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.He watched the van’s taillights disappear out the drive, set down the cake, and walked to his room.No one had told him what was going on, but no one had to.He’d been passed over before.Mandy looked at all of us.“I’m sorry.She.” She put her hands on her hips, and I saw her poker face return.“I think I’ve found a permanent home that will take him.Some folks out of Charlotte.Attorney and his wife.Good people.Might be two or three weeks before we get approval.Judge is on a European vacation.” She walked to the railing, her back to us, and looked out over the pasture.“At least in criminal court, the guilty get what they got coming.”On my eighteenth birthday Unc and Aunt Lorna took me outside and said, “You’re free to go as you like.You’re also free to stay.The state put you here, now you can choose.”They gave me my freedom, but I didn’t want it.Taking it would have sealed me officially as a fatherless kid.I would be no one.That’s a hard way to live.Before the driveway dust had time to settle, another set of head-lights pulled into the drive.They were that bluish color that comes on real expensive cars.The black Escalade skirted the potholes and parked in front of the steps.Tommye’s eyes narrowed, and Unc stepped down off the porch, standing between the driver of the car and us.I’ve never seen Uncle Jack without a tie.White shirt, bluish tie, immaculate hair.His pants draped like Italian silk, and his loafers looked like soft calfskin.He walked up to within three feet of Unc.They studied each other.Jack was bigger.Barrel-chested, he stood three inches taller than Unc.Jack spoke first.“William.”Tommye stepped off the porch and walked up behind Uncle Willee, holding loosely to his shirtsleeve.Uncle Jack spoke to Tommye.“Heard you came by the house.”“Yeah.thought I’d stop in.Grab a couple of things.”He paused, thinking.“I guess you heard about the Zuta house?”“No, do tell.”“Somebody lit a fire in the kitchen, then cut the lines to the propane tanks in the cellar.Burnt it to the ground.”Tommye stepped around Unc, but slipped her arm inside his.“Gee.that’s too bad.All that wine.”Uncle Jack looked at me.“You like prison?”I thought about him in that house, down in that cellar, admiring the legs of his wine.and his daughter.Then I thought of Tommye running through the Zuta that night—her gown covered in the last remnants of little girlness.Jack had lived his entire smug life having stepped above his secret, the prize of the Brunswick business and church community.He had taught Sunday school and been an elder six times.I listened as the wind cut through the pecan trees carrying Tommye’s echo, Some lies run deep.I stepped in front of Unc and under the shadow of Uncle Jack.He was taller than me by six inches.I placed my face less than a foot from his and said the thing I’d been wanting to say a long time.I guess sitting in that cellar, looking backward, I found the gumption.“Keep a good watch over your shoulder, because those footsteps you hear.they’ll be mine.”I had caught him off guard, I could tell.I scratched my chin.“You ever heard of the Freedom of Information Act? If not, you will shortly.”Unc stepped between us.“You need something, brother?”“I heard my daughter was home.” He looked at the hollow shell Tommye had become.Her taut top lip quivered, pulling the trickle of sweat down off her face.Sketch stared through the front door screen.Uncle Jack saw him too.He spoke out of the corner of his mouth.“Heard you took in that boy found at the railroad track.Keeping him while the DA looks for his parents.That’s good.” Then he looked directly at Uncle Willee.“Every man should have a son.”Unc closed his eyes and shook his head.Then he smiled and half-laughed.He turned Tommye, ushering her into the house, and motioned for me to follow.I shook my head and hung my thumbs in my jeans pockets.Unconsciously, he did the same.He looked again at Jack.“Thanks for coming.”Uncle Jack turned, stepped into his car, and disappeared down the drive.I turned to Unc.“Why do you always let him do that to you?”Aunt Lorna stood on the porch, leaning against the house.Her silence told everyone that she agreed with me.Unc cleaned his glasses on the untucked front corner of his shirt
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