that it didn’t have to be a contest. But what they
both agreed on was a real reluctance to make that kind of emotional
commitment again. Maybe it was enough to have one good friend and
plenty of extended family to love and be loved by.
It had seemed to be a good philosophy until
some other basic human needs, the kind that could only be met by
someone of the opposite sex, had clamored for attention.
While Jenny had been too busy with kids and
eking out survival to tend to those needs, Carol had the means and
the opportunity to seek out someone new. Six months ago George had
entered her life; complete with the family she and Barry had never
been able to have. Granted, they were only every-other-weekend
kids, but it was better than the nothing Carol had had previously.
And it looked like the relationship was going to last.
Jenny was happy for her friend. Glad to see
the dreamy smiles and hear the contented sighs when she talked
about George and his two kids. But a little part of her couldn’t
help but be envious. Oh, that old green snake.
She shook off the thoughts and coaxed her
trembling leg muscles into action. She only had a week left. No
time for loafing.
~*~
“Did you see the morning paper?” Mitchell
asked as Jenny walked in the door.
“No.” She hung up her coat and joined him
behind the counter where he had the local rag spread out.
The headline he pointed out read: SECOND
ACCIDENT VICTIM DIES. It took a moment for Jenny to realize the
story referred to Michael’s accident.
“Nineteen-year-old Bradley Brennan died
at...” The story began, and that’s as far as Jenny got before her
eyes blurred and her chest constricted.
She took a deep breath and the tightness
eased.
“I’m sorry,” Mitchell said. “Maybe I
shouldn’t have—”
“That’s okay.” Jenny took another deep breath
and forced a small smile. “I needed to know.”
“Were they close?”
“Yes. For a while. I’m not sure about just
before...” Even after all these weeks, she still had trouble with
some of the words. And she was currently having trouble with some
of her feelings. The first she recognized was sadness that another
boy had died, but a little glimmer of satisfaction snuck up out of
nowhere and made her want to throw up. How could she be so callous?
His death wouldn’t give Michael life.
She remembered her initial sense of injustice
that Brad had lived and her son hadn’t, but she was certain she was
the only one who felt that way. Even Scott in the midst of the
worst of his anger hadn’t voiced that vile thought.
“The funeral’s day after tomorrow,” Mitchell
said, and Jenny welcomed his intrusion. “I could watch the store if
you want to go.”
She paused before responding, trying to
determine if she could even face another funeral, then almost
laughed when she remembered that she hadn’t exactly faced
Michael’s. And the Brennan’s had been kind enough to make an
appearance. Their presence in the far back of the church she could
remember. She could at least be as gracious.
“That would be nice,” she said.
Mitchell nodded and started to turn away.
Jenny touched his arm. She’d been looking for just the right
opportunity to talk to him. If she made the task force...no, make
that when she made the task force, she’d need him to cover for her.
“I might need you to hold the fort now and then over the next few
weeks.”
“Oh?” The single word was pregnant with
curiosity that Mitchell was obviously too polite to voice aloud,
but Jenny ignored the inferred invitation to explain. What was she
going to tell him? That she needed time off to learn how to make
drug deals?
“It won’t be often,” she said. “And I can let
you leave early sometimes to make up for it.”
“Sure. I can be flexible.”
“I appreciate it. But you should check with
Jeffrey. Make sure he doesn’t mind. I feel like I’ve taken quite a
bit of advantage already.”
“No problem. And we
both agreed on was a real reluctance to make that kind of emotional
commitment again. Maybe it was enough to have one good friend and
plenty of extended family to love and be loved by.
It had seemed to be a good philosophy until
some other basic human needs, the kind that could only be met by
someone of the opposite sex, had clamored for attention.
While Jenny had been too busy with kids and
eking out survival to tend to those needs, Carol had the means and
the opportunity to seek out someone new. Six months ago George had
entered her life; complete with the family she and Barry had never
been able to have. Granted, they were only every-other-weekend
kids, but it was better than the nothing Carol had had previously.
And it looked like the relationship was going to last.
Jenny was happy for her friend. Glad to see
the dreamy smiles and hear the contented sighs when she talked
about George and his two kids. But a little part of her couldn’t
help but be envious. Oh, that old green snake.
She shook off the thoughts and coaxed her
trembling leg muscles into action. She only had a week left. No
time for loafing.
~*~
“Did you see the morning paper?” Mitchell
asked as Jenny walked in the door.
“No.” She hung up her coat and joined him
behind the counter where he had the local rag spread out.
The headline he pointed out read: SECOND
ACCIDENT VICTIM DIES. It took a moment for Jenny to realize the
story referred to Michael’s accident.
“Nineteen-year-old Bradley Brennan died
at...” The story began, and that’s as far as Jenny got before her
eyes blurred and her chest constricted.
She took a deep breath and the tightness
eased.
“I’m sorry,” Mitchell said. “Maybe I
shouldn’t have—”
“That’s okay.” Jenny took another deep breath
and forced a small smile. “I needed to know.”
“Were they close?”
“Yes. For a while. I’m not sure about just
before...” Even after all these weeks, she still had trouble with
some of the words. And she was currently having trouble with some
of her feelings. The first she recognized was sadness that another
boy had died, but a little glimmer of satisfaction snuck up out of
nowhere and made her want to throw up. How could she be so callous?
His death wouldn’t give Michael life.
She remembered her initial sense of injustice
that Brad had lived and her son hadn’t, but she was certain she was
the only one who felt that way. Even Scott in the midst of the
worst of his anger hadn’t voiced that vile thought.
“The funeral’s day after tomorrow,” Mitchell
said, and Jenny welcomed his intrusion. “I could watch the store if
you want to go.”
She paused before responding, trying to
determine if she could even face another funeral, then almost
laughed when she remembered that she hadn’t exactly faced
Michael’s. And the Brennan’s had been kind enough to make an
appearance. Their presence in the far back of the church she could
remember. She could at least be as gracious.
“That would be nice,” she said.
Mitchell nodded and started to turn away.
Jenny touched his arm. She’d been looking for just the right
opportunity to talk to him. If she made the task force...no, make
that when she made the task force, she’d need him to cover for her.
“I might need you to hold the fort now and then over the next few
weeks.”
“Oh?” The single word was pregnant with
curiosity that Mitchell was obviously too polite to voice aloud,
but Jenny ignored the inferred invitation to explain. What was she
going to tell him? That she needed time off to learn how to make
drug deals?
“It won’t be often,” she said. “And I can let
you leave early sometimes to make up for it.”
“Sure. I can be flexible.”
“I appreciate it. But you should check with
Jeffrey. Make sure he doesn’t mind. I feel like I’ve taken quite a
bit of advantage already.”
“No problem. And we
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