Baker Family

Family Meeting

He walked into the house where he saw Lori gingerly touching her son's face as she asked "Are you sure you are okay baby."

Ricky and Mickey stood nearby looking at their brother in concern.

"I'm fine mom."

Anger was across her face as she said "That monster manhandled and threatened our son."

"I know." Pete said suppressing his own anger.

"We need to call the police." Lori said.

"No mom, please don't do that." Dawson said as his heart began to pound in his chest.

"Honey the police need to know what he did to you." She said as she rubbed the back of his head. "He can't get away with this."

"It was no big deal mom." Dawson said as he tried to calm down.

"Yes it is." Pete said. "He had no right to do that to you." He then looked at his wife. "I'll have my brother come over later and take Dawson's statement." Pete's younger brother was a town deputy.

"Okay." Lori said with a satisfied look.

He then said "Have a seat boys we need to talk."

Ricky thought how he did not like the sound of that.

The three boys sat at the table. He then grabbed Lori's hand gently as he sat down at the head of the table. Lori then sat next to him. "From this point on the three of you are to have nothing to do with Scarlet."

"What?" Mickey said in shock.

Ricky then said "Come on dad that's not fair."

Dawson said nothing he was still trying to get his emotions under control.

Pete raised his hand silencing the two boys. "Boys I know you like Scarlet but her father is an unstable individual who has threatened to harm you if you don't stay away from her." He saw uncomfortable looks cross their faces. "I'm sorry but you are not to have anything to do with her."

"But she's our friend dad." Ricky said.

"I don't care." Pete said. "You are to stay away from her."

"Mom." Mickey said his eyes imploring him.

"Sorry Mickey but I agree with your father." Lori said. "That man is dangerous and he could seriously hurt you."

The three boys then fell silent as they began to study the table and the floor. He could tell they were conflicted. They wanted to obey him but at the same time they really liked her.

"Boys I need you to look at me." Pete said. Three looked at him. "Believe me when I say this is for your own good. If I catch you talking to her I will punish you severally do you understand me."

"Yes sir." The three said.

Ricky then asked "Why does he hate us so much. What did we ever do to him?"

"You didn't do anything honey." Lori said with compassion in his voice. "Unfortunately he is the type of man who never believes that any boy will be good enough for his daughter and any boy who shows the slightest interest in her he wants to chase away."

"Yeah guys you didn't do anything wrong." Pete said. "He is the one with the problem."

"He's got mental issues." Mickey said and then shot his parents an apologetic look. "Sorry."

"No need to apologize Mickey." Lori said with a look of disdain. "You are right he has serious mental problems." Lori thought how he should be committed to an asylum where he could not hurt anyone.

"But we are not going to call him names or speak badly about him." Pete said to the boys firmly. "He is still your elder and you will treat him with respect."

"Yes sir." Mickey said.

The man does not deserve respect Lori thought but did not say.

A hurt look crossed Ricky's face as he said "But I feel like I am being punished for something I didn't do."

Lori rubbed his head as she said "I know honey but believe me we are only doing this for your own good."

Ricky let out a small sigh. "Fine I won't talk to her anymore."

Pete gave his son a look of approval. "Thank you Ricky." He then looked at Mickey who was looking away. "Mickey."

"Sir." He said looking at him awkwardly.

"Are you going to agree not to talk to her anymore?" He asked hoping that the boy said yes. He did not want to have punish the boy but it would if he forced his hand.

Mickey shifted his feet as he said "Yes sir."

"You're making the right decision honey." Lori said.

"I'll stay away from her too." Dawson said still trembling from his encounter with her father.

"Thank you buddy." Pete said and rubbed the top of the boy's head. Dawson then smiled in return. He then heard Mickey's stomach growl. He looked at the clock in disbelief that it was after twelve already. The morning had sped by quickly and there was still a lot left to do. "Why don't we take a break for lunch? You boys go wait on the back porch while your mom fixes you something."

Ricky got up and asked "Can we have grilled cheese."

"Certainly." Lori said with a small smile. The three grabbed sodas from the refrigerator and headed out the door.

Pete walked over to the refrigerator as she said "Do you want me to make you two."

"Yes." Pete said.

Lori said as the anger continued to build up in her. She kept seeing the panicked look on Dawson's face, the tears running down his cheeks as he told her what that man did, feeling his heart pound in his chest. "Do you want me to make yours with friend tomato?"

"Sure."

"Are you okay?" Pete said as she grabbed butter and cheese from the fridge.

"No I am not okay." Lori said. She placed the items on the counter in a less than gentle manner. "My son was assaulted. I am upset and I am angry and I don't understand how you can be so calm about it."

She turned to him fighting the urge to cry.

"Believe me Lori I am upset about it too."

"Are you?" Lori said uncertain.

A hurt look crossed his face. "Of course I am. I hate the fact that he manhandled and threatened our son."

"You could show it a little more."

"What do you want me to do Lori march over there and pick a fight with the man? Threaten to kill him if he ever touches our son again?" He had to admit the temptation was there. A part of him wanted to vault over the fence and rip his head off for what he did. Or grab his own shotgun and threaten him like his father threatening one of his sister's potential suitors. He pushed the thought away telling himself that he was not his father. "And what good would that do?"

"It would show your sons that you care about them."

"I don't have to beat a man to blood pulp to prove to my sons I love them." He said with emotion in his voice. "I am going to let the police handle this." He then walked over to his wife and placed his arms around her. "I know you are angry Lori, I am angry too but confronting him is only going to make things worse. Believe me I have dealt with unstable people before I know how they can be."

"I don't want him to hurt our boys again."

"And he won't I promise you." He then hugged his wife. "Everything is going to be okay."

Lori then hugged him back and held him tightly as he prayed for the safety of his boys and that they would not do anything stupid.