September 7th, 1939. 7:21am. The Holley Household

Ella Holley's POV

"Happy birthday, baby! You're such a big boy!" I smile down to Buddy as I pick him up. "You're growing up too fast!"

"Mommy I'm a big Texan Man! Put me down!" Buddy frowns. "I'm three! I don't needa be carried no more!"

"Oh hush up, Buddy. You're always gonna be my baby, no matter how old you are or how big you get. You're my baby,"

He furrows his little eyebrows. "Mommy I want down!"

"No can do, Buddy." I laugh and kiss his cheek. "Can't have you snooping around and finding your presents, can we?"

"I promise I'll just stay at the kitchen table! I'll just color!"

"Fine fine," I say, kissing his cheek again and gently putting him down. "Since it's your birthday, you get to pick a radio station!"

His small brown eyes light up. "Really?"

"Of course!"

He beams as he tries to decide. "Hmmm...mommy I want western,"

"Good enough, baby," I say, heading over to the radio and flicking it to the Country and Western station. He loves country and western, just like his big brothers.

Buddy bounces up and down on his toes for a moment before scurrying to the kitchen table and climbing up. "Thank you mommy!"

"Of course, Buddy. Here, I'll go get you some crayons and paper." I go to the hall closet and retrieve the 8pack of crayons and a couple of sheets of paper.

Once I set the paper and crayons infront of him, I go to the kitchen and whip up some pancakes for breakfast. The older kids should be rousing at any time now.

I cut up a pancake for Buddy and set it infront of him. "Happy birthday!"

He grins. "Can I have syrup mama?"

I go to the cabinet and grab the bottle of syrup. "Do you want mama to pour it on or do you want to?"

"Me! I wanna! I'm a big boy!"

I laugh lightly. "You sure are, Buddy."

He takes the syrup and carefully pours it over the cut up pancakes. "I did it! I'm so big! I'm almost as big as Larry!"

"Nor quite yet, baby, but you will be before you know it."

Later

"Germany's recent attack on Poland has caused Great Britian and France declare war. Great Britain and France both had guarantees of support to Poland if it should ever be invaded. German Dictator, Adolf Hitler-"

Larry turns the radio off. "Ma, it's Buddy's birthday. C'mon, let's just have a nice time,"

I shake my head. "I just hope the United States doesn't get involved."

"Hush up, ma. It'll be okay." Larry pats my shoulder. "Let's just make sure Buddy has a good birthday,"

"You're right. Larry, could you go down to Smith Bakery and pick up the cake? Oh, and stop by the toy store and get a couple things he'll like?"

Larry nods. "Yeah, ma. I'll be back soon," he starts to head out the front door.

"Wait! Lemme get you some money-"

He shakes his head. "No, no. It's okay, ma. I can pay."

"But-"

"Save your money." He says as he closes the door behind him.

I'm so lucky to have such great children.

September 7th, 1954, 10:02am, the Holley Household. Buddy's 18th birthday.

"Bye ma! Me and Vi are headin' out for a while, we'll be back for dinner!" Buddy says to me as he pops his head in the kitchen.

"Come here and hug your mother, young man!" I smile.

Buddy rolls his eyes and walks into the kitchen, shortly followed by Violet. "Ma, I'm a grown man as of today!"

"Do you want a hug or not?"

He smiles lightly and wraps his long arms around me.

"I remember when you were barely up to my knees," I say, squeezing him. "You grew up too damn fast,"

"Aw, ma,"

"I love you, you're always gonna be my baby,"

"I know, ma. I love you too."

"You'll understand when you have kids of your own,"

I hear his heart skip a beat. "I know."

I let go of Buddy and pull Vi into a hug. "Thank you so much,"

She hugs me back. "For what?"

"Making my baby such a good man."

"I can't take credit for that, Ella. You raised him."

"Yeah but you made him better." She whispers.

"I try my best..." she replies quietly.

"I know you do, dear." I let go of her. "You two go have some fun!"

"Bye ma, love you," Buddy says, heading out of the kitchen.

"Love you too, Buddy," I reply. "Love you Vi,"

"Yeah, love you too," she smiles and follows Buddy.

I smile as I watch he and Vi make their way to his car from the window.

He's eighteen now, he's an adult. He can do just about anything he wants to, and I don't even have to be there to approve. He can vote and drink alcohol and get arrested. He can be tried as an adult and sign a lease. He can be put under contracts. He can buy a gun. He can move across the world and I couldn't stop him.

