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Woe to the problem child
Walking into the dining room, Wendy saw Arthur at the end of the table with Nicole in her bouncing chair clapping and squealing while Arthur made faces at her. Handing the baby she was carrying to Sutton, Wendy left to get another as Vicki handed hers off. Bringing in another, Wendy tried not to laugh when Vicki handed Sarah the baby she’d carried in.
It was very clear to all, Sarah was very uncomfortable with babies, but Wendy knew Little Momma had a huge crush on Joseph. In truth, she felt sorrier for the misery Vicki brought to Sarah than anything Joseph did. To her credit, Sarah never complained and did what Vicki asked, or was told, depending on who interpreted the act.
After handing her baby off, Wendy turned to the other table that most of the smaller kids sat at and had no trouble spotting Chloe. She had no idea what Chloe had used to dye her hair black, but it looked atrocious. Dressed all in black and wearing a spiked dog collar, Chloe was just leaning back in her chair with her customary grimace. Wendy really wanted to feel sorry for Chloe, but the way she acted toward everyone just pissed her the fuck off.
Chloe was never outright mean to anyone, just deviously hostile to all. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind, without all the black makeup, white paste, and funky body odor, Chloe would be a very pretty girl. The first day Chloe was brought in, she was asked to bathe. Every day since, Chloe had been told to bathe by Wendy and Arthur. Yet, almost two weeks later, she still hadn’t.
The other kids went out of their way to go behind Chloe and do her chores, so Chloe wouldn’t get in trouble. To date, Chloe was the only one that’d had double chores more than once. Just rolling her eyes, Chloe would storm off and do some of what she was told to do. Then the other kids would come along and do the job right, just so Chloe wouldn’t get in more trouble.
Even after all the help and kindness the other kids had shown her, Chloe never acknowledged it and acted like it was owed to her because she was Chloe.
Watching Vicki hand off another kid, Wendy realized something. Vicki had never once tried to get Chloe to take or help with the babies. Thinking about it, Wendy couldn’t even remember Vicki ever talking to Chloe. “Damn,” Wendy mumbled at the realization Vicki had never liked Chloe.
Just to confirm something, she waved at Shawn and then motioned him over. Getting up from the table, he trotted over. “Yes, ma’am,” he smiled.
Unable to help it, Wendy gave him a big hug. “Shawn, I just wanted to ask, has Vicki ever helped Chloe?”
Returning the hug with a blissful smile, Shawn shook his head. “No, Momma.”
“I know many of you have helped Chloe do chores and work, but Vicki hasn’t?” she asked, just to clarify her suspicion.
Letting out a sigh, “Vicki hates Chloe,” he stated. “She hates Chloe more than she hates Sarah, and nobody knows why she doesn’t like Sarah. She helps and she’s nice.”
Knowing very well why and not about to tell anyone, “Do you know if Chloe has ever been mean to her?” Wendy asked, praying Chloe hadn’t because she would kill Chloe herself.
“Momma, I don’t think they’ve ever even talked,” Shawn replied. “I’m sorry, and even know I might get in trouble, but if I ever find out Chloe was mean to Little Momma, I would stomp that bitc-,” he froze, realizing who he was talking to. “I would beat her up very bad,” he amended.
Kissing Shawn on the head, “I hope you would tell me if that happened and then I would beat her ass,” Wendy told him, letting Shawn go. “But in that instance of standing for your family, you wouldn’t get in trouble.”
Giving a shrug, “I would do double chores gladly for beating up anyone who would be mean to Little Momma,” Shawn admitted with pride.
As Shawn headed back to his spot Wendy gave him a wink, then moved over beside Arthur as Todd came in with Allen wrapped in a towel. Sitting down, he smiled at Wendy and Arthur as she sat down. “When do you want to do this?” Wendy asked.
Tickling Nicole, he glanced over at Wendy. “When everyone gets in here for supper,” he answered.
Getting nervous, “Shouldn’t we do it tonight, when she goes back to her room?” Wendy gasped.
Shaking his head, “Hon, if this was just a talking to, we would do that. This is a demonstration of what happens if you don’t act like family. Not doing what is asked of you and shitting on those trying to help you,” he told her. Knowing damn well who they were talking about, Todd just listened as he played with Allen.
Cutting her eyes around the room, “What if one of the others don’t agree?”
“Then they can get the fuck out,” Arthur snapped.
Hoping and praying it wouldn’t come to that, Wendy just nodded as Vicki came in and handed off the last baby. Vicki glanced around, checking on the babies and little kids, then ran over to her seat. The rule from Wendy and Arthur was when supper started, Vicki was free of childcare. Both wanted her to have time to herself, but Vicki really liked being Little Momma and would still help out.
Hearing the clatter of little boots, Wendy turned to see Robin running full bore at Arthur because his lap was vacant. “You’re wearing panties, I’m so proud,” Arthur said, picking her up.
“Fuck,” Robin said, and the entire room became quiet.
