Take Me to the River Page #2

Has she started her cycle yet?

That's all that happened. I...

- What?

- Has she begun menstruating?

- Her period.

- Yeah.

Keith...

She's nine years old.

For Christ's sake.

Well, it can happen very early.

Well, maybe in California...

Keith. Look,

it's not exactly common,

but you said it didn't look like the

blood was coming from a cut and I...

Why don't I just go in

and take a look at her...

- and we'll get to the bottom of all this.

- No!

Keith...

Nobody touches her!

Please, Keith, you have to

let me examine her...

so that we know how to help her.

- The last thing I need is you playing doctor.

- Okay. Okay.

Keith, look, what's important right

now is Molly's safety, all right?

And we are only here...

All of us... to help.

You want to help? Keep your

son away from my daughter!

Take Mom inside, please.

Evelyn, maybe it's a better

idea if you were to go inside.

Don, just...

You didn't do anything wrong.

You didn't do anything wrong.

- I tried.

- It's okay. It's okay.

Just come sit down and talk

to us for a second, okay?

All right, Keith is just a

little bit worried about...

About, Molly right now.

Do you think

I did something to her?

No, no.

I couldn't have done

anything to her.

I know, and...

everybody knows that.

But, Mom, I... I physically

couldn't do anything to her.

Okay, you know what,

this is not...

We should tell

everybody now. I mean...

I know these people, and

they're not very accepting.

If you say something now, it's

just gonna be one more thing.

You follow your mom's lead here.

Why can't anyone in this

family just tell the truth?

Honey, hey...

I am going inside!

Am I allowed to do that?

Molly's in the bedroom.

Well, why am I so...

Hey, Ryder.

Can you draw my picture now?

Hey, hey.

- Hey, hey! That's enough!

- I said keep him away from my daughter!

- We are not using violence around here, all right?

- Did he hurt you?

Ruth? Ruth.

Go get your girls and tell them

it's time to go home, all right?

- Cindy...

- No, Ruth.

Don't tell my wife

what to do. Sit down!

Don't tell my wife what to do and don't

tell me to leave my own property!

Why are you doing this to me?

Keep your boy

away from my family!

- You f***ing a**hole.

- Cindy, let's go. Let's get in the car.

Will you just tell them please?

Quiet!

This is so stupid!

Just be quiet.

Ryder, let's go. Let's get in the car.

Cindy, let's go!

Everyone, just cut it out,

all right?

Everyone is family!

Cut it out!

Mom, tell them, please.

All right, Ryder, please

just listen to your dad.

Let's just calm down.

F*** you, okay?

- Hey, hey, hey! That's not helping!

- I don't care!

I don't care what you think

you stupid, f***ing rednecks!

Ryder!

Ryder.

Ryder!

You hiding?

No.

What are you doing then?

I... I don't know.

Not hiding.

All right. Well,

we'll see you around.

Hey.

See the alfalfa blooming?

I brought you some long pants.

This warm sweatshirt.

Keith can fly off the handle a bit

sometimes, but he really is a good guy.

He's an a**hole.

Don't say that.

He's your uncle.

You say he's an a**hole

all the time to Dad.

I don't think I do.

So...

let me talk to you a second.

Grandma thinks it...

Might be best if you

could stay out here tonight.

Here?

Like in here?

It's just for one night.

That'd give everyone a chance to

get comfortable with you again.

She thinks I did it.

No, no, no. Come on.

Why am I the one

that has to stay out here?

Because she knows

you're a smart kid,

and you're gonna be

the bigger person...

and you can help us fix this.

What am I supposed to do,

hunt for food?

Me and Grandma fixed up

a nice picnic supper for you.

- You shouldn't have.

- Well, we got to get some food in you somehow.

You'll be eating off

these leftovers for a week.

Why are you talking like that?

Like what?

You're just talking different

and I think that's weird.

I don't think

I'm talking different.

You wouldn't normally say "eating off

these leftovers" if we were at home.

Why wouldn't I?

Because you don't

talk like that.

You've been talking differently

since we got here.

I don't think

I'm talking differently.

Well, it's annoying.

- You sound like an idiot.

- Well, I... I think you're making it up, so...

I'm not.

There it's not

called "supper," okay?

And lunch is definitely not called

"dinner." That's just confusing.

Mom. F***. Mom...

I'm sorry, Son.

I thought you were asleep.

I was asleep.

I just came to

bring you a blanket.

I don't need a blanket.

Ryder, you're cold.

No, I'm not.

Gosh, this place is a lot

shabbier than I remember it.

I used to hide in here when I

wanted to run away from home.

Mom?

Yeah?

Why does Keith hate you?

What?

Why do you say that?

Keith and I...

See, when Grandpa

gave up the farm,

I got money to keep

going to school...

and, I guess, Keith wasn't

real happy about that.

But, at the same time, he got

to inherit all the land, so...

And you...

You are lucky...

because you are...

the only one.

You are the only Monkey Face.

I can give you

as much as I want.

Mom...

Mom.

Stop.

Go back to sleep.

Sorry I woke you.

- Mom?

- Yeah?

What are you doing?

Nothing.

Just go back to sleep.

Mom...

Is that a sleeping bag?

Yeah.

Why do you have a sleeping bag?

I'm just gonna take

a little nap on the floor here.

No. Are you serious?

Of course I'm serious.

Mom, go back inside.

Come on. It'll be like

when we used to go camping.

Mom, this isn't funny.

Go back inside.

Ryder, I want to

stay here with you.

Will you go back

in the house, please?

You know, this isn't

easy for me either, Ryder.

Just go back to sleep.

You can pretend I'm not here.

Mom?

Yeah, honey?

I really don't want you here.

Mom?

Yeah. Actually,

what time is it?

- Can you come outside?

- What?

- What happened?

- Just put your robe on and come outside.

What's going on, Ryder?

You... come here.

I want you to move

the car around back.

I gonna get something

to take off that pitch,

but we got to move it

before Grandma wakes up.

- You want me to move it?

- Yeah. Do you know where Grandma feeds her cats?

- Yeah.

- Okay.

F***.

Who would do this?

Are they trying to scare me?

See, look.

We're gonna have this

fixed up in no time.

There was...

There was motorcycle tracks

near the car.

Who's got a motorcycle?

Should we follow them?

Mom?

And what would we do then?

Darn it. Okay, Grandma should

be waking up about now.

Just keep scrubbing.

It's starting to work.

I'll come out in a little

and help out.

Wait, I have to clean all this?

Sorry, honey.

Who could that be?

Abbey.

What are you doing here? Did you

walk all the way from home?

I rode.

I see.

Did someone come with you?

No.

The other one's for Ryder.

Is he here?

Yes, he is.

Honey, there's someone

here to see you.

Do you want to come in

and get some pop?

It's hotter than heck out there.

No, thanks. I'm fine.

Okay.

You-you remember Abbey.

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