Halley (16 page)

20. The Whipping

That night and again the next day Halley tried to bring up her Berry letter to her mother, but it was no use. “We’re not talking about this now,” Kate replied both times.

What she meant, Halley thought, was that she was
never
going to talk about it. It was like Daddy’s death—something to pretend never happened.

On Tuesday it was bitter cold, but Kate decided the washing needed to be done while she was there to help. Though it would be good to have help for once, Halley had no heart for it. With little conversation, she followed her mother through the dreary business of doing the laundry in the kitchen.

Finally, the smells and the noise were too much for Pa Franklin. “I can’t abide the stink of dirty clothes biling,” he declared. “I’m going to see Billy Joe Eggar.” The Eggars had a tight, warm house. “I’ll likely eat with Billy Joe and his missus,” he said as he headed out the door. Mrs. Eggar was known for setting a bountiful table.

Robbie tried to leave as soon as his grandfather was gone. “Mr. Calvin told me I could come today, didn’t he, Halley?”

“Yes, but that was before,” Halley answered, recalling how cold Mr. Calvin’s face had become yesterday.

“You mean before Pa Franklin made the Calvins mad,” Robbie asked.

Halley didn’t answer, and finally Kate did. “You’re staying home.”

Robbie didn’t give up. “See, it’s not just me. If I take Golly with me, the Calvins will give him something to eat and let him stay in the lean-to next to the kitchen where it’s warm.”

“Old Man don’t like Golly leaving the place,” Ma Franklin said.

“Well, can I bring Golly inside just a little while so he can get warm?” The question was directed more to Halley than to Kate, but Halley ignored him.

Kate stirred the boiling pot of clothes with a stick, being careful not to splash it into the pot of beans simmering on the back of the stove. “You know the answer to that without asking,” she finally said.

“Then I’ll find him a place for a bed,” said Robbie.

Halley was helping Kate rinse white clothes and dreading going out into the dogtrot to hang them.

“I don’t know why we can’t string up clotheslines in your room, Grandma. They’d dry faster, and we wouldn’t freeze to death hanging things up.”

Ma Franklin shook her head. “The old man won’t allow it.”

“Why not?” Halley asked, though she knew it was as hopeless as Robbie’s pestering questions. “The room’s empty except for the piano and the clothes hanging in the corner, and we wouldn’t bother them.”

Ma Franklin looked embarrassed. “You know Webb don’t like nobody in that room.”

“You’d think the room was filled with gold and jewels, the way he guards it!” said Halley.

Ma Franklin dropped her eyes.

At that moment they heard a noise in Ma and Pa Franklin’s room. Halley threw open the door and saw Robbie standing next to the piano. “I was thinking I could play some while Pa Franklin was gone.”

“Well, you can’t,” said Halley.

“I could pretend play,” he said and sat down on the stool. Humming, he drummed his fingers on the piano lid.

Halley took his arm and led him back to the kitchen.

“I’ve been looking for a place to make Golly a bed,” he announced. “I thought maybe the woodshed.”

Ma Franklin shook her head. “Old Man won’t like that. Dog hair’ll git all over the wood and get brung in the house.”

“Well, then how about the barn?”

Again Ma Franklin shook her head. “Webb runs him out ever time he catches him in the barn. Says he don’t want a dog wallering on hay the cows and mules eat.”

“The corn crib?”

“And git hair all over the corn we grind into meal? Lord no. Let the dog sleep under the house the same as he allus has.”

“But it’s cold under there, Grandma, and Golly’s getting old.”

“Let the dog manage as best he can,” Kate said. “We got enough problems of our own, without borrowing from the beasts.”

Halley finally took pity. “Make him a bed under the kitchen floor,” she suggested. “Right under the stove would be a good place.”

Robbie went back outside.

A short while later Halley was outside hanging laundry when she glimpsed Robbie coming from the barn with an armload of burlap bags. Golly trotted behind him. Robbie was wearing his Christmas boots, she noticed. Halley opened her mouth to remind him that they were only for wet weather, but then softened. Robbie looked up and she waved.

Pa Franklin was back before they’d rinsed the last batch of clothes. He came stomping in as though mad at the whole world.

“I thought you was eating with the Eggars,” Ma Franklin said.

“I didn’t get invited,” he answered. “Billy Joe same as told me I wasn’t welcome until I made things up with the Calvins.”