Giving Robin a scowl that made her shy away, “There is no reason to use that word,” Arthur told her. Hearing the room was quiet, he looked up at everyone and found them looking at him and casting eyes at Wendy, expecting her to hit him at the very least.
“Fuck is a word and should only be used appropriately,” Arthur snapped. “Wendy has already chastised me, so back the fuck off! Any word can be used inappropriately.”
As the others turned away, Wendy gave a startle that Arthur had taken the blame for expanding Robin’s vocabulary. “And what do I owe for that?” she asked.
Adjusting Robin in his lap, Arthur turned to her. “I was hoping you might want to go on a date night tomorrow.”
Just hearing that made Wendy’s face light up. “REALLY?!” she cried out, and again the room turned to them as a hush fell over.
Pulling out a smartphone, Arthur tapped the screen. “Tracked a gang setting up shop in Hattieville,” he told her, and showed her a picture.
Taking the phone, “How did you get pictures?” she wondered, sliding her finger across the screen to flip through pictures.
“The game cameras,” Arthur answered. “As long as you keep them within a half mile from each other, they use each other as a relay. Only one cell tower is still active, but I don’t know for how much longer.”
Hearing a tower was still running made Wendy look up from the pictures. “It’s the one north of Hagarville that has those solar panels. Most have a large battery backup, but that one gets its battery recharged,” he told her.
Glancing back down at the pictures Wendy saw most were from roads, but some others were at stores and a few on specific buildings. “Like the hunting cameras Joseph used that have a sim card? You’re using the cell tower?” she asked.
“No, these use radio, but I do have some out with sim cards. I just didn’t put out many because I wasn’t sure how long that tower will last. Besides, we’re going to get those solar panels before winter if they’re still there.”
“Why not just get them now?” Todd asked as Joseph walked in with a regal strut.
Giving a sigh, “Todd, we have enough monkey shit to do right here for now. They’re an ass licking luxury we don’t have to have, but it would be nice. I do know of other places with solar panels, but not with that much battery backup,” Arthur told him.
Still going through the pictures, “Arthur, just how many cameras do you have out?” Wendy gasped. At the bottom of each picture was a number with a letter.
“Almost two hundred that are radio-based. Sixty-two that are cellular, and a hundred and eleven that are Wi-Fi, but those are very close to us since they only have a range of five hundred feet to relay with each other.”
Looking up in shock, “Where in the fuck did you find that many damn game cams?!” Wendy cried out.
“Duh, from stores,” Arthur moaned out.
Fighting the urge to reach over and slap him, Wendy just kept looking at the pictures. “No stores around here carried near that many,” she blurted out.
“True, but if you take all the ones the store had and did that to all of them that carried them, you would end up with a shitload,” Arthur laughed. “Hon, I still have enough cameras in those containers to put that many out again.”
Just the fact Arthur had gotten them in such a number shocked Wendy, making her finally look away from the phone. “How did you know to get them?”
“Doesn’t it make sense to have eyes around you to see trouble before trouble finds you?” he asked, wiggling his eyebrows. “Sure, if someone knows what they’re doing they could track each one down, if they had radio detection equipment, but because they only relay to each other, nobody can use them to find us. The cellular ones,” he paused. “Yeah, it’s easier for someone to use those to track us down, but we’ll still see them long before they find us. The Wi-Fi, someone would have to be right on us to use those. You should remember, I know about cameras,” he finished with a grin.
With a blush coming to her cheeks, “There’s no denying that,” she said, looking back at the pictures.
Getting comfortable in his seat, “What did you do with cameras, Dad?” Joseph asked with a content smile.
Jerking her head up and staring hard at Arthur, “No,” Wendy snapped. “We agreed, no one,” she stressed hard, “ever finds out.”
Returning the gaze with a smirk, “And just who in the hell can break me in questioning?” Arthur asked.
Watching his parents, Joseph could tell this wasn’t something kinky they were talking about. “How about just me?” he asked, burning with curiosity.
“No, Joseph,” Wendy said, looking back at the pictures. Turning to his dad, he saw Arthur give him a wink and just let it drop so he didn’t piss off Mom.
After all the food was brought in, Arthur put Robin in her highchair before pushing back from the table and getting up. Taking the phone from Wendy, he set it on the table and then stepped over to the other table. “Chloe, why haven’t you bathed like you were asked at first, but then actually told to?” he asked in a firm voice.
With a big sigh, Wendy stood up and moved beside Arthur.
Across the table, Chloe flipped her hair from her face and glared at Arthur. “I do what I want, when I want. Nobody ‘tells’ me to do anything,” she popped off.
“Just why in the fuck did you even come here then? I told you, everyone had to work.”
“I am working!” Chloe shot back.
As her face turned red and fire filled her eyes, Wendy rounded the table to close in on Chloe. “Little bitch! You’ll address him with respect before I slap that nasty makeup off your stinking ass!” Wendy shouted. Since Wendy told Arthur she would follow his lead, that outburst shocked him as he watched Wendy hover over Chloe.
“I respect who I want and it ain’t no one here, so back off,” Chloe chuckled.
