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Lucky Little

“You’re going to stay with your Aunt Pat now okay sweetheart? Mommy will be back a little later on.” Mary Ann bends down to give Boyd a kiss as he plays on the living room floor with his Tonka truck that stayed at Aunt Pat’s house for times like these. It was his favorite toy but he couldn’t take it home. It was strategically used for his benefit so he would be rewarded for getting out of his comfort zone at home and being dropped off on occasion. “Vroom vroom!” Aunt Pat chimes in as she takes another drag off cigarette. Boyd stands up to get one more hug and kiss from his mommy. “Are you going to get my little brother” he asks with a tender glow in his voice. “Yes Boyd, I’m going to get your little brother.” Unsatisfied as a child should be he presses on, “and you and dad and my new little brother and me and all of us are gonna be home together and be a family?” he says without taking a breath or giving any correct speech punctuation. Tears rise in his eyes as he looks up in anticipation only a child could have. Anticipation of receiving the perfect answer to his biggest dream, home together and be a family. “Yes baby, home together and be a family.”

Mary Ann walks down the steps of a large wooden patio about a third of the size of the mobile home it’s attached to. “Hey Mary Ann! How’re you doing this morning dahlin’?” A stout uniformed Houston police officer reaches to grab her hand and help her into the back of the police cruiser. J.C. was another very good friend of Bobby Ray and Mary Ann. You could best describe J.C. as James Garner in all of his best rolls. “I’m just fine you sly fox”, Mary gives him a peck on the cheek as she enters the car. “You sure you don’t wanna ride up front Mary Ann? I promise I won’t drive like I did last time.” Mary Ann lifts her one eyebrow as in tolerance of him even asking. “Let me tell you this”, she says with a smirk, “If you start driving like you did last time I’ll pull my own gun out and shoot you in the foot and drive this car myself.” J.C. squints in pain knowing that Mary Ann may just be the one crazy enough to do something like that. “Get me to the hospital Hon’, I’m eager to see my son.”