Fragile Spirits by Lindsey Mary

Author:Lindsey, Mary [Lindsey, Mary]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Penguin Group US
Published: 2014-01-23T06:00:00+00:00

FIFTEEN

A woman in her sixties opened the door. Her expression was puzzled, but then I supposed that was justified, considering a Goth-looking girl and a guy in a preppy school uniform were standing on her doorstep holding a filthy yo-yo with her address on it.

I held the yo-yo out for her to see clearly. “We found this in a knothole in a tree at the park around the corner. It has Samantha’s name and address on it. Is she here?”

The woman held out her hand, and I placed the yo-yo in it. A wistful look crossed her face. “Well, I never thought I’d see this again.” She smiled at us. “No. Samantha isn’t here. She moved out ten years ago and has a family of her own now.” She shook her head and studied the yo-yo. “She lost this a long time ago. It’s been more than twenty years. She was in second grade.” She turned the yo-yo over in her hand and stared into the distance. “I’ll never forget it. She was so upset. I bought her a new one just like it, but it just wasn’t the same for her. We always thought that little Jason Lynch boy stole it just to be mean, God rest his soul.”

His soul was at rest finally. Vivienne reached over and entwined her fingers in mine.

The woman pulled herself out of her reverie. “Thank you for bringing it by. I’m sure Samantha will get a laugh out of knowing it made it home at long last.”

When she closed the door, we stood on the porch for a moment, smiling at each other. Happiness flowed from Vivienne, and it made me feel fantastic. I wanted to shout yes! at the top of my lungs and give her a huge hug, but instead I walked to my car and opened the door for her.

“Let’s go to the grocery store on our way back to your house,” I said, pulling out of Samantha’s neighborhood. “I noticed you don’t have a garage, and there isn’t a car parked out front. You have no way to easily get groceries.”

Her happiness dimmed. “We’re fine.”

“But we’re already out, and it’s on the way. Let’s get some stuff to hold you over for a bit.”

“I don’t have any cash on me,” Vivienne said, her mood shifting entirely. She felt almost hostile.

“I do.”

She smirked. “Of course you do.”

I turned into a grocery store around the corner from her house, baffled by her behavior, the high from the resolution completely gone. “What is that supposed to mean?”

She laughed and waved her hand toward me. “Look at you. You have everything. You live in the perfect house, drive the perfect car. I bet you make perfect grades too.”

I gritted my teeth.

“You do, don’t you? What are your grades? I bet you’ve never made a B.”

I pulled into a parking place. Clearly, I had hit on some sore spot accidentally. “What’s your point?”

“The point is, I don’t need charity from the rich kid who has no clue what it’s like to not get everything he wants.

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