Sitting at the other table, Joseph rolled his eyes up to the ceiling, “Oh, fuck a duck,” he mumbled.
“YOU LITTLE FUCKING ASSWIPE BITCH!” Arthur screamed, making every kid near Chloe get up and take off running. Jumping up on the table and walking over to jump off on the other side of Chloe, Arthur reached down and grabbed her by the hair to lift her to her feet as Chloe let out a scream, grabbing his hand. Realizing she couldn’t make Arthur let go, she started kicking out.
Watching Chloe’s boots lash out at Arthur, Wendy stepped up and punched Chloe in the back left kidney. “Kick him again and I’ll fucking kill you!” Wendy screamed as Chloe froze up in pain, forgetting all about the pain of Arthur holding her off the ground by her hair.
Seeing Chloe had stopped moving, Arthur just let her hair go and she crumpled to the floor and started gasping for breath. Everyone in the room was watching with gaping eyes except Joseph, who was still looking up at the ceiling. “You piss off Dad by fucking with Mom, you’re lucky to live if you piss off Mom by fucking with Dad,” he sighed. “Dad will hurt you if you’re lucky, mom will kill you slowly if you’re not.”
“Get up!” Wendy shouted.
“Fuck off,” Chloe panted as she curled up in pain.
Reaching down and again lifting up Chloe by the hair, when she opened her mouth to scream, Arthur’s right fist lashed out into Chloe’s gut. Through the air, Chloe went sailing back nearly to the wall and everyone saw the handful of nasty black hair in Arthur’s clenched hand.
Holding Allen numbly to his chest, “If anyone in Chloe’s family is still alive, they felt that gut punch,” Todd mumbled.
Trembling in rage, Wendy turned to Arthur. “We’re throwing the bitch out,” she growled.
Turning over his shoulder and dropping the handful of hair, “Shawn, get your gear and pull the Blazer around!” Arthur barked, and Shawn took off so fast his chair hit the floor. “She gets a bath before she leaves because she was told every day,” Arthur said.
Bending down and grabbing Chloe by the left arm, Wendy twisted it up behind her back, forcing Chloe to her feet. Struggling to breathe from the pain radiating from her gut, Chloe couldn’t even whimper as Wendy steered her toward the door. “Fine,” Wendy snapped. “We’ll bathe her ass under the water hose outside, then throw her out.”
Following Wendy out, “Eat, we’ll be back. Save some food for Shawn,” Arthur said, walking out.
“They can’t throw her out, she’s just a kid,” Sarah gasped looking around, but didn’t see anyone taking her side. Not even Sutton or Skannish.
“I would just kill that bitch,” Ellie said, stunning Sarah. “That girl has been nothing but trouble since she got here and everyone, including Arthur and Wendy, have gone out of their way to help her.”
Turning in her chair, “Sutton?” Sarah gasped.
Picking up his fork, “I wouldn’t kill Chloe, but not a day has gone by that I haven’t wanted to take off my belt and blister her backside,” Sutton said.
“You stopped me from doing that yesterday,” Skannish groaned.
“Chloe would’ve whooped your ass,” Sutton popped off. “You aren’t in the shape Arthur and Wendy are in.”
Scoffing, “I’ve never been in that good of shape, even as a teenager,” Skannish added.
“I don’t like her either, but she’s only sixteen!” Sarah cried out.
Finally taking his eyes off the ceiling, “Sarah, she was putting everyone at risk here,” Joseph said very pleasantly, which shocked everyone, including Sarah. “Two days ago, you told me you wished Chloe would act better so you could put her driving a truck, but you said,” Joseph stressed, “she would probably kill someone by running them over and wouldn’t even care. Sarah, you were right. Chloe would’ve, and she would’ve died on the spot.”
“Your dad is the Caravan Man, but he wouldn’t just kill a sixteen-year-old girl,” Sarah popped off.
“Bullshit,” Joseph scoffed, and nearly everyone was nodding in agreement. “But Dad wouldn’t have killed her. Mom would’ve, and it wouldn’t have been pretty.”
Sarah just gaped at Joseph in shock at the revelation. Seeing Sarah was finding that hard to believe, “Sarah, did you notice where each hit Chloe?” Joseph asked.
Nodding, “Yeah, your dad hit her stomach and your mom hit her in the back,” Sarah answered.
“Close enough,” Joseph shrugged. “Both hurt and nobody here can even argue that,” he stated confidently, and most nodded. “In two days, Chloe’s stomach will still be sore but for the next week she’s going to be peeing blood, and will still be able to feel where every knuckle from Mom’s hand punched her.”
At the end of the table, “Whoa, when the queen dishes out punishment, it’s lasting,” Todd gasped.
Turning to Todd, Joseph gave a little nod. “Someone finally understands,” he said with pride. “You fear Mom a hundred times worse than you fear Dad.”
Leaning close to Todd, “What?” Andrea whispered.
Shaking his head, “Oh no, you’re figuring this out on your own,” Todd stated vehemently.
