Page 81 of Remiss
“Don’t be sad over Uncle Johnnie. He’s a fuckface traitor that torments Mom and doesn’t deserve you and Mattie, but Mom still loves Dad. And anytime Aunt Ophelia can love Uncle Cash, you shouldn’t feel bad about Uncle Johnnie.”
“Sweetheart, Cash is…” Kendall didn’t know what to say. She’d heard all about the protest and the graffiti, although she wasn’t sure of the exact origins of Axel’s beef with Cash McCall. “I think you’ve misunderstood–”
“I got eyes, ears, and a brain,” Axel inserted. “But we’re not talking abouthim. My least favorite subject other than art. We’re talking about you, my fourth favorite girl relative after Mom, Reb, and Lolly.” He pursed his lips. “I guess you and Lolly will have to move down a spot ‘cause of Jo.”
“I guess so,” Kendall agreed gravely.
“Mom told Dad if she didn’t love him so much, she’d divorce him.”
The words shocked Kendall into speechlessness. Even though Axel looked at her with expectation, she couldn’t think of a response.
“She don’t want to leave him, though. I heard her talking to Lolly a little while ago.”
“Meggie loves your father,” Kendall managed, although the words felt hollow.
“Yeah, ‘cause she puts up with a lot from that motherfucker.” Axel looked at her with meaning. “And you don’tgot to tell me about any of the stuffs Uncle Johnnie does. He’s him, so I know you put up with a lot too.”
The Caldwell boys despised her husband. He’d brought it on himself, but it still saddened Kendall.
“Now, I got some questions for you, Aunt Kendall.”
Setting her knife aside and abandoning the salad, Kendall nodded. “I’m listening.”
“Does Uncle Johnnie beat you?”
Not physically, but mentally he was punishing her. “Of course not.”
“Yeah, well, he don’t raise his hands to Mom, but that motherfucker uses his mouth to beat her,” Axel grumbled, “so I say he does it to you, too.”
Kendall sighed, surprised at Axel’s astuteness.
“Does he call you names?”
“What do you mean by names?” she hedged.
“That’s a yes. Dad calls Mom names when he’s really angry. Does Uncle Johnnie ever apologize?”
Rarely. “Of course, love. You have nothing to worry–”
“Objection. You’re speaking out of turn. Does Uncle Johnnie do nice things for you?”
It had been a long time. “At least once a month.”
“You can be imprisoned for life for fraud if you don’t tell the truth.”
“Perjuryis a serious crime, which is what false statements under oath are called. Not fraud.”
“Oh. You still did it.”
“Can you prove it?” she challenged. Her children appreciated her profession but none of them were as enamored as Axel. “You have no exhibits to back up your theory.”
His green eyes sparkling, he grinned. “Strong circumstances evidence is enough.”
“Circumstantial,” she corrected, ignoring his scowl. “Based on?”
“Knowledge of the criminal.”
“Johnnie, I assume.”
