Branndon Jr. (8 page)

Chapter Ten

Branndon
thought he was going to see a big smile on April’s face when she saw Smudge,
but instead he saw tears when Susanne brought her home that day. He was about
to ask what was wrong when he heard a tapping on the window and saw his dad
standing outside. He opened the door and let him in.

“Just
got back from visiting Brody who I’m happy to say is home now.”

“Pa,
that’s great.”

“Yeah,
and Ted’s going to stay at my place until he and Brody find a suitable ranch to
buy.”

“Betty
doesn’t mind?” asked Branndon.

“Nope,
you know how she loves to cook for everyone.”

April’s
cries got louder and then she ran into the kitchen with Susanne close on her heels.
“Hey, there pretty young lady, why the long face?” asked his dad.

April
pouted and shook her head.

“It’s
the Riker’s Creek Annual Daddy and Daughter Valentine’s Day Sweetheart Dance
coming up and…” said Susanne.

“I
don’t have a daddy so they said I can’t go,” said April, crossing her arms over
her chest.

“Says
who?” asked Branndon Sr.

“The
other kids.”

“Well,
that’s where they’re wrong. You do have someone to go with.”

At
first Branndon thought his father would volunteer his services but he didn’t.

“How
about you go with me?” asked his father.

April
stopped crying.

“Would
you like to go with Mr. Mckinney?” Susanne asked her.

April
nodded. “Can you dance Big Branndon?”

“Can
I dance? Let me tell you, Branndon’s mother and myself went dancing every week
and I’m still not too old to show the young ones how it’s done.”

April
giggled.

“So
it’s two tickets and I’ll practice my dance steps,” said his dad, winking at
Susanne.

And
Branndon thought his purchase of Smudge would be the highlight of the day, but
once again he’d been eclipsed by his pa.

****

Susanne
was more than happy that Branndon’s dad had saved the day and offered to take
April to the dance. She watched as April got off the bus and couldn’t help but
notice something was wrong. The Smudge toy that Branndon had given her was
missing an arm and the hat that April hated and refused to wear, was now firmly
planted on her head. As her daughter approached the car, she could see her
sobbing like her little heart was breaking. She leaned over and opened the door
for her. April slid in and rested the now ruined Smudge on her lap.

“Mommy,
don’t make me go to kindergarten anymore.”

“Honey,
what’s wrong?”

“He’s
mean.”

“Who
is?”

April
shook her head.

Susanne’s
heart went out to her. She’d had that feeling, too, when she’d gone to school
and someone had been mean or teased her. She’d only asked for one thing and
that was her daughter wouldn’t have to go through being bullied, but she
guessed it wasn’t to be. Maybe it ran in the family. Just like being a bully
ran in families, too.

“Honey,
it’s going to be all right.”

Susanne
leaned over and hugged April and as she did so the hat fell off. Susanne put
her hand over her mouth and sobbed. She’d been through a lot of stuff at school
but never anything like this. How could another human being do this to her
little girl?

****

Branndon
traced the missing Susanne to the stables. She was crying like her world was
about to fall apart. It reminded him of the time the kids at school had called
her names and made reference to the mother who’d abandoned her and her
alcoholic father. It wasn’t until Branndon had gotten older that he realized
Susanne’s cries weren’t just tears at being called a few bad things, but genuine
breaking her heart ones.

He
stood outside for a while and heard her trying to catch her breath. He stepped
into the building to see if he could do something to help. She looked at him
and he regretted invading this very private time for her.

“You
want to tell me what’s wrong? I mean if it’s something I’ve done.”

She
raised her hand. “No, not you Branndon. You’ve been great to both me and April,
but I have to deal with this. She’s my daughter.”

“April,
this is something to do with her?”

Susanne
nodded. “Seems like the bullying didn’t stop with me.”

Branndon
ran over to her and took her into his arms. “Tell me about it,” he said.

She
broke down on his shoulder and sobbed. “I guessed someone had been bothering
her because she was nervous about getting on the bus this morning, but she
didn’t say anything.”

“Someone
hurt her? Because if they have…”

She
put her finger on Branndon’s lips. “Someone tore the arm off the Smudge toy you
gave her and then her…”

“And
what?”

Branndon
went cold wondering what some kid had done to April.

“The
bully has cut half her hair off.”

“Shit,
the little shit. Girl or boy?”

“Boy
… I finally got her to tell me.”

“Then
his ass is gonna get kicked.”

“No,
Branndon, you are not to get involved in this.”

“I
am involved. I won’t have you upset and crying ever again. April’s a sweet kid
and I’m going teach this little bastard a lesson.”

“We’ll
go talk to Maddie see what she can do,” said Susanne, pulling on his arm again.

“It’s
a cliché, I know, but talk is cheap, Susanne. Bullies only go away when you
stand up to them.”

“I
know but April has to do this on her own.”

“She
will, but with my help.”

“Branndon
maybe later, but first of all I have to get her hair sorted out.”

“Then
we’ll take her to the hairdressers, said Branndon. He pulled on her hand.

“I’m
almost afraid to face my little girl because I know what she’s going through
and I can’t deal with it.”

“You
have to, Susanne, but you’ve got me to help this time.”

****

Susanne
wished she was dreaming. She couldn’t stand the sound of April’s crying as she
sobbed into Branndon’s chest. When had he gotten so good with feelings, with
little kids?