Trying not to laugh at Todd, “Sarah, do you feel sorry for Chloe?” Joseph asked.
Almost answering yes from habit, Sarah paused and then gave a slight shrug. “Well, kind of,” she admitted.
Giving a pleased nod, “Glad to hear that,” Joseph said. “Do you feel bad for the kids here who’ve gone way out of their way to help Chloe, only to have her shit on them for their help?”
Nodding slowly as she looked around the room, “Yes, I tried to tell them just let her get in trouble,” Sarah admitted.
“Then these kids are smarter than you,” Joseph said, pissing Sarah off. “They knew what would happen to Chloe. Is that why they helped Chloe? So she wouldn’t get thrown out? No,” Joseph told her, leaning back in his chair.
Realizing Joseph wasn’t being a smartass, Sarah looked around at the kids. “So, why help her?” she asked.
“We didn’t want her making Pops and Momma mad. They have enough to worry about,” Kirk answered, and the others nodded.
Understanding what Joseph was trying to make her see, Sarah turned to look at him. “I understand,” Sarah sighed. “You were right, I was wrong.”
A sharp ‘clank’ sounded as Skannish dropped his fork on his plate. “You’ve been wrong before and we’ve proved it, but you’ve never admitted it to us,” he snapped.
“As crazy as you two make me, just be thankful I didn’t blow up more when you proved I was wrong,” Sarah offered.
Leaning over to Todd, “I love Skannish, but sometimes I want to punch him,” Andrea whispered, and Todd agreed with a nod.
Coming out the back door again, this time with his arms full, Shawn stopped before letting the door close. The first time he’d run out, Wendy and Arthur were stripping Chloe down and Shawn was amazed she wasn’t fighting. Chloe was just holding her stomach, trying to curl up weakly. Arthur had shouted out for Shawn to go in and find some clothes for Chloe to wear when they dropped her off somewhere.
Running back inside, he ran to the laundry area and just grabbed sweatpants and t-shirts, not caring whose they were. It was only as an afterthought that he grabbed towels but the only reason he did, Shawn didn’t want the Blazer to get soaked.
Standing at the back door, he watched Arthur and Wendy use sponges and dishwashing soap to scrub Chloe down. As Arthur lathered up her hair, Wendy scrubbed her legs, and if any soap got in her eyes, Chloe never acknowledged it.
“Hold your leg out before I break it!” Wendy shouted, and Shawn was shocked when Chloe held it up.
All of a sudden, Shawn remembered what was on the back patio and glanced around but didn’t see Kong or the dead dog. “I wonder if Wendy would’ve made Kong attack Chloe if he was still here,” Shawn wondered out loud.
As Arthur washed the soap from Chloe’s hair, Wendy snapped, “Other leg!” and Chloe’s left leg shot up and Wendy went to scrubbing. Seeing how hard Wendy was scrubbing with the sponge, Shawn now understood why Chloe’s skin was red.
“I’m going to have to burn everything in your room! My God, you are one nasty ass!” Wendy shouted, still scrubbing hard.
“I’ll wash her room down, Momma,” Shawn called out. Looking up curtly at Shawn, “You and Pops don’t need to be bothered by her anymore.”
Since the ordeal had started with Chloe, Wendy gave her first smile to Shawn. “Shawn, that’s so sweet,” she told him. “I’ll help you.”
“Momma, let someone else. You and Pops will need to relax after this,” Shawn offered, and wished he could get Joseph to make them go get ‘freak nasty’ again. He was too petrified about the act to even suggest it. There was no denying, after freak nasty, Arthur’s mood had improved tenfold. Wendy’s had improved a hundredfold.
Never looking away from Shawn, Wendy’s smile grew. “Shawn, quit kissing Wendy’s ass!” Arthur barked out, lathering up Chloe’s hair again.
The smile dropped off Wendy’s face as she spun around and punched Arthur in the arm so hard she knocked him over. Rubbing his arm, “That hurt, bitch,” he snapped.
“Shawn was being sweet. Why don’t you take lessons, asshole?!” Wendy shouted, then went back to scrubbing but even Shawn could tell, it was nowhere near as hard as she’d been doing before.
Watching Arthur get back to his knees and continuing to wash Chloe’s hair, Shawn gave a startle when Arthur looked at him with a grin and gave him a wink. “Oh, Pops can be a bad boy when he wants to be,” Shawn said in awe.
“Arm,” Wendy said in a normal tone, and Chloe held out her left as her right stayed on her stomach.
“I’m sorry,” Chloe said very clearly in a sobbing voice.
“Oh, we are way past sorry, young lady,” Arthur said, grabbing the water hose and rinsing the soap out. “You’ll probably be dead in a few days, but the people who rape you will be thankful we washed you.” The casual tone Arthur used shocked Shawn but devastated Chloe, making her sobs louder.
Grabbing the bottle of dishwashing soap, Wendy lathered up her sponge. “Please, the trash that’s out there now could care less if a woman is clean when they gang rape them until they die. They won’t even notice because they’ll be just as funky as she was when we started.”
