The Secret Within by Theresa Martin Golding

Author:Theresa Martin Golding
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Astra Publishing House

CHAPTER 15

“Hey, it’s our good friend, Carly,” Frankie sang out, approaching the stand.

She didn’t try to run because that would have meant leaving Eddie all alone. Frankie’s friends, Justin and Mark, picked up some magazines and started flipping through the pages, but Frankie came to stand just in front of Carly.

“Look, boys,” Eddie growled, “if you want to buy something, buy it. Otherwise, move on.”

“Oh, sure,” Frankie answered. “We’re going to buy something. We’re just a little short on cash right now. But Carly will lend us some. She likes to do that.”

Frankie made a grab for the bucket of change on Carly’s lap. She twisted away and wrapped her arms tightly around it. But Frankie was on it in a minute, trying to wrestle it out of her grasp. He gave a strong yank and the stool toppled over. Carly fell hard to the boardwalk and the coins flew in every direction.

“Hey! Hey! What are you doing?” Eddie was shouting.

All three boys were stuffing change into their pockets and howling with laughter.

“Give that money back. That doesn’t belong to you! Carly, are you okay!?” Eddie was trying to maneuver himself off the stool in his booth.

Frankie paused for a moment and looked down at the fistful of change in his hand. “You want your money, fat man? Okay, here it is.”

Frankie flung the money at Eddie, coins pelting him in the face and pinging against the side of the stand. Carly jumped to her feet.

Two men came running toward the stand. “What’s going on here?” they shouted. “What are you kids doing?” Frankie and his friends took off, but not before stealing Carly’s stool. “Big fat whale!” Frankie called. He held the stool over his head like a trophy, ran a little way up the boardwalk, then dumped it over the side into the sand below.

“You okay?” one of the men asked Carly. She nodded. The other man was trying to convince Eddie to call the police and report the boys. Eddie thanked them for helping but refused to call the police, and the men rejoined their families.

Carly stood in front of the stand window. Eddie sat limply, his head bowed, breathing heavily.

“I’m sorry,” Carly said quietly. “If it wasn’t for me sitting here, none of this would have happened.” She looked around at the mess. One of the magazine racks had been knocked over, coins were scattered everywhere and all the color had drained from Eddie’s face. He held his hand to his chest.

“Don’t you be sorry. It’s my fault,” Eddie said bitterly. “It’s all my fault.” A tear ran down his face, and he quickly used the end of the towel to wipe it away. Eddie looked up at Carly and his puffy eyes grew wide. “You’re bleeding!” he cried.

Carly put her hand to her face and felt the sticky blood oozing from the gash on her cheek. The fall to the boardwalk must have opened it up.

“Maybe I should call the police on him if he’s capable of that kind of thing,” Eddie lamented.

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