Chapter Text
He wipes his nose too late, there’s already a drop of bright blood blooming on the yellow gingham tablecloth, right next to his plate of scrambled eggs. He’s very lucky not to have lost a back tooth, one feels like it could be loose.
‘Lean your head back,’ Aunt Helen’s voice, Raylan sees her upside down when he does as she says. She runs her hand over the side of his face that isn’t bruised and hands him a floral kerchief that he knows was her grandma’s. Sitting down at his elbow, she looks stern and he can tell it’s put on. ‘You know, if you want to beat those boys at their own game, Raylan, you’ve gotta play it how they do.’
He doesn’t know what she means right away, he thought he was playing their game when he got into the scuffle, when he didn’t let them say what they wanted to, he gave as good as he got.
‘You said it started because some fella’s little filly was giving you the eyes at the game? They didn’t think that was the proper thing.’
He nods.
‘And she came to help you, picked you out of the dirt when they’d scattered?’
Another nod, pressing the handkerchief closer to his face.
‘Well, how’re you gonna thank that girl, Raylan, for treating you decent?’
He’d never considered anything like that, hardly had time to speak to her, honestly hoping that he’d get to school on Monday and everyone involved would have decided to forget the whole thing. Aunt Helen looks at him like there’s one hope left for him and only she can access it, reaching over to squeeze his free hand.
‘Take her to the movies. Buy her popcorn. Make nice like her fella isn’t and show them who came out on top. They’ll get upset, but you’ll still have someone on your side, guaranteed. Three people. Me, your mama and your new girlfriend.’