Page 17 of Families and Other Enemies

“Aren’t you angry?” Ralph asked.

“I’m furious! But I still want to know where he is. I still want to know he’s alive.” Sophia stuck her finger in Ralph’s face. “You’re a coward!”

Kellen interjected. “Um, Sophia, he’s helping you out here.”

Sophia turned on Kellen. “Well, he is a coward!” She sat back on her bottom.

“I know,” Ralph admitted. “I am. But I’m trying to help my daughter by helping the world she lives in. Don’t that count for anything?”

“Yes, it does,” Kellen said firmly.

Stubbornly, Sophia crossed her arms over her chest. “She needs to know you’re alive.”

“She’ll reject me.”

“Maybe so. That’s her right. But in the end...she won’t be so angry. She won’t be so hurt. You hurt her. You owe her.” Sophia took a breath, went on more calmly. “I know what I’m talking about. My dad skipped town. My mom’s a walking hulk. But my brothers and sister—they’re my family. I’ve kept them together, and I’m going to bring them through, somehow. Maybe they’ll screw up, like Mom, but they’re going to have the chance to be...to be like you. To help people because they understand what it’s like to be down.”

“Yes,” Ralph said. “Pass it on.”

Wow. Kellen hadn’t seen this coming. Ralph talking about his life, baring his soul, showing all the ugly stuff to help Sophia. She really hadn’t expected to see that little downtrodden girl come to life, state her opinions, be so strong and sure. That kid was going places.

Kellen knew there was a message in there for her, too. Right now, she didn’t want to contemplate it. She stood. “I’ve got to get my bedroll. It’s at the bed-and-breakfast. Shouldn’t take me too long.” She looked hard at Sophia. “You’ll be all right?”

“Yeah. Could you...?” Sophia hesitated.

Kellen already knew what she wanted. Kellen wanted it, too. “I’ll get takeout for all of us. Okay?”

Sophia’s eyes lit, and she nodded.

“Burgers?” Ralph sounded as excited as Sophia looked.

“Yes, burgers. But no onions,” Kellen said firmly. “I’m not transporting anything with onions.”

She left the two sitting there in front of their cardboard shacks, discussing how Sophia could get an education, then a job to support her siblings. Ralph was quoting the briefer schooling and higher employment rates for technical jobs, and Sophia was eagerly asking what degrees were available.

As Kellen drove to the Good Knight Manor Bed and Breakfast, she felt an irresistible optimism rise in her. As she went through the drive-up window and got the burgers and shakes, she thought the whole Sophia thing was going to work. She’d get a job, an education, save her siblings from a rotten home life.

Ralph would listen to Sophia’s advice, find his daughter and talk to her, she’d forgive him, they’d reconcile and Ralph would get off the street and into a home.

Yeah, and Aunt Cora would recognize her niece and embrace her, Rae would somehow tell Kellen how to be a good mother and Max...well, she didn’t know what to hope for with Max. Maybe good sex. Maybe understanding. Maybe a whole big happy relationship bound up in a gold ribbon.

And maybe she was delusional.

The mere thought made her want to fall off her unicorn.

INLESSTHANan hour, Kellen returned to the food pantry, her grease-stained bag of hamburgers and fries in hand. They smelled like heaven and she started out the door toward the cardboard shack-lined alley when Bridget ran into the prep kitchen, gasping and holding the stitch in her side. “Kellen, come quickly. Outside. At his shack. Three men jumped Ralph and they’re beating him to death!”

---