If Only You Knew

PROLOGUE

             “I'll be good mama.  I'll be good.”  Six year old Ric Justice cried as his mother walked to the door of his grandmother's home.  The smell of beans simmering on the stove filled the small shotgun house.  His mother had opened the windows when they arrived and now the smell of pinto beans clashed with her perfume and hot stifling summer heat.

     “I can't take you back with me.  You know Eric doesn't like it when you touch his things and you went into his desk and wrote on his important papers.”  She rocked her youngest son Adam in her arms when he began to fret. 

     “I won't do it again,” Ric replied as he wiped the tears from his eyes.  “I want to go home with you and Adam.”

     “Take him with you.  Why should I be saddled with him?  I told you not to marry that no good soldier in the first place and what do you have to show for it?  A dead soldier's child to take care of.  I don't blame Eric for not wanting the child in his house when he has his own child to feed.”

     “Mama, Ric won't be any trouble.  Will you?”

     “I want to go with you,” Ric said.

     “You can't honey,” she picked up the baby bag and placed it over her arm.  “Now give mama a kiss.”

     Ric walked across the room and kissed his mother's cheek he was careful not to mess up her makeup.  Mama didn't like it when he messed up her makeup.

     “I love you sugarplum,” she said carelessly.  “Now stay with grandma and be a good boy.”

     “You're not giving me enough money to take care of the kid.  How am I supposed to eat and feed him too.”

     “Eric's taking care of that, mama.  Bye Ric say good-bye to Adam,” she said turning the baby so that the two brothers faced each other.

     “Bye Adam,” Ric said and the tears began to fall again.  His chest hurt and he felt as if he couldn't breathe.  “Maaamaaa.”

     “Hush now Ric and be a good boy.”  She smiled and walked out of the door.

     Ric hung his head and cried. 

     The blow was hard and fast but not unexpected.  Ric rubbed his leg trying to ease the stinging pain.  “Hush before I give you something to cry about.”

     Ric tried to be quiet but he couldn't control the whimpers that escaped.

     “Hush boy,” his grandmother yelled and delivered another blow to his leg.  “You'd better mind me.  Your mama doesn't want you with her and if you don't mind me, you'll be put in a home and nobody will want you then.”

     Ric cried silently as his grandmother left the room.  He had to be good.  Maybe if he was good enough then his mother would come back for him.

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