Take Me to the River Page #4

Kids having fun?

Being awful quiet in here.

Hey, Ryder. Why don't you come

outside with me for a second?

Come on.

Did your mom ever tell you

why she left here?

She...

She got into UCLA, right?

She left because she thought

she was better than all this.

Is that what you think?

No. I...

I hope not.

You strike me as someone

who's never held a gun.

Am I right?

Yeah. I-I...

No. I mean,

I've held one before.

Yeah?

Did you fire it?

No.

Do you think you'd know how

if you needed to?

I-I don't know.

See, Ryder, I was thinking

yesterday after the picnic,

there are a few things

you should learn...

they probably aren't

teaching you in California.

You look like you might about curl up

in a ball if someone threatened you.

I mean, if someone really

threatened you with a weapon.

I think the least I could do is

show you how to use one of these.

Go on.

Now push this button here.

This is the clip.

See the ammo inside.

You're fully loaded right now,

but you can't fire it

until you cock it.

So if I pulled the trigger

right now it would go off.

Yep.

But it might knock you over

if you held it like that.

You hold it back here,

in a holster behind you.

Now get your finger

off the trigger!

- You never hold your finger on the trigger.

- Right.

You hold your finger

against the side of the gun...

until you're aimed

and ready to shoot.

All right.

Now, you draw with your right hand

and step forward with your left.

One fluid motion.

Bring your left hand up

to meet it.

Hold it with two hands.

There you go.

Your left arm is in front

to protect your vitals,

and your right arm

will take the kick.

N-Now do I put my finger

on the trigger?

Yes, you would,

but don't do it yet.

Let's say you fired off

eight rounds...

and he's still coming at you.

You want to reload.

If you were really firing, the last bullet

would have pulled the slide back like this.

Now pop out the old clip.

That button.

Keep your ammo here.

Put the new clip in.

Press down that slide lock

right there.

Now you're ready to go.

That f***er's gone.

When you have a gun,

you don't have to be scared.

You're ready

to protect yourself.

Protect your family.

Now this is a sign of

trust between us, Ryder.

Do you trust me?

Yes.

Are you saying that 'cause you

think it's what I want to hear?

Or do you really trust me?

I-I don't know.

All right.

Now give me the gun.

I'm glad we got to

speak today, Ryder.

Molly will be right out.

Aren't you coming?

Do you know how

to get to Grandma's.

Of course I do.

Come on.

Let's go.

Is your dad mad at us?

Molly.

No.

Why was he acting like that?

Like what?

Like at lunch.

I don't know.

Molly, I'm serious. I mean...

What's going on?

Wasn't he making you

feel uncomfortable too?

I don't want to

talk about that anymore.

Is this the way we came?

I don't remember going through

this when we came here.

You know where you're going?

Yep.

What... Isn't the

house back that way?

But there horses

need a drink first.

Molly?

What...

Hey, what are you doing?

Going swimming.

I thought you were

taking me home.

I am taking you home,

right after we go swimming.

Molly, I'm-I'm not

going swimming.

Why not?

Because I don't have a swimsuit.

You have shorts.

Molly, what are...

No! Hey!

Don't...

M-Molly! Hey!

Don't you like swimming?

D-Don't... Will you not

go any farther, please.

I...

F***.

Okay, just stay right there.

Okay? I'm coming.

Stop.

It's cold.

Come here, come here.

What are you doing?

Stop. Okay, okay, okay, okay!

What are you always

giggling about?

Your sunglasses.

What about them?

- You're not gonna take them off?

- No.

You can't swim with them.

Yes, I can.

Can I wear them?

- Can you wear them?

- Yep.

I don't know.

What?

Okay, you can wear them...

Hey, hey. No, no.

You can wear them, but you

can't get them wet. Okay?

- Okay.

- Okay? Here.

Do I look like

I'm from California?

Yeah.

Nice.

I'm from California.

If I wore these to school,

all my friends would be like,

- "Where did you get them?"

- Yeah?

And I'd say they're from

my California cousin.

I told all my friends

I have a California cousin.

- Yeah?

- Yep.

And I also showed them

the pictures you drew.

Do you... Do you know

anybody else that draws?

Yeah, but they're not that good.

You're a lot better.

A lot better.

Who's your favorite cousin?

I don't know.

Okay, okay.

Maybe you.

I mean, I don't know. I don't

really know all my cousins.

Stop.

I have a boyfriend.

- You do?

- Yep.

None of my other sisters

ever had one before.

Abbey's mad because she's older than me.

But I'm prettier.

Don't you think I'm prettier?

Hey, hey, hey!

I think you're pretty.

I think you're pretty.

I do.

I think you're pretty.

I always do everything

before Abbey.

Do your parents know

about your boyfriend?

They don't know about him.

Would they be mad?

I don't know.

You know, you're like nine.

Yeah.

So, then... are you, like, the

most popular girl at your school?

I don't know. Maybe.

Hey.

All nice and pretty.

Pretty.

What?

How come you always come to Nebraska

and we never go to California?

I don't know.

Hey, maybe you should

come visit sometime.

- Really?

- Yeah.

Nice.

I don't want to

live here anymore.

Why not?

Your whole family lives here.

They're not my real family.

You mean you're adopted?

No.

You're making my glasses

all wet! Hey!

- Come on.

- Mud!

No, no, no.

What are you doing?

Chicken fighting.

Chicken fighting?

Who are we gonna chicken fight?

I don't know.

Well, it's not fun unless we

have someone to chicken fight.

Okay, where we wanna go?

Where we wanna go?

What, are you copying me?

Molly, you're kind of

squeezing me.

Molly.

Molly.

Molly?

Hey.

Are you asleep?

Yes.

Ryder.

What?

Close your eyes.

Why?

Just do it.

And count to 50.

Why?

It's a game.

One, two,

three, four,

five, six, seven...

41, 42,

43, 44,

45, 46, 47, 48,

49, 50!

Molly?

Molly!

Molly, this isn't funny!

Where the f*** are you?

Molly!

Ryder?

Your mom was about to send out

a search party for you.

We heard you folks

are leaving tomorrow,

so we just thought we'd

drop by to see you off.

Honey?

Hey, come on. Sit down with

us for a second, all right?

Just join us.

Come sit here.

Sit down. You want some

malted milk or something?

No. No, thanks.

So, Molly was saying...

the two of you

went swimming today.

I was just telling

your mom and dad...

how much we enjoyed

your singing today.

We always knew you could draw.

I think I knew you liked music,

but I don't think we ever

actually heard you sing before.

He is our singer,

all right. He's got it.

Who needs a, home stereo

when you got this guy?

Seems like you're just one of

those all-around artistic people.

Probably could do anything

you set your mind to.

Listen, Ryder.

I just wanna make sure that you

and, well, and your folks know...

how sorry I am about

what happened yesterday.

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