A shiver ran up Shawn’s spine hearing that from Wendy. It wasn’t what she’d said, it was the ‘I don’t give a shit’ attitude she’d stated it in. “Okay, Momma can be a very bad girl, Joseph. She doesn’t need Pops to show her how,” Shawn mumbled.
After scrubbing her down again, Arthur and Wendy stood up. “Please don’t,” Chloe whimpered out curled up on the ground.
Looking down at Chloe, “You only had to show a small bit of kindness,” Wendy said, shaking the water off her hands. “I don’t care how you treat me, but how you treated Arthur and the kids chapped my ass. Those same kids did your work after they did their own just so you wouldn’t get in trouble. You never once told anyone ‘thank you’ or even acknowledged that they’d tried to help you. For that reason alone, be thankful I’m not breaking your fucking legs before dropping you off. At least now you can run when a gang chases you down to rape you until you’re so useless even for your body to be raped, and then they’ll throw you away like a piece of trash so you can die alone and in pain. I want you to remember, as you lay there. It didn’t have to be this way; you could’ve been a part of this family and had others to turn to for help.”
Thinking that was the coldest shit he had ever heard, Shawn couldn’t help but shiver. After hearing that, Shawn was having trouble ever picturing Momma as a good little Catholic school girl at one time.
Struggling to sit up and pulling her knees to her chest, Chloe looked at both with pleading eyes. “I’m sorry, I...,” she paused. “It won’t happen again, I swear.”
Shaking his head, “Wendy may not care how you treat her, but I sure as hell do,” Arthur said, turning off the water faucet. “Chloe, you’ve had chances every day that everyone here gave you. Why should we waste our time on another one?” Arthur shrugged. “There are other kids out there that would love to be in your place and now, we have an open spot for them. You think you’re the only person in the world who’s been hurt? Sorry, but that won’t work. I’m the only person here, probably alive, who can say he only lost friends from this flu. My wife and son survived, and I got a family I couldn’t even have dreamed of.”
Hearing that from Arthur, Shawn stared hard into Arthur’s face. The only kids Arthur turned down were older kids; Dean didn’t count. A few kids had run off when they’d spotted one and stopped, but Arthur had never turned away a kid, especially a little kid. For the life of him, Shawn couldn’t even guess why Arthur said it.
“I’ll be good, I swear,” Chloe pleaded.
“You had your chance,” Arthur said, walking away. “Shawn, watch her while we change to drop her off, and let her get dressed.”
When Wendy walked past Shawn, she gave him a small hug so she wouldn’t get him wet because she was just as soaked as Chloe. After the door closed, Shawn stepped over and held out a towel. “We tried to help, and I told you they’d throw you out,” he said.
“Nobody’s ever helped me and not wanted something,” Chloe sniffled. “I’m sorry.”
Getting to her feet, Shawn fought not to turn away because she was naked, but he had been told to watch her. Taking the towel, for some reason Shawn thought it was weird that Chloe wasn’t even trying to hide her naked body. Every girl over the age of seven he could think of would cover their private spots with their hands before they took off screaming. Yet, Chloe wasn’t.
He was a boy, so he looked. Chloe wasn’t the first naked girl he’d ever seen. That belonged to a girlfriend he tried not to think about. After being with Arthur, Shawn analyzed the situation for answers.
Was she doing it to gain favor with him?
The way Chloe was standing and drying off was like anyone would do. He had showered with his girlfriend before and after she’d finished drying off, they’d ended up back in the bedroom. There wasn’t any seduction he could tell from Chloe, she was just drying off.
Was she not hiding her body to make him feel sorry for her?
Watching Chloe dry her hair, Shawn couldn’t even see that. She wasn’t pleading with him, but he did feel sorry for her because she’d thrown her chance away for a nice try at life after the viral misery that had racked the globe.
Parting the towel, Chloe saw him staring at her but noticed he wasn’t ogling her. “Enjoying the show?” she asked. Shawn had to admit, not even that sounded like a smartass comment.
“I do what I’m asked, unlike you. And for your information, my girlfriend looked a lot better naked,” Shawn told her, but the last part wasn’t true. His girlfriend had looked good but underneath all the funk and black garb, Chloe turned out to be a hottie. When she finished drying her hair, Shawn got to see her face for the first time and forced his body to show no reaction. Chloe’s face was beautiful, except for the nasty black hair.
Biting her bottom lip, “Sorry,” Chloe mumbled, and Shawn could swear she meant it. “Did she make it somewhere else?”
“No,” Shawn mumbled. “She died early, before we’d even heard of Rudolph. Brittany had a funeral.”
Letting the towel drape over her shoulders, “I shouldn’t have asked, but I’m glad she had a funeral at least and you got to go,” Chloe said sincerely.
“To be honest, I’m glad she’s not here to see this new world, and that she didn’t have to see her mom, dad, two brothers, and baby sister die.”
“I’m glad your sister is with you,” Chloe said, and that visibly startled him.
