This Ole House

title
Image Courtesy of The Writers Ranch

Kid looked at the house knowing it was most likely for the last time. This house held so many memories for him, but it was no longer home. It was someone else's home now, and he was on his own. But as he walked around the property, memories he had long forgotten, or at least tried to, seemed to haunt him.

There were the back porch steps where his father had pushed his mother after she burned a dinner. Kid had only been about three at the time, and it wasn't the first memory he had of his father hurting his mother. And it definitely wasn't his last. It hadn't been her fault either.

His father had come in from the fields that day in a bad mood. He had wanted to know why dinner wasn't on the table and had continued to yell at her then he started throwing things. Kid's mother was too busy picking up the shards from the pitcher that had been on the table to notice the smell of burnt roast coming from the oven.

Jed had tried defending their mother, but wound up unconscious on the floor as their father had grabbed their mother with one hand, the burnt roast with the other, and threw them both down those steps. It wasn't a far drop, but he pushed her down hard enough to break a few ribs. Kid had just stared at his father frightened.

As he walked towards the back of the property, he came to the creek where he, Jed and their friends had so often gone swimming or hunting for frogs. It was also the place Jed had said goodbye.

"You understand why I'm leavin' don't ya Kid?" Jed said, as he looked down at his little brother.

Kid shook his head vigorously as the tears streamed from his blue eyes. "Pa took off Jed, you ain't gotta go."

"Yeah I do. He's run off before and he always comes back drunker and meaner than when he left."

"Why can't I go with ya? I promise I'll be real good."

"I know you would and I'd really like you to, but you're just too young. You need to stay here with momma and protect her."

"But how? I'm only eight and Pa's too strong."

Jed pulled him into a tight embrace. "Well you'll just have to get stronger than he is. I gotta get outta here before I kill him. When I went into town today, people started askin' questions about my arm. Wanted to know how I broke it. I couldn't tell them the truth; they'd never have believed me."

"Where ya goin'?"

Jed shook his head. "I don't know yet. Even if I did, it's better you not knowin'. Pa'd beat ya somethin' fierce if he knew. He ain't gonna be happy when he finds I left."

"I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you to Kid. But you're tougher than you think. You can survive better than I can. Promise me you'll take real good care of momma for me ok?"

Kid nodded.

"If you ever need help, you got some real good friends. Go see the Maxwell's. Garth's family will help ya out and Doritha's will too. Understand?" Kid nodded again. "Take care Kid."

Kid remembered watching as his brother walked away never knowing if he'd ever see him again. Their momma died not knowing where her eldest son was or if he was even alive.

As Kid walked back to the front of the house, he still didn't know what he was going to do. Times were getting tougher and neither Garth or Doritha's family had been willing to take on another mouth to feed.

Doritha's family had given him enough money to pay off his family debts and to give his momma a proper burial, but they had hoped it would encourage him to stick around and marry their eldest daughter. Everyone had assumed they would one day marry, they'd been practically engaged from the cradle. But Kid was scared. Everyone he ever loved had left him; first Jed, and now his momma. He couldn't handle it if Doritha left him, and without anything to call his own, what could he offer her?

"Kid where are you?"

Kid heard Garth calling as he rounded the front of the house. Garth stood on the wrap around porch while Doritha sat on the porch swing crying.

Garth saw Kid walking towards them and met him halfway. "Are you sure about this?"

Kid nodded and kicked the dirt at his feet. "Ain't got much of a choice."

"What are you gonna do?"

Kid shrugged. "Not sure. Maybe try and find Jed or head out west somewhere. There's nothin' left for me here."

"What about me?" Doritha said joining the two men. "I'm still here," she said as her sobs grew louder and Kid hugged her.

"But I ain't got nothin' to offer you. No job, no family, no home..."

"Your momma always said home is where the heart is. Where ever we are together will be our home. Please Kid, don't go. I love you."

Garth sensing the couple needed some time alone, walked back to the porch.

"I love you too and I promise you, once I get settled and get some money, I'll send for you. We're too young right now to get married but in a coupla months, you can come out and we'll get married then. Right now, I need to leave and start over. Please understand."

Doritha nodded and wiped the tears from her face. "Here, take this." She reached into the pocket of her riding skirt and pulled out a wad of bills. "It's not much, but this should help."

Kid shook his head. "I can't take that Doritha. You're family has already given me so much money that I don't know when I'll be able to pay them back."

Doritha placed it in his hand. "This isn't from them. It's from me and Garth. You might need it where you're goin'."

Kid nodded and nodded towards Garth. "I better get goin' before it gets dark.

Garth once again joined the couple and then shook Kid's hand. "Take care Kid. If you ever need anything..."

Kid took one last look at his friends, and then at the house he'd been born and raised in. He walked away knowing he was on his own now and things would never be the same.

"Garth, why couldn't he stay? Why did he have to leave?" Doritha cried as she watched her best friend leave.

"He had to Doritha. This ole house just holds to many painful memories for him. He needs to make it on his own. He'll be back one day. We haven't seen the last of Kid."