Page 113 of Marvelous

It was my account too.

Then, at a red light, my phone pinged.

Garrick – Hurry. He’s pissing me off.

Me – I’ll try.

Soldier Boy – Tell Garrick to get fucked.

Me – What did he do?

Soldier Boy – He didn’t cut the crust off like I asked him to.

I laughed.

My husband was a smooth operator who was slowly coming off his medicine and getting better by the day.

However, an infection had set in his thigh, and last week we had it cleaned out and rebandaged.

And he was told no weight on his right leg.

That was why Garrick was at our house.

I had just made the turn onto Main Street, I had gone to have lunch with Laurie, when I saw a little boy, who couldn’t be more than six years old, being hauled out of Hanover’s.

Bruce Hanover owned a little general store.

And then Bruce had his finger in front of the little boy’s face, chastising him.

And that was when I saw it.

The shirt he had on was too small.

The pants, too small, and the shoes had visible holes in them.

I can’t explain it.

I can’t tell you why.

I pulled my SUV over and then climbed out.

“You’ve come in here to steal from me for the last time. Do it again, and I’m calling the cops.” I heard Bruce say.

I rounded the SUV and walked over to them.

The little boy saw me coming and tensed.

I recognized it.

He was scared.

Nervous.

Then I smiled down at him and stopped a few feet away.

Then I looked at Bruce, “What was he taking?”

“A loaf of bread, a candy bar, and a water.”