“How do you even know? You don’t care about anything, not even yourself,” Shawn asked, and held out the sweatpants and t-shirt.
Taking the clothes, “Thank you,” Chloe said dropping the towel, and still made no action like she was embarrassed. “I know everyone’s name here,” she told him, pulling on the shirt. “I waited a month at that store for the Caravan Man to come back where you and Arthur found me.”
Throwing up his hands, “Then why in the fuck did you act like a fucking bitch to everyone here?!” Shawn cried out. “The only person I can honestly say that didn’t go out of their way to try and help you is Vicki! We even went behind you on double chores!”
“There’s no fooling Little Momma,” Chloe told him, pulling on her pants. Standing up and looking at Shawn, “Getting here, it seemed too good to be true. I was just waiting for someone to collect.”
“Collect what, you stupid bitch?!” Shawn shouted. “We play Monopoly with real money! You work to help the family, what other kind of fucking payment is there?”
***
Inside watching and listening on the security camera, Wendy shook her head. “Oh, he has so picked up your language.”
“Shh,” Arthur hissed, watching the screen.
***
For several seconds Chloe just stared at Shawn. “Sex, dumbass,” Chloe snapped.
Taking a step back, “Are you fucking serious? There isn’t a man, boy, woman, or girl here that would’ve touched your nasty ass! I would’ve tried fucking Kong before you!” Shawn yelled, and inside Arthur busted out laughing.
Giving a nod, “I realized that today,” Chloe admitted softly. “The Caravan Man is real, along with those with him. There is no ulterior motive. I was wrong but I never would’ve dreamed of it, and just couldn’t believe it.”
Holding up both hands, “Stop for a second,” Shawn ordered. “You mean to tell me, after everyone here has bent over backward to try and help you, you can look me in the face and tell me you thought you would have to sleep with someone, as bad as you fucking stank? You’re either stupid or blowing smoke up my ass.”
“You ever stop to wonder why I didn’t bathe?!” Chloe barked, with tears running down her cheeks. “I’ve found out guys don’t like funky girls!”
Hearing that, Shawn dropped his arms in shock and stared hard into Chloe’s eyes to see if this was a line of horseshit. “You had your own room, you could lock your door. Hell, look at everyone here carrying guns, and you think girls have to give up sex as payment?” Shawn asked dumbfounded.
“Do I have a gun?” Chloe shot back.
“Bitch, you’re lucky they let you eat with silverware with the way you acted. I would’ve given you a goddamn plastic spork! And I would’ve only given your dumb ass one so if you broke it, you would be eating with your hands like the animal you acted like! I told you, and I know nine others told you, once you proved you can carry a gun SAFELY, you would be allowed to. We have seven-year-olds here that have fully automatic submachine guns! Girls! You can honestly say we should trust you with a fucking gun? Please,” Shawn huffed. “You couldn’t even use a bar of soap responsibly.”
Nodding her head as she looked off, “Okay!” Chloe shouted, then lowered her voice wiping her tears away. “I see your point. That shows I wasn’t thinking.”
“No shit,” Shawn gasped.
Turning back to Shawn, for the first time he saw a pleading look on her face. “Shawn, will you please ask if I can stay? I swear to you, I will do what I’m asked and won’t make any trouble.”
“Fuck that,” Shawn replied, making Chloe jump.
“Everyone here respects you, and Arthur and Wendy love you to death,” Chloe reasoned with a steady stream of tears running from her eyes.
“Because I do what I’m asked and help out without being told!” he shot back. “If I asked for something like that and they even allowed it, your actions would reflect on me, so suck the stinky shit from my ass, but fuck you!”
***
Inside, Wendy turned to Arthur. “You have got to limit your language around Shawn. I’ve only heard you say the phrases he’s using, so I know where he got them,” Wendy grumbled.
“He has used each one correctly and not to just be cursing, so back off,” Arthur said, and turned up the volume.
***
Hearing the words from Shawn that her actions would reflect on him, for the first time in her life, Chloe understood honor and pride in oneself. “You’re right,” she said, wiping her cheeks off. “If I was you, I wouldn’t do it. But I promise you, I wouldn’t do anything to make you look bad.”
Shocked to say the least, Shawn just stared at Chloe. If he could’ve seen inside, he would’ve seen Arthur and Wendy speechless as well.
Crossing his arms over his chest, “What kind of guarantee could you give that you would change and not make me look bad. And I swear, I’ll fuck the Easter Bunny in the ass, if you say you’ll give me sex as proof. I’ll pull this AR from my back and shoot you in both knees,” Shawn vowed and inside, Wendy hit Arthur for the Easter Bunny comment Shawn had used. “The only reason I wouldn’t shoot you to kill is because they’re throwing you out and you have to be alive for them to do that.”
In shock on many different levels, including the bunny vow, Chloe just stared at Shawn. “All I could give you is my word, which doesn’t mean much from how I’ve acted, I know. But that’s all I can offer you as a guarantee,” she finally got out.
