Part 4 (2/2)

Billy dropped the crib and took his son in his arms long enough to comfort him. ”It's okay, Will. I'm not going to leave you.”

Billy always felt bad when he had to leave his son in someone else's care, and he'd done it often enough that Will knew what was coming and cried not to be left behind. Billy ended up with a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach that didn't go away until he came back and retrieved his child. It was better now that he'd found Mrs. Caputo, the lady in the apartment down the hall from him in Amarillo, who loved Will like a grandson.

Billy lay Will back on his bed and said, ”Hang in there, buddy. I'll have your crib together in no time.”

It didn't take long to open the crib and put in the mattress, crib pads, sheet, and blanket. Billy was conscious of Emma watching him and fought the urge to start explaining himself-and confronting her about her pregnancy. When he was done, he picked Will up and settled him in the crib, tucking the blanket carefully around him, down one side, around his toes, and back up the other side.

”Snug as a bug in a rug,” he said when he was done.

”Sing, Daddy,” the boy said when Billy was done.

Billy glanced at Emma and felt himself flush. He'd read in one of the baby books he'd devoured in the months Debbie Sue had been pregnant, that it was a good idea to establish a bedtime ritual. So he had. He couldn't really blame Will for not understanding that he wanted to forgo it this once. ”Not tonight, Will,” he said.

”Sing, Daddy,” Will insisted.

”It's late, Will.”

”Sing sing sing!” Will demanded.

”You'd better sing to him, or he's going to wake up Mom,” Emma said, an amused grin on her face.

Billy sat on the edge of the bed facing his son, cleared his throat, and sang in a deep baritone voice.

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,

How I wonder what you are.

Up above the world so high,

Like a diamond in the sky.

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,

How I wonder what you are.

The instant he was done, he popped up and leaned over the crib to tuck the blankets tight one last time. ”Now good night,” he said, bending over to kiss his son's forehead.

Will yawned and turned over, his hand still in his hair, the song signaling, as it had every day of his brief life, the end of their day together.

When Billy turned to gesture Emma out of the room, he discovered she'd already gone. Billy darkened the room and headed toward the kitchen for the showdown with his pregnant sister.

He found her sitting at the kitchen table peeling a banana. He lifted a brow and said, ”Leg cramps?”

”Yeah. How'd you know?”

”I've been through this,” he reminded her.

”They woke me up,” Emma explained past a mouthful of banana. ”Figured I needed some pota.s.sium.”

”At least you're taking care of yourself,” Billy muttered. He wanted a cup of coffee, but the caffeine would keep him awake. He needed a stiff drink, but he'd been trying to rid himself of all the bad habits that had made his life so wretched before he'd left Bitter Creek. He no longer even smoked in the house, because it wasn't good for Will, and one of these days, he'd finally kick the habit.

But these were extraordinary circ.u.mstances.

”To h.e.l.l with it,” he said, opening the cupboard over the ancient Amana refrigerator. Sure enough, he found a half-full bottle of Wild Turkey. He opened the cupboard to the left of the sink and got himself a jelly jar and poured a finger of liquor into it and set it on the table. He pulled out a chrome kitchen chair and turned it around, flattening the sharp edges of torn white vinyl before he straddled it.

He said nothing, just sipped the bourbon, liking the familiar taste of it, the comforting warmth of it as it slid down his throat. He watched Emma consume the entire banana and carefully fold the peel into a heap in front of her on the red Formica table.

”Are you all right?” Billy asked. ”I mean, have you had any trouble with your pregnancy?”

She shook her head. ”I'm fine. I haven't been sick much. Just a little nausea and leg cramps once in a while.” She glanced at him and said, ”Will was quite a surprise. Why didn't you tell me?”

Billy and Emma had been close. At least, as close as a brother and sister could be with the seven-year difference in their ages. He'd stayed in Bitter Creek long after he'd yearned to leave, because he'd wanted her to graduate from high school and get a job before he left her alone to make her way in the world.

But two years ago he'd seen his chance and taken it, leaving her unprotected. And look what had happened. He felt guilty and angry and frustrated at the curves life kept throwing him. Her pregnancy was going to complicate everything. Twenty-four hours, h.e.l.l. He'd be lucky to get out of this G.o.dforsaken place in twenty-four months.

”I want to know what sonofab.i.t.c.h took advantage of you,” he said, struggling for the rational tone of voice that had been so easy over the phone.

”It wasn't like that, Billy,” Emma said. ”I love him.”

”Obviously the feeling isn't mutual,” he shot back.

He heard her swallow several times and felt the knot growing in his own throat. He ought to pull her into his arms and comfort her. It was easy enough to hug Summer. But that was probably because she always made the first move. It was different with Emma.

Hugs were awkward things between Coburns. He'd made sure Johnny Ray didn't beat up on Emma, but that didn't mean she'd gotten any affection.

And she'd been a freak in high school, way taller than most of the boys and skinny as a bed slat, with a head of garish red hair. He'd tried to comfort her, to tell her she'd grow into her body and be pretty someday. But it hadn't happened before he'd left two years ago.

Now, G.o.d help him, she was downright beautiful.

It was no wonder some cowboy had come wooing, or that she'd fallen into bed with the first man who'd offered her some attention.

Billy blamed himself for her predicament. If he'd been home where he belonged, no lazy, care-for-nothing cowboy would have been able to take advantage of his sister.

But she'd said she loved the guy.

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