Watson, Kathi Barton [little red riding hood ebook .txt] 📗

and aren’t cooperating with anyone until they get it in their heads that where they are is a place they’re going to be for a very long time.” Wats asked if he thought they’d ever get that into their heads. “Doubtful, I think. They haven’t so far. However, he wants me to go up there and try to explain to them that they’re in prison for the rest of their days. The government is going to decide on their sentencing when their day comes up. The warden told me he believes, from the stuff he’s been hearing, that they’re going to be there until their deaths. They’ll either get the death sentence or time without parole. Either one of those will not let them out.”

“Why are you going?” Mars smiled at everyone at the table. “I’m not saying I should go. I’m thinking we all can understand how that would go. But why are you doing this again? Why don’t we, as a group, go there and make them see reason? I’m not saying it will have any more effect than you going alone, Uncle Clayton, but there is safety in numbers. In this case, I’m thinking if we allow them to take their hatred out on all of us, it won’t be so hard on a single person.”

“I think he’s right. This will give them a bigger focus on what they’re wanting to say, and like Mars, I’m not sure it will do a bit of good.” Wats looked around the room before continuing. “And while we’re there, we should make sure that they understand completely that we’re not going to drop everything we’re doing to get our lives going to run up there and calm them down. It’s almost as if they’re still in charge of everything going on. They’ve made their beds, and they should have to figure out how to lie in them. Is the warden doing this because of who we are? Or does he really think we’ll be able to help?”

“I didn’t ask him.” Uncle Clayton pulled out his cell phone and called the warden right then. He would never have done that before, gotten more information from someone before moving on. He was seeing lots of things that his dad and uncle had never done before that they did now. Uncle Clayton put his phone on the table and smiled. “He said you’re right, Wats. The reason he is giving them this opportunity to get settled is because of us being Wilkersons and the fact that he didn’t want to piss us off. I wouldn’t have thought to ask that. So thanks, Wats. So now that we know the reason for him wanting me to go there, where should we go now?”

“The same way. All of us going up there and closing this once and for all. As you said, Mars, it’s like we’re still being ordered around by them.” Dad looked over at him and smiled. “I think—and this is something you can do or not—but I’d think it would be a great idea for you boys in a relationship to take your ladies too. To sort of give them a little bit of how we’re going on without them, and enjoying our lives so much better. I know that I am. I’ve been dating and having a blast.”

“I have too, I must admit.” All the uncles and his dad agreed that they were having fun as well. “The best part of all this, as far as I’m concerned, is the time I get to spend with all you guys. I don’t worry about coming home to an argument about my being out with my son and nephews. I can come and go as I please. I even got rid of all my suits except two of them, and it’s very liberating being able to shop for the kind of clothing I enjoy wearing. Hell, yesterday I stopped by a fast-food restaurant and had one of those combo meals. Never enjoyed something so much in my life. Then I had an ice cream sundae. I don’t think I’d had one of those since I was just a child.”

They all talked about having this or that. Going to the movies just for fun. Dad talked more about his fast-food experience. Wats was so happy they were all were getting out and about that he didn’t want to go and see the women. Never again, he thought. But they’d been making their lives difficult for too long for them not to be able to just tell them to fuck off. Wats thought he might just do that, too. Tell his mom to just fuck off.

It was decided that, as a group, they’d go up there and see them in the morning. Tonight, however, was for themselves. Even Abby was going to go with them, and he was going to ask if Rayne wanted to go as well. But first, he was going to propose to her. He was going to ask the woman of his dreams if she’d spend the rest of her life with him as his wife.

Picking up flowers on his way home, he was dismayed to find a car he didn’t know in the drive. Rayne hadn’t said she was expecting company, so he wasn’t sure who it would be. Going into the house, he stopped right inside the entrance hall when he heard shouting and screaming from Rayne and someone else. Make that two someone else’s. Barkly met him in the hallway and took the flowers he’d gotten for Rayne. He asked him who was here.

“Aunts, I believe, sir. They arrived not an hour ago, and this is how they’ve acted. I have wanted to call the police to have them removed from here, but Rayne said she’d take care of them.” He grinned. “She is doing a good job of it so far if you ask me. They seem to think she’s an employee here and won’t believe anything