Uncrossing his arms and putting his hands on his hips, “You swear you’ll listen and if you don’t and I tell you to leave, you’ll do it, no questions asked?”
Slowly nodding, Shawn saw hope along with a tiny spark of life in Chloe’s eyes for the very first time. “I will. I swear to you,” Chloe replied.
“Will you go to everyone here and tell them you’re sorry and will make it up to them?” Shawn asked, and Chloe nodded with a smile starting on her face. “Without sex! You don’t have to be a whore to get people to like you!” Shawn bellowed, making Chloe jump back five feet.
“I didn’t want to have sex, goddamn it!” Chloe screamed. “When the person the state puts you with to live comes into your room, what the fuck are you supposed to do?! I didn’t want to live on the streets, asshole, because then I would’ve gotten fucked by more guys I didn’t want to fuck, and then I would’ve had to sell my body just to eat, bitch!”
***
Inside, Wendy reached into her pocket and pulled out a silver dollar and handed it to a grinning Arthur. “Fuck you, asshole,” Wendy snapped as he took the payment for the bet. “You aren’t always right.”
“Oh, but today, I am,” Arthur snickered. “You still owe me another.”
“He hasn’t asked us yet,” Wendy popped off.
“Out of everyone here, Shawn was the only one that could’ve gotten through to her. And he’s laying out his rules and we haven’t gone out there yet, so pay up,” Arthur said, holding out his hand.
Digging another silver dollar out and slapping it in his hand, “Here,” Wendy snarled. “I’m just telling you, she acts like a bitch again, Chloe will disappear before Shawn asks her to leave.”
“Have no doubt,” Arthur nodded.
***
Thinking about what Chloe had screamed, “I haven’t been in your shoes, so I can’t say,” Shawn replied in a normal voice. “But here and now, you don’t act like that. If anyone here had even tried that with you, Momma and Pops would’ve tortured them for weeks on end. And just think, they don’t even like you now. Just think what they would do to someone who tried it if they liked you, and they would if you had just put forth a tiny bit of effort.”
Realizing what she could lose, the tears streamed from Chloe’s eyes. “I know now,” she whimpered. “I am sorry, and I’ll tell them.”
Just the fact Shawn wasn’t going over to comfort her, let Chloe know she had maybe fucked up her best chance in life. “I’ll ask, but if you burn me...” Shawn said, but left it open.
“I’ll die before I disrespect you,” Chloe said, wiping her face.
“What did you mean by Little Momma not being fooled?” Shawn asked.
“All of you think she’s innocent, but Vicki can see inside a person better than anyone,” Chloe said, and saw Shawn’s eyes narrow. “I’m not saying Vicki isn’t innocent, she is, but Vicki can read people very well. My first night here, she came to my room.”
Hearing that, Shawn wasn’t the only one who jumped. “Little Momma told me if I got anywhere near any of the babies or said she talked to me, she was going to tell Pops I tried to hurt her like a man who chased her yelling for her pussy,” Chloe said, and Shawn nearly fainted because the only way Chloe would know that much would be from Vicki. Seeing shock on Shawn’s face, “I believed her and avoided her, but Vicki told me she knew I was mean and didn’t care for anyone,” Chloe said sniffling.
“And she was right,” Chloe mumbled. “It’s hard to get hurt if you don’t care and just act mean.”
“You’ll apologize to Little Momma,” Shawn stated, and Chloe looked at him with fear.
“Did you hear what the fuck I just said? I don’t even want to think about what Arthur and Wendy would do to me if Vicki told them that! Shit, I would rather face the wrath of everyone else for thinking I would hurt Vicki before them! That little girl is loved by everyone!”
“I’ll talk to her before you and no, I won’t tell her you told me, but you will apologize because if Vicki thought you needed a threat like that, she thought it for a reason.”
“You’ll talk to her first?” Chloe asked, and Shawn nodded. “Then I’ll apologize to her too.”
“Thank you.”
Just the fact that someone was willing to take a chance on her, filled Chloe with a joy she’d never thought possible. Even if Arthur and Wendy said no, she was happy to admit to herself, she had met good people. “Shawn, you know Dean isn’t really scared of Arthur, don’t you?” Chloe stated.
“And how would you know?”
“He lived in a foster home a block down from me. His last name is Chisim. He’s the main reason I left Sherwood before it got bad. I know for a fact he killed his foster parents while they were sick, and the two kids living there who weren’t sick.” Inside, Wendy had to tackle Arthur to keep him from charging outside.
“Sherwood, that’s right outside Little Rock. How the hell did you make it to Clarksville where we found you?”
Giving a shrug, “Stole a car,” Chloe answered. “The lady was dead at the steering wheel, so I don’t know if it was actually stealing. I was about to head west until I heard on the CB about the Caravan Man.”
“So you really knew Dean, like, before this?”
Nodding, “Like I told you, that’s why I left before it got bad. That creepy asshole wouldn’t leave me alone,” Chloe told him. “I’ve known some bad people, but he’s at the top of the list. Even the adult criminals I knew who’ve been to prison avoided his crazy psycho ass.”
