The Judge's Daughter

The Past

Billie Joe's POV----
Sammi was terrified of my mother! It was kinda funny actually...When they told me I could leave the hospital she immediately grabbed my hand and smile at me. "Don't you dare go worryin me like that ever again got it?" She asked and I nodded and stole a kiss on the cheek. She blushed when she noticed my ma giggling at us. A few minutes later we were in the car and my ma said "why don't I just drop the two of you off at a restaurant someplace and you can have a date." I liked the idea of being able to do things in public with Sammi, but somethin told me she wasn't ready yet. "That's really sweet Mrs.Armstrong, but I ain't exactly told my daddy yet and I'm sorta afraid what'll happen if he finds out from someone else in town, yknow." Shit. I forgot all about The goddam preacher. Suddenly my heart started to panic again but Sammi tightened her grip on my hand and I was pulled back into reality. Well, that and her phone rang. "Hi momma" she said. I could only make out bits of the conversation and Sammi seemed a bit nervous. "Momma, I just don't think it's a good idea right now" she said at one point. "But ma!" There was a pause and then Sammi handed the phone to my mother, "my mother wants to talk with you." My ma smiled of course and grabbed the phone. "Hello Angela" ma said. They chatted for a bit and then ma hung up and eyed us in the rear view mirror. "Change in plans you two" she said with a smile, "I'll be bringing you, Ms.Sammi, home for lunch and Billie Joe, Daniel and I will be joining your family for dinner." There was a long silence before either one of us dated open our mouths. Actually, no one said anything until we got to Sammi's house. "Thank you for the ride Mrs.Armstrong. Glad you're ok Billie Joe." "Oh my pleasure darling! We'll see you soon!" My mother added as Sammi swung the door shut in a stupor. "Ma-" "Don't even say a thing Billie Joe. There is no way you're gettin outa this one."
Sammi's POV----
I got home and immediately found my mother. "Momma! What the hell do you think your doin?" I said to her in the kitchen. "I think I'm makin dinner for when my friend comes over. What the hell do you think you're doin? Sayin hell in a preacher's house ain't smart young lady." My mother was clearly having too much fun with this whole situation. "Look sweetheart," she began as she pulled up a kitchen chair for me. "When your daddy gets home I'm gonna tell him I invited Ollie and the boys over for dinner. You don't gotta tell him nothing ok? I just figured this would be a good way to get him to look at the boy a little differently. Plus, I do miss Ollie yknow darling." She smiled gently and continued, "it's up to you two kids to tell him anything and that don't mean you gotta do it tonight, understand?" I nodded and my mother smiled and said "I always knew I had to go easy on that boy in court for some reason" and she turned back to making dinner. I was helpin her out until Daddy got home and then all hell broke loose. "Somethin smells awfully good in here" daddy said as he took off his shoes and came into the kitchen. He kissed momma on the cheek and said "what's the occasion?" My mom turned to me and said "Darlin, I think you've helped enough today. Why don't you go upstairs and get ready for dinner, let your brothers know too ok?" As much as I wanted to stay down there I nodded, gave my daddy a hug, and went upstairs to get Dylan and Alex. "Guys, momma says to get ready for dinner. She invited the Armstrong's over so she says we gotta look presentable." My brother stared at me like I was crazy and then, we heard the yelling. "I don't want them people in my house Angela! I don't want nothin to do with them!" My father yelled. I quickly explained what was happening to my brother and then we snuck downstairs to see what was goin on. "I don't care Michael! Ollie was my best friend and I miss her! Now, if I wanna have dinner with my friend should I be able?" "I don't give a damn Angela! You know that family ain't no good and I don't want them poisoning mine!" My mother looked extremely upset by that and lowered her voice. "Michael, I have been nothin but patient with you since Andy died, but now I want my life back you understand? I'm the judge for christsake and you're the goddam preacher! The least you can do is show this family some kind words over a nice meal!" Andy used to be my daddy's best friend way back when and he also happened to be Billie Joe's daddy. He passed away from cancer a while back and my daddy was never the same after that. The way he looked at the Armstrong's was different; especially when Ollie started seein someone new and Billie Joe started gettin into trouble. "Angela," my father began but momma cut him off. "No Michael. There is no excuse and there is no gettin outa this. Now I want you to go upstairs, clean up, put somethin nice on, and please Michael, give them a chance. For me." My momma kissed him on the cheek and my daddy turned to come upstairs. "Michael," momma said, "you can't hold onto the past forever."