Mistletoe Mischief: A Lost and Found Series Novella- Roger by J.M. Madden

Author:J.M. Madden [Madden, J.M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780998647500
Published: 2017-01-25T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter 5

It was only later, driving through the snow-laden streets, that they remembered that it was Christmas Day. They drove, carefully, through the streets, looking for a restaurant or grocery store but nothing was open other than a few gas stations.

“Well,” Roger said finally. “Eventually the movie theaters will open, right? There are new releases today. We just have to wait until then.”

Cass snorted and shrugged. “Sure. I don’t have anywhere to be.”

So, they drove through the snowy morning and just talked. Cass told him about growing up on the streets in Denver, her mother perpetually addicted to something. When she’d finally overdosed for the last time, leaving them alone, it had been a blessing in disguise, because it had gotten them off the street for good. The orphanage they’d been sent to hadn’t been luxurious by any means, but to two young children who had never known a bed or clean clothing, it had been a wonder. The staff had tried to keep Andre and her together, and it had worked for the most part. They’d stayed there for several years until Cass had been old enough to get out on her own.

It had been a tough few years, but she’d done the best she could with what they’d had.

“You’re amazing,” Roger told her, glancing at her from the driver’s seat. “Not everyone would have stepped up like that. You did a remarkable thing, petitioning the state to take in your brother like that. I can only imagine how hard it was.”

Tears suddenly obscured her vision and she had to turn to look out the window. She had worked her ass off, going to school and working and taking care of Andre, making sure he was doing everything he was supposed to be doing. But had anyone recognized that? No. They’d only bitched when she’d screwed something up.

“Thank you,” she whispered. “I learned a huge amount in those few years Andre and I lived together. We both did. And we both knew what we didn’t want, that’s why he entered the military.”

She glanced at him. “Even when he was a little bugger, he wanted to be an Army man. So, that’s what I pushed him to do. He graduated high school and enlisted the same week. He left for basic within a few months. It was a couple of years but it seems like just a little while later he was deployed to Afghanistan and they were contacting me to let me know there’d been an ‘unfortunate accident’.”

Roger reached over and she was amazed at the amount of comfort she could feel radiating through his prosthetic hand.

“I’m sorry, Cassandra. Friendly fire accidents don’t happen often, but when they do they affect entire bases, entire companies. I’m sorry.”

She shrugged, running her fingernails over the smooth outer finish. “It was better he died over there than on the streets here. It’s so hard for young black men to reach for anything. He was doing what he’d dared to reach for.”

“Just like you are.

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