Page 106 of Peach Tree Family

Chapter 27

The next day when Seth arrived at the house after work, Ace showed him what Sam sent over. "We helped Sam in the garden, and I got this." It was a jar of homemade tomato sauce made from their own tomatoes.

"You must have done a good job," Seth said. "And I know what I'm going to be making with this. I'll use the sauce and the recipe Sam gave me to make a pizza. And we can follow that up with the skillet cookie."

"This is like Ace's dream dinner," Theo told him, while Ace jumped with excitement.

Ace got to help with kneading the dough, and Theo made sure to keep Butter and her hair away from the action. While the pizza dough was rising, they went out so Butter could climb some trees.

"We should have a garden too," Ace said to Theo and Seth.

Theo knew what he had in mind, but he still asked him, "You want to grow flowers?"

"No. Tomatoes. DJ and Ry and their dads have a garden with tomatoes and herbs and green beans, but we don't need the green beans. No green beans." Ace wanted to make that very clear. "We just need tomatoes so we can make pizza sauce, and then we can make pizzas all the time."

"Listen to this little farmer," Theo said. "You going to take care of this pizza sauce garden?"

"Yes. Me and Seth," Ace said.

"Don't volunteer Seth," Theo told him, but Seth didn't mind.

"I'd love to help. I helped our neighbor back home with her garden. I don't claim that I'm knowledgeable though. I was just an extra pair of hands. Her back wasn't so good any more so she couldn't bend down like she used to."

While Seth and Ace made gardening plans, Theo tried not to think about how they would probably have to sell the house. He didn't want to bring Ace down, so he didn't mention anything about that.

"I want to make some salad. You guys hang out," Theo told them.

"Not salad," he heard Ace complain as he went in.

Theo had been watchful ever since their aunt showed up, but from the kitchen, he didn't have a good view of the front of the house. The first sign that something was wrong was Seth calling his name. As he ran out the door, Theo only caught a glimpse of his aunt's car out the window.

He expected to see her out there, but it was much worse than that. Jerry was getting out of her car and grabbing Ace by the arm.

Theo rushed at him, but Seth was closer. He grabbed Jerry's right shoulder, digging his fingers in until he released Ace. Seth didn't let him go. He had grabbed a few fingers of Jerry's other hand, twisting them the wrong way. Jerry let out a sound of pain.

As Ace ran to him, Theo said, "Seth!"

Seth let go, shoving Jerry away from him. Aunt Cindy tried to check if her boyfriend was hurt. Jerry's shoulder was hunched and he cradled his hand against his middle, but he pushed her away. He was cursing until Seth took a step toward him and bellowed at him, "Watch your mouth!"

Aunt Cindy pulled on Jerry's arm and pleaded with him, "Don't, Jerry. That's not why we're here. Come on." But he told her to shut her mouth. "This isn't the way," she said anyway, and he looked ready to slug her.

If he tried it, Theo was prepared to launch himself at him. Even if he hated his aunt, he wasn't going to let that piece of garbage hurt her in front of him and Ace. Jerry didn't do it though.

"You two need to leave, and if you try something like this again, you'll get nothing," Theo warned them.

"You know what you need to do, Theo," she said, making it clear that this whole visit was a threat to take Ace from him by force.

Scared, Ace had his arms wrapped around Theo, and he could feel his little brother shaking. Aunt Cindy was tugging Jerry back toward the car. The whole way he snarled at Seth.

"You better not come back," Seth said in a voice so harsh and deep, that it made Ace jump.

Once they were gone, Seth turned to Theo and Ace. All the threat and fury leaving his face, he asked, "Ace, you OK?"

"I didn't know you could be scary, Seth," Ace said to him.

"They deserved it," Theo told him and Ace nodded.

"It's OK," Seth said and got down to hug him.

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