The Life of Buddy

Chapter VIII

            Butch Johnson let out a cry of pain as the ice pack was applied to one of the many hand shaped bruises that his boss had left on him.  "Sorry."  said the fourteen year old girl as she quickly recoiled her hand.

             "It's okay."  Wendy he said to his younger half sister.  He then silently encouraged to place another ice pack.

             "I can't believe that your boss beat you."  She said as ire began to rise inside of her.

            "Well he did."  Butch said as he rested his head back on the pillow.  He thought how it was not the first beating he had suffered at his hand.  But it was definitely the worst.  Normally he hit him once or twice during a shift.  But this was the first time he had taken outside for a full blown beating. 

             Wendy gently placed a second ice pack covering two bruises.  "He should not be hitting you."

              "Well he is."  Butch said.  "And there really isn't much I can do about."

              "Have you told mom and daddy."

              "Mom and daddy."  He smirked bitterly.  "Mom could care less and your daddy would only give me another a beating."  They would not be any help.

              "What about your father?"  She asked.  "I am sure he will help you."

             A look of pain filled his face at the mention of his daddy.  "He doesn't care about me."  He said.    "He only pays attention to me when I need a butt whipping and he ignores me the rest of the time.  He only cares about Brandon and Buddy."

              "That's not true." Wendy said.

            "I think I know if my own daddy cares about me or not."

           Wendy then placed another ice pack on him, this time on his lower back.  "What about Ben?"

             "Again only cares about me when I need a whipping." He said.  "The only brothers who care about me are Brandon and Buddy and unfortunately there is nothing either of them can do."

             "Pete cares about you."   Pete was his mother's youngest child through his stepfather.

             Butch let out a small laugh.  "He's five."

             "He still cares about you."

             "Yes he does."  Butch said with a small smile as he thought about his younger brother.

             "You could quit."  Wendy said.  "Nothing says you have to work there."

             A wave of fear hit him at the thought.  "I can't quit."

            "Why not?"  she asked.

            "I just can't."  He said.

            "But why?"  She asked confused.

             A rush of anger then hit him and he turned around quickly as he yelled "Because I can't."

            Wendy's eyes lit up with fear and she jumped back as the ice packs fell off of him. 

             "I'm sorry." He said as a wave of chagrin hit him.  "I'm sorry Wendy I didn't mean to yell at you."

             "It's okay I should not have pushed you."  She said.  "Here let me put the ice packs back on."