Chapter Text
Fuller, Texas 1944
It was still early in the morning. Dew was clinging to the usually dry grass after a chilly spring night, a few early birds singing in the distance, the sun had yet to come up.
Luda Mae was already busy. She needed to fix breakfast and soak the dirty laundry so she could get all the stains out, when a hard knock on the door interrupted her.
„Wha- Who's stoppin' by at this ungodly hour?“
She spied through the window next to the main door, a woman with blonde hair standing infront of it, holding a small suitcase.
„Mornin' Alice. What's the matter? Something happened?“
Upon opening the door Luda Mae spotted her three nephews hiding behind her sisters skirt, still dressed in pyjamas. Not even wearing jackets, only their shoes. It looked like they had been dragged out of bed just a short time ago. Zeke, the middle one, emphasised her suspicions by rubbing his sleepy eyes, accompanied by a hearty yawn, then whiped his snotty nose on his sleeve.
„Luda Mae. Yeah, need to ask a favour of ya.“
Luda Mae frowned, already smelling the rat . „Five o'clock in the morning? What is so important?“
„I need you to look after my children.“
„For how long?“
Alice scratched her head.
„Dunno. Till they're grown up, i guess.“
„What?!“ Luda Mae yelled, not believeing her ears.
„Are you insane?! Who shall look after them? I have ma own child to care about!“
„Pfft, so what? I need to get the bus to San Antonio. One child or four doesn't make a damn difference! Be a supportive big sister for once and help me!“
Aha. So she must have a new guy over there, like so often. And three little children are just a bit of a turn off for a new boyfriend. Luda Mae swallowed down her anger, not wanting to wake up the others with her yelling.
„I will help you whenever i can, but i will not look after your kids just because your cooch is itchin'! You wanted the lot of them, you take care of them!“
Ugly red blotches formed on Alice Hewitt's face, her lips pressed together, fury glinting in her eyes.
„Shut ya hole, Luda Mae! If ya hadn't stole Charlie Snr. from me, you would be in my place now!“
„Are ya insane?! Ya five years younger than me! Ya was eleven when i got married!“
It wasn't as if Alice really had feelings for the late Charlton Hewitt Snr., but a few years after their marriage, Luda Mae noticed how she tried to steal him away from her. Wanted him just because he belonged to her sister. Thankfully their uncle never spared her a second thought, she was simply too young for him. And after Alice was left by her first husband and Charlie Snr. died, she always told herself and anyone unlucky enough to hear it that her older sister stole her great love from her.
There was a tug on Alice's skirt; Judah looked up at her with big, sleepy eyes, shivering from head to toe.
„Mommy? I'm cold and tired.“ She yanked her skirt out of his little hand.
„I know my darling. And you three will be cold and tired for quite some time, because your aunt is a selfish cunt!“
One heartbeat away from slapping her sister in the face, a loud creak made Luda Mae turn around; spotting Monty coming down the stairs still in pyjamas and a robe. .
„What in the hell is all that fuss about?“
„Go back to bed, Monty. Was just explaining to our sister-“
But as she turned around, only the suitcase and her nephews remained on the porch as Alice made a run for her old car, racing down the driveway as if the devil himself was after her.
„ALICE!“
Monty stood next to her, looking down on the three shivering boys infront of them.
„Did- did she just dump her kids here?“
„Yeah. Stupid bitch...“ Luda Mae muttered, ushering the kids inside.
Standing in the hallway, Judd rubbed his eyes with his arm and yawned, holding tightly onto his brother's hands. Zeke and Shiloh also were barely standing, almost falling asleep on the spot. She sighed.
„Let's get you three back to bed.“
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„Dammit. Ezekiel Hewitt, why's there so much soil in your pockets?!“
After they had slept like the dead until noon and a real breakfast, Luda Mae had sent the boys out to play outside for a bit in the spring sun. Tommy was delighted about his cousins visit, playing with them the whole day, happy to have some playmates again.
He was only five and didn't understand why the other children in town where looking at him so strangely when he went there with his mother; why the adults kept whispering behind their backs.
Luda Mae had a long discussion with Monty and Junior about what to do with her nephews. They couldn't just throw them out on the streets, but also weren't able to feed them for an infinite amount of time.
„They are Alice's children, she gets child support from the state for them, she better be the one buying them food 'n clothing!“ Charlie had said, Monty nodding beside him.
