Dream Things True by Marie Marquardt

Author:Marie Marquardt
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Evan knew he had to go to her. She was waiting, worried. He had to tell her what he knew. But he was paralyzed, sitting in the parking lot of the county jail, his forehead pressed against his steering wheel.

His phone rang.

“Alma?”

“No, young man. Your lady friend is here on my sofa and she has asked me to call you.”

“Is she OK? I mean, is she hurt?”

“Well, Mr. Roland, I’m not sure I can answer that question. I’m thinking you might have the answer for me.”

This angry voice sounded stern and accusing, but also strangely familiar.

“I do intend to ask you to come for her, but before I do that, you and I need to get one thing clear, Evan Prentiss Roland. This is Mrs. Bernice King. I’ve known you since you were a boy. I know your family. And I promise you, young man, that if you don’t do right by this beautiful child, I’m going let your momma and anyone else I can get a hold of in on your little secret.”

The recognition settled on him now. Evan had no idea what little secret she was talking about, but he knew exactly who she was.

“Mrs. King? Is that you? From Hines Middle School?”

“Why, yes, child. Of course it’s me,” she replied, with a scolding tone.

“And you’re with Alma?” The whole thing was baffling. What was Alma doing with his middle school counselor?

“I believe we’ve covered this, Mr. Roland.”

An image of Mrs. King came to Evan’s mind. Evan was a freshman in high school, and his mom had sent him over to Whit’s house to pick up a box of party invitations. As always, Evan went right in without knocking. Uncle Sexton and Aunt Maggie argued by the stairwell. Whit sat crying on the living room sofa, and Mrs. King sat beside him, gently rubbing his back. Evan had never seen Whit cry. He’d never seen his aunt and uncle fight. He couldn’t believe they would do all of this in front of the middle school counselor. The Prentisses were a very private family.

“I’m sorry, Mrs. King,” Evan said, “but why is Alma with you?”

“Well, if you need to know, Alma and I go way back. She was working with me to apply for scholarships—until she met you.”

Evan remembered dropping her off to meet with a counselor at the Krispy Kreme many months earlier, but Alma never talked about her.

“Mrs. King, is Alma OK?” he asked. “Is she hurt?”

“Child, you know she’s not OK. Just go on and answer me this: Is Alma in a motherly way?”

It took a moment for the question to sink in, but when it did, Evan remembered all that had happened the night before.

“No, ma’am. Alma isn’t pregnant.”

He smiled, and it felt good. At least this was one worry they didn’t have today.

He heard a soft “mmm-hmm” on the other end of the line.

“Mrs. King?” he asked, trying to express in his voice the genuine respect that he had for this woman. “Would you please tell me where you are so that I can come for her?”

“Against my better judgment, I can.

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