“Uncle Bill invited Dylan and me to live with him. I was going to be his housekeeper.”
“There’s no work for you here. Uncle Bill left this house to me. It’s small, and I don’t need a housekeeper.”
Animation drained from Caroline's face. “I…I’m sorry about Uncle Bill. I wish I could have seen him once more before
the end.”
“I’m sure he’d have enjoyed visiting with you. Now, if you’ll excuse me I have some work I
need to do.”
Caroline faced him with a curious blend of desperation,
pride, and shame. “I spent every penny I
had getting here. I don’t have any money
for food much less a hotel room. I was
so counting on Uncle Bill.”
Dylan, who’d been sitting quietly on the rug in front of
the fire, jumped up and put his arms around Caroline. “It’s okay, Mama. I’m not really hungry tonight, and we can
sleep in the car again.”
A faint flush spread across the woman’s face. “We can sleep in the car, but Dylan needs to
eat. If you could see your way clear to
loaning me a few dollars, I’d pay you back.”
A particularly vicious gust of wind buffeted the house
and whistled around the corner. Dylan,
who was small and pale, shivered when he heard it. A tired, defeated expression pasted itself on
Caroline’s face.
“I wouldn’t put a dog out on a night like this,” Wes gruffly
answered. “You can stay here until
morning.”
Oh, what a predicament! Can't wait to see what happens next.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my blog.
Wes wasn't real inviting, but maybe something will work out for Caroline. :)
ReplyDeleteHmmm...somehow I think a night might turn into more. Great abrasive start between them.
ReplyDeletePulled me right in. I didn't want the sample to end. Already in love with the little boy. :)
ReplyDeleteHero or anti-hero? Wes is not in my good graces yet. A little too prickly toward the poor woman. I hope she finds a way to soften him up. Great sample. Really drew me in!
ReplyDeletewow. powerful scene, and very economically written.
ReplyDeleteGreat stuff.
That's a really difficult place to be in. It made me think of the perceptions project I just did in my Children's Lit class, when my group read about homelessness. I hope there's a happy ending for them.
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