„Should Aunty Alice not return by monday, imma head out and look for her.“
„She won't, Junior.“ Luda Mae had told him.
Now she was in the bathroom, sorting out the kids clothing on what to wash and what they could wear another day, while the four of them soaked together in the tub.
Upon sorting out Zeke's pants, she had noticed the full pockets, taking out a handful of soil.
„You only wore those pants for one day, and they are already standing on their own from all the dirt! What on earth are you doing with all that mud?!“
Zeke tried to look over the rim of the tub, while Judd lathered his hair with soap.
„I need that, Aunty Mae. It's where i keep ma worms.“ Luda Mae looked at him, totally flabbergasted.
„Your what?“
„Ma worms.“ Zeke spluttered as Judd used a bowl to dump a load of water over his head, rinsing out brownish suds of soap. „I keep 'em in ma pockets.“
Luda Mae stared at the soil in her hand, flattening it a bit with her thumb before she felt it moving. Upon taking a closer look, she noticed a bunch of earthworms crawling through the dirt.
„Bah! Zeke Hewitt, you are just plain disgustin'!“ Ignoring her nephew's prostests, she threw the soil and the worms in the toilet and flushed them down.
„Ah, no Aunty Mae! Took me all day to find 'em!“
There was a loud giggle drowning out Zeke's blubbering; Judd was currently trying to scrub near Tommy's armpits, tickling him terribly in the process, causing him to squirm and shriek, some water splashing out of the tub.
„Hold still Tommy! Can't get you clean if ya won't lift ya arms!“
Luda Mae smiled as she rinsed the soil from her hands, watching Judd as he took care of his little brothers and cousin.
He was only one year older than Zeke and Thomas and three than Shiloh, but acted towards them like a little mommy. Whatever he could do for them he did, regardless if it was dressing them, making them something to eat or entertain them with little games he made up for them. Any other child younger than him in the Hewitt clan got the same treatment, wether it was Tommy or Adam, Clem or Henrietta: Judd always looked out for them, babied them like his little siblings.
When someone asked him why he did that or to just go play and let the adults handle it, he always replied the same way:
„No, i have to be a good big boy!“
It was really important for him. Being a good boy. Always helping his mother or aunts, never demanding anything. Never be a burden to anyone.
It was sad, actually. All he wanted was his mother to show him some love, and she always treated Judd like her personal housemaid.
„Come on now, boys. Get out of that tub. 'S already past bedtime!“
Freshly bathed and tucked into the grand bed in the guest room, Luda Mae checked on them after a while before heading to bed herself. It was little to no surprise when she found Tommy snuggled up on Judd's chest, apparently having snuck out of his room, unwilling to sleep alone. One of Judd's arms held him tight, the other stretched out under Thomas to hold on to Shiloh; Zeke clinging to his older brothers back, skinny arms wound around his waist.
„Just like a little mommy...“ She thought as she brushed some hair from Judd's forehead before pressing a light kiss to it as well as on Tommy's, both squirming a bit in their sleep before she closed the door.
„Shame they can't stay. Would be nice for Thomas to have a few playmates.“ Monty's voice sounded behind her.
„True. Alice doesn't realize what a gem her eldest is.“
„Yeah. Nice kid. Always helping, never rude. Only six and already has better manners than his mother.“
„A mother who doesn't even look after them.“ She felt her younger brother padding her shoulder.
„She'll never give them to ya, Mae. Want's the child support to badly to do so.“
Nodding, she walked past her brother. „Night Monty.“
Alice picked up her sons not even a week later, announcing that they „should meet their new daddy“. It went back and forth over the years like that. Dumping her kids at her sister's place, getting a new lover, bringing them home agian, kicking that guy to the curb, repeat the whole thing.
Until something in Judah's behavior changed. He turned from a sweet, caring boy to an aggressive jerk; venting his anger on everyone around them.
Zeke was quick to follow his example and dropped out of school, but he lacked Judd's charisma and intelligence. At least he got a job as a trucker, earning some honest money. Judd was drifting around the country, even worse of a stray than any other Hewitt child.
Meeting him was always strenuous, Luda Mae didn't know how to talk to him without him loosing his cool. Not even Zeke and Shiloh where allowed near him anymore. Tommy was the only one he let get close to himself.
„That boy will meet a nasty end, Luda Mae. Heed my words.“ Kathy had once told her during tea. „Shame. He was always such a sweet little boy.“
Luda Mae nodded.
„Yeah. A real shame indeed.“