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Finally she turned her bright-eyed expression on Roman But not to pry into his school day

“Do you know anything about cars, dear?”

“A little”

“Would youmy windshield wiper fluid?”

Ro to do, he practically jumped up from the table “Sure”

We followed him outside Mrs Shields stood back and watched as he popped the hood

“I hate doing that,” she explained “Ray always did all the car h “I was always afraid I’d lose a finger if the hood snapped shut Silly, but Ray didn’t want …”

I slipped an arm around her shoulders “I’m so sorry, Mrs Shields”

“We had so ether” She forced a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes “Not everyone is so lucky I just…miss him”

I hugged her a little tighter, unsure of what else I could say to ease her pain

Roreen wiper fluid from the trunk “Good choice, Mrs Shields This stuff helps keep the bug guts off the windshield”

She wrinkled her nose “It’s what Ray always used in the spring and summer”

He finished with the car and even got in and turned the key to check the wipers before declaring her good to go

“Thank you so rab your bread I’et home”

Roman smiled at me when she went inside

“Thank you for doing that”

He shoved his hands in his pockets and glanced away “I don’t mind She's a nice woman Seems to like you a lot”

“I’ve known her since I moved in with my aunt and uncle She and her husband were always nice to me”

Mrs Shields returned with my bread in one hand and a couple of folded-over dollar bills in her other

“If I’d known you were co you home with bread too, Roman”

The corners of his mouth twitched

She held out the money to him and he put his hands in the air “No, ma’am I can’t take your money”

“Nonsense You saved me a lot of trouble”

He shook his head again She gave up and handed the money to me “Seriously, make sure he takes this It would’ve cost me twice that if I’d taken it into the shop”

“Yes, Mrs Shields Thank you”