“My
hair’s gone missing,” she sobbed. “I won’t be pretty when Big Branndon is my
sweetheart date.”

 
“Sure you will. You’ll be the most beautiful
girl there,” said Branndon.

“I
want my long hair back,” she sobbed.

“Oh,
honey, it’s going to grow sooner than you think, just like you’ve grown an inch
since you and your mom moved in here.”

She
looked up at him. “You cut it for me.”

“Sweet
thing, I know about horses and riding, but nothing about cutting pretty girl’s
hair.”

“You
do it,” sobbed April.

He
looked up at Susanne who shrugged her shoulders.

“Okay,
let’s take you into the bathroom and we’ll find some scissors and you tell me
how you want it to look.” Branndon didn’t wait for April to get off the bed. He
scooped her up in those big arms of his and carried her into the bathroom.

“Could
you go get a chair?” he asked Susanne.

By
the time she came back, Branndon had tied a towel around April’s shoulders and
a pair of silver scissors sat on the vanity.

“Okay,
young lady sit yourself down here,” said Branndon.

April
scooted herself on the chair and Susanne passed him a comb.

As
Branndon combed both sides, she had to stop herself from crying at the
lopsidedness of her daughter’s once beautiful hair.

“Okay,
we’ll soon have this looking real pretty,” said Branndon, picking up the
scissors.

She
could see his hands shaking as he lined up April’s hair and began cutting it
straight across to even it out. The rest of her shiny locks fell onto the
bathroom tiles.

Branndon
stood back and looked and then trimmed just a tad more by her ears.

“There,
what do you think about?” he asked.

April
stood and looked in the mirror. Susanne had to admit he’d done a better job
than she would have.

“I
like it, but I want my old hair back,” said April, her lower lip quivering
again.

“I
know, sweet thing, and you’ll have it back soon, but for now you’re still going
to be the prettiest girl in Riker’s Creek.

****

Branndon
knew that bringing the matter of the bully to Maddie’s attention wasn’t the
route he would have taken. The little bastard needed to be taught a lesson,
especially because he’d destroyed her toy and her hair. He guessed Susanne was
heartbroken. He knew it probably stirred up lots of bad memories of her own
days of being constantly picked on by her peers. He hadn’t been the main bully,
but he’d added to her discomfort and now he was truly, truly sorry. One way to
make up for it was to make sure her little girl wasn’t ever bullied again.

“I
can take her to the school bus this morning,” said Branndon. “I’m just glad to
be driving again. Didn’t think I’d miss it, but I did.”

Susanne
stopped washing the dishes in the sink and looked at him.

“I
know that look,” she said.

“And
what would that be?”

“You’re
up to something.”

She
took off the rubber gloves and threw them on the countertop. “You are not to
get involved in this matter and you are not to do anything you’ll later
regret.”

He
knew if he didn’t do something and simply turned the other cheek, he’d regret
that more than anything else.

Branndon
walked over to Susanne and pulled her in close. He rubbed his nose against
hers. “Trust me. I know what I’m doing.”

She
tried to pull away from him, but he wouldn’t let her.

“If
you think this makes up for some of the things you did to me when we were young,
it won’t.”

She
had tears in her eyes and it ripped his heart into tiny pieces.

“I
don’t,” said Brandon.

“So
you are going to do something?”

“I
didn’t say that, but something has to be done.”

“I’ve
told Maddie and she said she’ll ask the boy’s parents to go speak with her,”
said Susanne.

“How
many times did the teacher talk to everyone who bullied you?” asked Branndon.

“Things
are different now. Bullying is more of a social issue.”

“That’s
true, but the kid who’s bullying her doesn’t know that. Do you really want this
to continue? Because that’s what’s going to happen, Susanne.”

She
didn’t say anything and another tear slid down her face.

“When
she started school I had one hope and that was she’d be happy and wouldn’t have
to go through what I did.”

He
pulled her chin up and kissed her. “I’m going to see that you get your wish.”

“Just
don’t do anything rash that’s going to put her in harm’s way.”

“I’m
going to act as if she’s my own flesh and blood.”

“And
don’t go doing anything that will get you in any trouble or sued or whatever.”

He
winked at her.

****

It
was fucking cold out and Branndon moved his feet from side to side as he held
April’s hand while they waited for the school bus to arrive.

“Remember
as soon as you see him you point him out to me.”

“He’s
mean,” said April.

“He
won’t be much longer.” Branndon stamped his feet.

“That’s
him, Uncle Brannon. That’s the boy who cut my hair.”

Despite
her wearing mittens, Branndon was able to see that she was indicating it was
the kid who was walking toward them wearing a blue quilted jacket and a red ski
hat.

So that’s the
little shit.

The
kid had some guts because as soon as he saw April, and despite her having
Branndon standing next to her, the kid began laughing and pointing at her.

“Like
your new hair, April Showers.”

April
suddenly hid behind Branndon’s legs.

“Teacher’s
pet got her hair cut real good,” he continued taunting.

Okay, your little
shit, you asked for it.

“Stand
back, sweet thing, because he’s got it coming to him.”

Branndon
leaned over and picked up at mound of snow, and formed a ball like only he and
Jackson knew how to create one. When these babies hit, and for the few seconds
before they fell apart, they hurt like holy hell.

Branndon
formed it like he remembered doing at the ranch when he and Jackson were
growing up. Usually the poor foreman was their target, this morning it was a
second grade bully.