Page 5 (1/2)
"We were just gathering sticks, sir," I say
He narrows his eyes and glares at o ho bracelet off
"Nice manners," he mutters "Who raised you?" he asks "The system?"
"No, sir," I say "I have four brothers"
"Where are your parents?"
"Gone"
"I know your story, but why’d you end up in jail?" He’s blunt I kind of like that
"Stupid choices Ito look at him
He nods "At least you know they were stupid"
I heave a sigh "Sir, I’ve done my tihter, and I won’t let anyone else bother her, either"
He looks intonear his head "My daughter…she’s special"
I don’t respond because I don’t really think he wantsspecial for someone like me
He motions for an is sitting on a log beside Gonzo’s chair He’s looking at her like she’s the first girl he ever laid eyes on and she’s looking back at him like he’s a real fifteen-year-old I ets treated like one very often She looks up at her dad and srins, but Karl doesn’t correct her I think he likes the nickname
Her dad extends his hand, and Gonzo reaches out to shake I don’t think the kid gets this often, either He looks alht then and there that I will do whatever it takes during caood tian," her dad says, cupping the back of her head in his big hand She looks up him expectantly "You met Pete?"
She nods and nibbles on her lower lip "Briefly"
"Don’t let ain," he says
"Dad," she coo into the woods with Gonzo, either He looks even rins
Her dad points a finger at hihter" He leans down and kisses her forehead "I know she’s pretty, but she’s off-li back and forth a few ti to look serious
Her dad walks away I sit down on the log beside her and stare into the flaolden purples have faded into a dark sky filled with stars "You want a an asks
"I’m a city boy We don’t roast marshmallows" I shake my head
"Gonzo?" she asks He nods and rubs his chest to say please in sign language
"He said please," I tell her He grins
She puts a rip it His chair keeps hih He visibly deflates So I take two sticks and bend the one I pass it back to him "Do you want me to do it for you?" she asks
He shakes his head I can do it
I lay roup of kids arrives, and so to translate for theht it was "Gonzo, you’re going to turn into a marsh to be sick
One et sick, I’an threads another ive it up, even when other kids aiting to toast marshmallows I didn’t have the heart to take it froone to bed Gonzo is one of the oldest ones here I see hisup from the shadows She came to check on hi so er Her hair is non, and her face is soft She has her hands stuffed in her pockets It’s getting chilly out "You about ready for bed, Karl?" she asks
G-O-N-Z-O, he signs I laugh and shake my head
"Oh, it’s Gonzo now, is it?" She punches her hands into her hips "You have a perfectly good name I don’t knohy you would want to be called that"
I punch hin to hi I hold up h to say, what the heck I know full well that his ht He looks directly into ht now, he’s telling e, and he’s so still and serious
I look at Reagan "He said thank you for tonight"
She smiles and nods "You’re welcoirl when I leave
I hold an after you leave I’ll only put the ns
"Dude, I warned you" But I laugh Reagan ducks her head and doesn’t ht, you two," his mom says Gonzo waves and speeds off behind her
"You’re really good with hian says quietly
"He’s easy to like"
She picks up the stick he left and feeds a o, city boy Your firstthe stick froot one of my firsts"
She freezes
Shit I ," I rush to say I’ her face, and she looks everywhere but at ht "I shouldn’t have said that Out loud"
I haven’t stuck the marshmallow in the flames yet She reaches out tentatively and wraps her hand around mine She turns her wrist and moves my hand closer to the fla, but she doesn’t let go