Part 3

Wow, look at me, I get to come live with my cousin (whom I referred too as mom) and her husband (Herbie) who I just thought was the greatest man on earth. (Next to my dad that is) I am living on this huge farm, with horses, cows, dogs, cats, sheep. and sometimes we even had a pig.  Every morning I would wake up and go help Herbie feed the animals.  I would get to drive the truck in the field while he threw the hay out the back.  I got to put the feed in the troughs, fill the water troughs, jump in the manure (gross yes, but who cares at 4 years old) The best part of it, I got to play with the animals and spend time with Herbie.
After the chores were finished Herbie would leave and go take care of farm business, I would go in the house and help my mom (cousin) do house chores.  This I didn't like, but like a good kid I did as I was told.  Once the chores in the house were finished then I could go play.
I would go down the street to my friends house and play with her.  Mom said be home by 3 Julie, so I would tell her mom and she would send me home. 
One day in mid summer. her mom wasn't paying attention to the time and sent me home right at 3.  I ran up the road which took me about 4-5 minutes.  When I got home I ran in to explain that I wasn't sent home until 3.  That didn't matter.  My mom grabbed me by the arm, took me into my bedroom, stripped me down to my underwear, and started swinging me in a circle by my arms.  I was laughing having fun, but she let go.  I slammed into the wall, when I hit the floor, I started to cry.  At first I thought it was an accident, I mean my brothers swung me around like that all the time.  She grabbed me again and said, "want something to cry about." She did it again, 3 more times as a matter of fact.  She then picked me up, and slammed the back of my head into the wall and said, "when I tell you 3 o'clock, you be here at 3" She then put me in to footsie pajamas, lied me in bed and piled every blanket she could find on me.  She said if I cried, I would be given something to cry about, if I had to use the bathroom hold it and I better not pee in the bed or that would be another punishment, if I was hungry, well I should of thought about that before I came home 5 minutes late.
I laid in bed scared, I didn't know what to do.  I wanted my dad. I wanted my mom. (my real mom)  I wanted one of my brothers, but I wasn't allowed to call. Herbie came later on that night, and sat down to eat dinner.  I hear him say, "where's Julie"? "She's in bed" my cousin replied.  He came in to kiss me goodnight.  When he came in, I scurried under the blankets.  I didn't know who was coming, and I hurt so bad I didn't want to get in trouble again. He started to pull the blankets off me and said, "why so many blankets Little Moe"? (he called me that after my dad, because my dad went by Moe." I didn't dare say anything.  He turned the light on and seen that I had a nose bleed, He picked me up and I winced.  He touched my back, not know what had happened of course.  He took my pajamas off and said lets get you into something cooler to sleep in.  He grabbed a different nightgown and when he seen that my entire backside was black and blue, he asked what happened.  I started to cry.  He went out and asked her what had happened and she said, "that little brat needs to learn to mind.  I am not going to put up with her shit."  He came in and got me dressed, took me for some ice cream and when we returned home he said why don't you go make sure your dog has some food and water.  I will come out and get you in a minute. 
I could hear him yelling at her.  Told her she was to never lay a hand on me again......Why didn't she listen?