DaisyMaeDuke

Troy clung to him. "I'm sorry...I'm sorry..."

Jesse looked at Bo and understood what he was feeling. "Son...he's feeling unloved...unwanted...what do ya wish someone woulda done...when you felt like that...and do it to him....that's all."

I'm sure you did....

Troy started to cry hunching up on the bed covering his eyes with George. Now, not only did he have a daddy that wanted nothing to do with him, but since Bo was his daddy, that meant he lost Bo too.

Jesse watched them silently. "You...you're...my...daddy?" asked Troy.

Kay Bo...if I'm right...you do your own laundry for a week...If you're right... I'll introdce you to Cindy Lou.

LOL. I think that insult would best be hurled by Daisy, personally...haha

Troy stared at him wide eyed as if he had seen a ghost.

"But Mama said so...she sad...it was...she...she..." sniffed Troy trying to tell what she had said and feeling more and more worn out from the emotions that were overtaking him.

"But Mama said so.... Mama said that...if it weren't for me...he woulda stayed..." insisted Troy not thinking for a minute that his mama had lied. "S'my fault he lefted her...I tried to tell her...I was sorry..." Jesse sighed softly rubbing the youngsters back looking at Bo.

Jesse frowned taking his little hand. "Now...now...slappin a nurse wasn't nice...but your daddy ain't stayin' away cuz you're bad."

Troy didn't notice Bo's face. He just continued talking stroking his bear affectionately. "She said...he didn't like kids...an' that...that woth me bein there...he wouldn't come back....but I always hoped he would...I thought maybe...if I was good enough...he'd come back...." Realization made him choke back tears. "Guess he won't come now....I slapped one of the nurses today."

Big tears fell from Troy's eyes as he wiped them away shamefully. "Mama said that...that Daddy left cuz of me.. that..that he didn't want me...an...an I guess it's true...cuz I never saw him." Jesse sighed hard. "Your mama said that?"

"Well now...a big handsome boy like you...I bet your daddy'd...be real proud..." said Jesse softly. "I don't think so..." he said with an injured sniff.

Jesse swallowed hard recognizing the initials. "An' this was your mama's ya say?" "Yeah... I...I was cryin' real hard when she broughted me here...an' she gived it to me to play with...it opens up...see?" With that he opened the locket displaying an empty heart. "There used t be a picture of Daddy in there, but once she caught me looking at it and I never saw it again...an...I dont remember him now, " he added sadly.

"No," answered Troy. "I don't like the pokes...an I don't like how they smile when they poke me an act all nice...if they was nice, they wouldn't poke me...but they ain't nice and they do." Jesse laughed a little. "Well now...who 's yer friend?" he asked looking at the bear in Troy's arms. "S'my bear. His name is George. Wanna hold him?" asked Troy handing his beloved bear to Jesse. Jesse took the bear and softly turned it in his hand. "An...an what's this round George's neck?" he asked fingering a gold locket which hung from a chain. "Was Mama's" said Troy with a sniff. "Daddy gave it to her for her birthday...it's got letters on it too....BD...DB...see?"

Jesse gave Bo another startled look before looking to Troy. "Bo..never...liked em...either..." Troy looked up at Bo before looking back to Jesse. "They prick me a lot...look..." With that Troy showed the underside of his thin arm. It almost looked like he had the chicken pox, so full of red marks it was. Jesse sighed. "You're a ...brave boy..."

Jesse looked over at the youngster his face startled at how much he looked like Bo at that age. "Troy...." he said reahing out a hand to his. Troy looked over at him and swallowed before taking his hand in greeting.

Troy laid his head against Bo's chest and closed his eyes his bear hanging from his hand by the arm. He loved the feeling of being held by Bo and wanted to make it last as long as it could.

"Ok," he said. "Bo? Do you...do you think he'll like me?"

"Is...is it far?" asked Troy. He wanted to go anywhere with Bo, but the fact was he felt very tired and right now a long walk was not very appealing.

Troy nodded a little hugging his bear close to him.

Troy frowned a little at that, his lip quivering. He could tell from Bo's voice that this made him sad. "Does....does he hafta get pricked like me?" asked Troy in a low voice as he rubbed his arm as if feeling the last prick again.

Ok...Im not sure but... Nate Sumner Farm Old Mill Creek Road Owl Point

Hard Luck Jones