Days of Love and Blood

step away from striking distance. The second shot caught him in the back .
    “Oh my God, Ronan!” I scooped him up into my arms and held him as tight as I could. He was violently shaking and his grip strangled me, but I allowed it. My poor child. He was terrified. So was I. We both cried hard and held on for dear life. The next two gun blasts made Ronan strengthen his hold and his nails clawed at my skin.
    “Is he okay?” Cooper asked, still nearly breathless from his sprint.
    “Yes, I think so. Just scared. Thank you so much,” I cried.
    “Good.” Cooper shook his head and furrowed his eyebrows. “What the fuck were you thinkin’?”
    “What?”
    “You go on outside - no weapons - leave the door wide open with people inside?”
    “Cooper, I wasn’t thinking. I know how it looks. I saw the horse and …”
    “And what? The stupid fucking horse was more important than your kid?”
    “I didn’t know he was awake. I didn’t think he would come out, he usually knows better! I thought he was sleeping.”
    Cooper hissed and put his hands on his hips.
    “You thought he was sleeping,” he said in a matter-of-fact tone. “So ya left the door open?”
    “It was a mistake, Cooper.”
    “How in God’s name do you expect to keep yer own kid alive if you can’t even remember to lock a fuckin’ door - if a goddamn horse can distract you from being a mother! What the fuck, Carson? And din’ I tell you to carry a gun? This is why! How do you ‘spect to save yer kid in time when you’re miles away with nut’ but a fuckin’ sword?”
    “Don’t talk to me about being a mother, Cooper,” I growled. “You have no fucking clue how hard it’s been. I’ll take it from here.” I carried Ronan back toward the house. Cooper shouted obscenities at no one behind me. “Thank you for everything, Cooper,” I called out. “You can go home now.” I looked up to see Cassie’s bewildered face from where she stood on the porch.
    “Everything’s alright, Cassie. You can go on inside.”
    “Are you sure?”
    “ Yes , I - ” The sound of Cooper’s intensifying stomps stopped me in midsentence.
    “I have no clue, Carson?” he screamed. “I have no clue what it’s like to be a parent? How the hell would you know?” He grabbed my arm, preventing me from going any further. “No, don’t walk away from me! I jus’ asked you a question.”
    “Let go of me.”
    “I asked you a question,” he repeated.
    “Carson?” Cassie asked in an unsure voice. Cooper snapped in his head in her direction.
    “Get inside the fuckin’ house, Cassie,” he said while pointing at the door. She jumped when his hand flung out. “This ain’t none of your business.” I nodded at Cassie who walked backward through the door. She didn’t shut it, but hid just on the other side.
    Cooper was breathing heavy, pacing back and forth in front of me.
    “Where in hell do you get off assumin’ anything ‘bout me, huh?”
    “I’m sorry, Cooper. I didn’t know.”
    “Well I do know what it’s like to be a parent. I had a son, Carson. His name was Cameron.” Cooper reached up and grabbed both sides of his head. He bent over and let out a sharp scream. “He was my son!” he screamed again. Ronan tightened his grip with his head still buried in my neck.
    “Cooper, please. I’m sorry.” I didn’t want to hear the end of his story. I didn’t want to know what happened to his son. Not with Ronan wrapped around me.
    “ I’m the one who took care of him. I’m the one who loved him. He was my boy! It was his so-called mother who couldn’t give a damn ‘bout him. She left him. She left us. That fuckin’ bitch. She left her own flesh and blood. But I was never gonna leave. I loved that boy. That boy was everythin’ to me.” He thumped his chest hard with his fist.
    “ I’m the one who bought his clothes. I’m the one who dressed up and played superheroes with him. I’m the one who combed his hair, fed him, brushed his teeth every night and read to him. I’m the one who registered him for school. I’m the one who picked him up every day. I was there for him when he would come home from school crying. I was the one he came to when he was upset.” He was crying now. He wiped away tears throughout his rant while he paced before me. I was crying, too. “ I’m the one who could make him laugh. He woke me up when he had bad dreams and I would hold him until he fell asleep again.” He stood still and placed his hands on