He's my baby. My youngest child. It feels like just last week that he was a baby, still dependent on me. But now he's an adult. He's a grown man. A grown man who can get married...

I hope he and Vi get married. I know Buddy better than anything in this world, and I know he's in love. He has the exact same face when he looks at Vi as L.O used to have when he looked at me.

My baby is a grown man, but he'll still always be my little Buddy. In my head, he's always going to be a seven-year-old with too much energy. A seven- year-old who hated combing his hair and taking baths.

But now he's a man and he's independent. He can drive, he has his own job, he can take care of himself.

He used to play in the mud and made me read him three bedtime stories.

I've known he's not as innocent as he used to be. He's no longer a child who thinks girls are icky. He's a man who has eyes for a pretty little redhead.

No matter how much I wish I didn't know exactly how uninnocent he is, I just do.

I've picked up on plenty of clues since Vi came along. Before her, he still seemed relatively naive. As soon as she appeared, it all went out the window.

Suddenly, at the beginning of his sophomore year, he started trying in his appearance. He would spend twenty minutes on his hair and ask for my advice on what shirt to wear with what pants. Suddenly he wanted to get some more flattering glasses and to buy nicer shirts. Suddenly he wanted to be attractive.

I didn't realize exactly why until he brought home Violet for his sixteenth birthday dinner.

I knew right away that he was in love.

I wish I didn't see her kiss his cheek when she left. I also wish I didn't notice that how as soon as she was gone, he locked himself in his room and turned up the radio.

I wish I didn't notice the purple splotches that lined his neck every time Vi spent the night. I wish I didn't notice her matching ones. I wish I didn't notice the discarded condom wrapper in his bedroom trash. I wish I didn't hear a moan this morning when I went to wake him for breakfast. I wish I didn't find some less-than-appropriate photographs hidden in his bookshelf. I wish I didn't find a left-behind bra in his closet. I wish I didn't notice their flushed faces and dilated pupils when they stumbled out of his room for food.

I wish Buddy was still a baby. I wish he was still small.

Time moves too Goddamn fast. If I could go back in time, even only for a day, it would he when Buddy was still small.

Later

Dinner was served, cake was eaten, and presents opened.

Violet, in her typical fashion, got him a couple of records and a four page long letter that made Buddy just about cry.

I imagine she got/gave him something a little more personal that I certainly don't want to know about.

L.O and I got him a car of his own, but that was hardly a secret when last week he went to the dealership to pick it out.

"Thanks so much mama, daddy," Buddy smiles, helping pick up the dishes. "I'm real grateful,"

"Oh, baby, we love you so much," I smile. "You've grown up real fine,"

"I'm proud of you, son. You got a job, you have a pretty gal, you're gettin' good grades, you got your own radio show, you're doin' well. I can't wait to see what the future holds for you." L.O pats his shoulder

"Thanks daddy,"

"And Vi," L.O looks over to her. "Thank you. Thank you for bein' so good for our Buddy,"

Vi smiles sweetly. "Of course. He's been good for me too,"

"Do me a favor and get married,"

"Dad!" Buddy turns red right along with Vi.

"Well, I think y'all know that this is the end all be all."

Buddy and Vi look at each other and turn redder than before.

"I suppose I wouldn't mind you for the rest of my life." Buddy wraps an arm around her waist and kisses her head.

"Same for you," Vi replies. "I wouldn't be mad if I just stuck with you for a while,"

"You're my best friend,"

"And you're mine,"

They're all too sweet together.

Once everything is cleaned up, Buddy amd Vi retreat back into his room for a few minutes.

Eventually Buddy wanders out. "Ma, is it okay if Vi spends the night?"

I bite my cheek. "Yeah, I suppose."

"Aaaaaand is it okay if we skip school tomorrow too?"

I've always let him skip school on his birthday, and he only went once on his birthday. His 16th. He said he wanted to make sure Vi still wanted to come to his party.

I laugh lightly. "How's your grades?"

"I got all A's. Same for Vi."

"And if you miss, Vi will tutor you?"

"Yep,"

"Then I guess it's okay with me." I'm more of her parent than Frank and Isabella are. As far as they're concerned, Violet doesnt exist.

"Thank you so much, ma," Buddy hugs me quickly. "Uh, so, it's kinda late, I think me and Vi are just gonna head to bed."

Both of us know exactly what he means by that.

'Head to bed'? They're going to be getting physical and he's warning me not to come knocking.

Whether he knows it or not, Buddy and I developed a sort of code for when he's with Violet, and whether I like it or not, he's a grown up with a grown up relationship.