position. The lashes on his back were too raw to withstand the pressure of the weight of his body on them.
Keeping his silence, he walked out to the barn. He could not let them see the tears in his eyes, as he cried for his son. He just did not have the words to try to explain to his trusting wife or his loving, dependent children, how such a thing could happen, or how he could let it happen. This was something that no man should have to experience, let alone try to explain to his family. Some emotional thing inside of him died that day; murdered by the helpless feeling he was now forced to shoulder.
... Miz Nezzie said Hattie was about to lose the baby. Mac was fraught with worry. Lester noticed how helpless he now looked and pity filled his heart. He had never see his pa like this before. He had always been so tall, so strong, so sure of himself. Now he looked old and tired. Lester saw the sag in his shoulders and knew that if his mama didn't make it, he would lose both his parents. His pa would never make it without her...
...He went into the woods... as he looked around, he spotted a small group of trees. He rose slowly, his eyes never leaving the trees. "Palma Crystal trees", he whispered, his voice barely audible. ...He frantically stripped the leaves from the trees. Ripping off his shirt, he filled it with the leaves, then ran non-stop to the house. "Pa! Pa!" Mac ran into the yard. "Pa, I found some of them leaves', he cried, handing them to Mac. Mac took the leaves, "Good, son. Good. This is just what we need. He helped Mz Nezzie and Rose put them under Hattie's sheet. They all sat down to wait.
