Bent Road - Lori Roy [116]
“Ray,” Mama shouts from inside the house. “The baby. Be careful of the baby.”
By the time Uncle Ray and Aunt Ruth reach the bottom step, Dad is back outside the garage, looking left and right as if he might find his shotgun wedged there in a snowdrift. Daniel, having squatted behind a fence post outside the glow of the porch light, squints toward the house. Mama is there, standing inside the screened door. Ahead of him, Olivia’s gate bounces in the wind, the slide bolt rattling and the strap hinges creaking.
“Ray, stop,” Mama shouts. “Leave her be.”
Really, it’s more of a scream, something Daniel has never heard before. The sound makes his stomach tighten as if he might vomit right here in the snow. Mama’s scream seems to surprise Uncle Ray, too, because he shoves Aunt Ruth away from the house and aims his gun at Mama. Dad takes two quick steps but then stops.
“Take it easy, Ray,” he says.
“I’ll go, Ray,” Aunt Ruth says. “See. I’m packed. Already packed to come home.” She is standing on the hard, cold gravel in only her slippers and she is wearing Elaine’s beige housecoat. Her hair hangs loose and blows into her eyes. “Please. Let’s go. Leave Celia be.”
Uncle Ray jabs his gun at Aunt Ruth, but she doesn’t flinch the way Mama did. She’s seen a gun up close before, Daniel thinks. She’s had one pointed right in her face.
“You think I should leave here, Ruth?” Uncle Ray says.
“Yes. Yes. I’m coming with you. Coming home with you now. I’m ready. See?” she says, lifting one suitcase. “I was waiting on the weather. Just waiting for it to clear.”
Dad takes two more steps toward Uncle Ray.
“Come down here, Celia,” Uncle Ray says, aiming his gun at Mama again.
At this, Dad backs up.
Mama stands at the top of the stairs, her eyes locked on Dad. She starts to cry.
“Get down here, now.”
Mama presses both hands over her mouth and doesn’t even bother to brush away the hair that blows across her forehead and eyes. She shakes her head and takes the stairs one at time.
“You’ve been drinking, Ray.” Dad is trying to calm him and, at the same time, looking all around at the ground and in the air for anything that might help.
When Mama reaches the bottom step, Dad presses one hand in the air to make her stop right there. Behind her, the porch door opens again. Mary Robison and Evie step outside. Standing side by side on the top stair, Mrs. Robison holds Evie’s hand.
“Did you tell him, Ruth?” Mrs. Robison shouts across the drive.
Aunt Ruth shakes her head. “Not now, Mary.” She chokes before the words come all the way out. “Go back inside, Evie.”
Mrs. Robison smiles down at Evie, nods and Evie runs down the stairs and grabs onto Mama’s legs.
“I owe it to you, too, Ray,” Mrs. Robison says, walking down the stairs.
Mama is trying to push Evie away, trying to make her go back inside but Evie won’t let go.
“Shut up, the all of you,” Uncle Ray shouts, and waving the rifle tip at Mama, he says, “Get on over with Ruth.”
Mrs. Robison walks past Mama and when Dad steps forward to stop her, Uncle Ray jabs at him with the gun and Dad stops.
“Don’t involve yourself,” Dad says to Mrs. Robison.
Ignoring Dad like she doesn’t know he’s there, Mrs. Robison keeps walking, slowly because she doesn’t have anything on her feet. “I owe it to you most of all,” she shouts over the wind.
Uncle Ray backs away as Mrs. Robison walks toward him. He staggers closer to Daniel. The weight of the gun seems to throw him off balance. He takes aim at Mrs. Robison, too, but she doesn’t stop like Dad. With the rifle poised on his shoulder, Uncle Ray dips his head, presses his cheek to the stock and fires.
Celia must have screamed, maybe she is still screaming. Someone shouts at her. It’s Ray.
“I said get your damned self over there.” He waves his gun at her.
Celia starts to walk toward Ruth, but Evie