Now purchase the whole book at http://www.publishamerica.net/product47821.html Remember that 1/4 of all profits go to help the homeless!
“Anton! What is going on here?” Mike greeted him as he cracked open the drink.
“You were in jail and I didn’t think you would mind if my wife and kids stayed here for a couple of days. When did you get out?”
“About twenty minutes ago. The jails are so crowded they just told me to make sure that I make it to the trial in two months.” Mike snorted derisively. “What are you doing here, Anton? I thought your old lady needed to stay in a more stable setting so that you could keep your kids?”
Anton groaned. “She got kicked out, man, but I don’t think the social worker can find us here.”
“Kicked out? For what?”
“Nothing. The guy running the place is a jerk. He was having some sort of power trip. Somebody needs to put that guy in his place. What kind of a man runs a women’s shelter anyway?” The two laughed for a minute.
“He hit me.” Suddenly the two became aware of the others in the room. The lump sat up and they both looked at Sarah. “I told the police and we had three witnesses; but the police still believed him. See, I’ve got marks. Stupid cops.”
Anton became enraged. “He hit you, baby?”
“Yeah, see the marks on my arms, Anton? The cops wouldn’t do nothing about it.” She kind of liked it when he was jealous for her. At least there was some emotion she could get out of him. Besides, she really did want to get revenge on that pastor guy running the Shelter. He had it coming.
Over the next several hours the old friends drank beer, talked and laughed. Mike ordered a pizza. Several people seemed to come and go. Drinks flowed freely. A short, solidly built man entered the room and gave Mike a small wad of bills and whispered in his ear. Mike looked through the wad and motioned to a bedroom down the hall.
Pocketing the wad and taking another swig, Mike got a quizzical look on his face. “Business seems to be picking up.” A hush came through the house, as the occupants sensed something important coming. “I have five hundred dollars for anyone that will take out that fake Christian who would throw women and children out on the streets.” The pile of trash in the hallway began to shuffle. The clicking of cell phones sending text messages filled the room as they all sent the word out.
“Thanks Mike. I owe you one.” Sarah said with a slur.
“How about one right now?” Mike pointed with his head to what had once been a master bedroom. Sarah looked at her husband who was too drunk to care. Thoughts came to her slowly as she realized what he wanted. Mike seemed to be better at making money than Anton. He might even make a better dad for her kids. Sarah’s last wisp of a thought was to once again wonder where her kids were as the two disappeared down the hallway to the bedroom and shut the door.
*********************************************************************
The rest of the work day went by fairly quietly by Shelter standards. People checked in, people checked out, and many just stopped by to chat. Darlene and John rode the wave of emotions as they shared the lives of the ladies who had awakened to the fact that they were at a shelter.
The time passed quickly and Maggie came in to work the afternoon shift. John and Maggie were working in the office when the lights seemed to dim. They looked up to see a large man filling the doorframe. “I’m looking for my daughter.”
No comments:
Post a Comment