at her.
“At first I thought you were Colbie, but you’re Brooke,” he said. “The sister from Seattle. Good to see you again.”
“Good to see you.” The moment broke like a soap bubble in the air, suddenly and completely. No way to get it back. For a moment she’d forgotten who she was, she’d forgotten her past. Mr. Paco knew. For a moment she’d been able to step away from the woman she’d been. Anxiety beat through her, kicking in her bloodstream right along with the shot of adrenaline.
Please don’t say it, Mr. Paco, she silently pleaded. Don’t say what happened nine long years ago.
“It’s good to see you, Brooke.” Mr. Paco dug in his till and handed Liam his change. “I’ve been keeping your sister in prayer.”
Oh, Brianna. Relief left her sagging against her seat belt. “Thank you. I know she would be very touched you’re lifting her up in prayer. This is a hard time for her.”
“She is blessed to have her family nearby. I’ll get your sodas. Be right back.” Mr. Paco’s warm smile telegraphed caring and concern.
“I hear the tough stuff starts tomorrow. In court,” Liam clarified. “Recreating the facts of the case. The district attorney is determined to get a conviction.”
“He wants justice.” She remembered the capable, serious-looking man sitting soldier straight, heading the prosecution. Her family put a lot of faith in him. “For all the victims’ sakes, I hope he gets it. We nearly lost Brianna. That’s what brought us together. Lil called me with the news they were rushing to catch a plane to Seattle because Bree had been flown to the trauma center there. It was that serious. I didn’t even know Lil had my number.”
“Sounds like her, taking care of everyone.” He stopped to take the bags of food from Mr. Paco, handing them across the console for her to hold.
Warmth penetrated the white paper sacks along with a delicious aroma of seasoned meat, special sauce and salsa. The truck lumbered forward, following the lane to the street.
“It was the first time all of us kids had been gathered together,” she confessed.
“I wouldn’t have guessed that. Everyone seems close.”
“Growing up we didn’t have the chance to get to know each other. Then there were all these issues with Dad. After he left the farm, he couldn’t settle in a job for long. Then he was arrested and sent to j-jail.” She stumbled over the word. That hated word. “We all had our separate lives. But waiting for Bree’s condition to improve, praying it would, fearing it wouldn’t, forged a bond none of us expected. I got the chance to really know Lil and Colbie. To fall in love with my half sisters. It was an unexpected blessing.”
“It seems like the experience of the trial might be doing the same.” He spun the wheel, guiding the truck onto the main street, crossing several lanes and heading for the park. Trees speared above buildings a block ahead, guiding the way.
“Definitely.” She didn’t know how to say what she felt. How not even the loneliness always dogging her could fade when she was with her family. It came close, but nothing could bridge the stigma she carried around inside her like a secret. Her life had been in shambles for so long, she feared there was no way to repair it.
Something bumped the bags in her hand. Oscar. He leaned over the seat back, trying to dig into the sacks with his nose. Unapologetic, he stopped to squint up at her with pleading eyes.
“There’s more dog treats in one of the bags,” Liam explained as he wheeled into the park’s lot. “Oscar is a fast learner. I’m beginning to think he’s smarter than I am.”
“That’s highly likely,” she quipped as she unrolled a sack to peer in. The aroma of deep-fried tater tots wafted upward, making her dizzy with anticipation. Next bag. “He’s way smarter than me, too.”
Oscar yipped cheerfully, as if he were in perfect agreement.
The laughter in the cab felt wonderful, bright
“At first I thought you were Colbie, but you’re Brooke,” he said. “The sister from Seattle. Good to see you again.”
“Good to see you.” The moment broke like a soap bubble in the air, suddenly and completely. No way to get it back. For a moment she’d forgotten who she was, she’d forgotten her past. Mr. Paco knew. For a moment she’d been able to step away from the woman she’d been. Anxiety beat through her, kicking in her bloodstream right along with the shot of adrenaline.
Please don’t say it, Mr. Paco, she silently pleaded. Don’t say what happened nine long years ago.
“It’s good to see you, Brooke.” Mr. Paco dug in his till and handed Liam his change. “I’ve been keeping your sister in prayer.”
Oh, Brianna. Relief left her sagging against her seat belt. “Thank you. I know she would be very touched you’re lifting her up in prayer. This is a hard time for her.”
“She is blessed to have her family nearby. I’ll get your sodas. Be right back.” Mr. Paco’s warm smile telegraphed caring and concern.
“I hear the tough stuff starts tomorrow. In court,” Liam clarified. “Recreating the facts of the case. The district attorney is determined to get a conviction.”
“He wants justice.” She remembered the capable, serious-looking man sitting soldier straight, heading the prosecution. Her family put a lot of faith in him. “For all the victims’ sakes, I hope he gets it. We nearly lost Brianna. That’s what brought us together. Lil called me with the news they were rushing to catch a plane to Seattle because Bree had been flown to the trauma center there. It was that serious. I didn’t even know Lil had my number.”
“Sounds like her, taking care of everyone.” He stopped to take the bags of food from Mr. Paco, handing them across the console for her to hold.
Warmth penetrated the white paper sacks along with a delicious aroma of seasoned meat, special sauce and salsa. The truck lumbered forward, following the lane to the street.
“It was the first time all of us kids had been gathered together,” she confessed.
“I wouldn’t have guessed that. Everyone seems close.”
“Growing up we didn’t have the chance to get to know each other. Then there were all these issues with Dad. After he left the farm, he couldn’t settle in a job for long. Then he was arrested and sent to j-jail.” She stumbled over the word. That hated word. “We all had our separate lives. But waiting for Bree’s condition to improve, praying it would, fearing it wouldn’t, forged a bond none of us expected. I got the chance to really know Lil and Colbie. To fall in love with my half sisters. It was an unexpected blessing.”
“It seems like the experience of the trial might be doing the same.” He spun the wheel, guiding the truck onto the main street, crossing several lanes and heading for the park. Trees speared above buildings a block ahead, guiding the way.
“Definitely.” She didn’t know how to say what she felt. How not even the loneliness always dogging her could fade when she was with her family. It came close, but nothing could bridge the stigma she carried around inside her like a secret. Her life had been in shambles for so long, she feared there was no way to repair it.
Something bumped the bags in her hand. Oscar. He leaned over the seat back, trying to dig into the sacks with his nose. Unapologetic, he stopped to squint up at her with pleading eyes.
“There’s more dog treats in one of the bags,” Liam explained as he wheeled into the park’s lot. “Oscar is a fast learner. I’m beginning to think he’s smarter than I am.”
“That’s highly likely,” she quipped as she unrolled a sack to peer in. The aroma of deep-fried tater tots wafted upward, making her dizzy with anticipation. Next bag. “He’s way smarter than me, too.”
Oscar yipped cheerfully, as if he were in perfect agreement.
The laughter in the cab felt wonderful, bright
Similar Books
