Read Online Deep in the Heart of Me by Diane Munier - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Diane Munier
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hands," Dad says. "A moment to be proud of. My son, the jailbird, is ready to shake hands with the other jailbirds. How fancy fine. Look at the lot of you."
Dad spreads his scorn over the four of us.
"You two, doing your mother proud are you?" he says this to Tillo and Utz. "Otto needs the hardship of two worthless sons making the new classroom look like an outhouse with all the white daubs, does he?"
"No he don't," Tillo says, then Utz.
"Well, you'll be scraping that classroom clean, and you'll help my sons whitewash the school house starting this Saturday. You'll be there at sun-up, and you'll work until it's done." Dad gets closer than ever to the cell housing the Smiths. "Don't disappoint me lads or your school days are over."
"Yes, Sir," Tillo says, and Utz echoes the same.
"Okay, Sheriff, let them out. I'm a busy man," Dad says.
Sheriff has yet to ask his daughter what she is doing here. Maybe he doesn't want to hear the answer.
Sobe says, "Hello, Mr. Clannan."
"Miss Sobe," Dad says as Sheriff takes the key from Ned's willing hand.
"I suppose you know none of this is Tonio's fault," she says.
"We'll see Lass," Dad says.
"Well, just in case Tonio doesn't want to snitch…," she shoots a look at me. I think she might be a little mad at me, but it's very confusing seeing as she also thinks I'm pretty great…or she did a minute ago, "So he'll probably leave a lot out."
"But his sisters won't Lass. That's the thing."
I step out of the cell then, and Joseph behind me. It feels so good to have freedom. The deputy has opened the Smith's cage, and they step out and the evidence of having wrestled a hell-cat is on them. Dad says a man's actions speak louder than words. He won't have to wonder if I got my licks in.
Tillo puts out his hand, and they are scratched up, but not as badly as my right. But I put my hand in his, and he squeezes, and I squeeze back, and it's all I can do not to yell out from the pain. But I don't, and we break apart.
Then I shake with Utz and Tillo with Joseph and Utz also squeezes too hard and I pull away catching a sneer and a dirty name just before I say it. I'm glad I beat them.
Then Joseph shakes with Utz, and it's even.
"Back of my truck boyos," Dad says to the Smiths. "You've plenty of work to do at the school. And you two of mine in the truck."
"Do I have the word of you boys you'll not repeat what happened today?" Sheriff asks.
We are still. I see Sobe's bright expression as she waits for me to speak.
"I can't say that Sheriff. I was taught to stand up for myself," I say.
Sobe breaks into quick happy clapping. "You see Dad? You don't know Tonio."
I am breathing through my sore mouth. I think my nose is broken anyway. But this Sobe, she just speaks out. And she's not even shy.
"You have it then Sheriff," Dad says, and he goes to the door and pulls it wide.
"No more Mr. Clannan, not from either of yours. I find there is more trouble they are out for good. Same goes for the Smiths if you see their dad."
"You'll be seeing him all right," Dad says hand holding the door wide while he makes a sweeping motion with the other. "Friday nights in particular, eh boys?"
The Smiths do not answer. They are the first to go out. Joseph then. I look at Sobe.
"Goodbye, Antonio. You need that cold rag," she says.
I nod, looking quickly from her father to her.
She takes some quick steps forward and before our Dad's and Fat Ned and myself she reaches up and whispers in my ear, "Do you have it still?"
Have it? I look quickly at her father again. He is not amused by this.
She must mean that hankie. I'm not pulling it out in front of them all, and it's disgusting now anyway what with my blood.
But I pull back and look at her and nod.
She smiles, and I am struck again by her beauty. She looks like a porcelain doll. But alive. Very alive.
"Your mother is waiting," Dad says from behind.
I lose my smile then. Maman. One look at me and she will have plenty to say.
Chapter 16
"I think
Dad spreads his scorn over the four of us.
"You two, doing your mother proud are you?" he says this to Tillo and Utz. "Otto needs the hardship of two worthless sons making the new classroom look like an outhouse with all the white daubs, does he?"
"No he don't," Tillo says, then Utz.
"Well, you'll be scraping that classroom clean, and you'll help my sons whitewash the school house starting this Saturday. You'll be there at sun-up, and you'll work until it's done." Dad gets closer than ever to the cell housing the Smiths. "Don't disappoint me lads or your school days are over."
"Yes, Sir," Tillo says, and Utz echoes the same.
"Okay, Sheriff, let them out. I'm a busy man," Dad says.
Sheriff has yet to ask his daughter what she is doing here. Maybe he doesn't want to hear the answer.
Sobe says, "Hello, Mr. Clannan."
"Miss Sobe," Dad says as Sheriff takes the key from Ned's willing hand.
"I suppose you know none of this is Tonio's fault," she says.
"We'll see Lass," Dad says.
"Well, just in case Tonio doesn't want to snitch…," she shoots a look at me. I think she might be a little mad at me, but it's very confusing seeing as she also thinks I'm pretty great…or she did a minute ago, "So he'll probably leave a lot out."
"But his sisters won't Lass. That's the thing."
I step out of the cell then, and Joseph behind me. It feels so good to have freedom. The deputy has opened the Smith's cage, and they step out and the evidence of having wrestled a hell-cat is on them. Dad says a man's actions speak louder than words. He won't have to wonder if I got my licks in.
Tillo puts out his hand, and they are scratched up, but not as badly as my right. But I put my hand in his, and he squeezes, and I squeeze back, and it's all I can do not to yell out from the pain. But I don't, and we break apart.
Then I shake with Utz and Tillo with Joseph and Utz also squeezes too hard and I pull away catching a sneer and a dirty name just before I say it. I'm glad I beat them.
Then Joseph shakes with Utz, and it's even.
"Back of my truck boyos," Dad says to the Smiths. "You've plenty of work to do at the school. And you two of mine in the truck."
"Do I have the word of you boys you'll not repeat what happened today?" Sheriff asks.
We are still. I see Sobe's bright expression as she waits for me to speak.
"I can't say that Sheriff. I was taught to stand up for myself," I say.
Sobe breaks into quick happy clapping. "You see Dad? You don't know Tonio."
I am breathing through my sore mouth. I think my nose is broken anyway. But this Sobe, she just speaks out. And she's not even shy.
"You have it then Sheriff," Dad says, and he goes to the door and pulls it wide.
"No more Mr. Clannan, not from either of yours. I find there is more trouble they are out for good. Same goes for the Smiths if you see their dad."
"You'll be seeing him all right," Dad says hand holding the door wide while he makes a sweeping motion with the other. "Friday nights in particular, eh boys?"
The Smiths do not answer. They are the first to go out. Joseph then. I look at Sobe.
"Goodbye, Antonio. You need that cold rag," she says.
I nod, looking quickly from her father to her.
She takes some quick steps forward and before our Dad's and Fat Ned and myself she reaches up and whispers in my ear, "Do you have it still?"
Have it? I look quickly at her father again. He is not amused by this.
She must mean that hankie. I'm not pulling it out in front of them all, and it's disgusting now anyway what with my blood.
But I pull back and look at her and nod.
She smiles, and I am struck again by her beauty. She looks like a porcelain doll. But alive. Very alive.
"Your mother is waiting," Dad says from behind.
I lose my smile then. Maman. One look at me and she will have plenty to say.
Chapter 16
"I think
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