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EIGHTY

EMERALD FALLS

Mazie shook her mama but she just snored and groaned. “Mama, please wake up,” she whispered as a tall man walked by the alley and stopped to look at her. She’d seen him yesterday and he gave her the heebie jeebies.

But her mama didn’t stir. Mazie stroked her cheek with her hand and realized Mama was really hot. Her teeth were chattering, too. Mazie thought it was from the cold, but now she realized Mama had a fever.

Mazie had one last year when she had the flu and it was awful. Her head hurt so bad she was dizzy and she couldn’t stop shaking. Mama had fed her Tylenol and made her drink water and made her tomato soup with a grilled cheese sandwich.

A sob caught in her throat. If they had a house and some money to buy food, she’d make soup and grilled cheese for her mama. She checked Mama’s pockets but they were empty.

There was a little souvenir store with T-shirts and hats and little kids’ toys. Beside it was a drug store that sold root beer floats and ice cream. She’d stared in the window this morning and seen some kids getting sundaes and milkshakes.

She felt her mama’s forehead. She was burning up. She had to do something. “Mama, I’ll be back in a minute.” Tucking the blanket around her mama, she gave her a kiss then ducked into the crowd.

The smell of pizza and tacos swirled around her and her stomach growled, but she dashed by the food trucks and wove between the booths until she spotted the drug store. A tremble went through her as she made a plan.

She’d seen Mama shoplift before and thought she could do it. Just be really quiet and look all around you and then slip something in your pocket.

Fear beat inside her as she entered the store. There were a dozen people inside, some at the bar wolfing down burgers and milkshakes. Two kids were looking at the little stuffed toys in a bin. An old woman with a cane was peering at a row of cough medicines as if she couldn’t see very well.

Mazie wanted to get a bottle of that cough medicine but it was too chancy with the lady there.

She slipped down the aisle and found the bottles of Tylenol. Her nerves kicked in as she started to lift a bottle and she knocked one to the floor. She jerked her head around, wondering if anyone had seen her, then stooped to the floor and scooped it into her pocket.

When she looked up, a big man stomped toward her with a glare on his face.

They’d arrested Mama one time when she’d stolen a shirt for Mazie. She didn’t want to go to jail. Then who would take care of her mama?

Knees knocking together, she lurched up and ran for the door.