Come Share My Love - By Carrie Macon Page 0,23
stomach. Now you owe your brothers an apology.”
“For what?”
“Boy!” his mother flung the screen door open and stepped out onto the porch with her hands on her hips. “I said you own your brothers an apology.”
He turned to each of his brothers who were standing with slight smiles on their faces. “I’m sorry.”
“For?” his mother asked.
“For getting you into trouble,” he announced.
“No.” his mother shook her head. “They are not in trouble. You are apologizing for putting them into danger. Now apologize.”
Zackary did as he was told.
“Brennan and Braxton get cleaned up and set the dinner table, make sure to wash thoroughly. Zackary you go out back and search that plum tree for a nice switch and meet me in the laundry room,” she turned to walk away but Zackary had to do something. He didn’t want another switching.
“Mom the switches from the plum tree hurt.”
“They’re supposed to.”
“Can’t you give me a warning instead. It’s not like anything really happened.”
“And it’s thinking like that which get you into even more trouble. Now, when I said to you, Zackary don’t leave this yard and do not get into any trouble that was your warning. And since you’re still standing here, yapping at the mouth and trying to negotiate, grab two switches. And they better be good, because if I have to go out back and look for them myself I will be bringing in a whole branch and anything that looks like it want to leave a welt, I will use it to tear your backside apart. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes ma’am.” Zackary turned to leave then turned back. “Mom,” he said.
“Yes son.”
“When’s dad coming home?”
“He should be here within the hour. Why?”
“I was just wondering can he give me my switching. I know that you’re tired and you don’t want to be pulled away from your dinner chores.”
Zackary was serious his mother noticed. How sad was that.
“Zackary was your father the one who gave you the warning?”
“No ma’am.”
“Was he the one you disobeyed? Was he here when you did it?”
“No ma’am.”
“Would you like to bring three switches and go upstairs to get you and your brother’s belts?”
“No ma’am.”
“Good. Then I think you should go on with your original task. I’d hate for dinner to burn and have to start from scratch.”
“Yes ma’am.”
After it was over his mom sat him down and explained the importance of following rules and regulation. She also told him that while it was a good deed to help others including stray animal, in certain situations you do not want to take the chance of putting yourself or others in danger.
“Love you son.”
“Love you too, mom.” He kissed her cheek this time.
Zackary knew not to test his mother. There were things that she’d tolerate, especially after having to deal with twin boys. But she knew all the tricks. Once Zackary was born she wasn’t taking anything off of any of them including her husband. She knew exactly what to do. Her husband was the more lenient of the two, unless of course there was a fight between their children. That’s something he didn’t tolerate. He didn’t want his wife getting her hands dirty. Yes the Trellis boys knew when not to get on their parent’s bad side especially their mom’s.
“So what are you going to do about your little situation?”
“I’m trying to decide if I should call her or not or just wait until I get back to try and see her.”
“I still think Braxton had the right idea. Ask her out here for the fourth of July.”
“That may not be that easy.”
“Why not? She like you, doesn’t she?”
“More than she’s willing to admit, I suspect. Beside she had promised her cousin that she would come but after our trips to Jamaica she may have changed her mind. She may think it’s a waste of her time. Or maybe, too soon to be spending a weekend in my presence, with my family. We haven’t established any kind of relationship. Not yet.”
“Can Mama V say something to you without you taking offense?” he nodded his head and she continued on. “If you think she’d feel that way, why be bothered in the first place?”
“I guess I really don’t feel that way. It’s more like I’m thinking what if this happens, what if that happens. I think I’m more nervous than anything and I don’t want to be rejected.”
“Rejected? I know women don’t feel that way about my baby. There are too many women after you.”
“But they’re not