“Oh, Webb! Him and Luke Calvin are the main ones that give to the church.”

“Old Woman, I heared enough on that subject from Billy Joe hisself, without coming home to hear it from you!”

“I’m sorry,” said Ma Franklin.

“And you ort to be,” he said, pulling off his coat. “None of that business yesterday would’ve happened if’n you hadn’t allowed your giddy headed granddaughter to go strollicking over to the Calvins.” He turned to Kate. “And I blame you, too. The way you’ve commenced to carry on with Gravitt has set a bad example.”

“You hold on a minute,” Kate said. “I’ve not ‘carried on,’ and I’ve not done anything sinful. And far as I can tell, Halley has done nothing wrong, either. Can’t a person have some happiness on this earth without being doomed to hell forever?”

Halley looked at Kate in astonishment. Her mother’s sudden boldness took her breath away. Apparently it knocked the wind out of Pa Franklin for a moment, too, because his answer did not come quite as instantly as usual.

“You better read your Bible and get right with the Lord,” he sputtered. “Get ready for the Rapture!”

Kate blinked and took a deep breath. “Can’t a body have a little joy in the here and now?”

“Find your joy in the Lord!” Pa Franklin threw himself down in his rocker and picked up his Bible from the table next to it.

For a time there was no sound except for the slosh of clothes Kate and Halley were wringing out, the ticking of the clock on the mantel, and the squeak of Ma Franklin’s rocker. Then Halley heard a faint noise from the Franklin bedroom. Robbie must be in there again. Desperately she sloshed a pair of overalls in the tub to cover the noise while she tried to think how to send a warning. Before she could think of anything, there came a faint but unmistakable
thud
.

“Hey!” cried Pa Franklin, dropping his Bible and springing to the door. He threw it open. “Boy, what are you doing?” he bellowed.

“He just wanted to see his piano,” Halley said.

“Did I ask you anything, girl? I’m talking to the boy. What are you doing?”

“Just . . . I was just . . .”

Ma Franklin got out of her chair and went to her husband’s side. “It’s not as cold coming through this way from the far room, Webb. And to tell the truth, it don’t suck out the heat as bad as opening the door to the dogtrot hall.”

Pa Franklin threw off the hand his wife had placed on his arm. “I got eyes, Woman. He ain’t passing through. He’s in here for something else.” He turned back to Robbie. “So what are you doing in here?”

“I was going to pretend play my piano,” he said, and he moved his hands across the lid of the piano, fingers striking imaginary keys.

Pa Franklin exploded. “I’ve told you and told you,” he said, reaching for his belt. “But I guess
telling
you don’t work. I reckon I’m going to have to
show
you I mean business.”

“Don’t,” Halley said.

“This young’un broke the rules one time too many,” Pa Franklin said, “and now he’s going to get the punishment he deserves.” He jerked his belt from around his waist and grabbed Robbie by the hand.

Kate stepped forward. “He’s my child. I’ll handle this.”

“It’s my house,” answered Pa Franklin, “and my room he broke into. When I finish with him, he may remember the rules better.”

“No,” Kate said, stepping behind Robbie and putting both hands on his shoulders. “You’re not whipping him this time. I’ll handle this.”

“We’ll see about that,” Pa Franklin replied, jerking Robbie free of Kate’s hands. He headed for the door to the dogtrot. “We’ll take care of this outside. The rest of you stay here.” He threw open the door to a blast of cold air and headed outside with Robbie in tow. Kate was right behind them.

“You stay here, Grandma,” Halley said and rushed after them.

“You are not doing this, Pa,” Kate yelled. “I mean it.” She caught them as they went down the steps to the yard and shoved Robbie into Halley’s hands just as Golly came from under the house, barking.

“You can take your choice,” said Pa Franklin. “I whip him or I whip you.”

Kate drew herself up tall. “It’ll have to be me, then.”

“No!” Halley cried. This was worse than whipping Robbie. Far worse.

Robbie tore loose from Halley and threw himself at his grandfather. “I’ll take the whipping. Don’t hit my mama!” Golly began a wide circle around the four of them, growling deep in his throat.

From the porch came Ma Franklin’s voice. The old lady stood there hugging a quilt around her. “Webb, you can’t do this. What are you thinking?”

