Page 108 of Five Mountain Daddies

“You think you gave up concessions because... ofme?”

He nods. “Probably. I don’t know. Maybe.” He drinks his whiskey, lookingaway.

“Samuel, I didn’t make you do that.” I feel a little angry, like he’s putting this on me, and it’s not. This isn’t entirely onme.

“Nobody made me do anything,” he sayscalmly.

“So why are you coming into my house and acting like Idid?”

He clenches his jaw. “That’s not what I’mdoing.”

“No? Feels like it from here.” I cross my arms, getting annoyed. “You should have told me you were going to talk about our business in public likethat.”

“I didn’t mean to do it at all,” he says. “Vernon called me out. It was a criticalmoment.”

“Still. Now I’m the talk of this town. I have to live here too, youknow.”

“Yeah, well, you’re not responsible for a bunch of guys that are getting beatenup.”

“Actually, I am. I’m your employer, remember? Along with everyone else that’s involved with the company, and if you guys don’t get back to work soon, everyone’s going to get screwed. You do know that,right?”

“Oh, so now you’re on Ingram’sside?”

I glare at him and he glares right back. I feel so angry at him, although I know he’s not my enemy. I just don’t understand why he’s making this so difficult, when the resolution is right there. If only he’d just take thatcontract.

But I know nothing’s that simple. I have my ownsecrets.

He sighs and drinks his whiskey down. “I didn’t come here to argue, Amelia. I didn’t come here to beg,either.”

“Why’d you come,then?”

He looks exasperated. “I don’t know,” headmits.

I feel my anger flare up again. “Maybe you should figure that out.” I cross my arms and nod toward the door. “I think you shouldleave.”

He looks like he wants to say something. I wish he’d say it, just admit that he came here because he wanted to see me. I don’t want to throw him out, but I’m afraid to let him stay. I’m afraid that we’ll try to get back what we had that afternoon and fail, and I don’t know if I can handleit.

Wordlessly, he walks away. He leaves down the hall and I follow. I watch him go out through the front door, closing it behind him. I hear his truck start and driveaway.

I’m alone again in the kitchen, not sure what the hell is wrong withme.

I don’t know why I’m pushing him away. I don’t know why I’m such a coward, why I can’t tell him the truth about the baby. I put my hand on my stomach and I feel so alone, so incredibly alone. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so alone in my life, and I know it’s not getting better anytimesoon.

22

Samuel

The strike keeps going, but it only getsharder.

Normally, when I’m not feeling good about myself, I’d try and get lost in the mine. I’d go down there, work some doubles, lose myself in the darkness and the feeling of good, hard work. But because of the strike, I can’t get down there, can’t do something to take my mind off of how stupid I acted withAmelia.

So instead, I just drink. Really, most of the miners spend their time drinking. The days drag on, and I know Ingram’s getting desperate, but my guys are suffering just asmuch.

“How much longer?” Roy asks me one morning. I’m just starting my first whiskey of the day when he sidles up next to me at thebar.

“I don’t know,” Iadmit.

“It’s been over a week now,” he says. “Guys are starting to suffer. There’s talk of firings andscabs.”

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