Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 77394 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77394 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
“What’s this?”
“We're leaving,” Jenna answered.
“I see that.” I tried not to sound like a dick as I asked, “Where you gonna go?”
“I don’t know. We'll figure something out. Maybe try a shelter like we were going to do before, maybe just sleep in the car for tonight.”
“No.”
“What do you mean, no?”
“It’s not safe.”
“Seriously? Like it’s safe here?” Before I had a chance to answer, she laid into me, “Two seconds ago, you were flying off the handle.”
“Yeah, I was,” I started. “This is just a lot and...”
Her voice trembled as she added, “We should go.”
“No.”
I knew her history. I’d read all about it in the file Shep had sent. She’d had a hard time of it, and just about the time it looked like she might’ve caught a break, things would fall apart. She grew up with two drug addicts for parents. They were in and out of jail. Met a guy and got away for a little while, even got pregnant, but ended up back at her folks' place when he was killed. They were nothing but fuckups, so she tried her brother, and that didn’t play out well for her, either.
The last thing she needed was me making matters worse by doing something we’d both regret, so I told her, “I’ve got the room. Use it.”
She didn’t respond.
She just stood there staring at me as she weighed her options.
Knowing she needed a little push, I added, “Just until you find a better option... Hell, I’ll even ask around and see if I can find a place for ya, but for Christ’s sake, don’t go piling up in your car or shacking up in some shelter. The kid deserves better than that.”
A look of humiliation washed over Jenna’s beautiful face, making me feel like a dick for pushing so hard. The poor girl looked like she wanted to crawl under a rock when she glanced down at her daughter and muttered, “Okay, I ah... I appreciate you letting us stay here. I know it’s a lot. I’ll do my best to stay out of your way.”
Before I could try and fix things, Jenna turned and led her daughter back to their room. She closed the door, and I was once again left feeling like I’d shit on the parade. I was frustrated and annoyed, and I really needed a minute to just shut out everything. I walked over and grabbed a beer from the fridge, then headed into the living room.
I got in my recliner, kicked back, turned on the TV, and was immediately hit with the blaring soundtrack of some kid’s movie. I quickly turned it down and changed it to the news. I settled back, and it wasn’t long before the monotone sound of the newscaster’s voice and the low hum of the ceiling fan had me dozing off. I was enjoying a momentary siesta when I felt an uneasy sense that someone was watching me.
I inhaled a deep breath, then eased one eye open and found a little figure standing next to me. Luna’s big brown eyes were wide and filled with innocence, and even though it was dark in the room, I could see that she was sporting a pout. I had to give it to her. The kid was cute.
“Hey, kid.” My voice was low and thick with sleep as I stretched and asked, “You need something?”
Her bottom lip trembled slightly as she shrugged.
“Well, you either do or you don’t. Which is it?”
“I’m hungry.”
“Hungry?” My initial grogginess started to dissipate when I looked around the room and found no sign of her mother. “Where’s your momma?”
“She’s sleeping.”
“Ooo-kay.” I sat up in the recliner with a huff. “Well, if you’re hungry, what do you want?”
Luna shrugged, her pout deepening. "I don’t know.”
“You aren’t making this easy, kid.”
No response.
Damn.
I stood with a groan, then told her, "Okay, how ‘bout we go see what we can find.”
I started for the kitchen, and she trailed behind like a shadow. I walked over and opened the pantry door, and I was disappointed to find a sparse collection of canned goods and a few boxes of cereal. Luna peered inside, and her brows furrowed as she surveyed what was inside. I scratched my chin as I told her, “Damn. Looks like I need to make a trip to the grocery.”
My chest tightened when Luna's face fell, and she let out a small sigh.
“Hey, now. No more of that poutin’ stuff. I’m not gonna let you go hungry.” I opened the fridge, and like the cabinets, there wasn’t much there. I was hoping I could come up with something to put together, but no such luck. I looked back over at Luna as she was standing there with a hopeful look in her eyes.
I didn’t want to let her down, so I asked, “How ‘bout pizza?”