For a moment he seemed to hesitate, but then he said, “Old Woman, don’t you try to tell me what to do. I’m still head of this house! You git back in the kitchen before you catch your death of pneumony fever.” He kicked at Golly, who was still circling and growling. “Kate, step up here and take what’s coming to you.”

Kate squared her shoulders and stepped forward. “You need to think before you do this, Pa,” she said in a quiet voice. “If you hit me, I’ll be leaving here as soon as I can make arrangements.”

Ma Franklin broke into tears. “Webb, can’t you see? She’s going to git married if you go through with this.”

“I might get married,” Kate answered. “Or I might board with somebody in Belton. Either way I won’t be here long. And when I leave, it’ll be the last money you’ll ever get from me.”

Again, Halley detected some hesitation in her grandfather. Then his face hardened. “Are you threatening me?”

“Take it how you will,” Kate answered in an icy voice.

Pa Franklin raised the belt.

“Keep Robbie out of the way, Halley,” Kate said.

Halley held her brother with both arms and hugged him so tightly that she could feel his heart beating against her chest.

“Don’t, Webb,” Ma Franklin begged once more. “Please don’t do this. It’s wrong, and bad things are going to come of it.”

The first lick landed with a hard whack, and Goliath barked more loudly. As the blows continued to rain down, the fur raised on the dog’s neck and the barking turned into fierce growling. Pa Franklin took time to land a kick on the dog’s rump that sent Goliath sprawling against the corner of the steps. The dog yelped but was back up in a flash, circling again. Now his teeth were bared and his circle was growing smaller. The beating continued.

“Cry, Kate,” Grandma Franklin said. “Cry and he’ll stop.”

But Kate refused to cry or to dodge. She stood with her arms folded and took the full force of every lick, staggering but never falling. Suddenly Golaith made a flying leap at Pa Franklin and knocked him to the ground. The belt went soaring through the air as the dog landed on his master’s chest. The breath went out of Pa Franklin with a
whoosh
.

Ma Franklin screamed.

“Call him off, Robbie,” cried Halley.

“Here, Golly,” Robbie yelled. “Here!”

Golly obeyed reluctantly. Pa Franklin sat up and then stood slowly. Dazed and disbelieving, he looked toward his wife. She met his eyes for a long silent moment and then turned back toward the kitchen.

Kate retrieved the belt and handed it to him. “Do you want to whip me some more, Pa? I want you to be fully satisfied.”

Pa Franklin took the belt without a word and laced it through his belt loops. Kate turned to Halley and Robbie. “Let’s go inside,” she said. The three of them walked together while Pa Franklin followed alone.

The kitchen door stood open. The curtains at the window whipped in the draft that moved through the dim room. Pa Franklin slammed the outside door and the room became even dimmer. He looked around the room, blinking. “Ada?” he said.

Only then did Halley realize that her grandmother was not in the room.

“Ma?” said Kate.

Halley looked toward the bedroom door. It was still open. “Grandma?” she said, hurrying to the door. In the bedroom she saw her grandmother on her knees in front of the hearth. The old woman had pulled out four bricks and was digging out loose sand with her bare hands.

“What do you think you’re doing, Old Lady?” asked Pa Franklin right behind Halley. “You’re bothering what’s mine!”

Ma Franklin did not answer. She pulled a metal box from the sand, opened the latch and threw open the lid to reveal money—green bills and silver coins. It was more money than Halley had ever seen.

Ma Franklin’s gnarled fingers quickly counted out bills and held a fistful out to Halley. “The money he stole from you.”

“No,” said Pa Franklin, reaching for the bills too late. Halley had already stuffed them into her pocket.

“Half your money from the mill work and all the profit from selling your place,” Ma Franklin said, handing a wad of bills to Kate.

“You can’t do this,” Pa Franklin said, snatching the money box from his wife’s hands.

“I already done it,” she answered. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. “I don’t believe in you no more, Webb Franklin. You ain’t the man I thought you was.” Her voice was barely a croak, and her lips and hands were blue with cold.

Halley ran to help her grandmother to her feet. “You need to come get warm,” she said.

Pa Franklin pointed to Halley and to Kate. “This is the thanks I get for taking you all in. You turn my neighbors and my church agin me, you take my dog away, and now you turn my own wife agin me!”

Ma Franklin turned. “Point that finger back at your own self, Webb Franklin. You the one done it. You the one that done it all.”