Shaking his head, “And you really believe he’s not scared of Pops?” Shawn asked, just to clarify to himself.
“No, just from what I’ve heard about Dean trying to join you and Arthur, not letting him in would piss him off. Dean doesn’t get the ones he’s after by coming right at them. The sneaky little shit comes at you when you’re not looking.”
“Will you tell Pops everything you know about Dean if he and Momma allow you to stay?” Shawn asked, studying Chloe closely.
“I’ll tell him everything, even if they don’t,” Chloe answered. “It’s the least I can do for the chance they gave me.” Inside, Wendy let Arthur out of the headlock she had him in to keep him from charging outside. Like Wendy, Arthur was in shock and just looked at the monitor.
Liking that answer, “Chloe, since you have given me your word and vowed to apologize to everyone, I’ll tell Momma and Pops, if they throw you out, I’ll leave. I may be leaving also and we won’t be staying together, but I’ll ask for you to get one more chance.”
Chloe’s eyes rolled to the back of her head as she collapsed face first into the patio floor in a dead faint.
Running over, Shawn dropped down and flipped Chloe over and patted her face. “Chloe, what’s wrong?!” Shawn yelled as Arthur and Wendy walked out.
Turning around and seeing them, “She just fell down and busted her face!” he cried out.
Both walked over slowly, still in shock that Shawn was willing to leave to give Chloe another chance. “Um,” Chloe groaned, then reached up to her busted nose. “Ow.”
“Are you all right, what happened?” Shawn asked her, and Chloe’s eyes snapped open.
“Shawn, you can’t tell them that! Not for me!” Chloe shouted, then turned and saw Arthur and Wendy. “Don’t-,” she started as she tried to stand up, but Shawn barked.
“Hey!” and Chloe shut up. “You swore to do what was asked, and I’m asking you to shut up.”
Turning to Arthur and Wendy, “Momma, Pops, I’ve talked with Chloe and I’m asking for permission to give her one more chance. I feel she understands now what we have here. If you say no, I’ll abide by that but I’m leaving too, but not with her. I do ask that Beth be allowed to stay, please, and don’t hold it against her.”
“No!” Chloe cried out and jumped in front of Shawn. Never in her life had anyone ever done something like this for her and for the first time in her life, she was afraid for another. “I’m leaving, make him stay! He can’t leave here; everyone loves him and his sister would die! You can’t let him do this for someone like me! Please!!!”
Way beyond shocked from Chloe’s reaction, Arthur reached in his pocket and handed Wendy back the two silver dollars. “Okay, I never would’ve predicted that, so here.”
Not taking them and staring at Chloe like she was make-believe, “If you would’ve, I would’ve locked your ass in the basement thinking you were going insane,” Wendy said, shoving his hand away and then turned to Shawn. “You feel that sure she needs another chance? That’s a lot on your word because that’s why we would allow her to stay.”
“I’m willing to risk it. I think she understands and will be a good member of the family in time,” Shawn replied.
Hearing it from Wendy, Chloe started getting terrified of what Shawn had taken on, just for her. “I’m leaving!” she blurted out.
Glancing over at Chloe, “You promised,” Shawn said.
“Shawn, I might mess up not meaning to. What if I trip and fall down the stairs and knock someone down? I might throw up and someone slips in it and get hurt! Oh, my God! What if-!” Chloe stopped yelling when Wendy put her hand over her mouth.
“You can think of shit nobody can,” Wendy told her. “I’m taking my hand off. No yelling.”
Nodding but still terrified, “Now,” Wendy said, taking her hand away. “Shawn, we agree with you. Chloe will get one more chance.”
Very happy he didn’t have to leave, Shawn felt weak in the knees and wobbled on his feet. “Thank you,” he breathed out.
Stepping over to Chloe, “I think you’re beginning to see what family is,” Arthur told her.
“I’m sorry, I ....” she started, but couldn’t go on.
“Let’s see if you can listen. Go to your room, wash that pigsty, and make it presentable so when people walk by they don’t puke,” Arthur told her. “You will bathe every day until one of us tells you to stop and then only bathe when you need to, but neither of us had better tell you that you need it. You will do all laundry for the next two days. Not double chores, just everyone’s laundry, along with your own daily chores.”
Nodding, “Yes, sir,” Chloe said.
“Chloe, I’m not sorry I hit you or pulled a handful of hair out and I assure you, Wendy isn’t sorry you’re going to be peeing blood for a week. You disrespected everyone here and that’s going to be a mountain to climb, but you’ll have to climb it. You made the bed, now sleep in it, and show everyone you’re worth the effort we want to invest in you,” Arthur told her.
“I will, I promise,” she sobbed. “Mr. Arthur, I know the Dean you’re after.”
Shawn was shocked when Arthur didn’t show any surprise that Chloe knew Dean, and he made a mental note to ask. “Oh, so you know the dick sludge? Care to tell me about him?” Arthur asked, reaching out and guiding Chloe inside.
