instead, it felt much more humane.”
“And is that what it felt like when you put one in Dalton?” Garrett launches at her, lifting her and the chair she’s tied to by her blouse and slamming her back against the wall.
“No,” She shakes her head and despite Garrett’s anger, she remains calm. “I begged Dalton not to make me do that. I was starting to like him,” she admits with no sign of regret on her face at all.
“You bitch.” Garrett drops her to the ground and wipes the tears from his eyes. “All this time. We took you back, we tried our best to forgive you… all you wanted was that money. You weren’t sorry for leaving us. You weren’t sorry for what happened to Breanna.”
“That’s not true.” Mom finally shows some emotion when she shakes her head. “I was trying to fix that. I took that little girl tonight to give her the chance Breanna never had. I was saving her from this family. I was saving her from you.” She looks Garrett square in the eyes.
“My little girl doesn’t need saving from me,” Garrett yells.
“Oh yeah, well you couldn’t protect your sister. None of you could. You let Mayor Walker fuck her, you let him knock her up and then you let him kill her. Carson men are selfish, this damn ranch is all they care about. Yes, I came here for the money, and to get it I had to play a role to gain your trust, but all the love I feel for that little girl you’ve taken from me was real.”
Garrett pulls his gun from his holster and points it at her, and Wade looks at me as if I should do something.
“What are ya gonna do, son, shoot me?” She laughs at him.
“Garrett. Think about this,” Wade calls out.
“Oh I’m thinkin’ about it, Wade. I’m visualizing her fucked up brains splattered all over these walls.” He stares at her while the gun shakes in his hand.
I don’t react, I just watch. Garrett has to make his own decision here.
“Garrett, you honestly think you could live with doin’ that? She’s our mom. She gave birth to you.” Wade heads over to him and tries to talk him down. “Garrett, I want her dead too, butthat's a hell of a thing for you to live the rest of your life with. We’ll find another way. She’s our mom, Garrett,” he reminds him.
“She ain’t my mom anymore.” Garrett drops the gun to the floor and closes his eyes. Then moving closer to her he pulls out his knife and cuts through the ropes that are tied around her chest while Wade scoops up the gun.
“This is it, the last second chance you’re ever gonna get from me,” he tells her, and Mom looks bewildered when he opens the cabin door and lets the cold air blow inside.
“Leave. Get the fuck out of Fork River and never come back.”
“Garrett?” Mom shakes her head as she slowly rises to her feet.
“I should kill you. God knows I want to, but it’s him who I'm gonna let be your judge. Leave.” He nods his head out the door toward the black cold night.
“But Garrett, it’s the middle of the night. It’s miles from anywhere out here. There could be wol—”
“Like I said, God can judge you. But let me warn you of this.” He leans in close to her, testing all his restraint. “If you ever come near me or my family again, I will kill you.” I watch the Adam’s Apple bob in his throat as he narrows his eyes.
“Please don’t do this,” she begs, and I come up from behind her and slam her in the back, forcing her out the door.
“You fuckin’ heard him,” Wade tells her, stepping out after me and Garrett as we watch her stumble off the porch.
“Boys, you don’t want me dead. I’m your mother. I know what I did was wrong but, I told you what happened. What your father did to me… Maybe I took things too far with Breanna… and I didn’t mean to hurt Dalton. I’m sorry for that. I really am.” She’s on her knees now, in the dirt where she belongs. None of us have a thing to say about her little speech, this woman has no remorse.
“You're really gonna let me wander out there alone?” she asks, relying on his mercy. Garrett stares right through her and nods his head.
“Then you’re no better than your father was. None of ya are.” She drags herself back up onto her feet and backs away from us with unsteady steps. We all stand shoulder to shoulder and watch her disappear into the darkness and out of sight.
“I couldn’t do it,” Garrett says, frowning into the empty space in front of us.
“I get it.” Wade taps his shoulder. “None of us would have been able to.”
