Broken Justice by Ralph Gibbs

Broken Justice by Ralph Gibbs

Author:Ralph Gibbs [Gibbs, Ralph]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780692074503
Published: 2019-08-03T22:00:00+00:00


CHAPTER 32

Danica, dressed in her father’s trooper shirt, was sitting on the red brick steps with her back against the long black iron railing outside her parent’s house. She was sipping a large glass of sweet tea in the late hot afternoon sun, watching a group of young boys and girls play basketball on one side of the cul-de-sac while a group of younger children played hopscotch on the other. The laughter, encouragement, teasing, and the occasional curse followed quickly by the inevitable scolding from a nearby adult, made it seem to her as if this were any ordinary summer day. Add a bit of fireworks, and it could easily have been an Independence Day celebration.

In some ways, it was a celebration. Over the last week, heavy storms had kept the growing community indoors. The storms, wind, and rain were so intense that many feared the coast had been hit with a hurricane that was now rushing inland. Danica had to admit, because of the time of the year, it was a possibility, yet history was on their side. Situated two hundred miles from the ocean, Charlotte had only once been directly menaced by a hurricane. However, the same could not be said of the effects of the storm. Just because hurricanes didn’t directly cross your path didn’t mean it couldn’t indirectly kill you. Wild storms, tornadoes, flooding, and falling trees were just some of what a hurricane could whip up to make sure you had a bad day. Now with children laughing and playing under clear skies, everyone seemed to be in a celebratory mood.

Across the yard, Toscana and Matthew were tending three large pots of stew cooking over several propane grills. Toscana, wearing a short yellow flowered sundress that showed off her black underwear and bra beneath, dipped a wooden spoon in the stew and sipped the concoction. She dipped again and placed the spoon next to Matthew’s lips.

“Blow,” she said. Matthew did as commanded and then took the offered sip. “What do you think?”

“Needs salt,” he said, reaching for a bottle.

“Next bottle, to the right,” Toscana said. “That’s pepper.” Matthew corrected himself and handed over the salt. “Thank you.”

He smiled. “You’re welcome.”

“Always so polite,” she said as she cupped his chin playfully.

Since returning to the housing complex, Toscana and Matthew had formed a close bond. Danica was heartened to see the two get along so well and, truth be known, relieved. She felt uncomfortable around Matthew because she didn’t know how to deal with his blindness, and she always thought she would do something wrong. She felt inadequate to the task of caring for the boy and knew it.

“Know your limitations,” her father always told her. She did, and this was one of them. Toscana and Matthew’s connection wasn’t an uncommon development. The community now consisted of nearly forty people, and a fair number of them were children. A rare few were from other parts of the neighborhood, but they discovered most in their search for children. It was an idea borne on the lips of a lamb.



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