Page 104 of Lucky Boys
“Dad said I’m not supposed to talk to anyone.”
“Is that your dad, the man you live with?”
Sawyer nodded. “Yeah. I don’t wanna live with him, but he said Momma doesn’t want me anymore so I gotta.”
That fucking asshole. “Your mom does want you, Sawyer.”
He got suspicious again. I took a slow step toward him.
“How do you know?”
“Because my friend, Wes, he talked to her. And your grandpa.”
“Pop-Pop,” Wes interjected. “He calls him Pop-Pop.”
“Your Pop-Pop?” I added. Sawyer pushed the blanket down some.
“H-he talked to them?”
“Yeah, and they miss you a lot. They’ve been looking for you.”
“They have?”
“Every day, Sawyer. I can bring you to your mom.”
He looked like he was about to trust me but then stopped. “Dad said people might say that. That they’d try to trick me because I’m little and not very smart.”
“That piece of shit,” Skye muttered. “Can I hit him again, Mav?”
“He’s unconscious.”
“So?”
“You’re super smart, Sawyer. I might’ve just met you, but I can tell. And I promise you, I’m telling you the truth. You want me to prove it to you?”
“Yeah.” He looked so eager, I could only pray I’d get him out of here easily.
“Your momma has been sleeping with Scruffy every night. She said he was lonely in your bed without you.”
“Momma has Scruffy!” Wes had told me about his stuffed animal sheep, thinking it might get Sawyer to trust me.
“Yup. She’s waiting to give it back to you.”
Sawyer stood up. “I really don’t have to stay here with Dad? He scares me sometimes.”
“Nope. We’ll get you home to Momma and Pop-Pop, I promise.” I held out my hand and nearly screamed with joy when Sawyer took it.
“You got shoes, little man? I don’t want you to go outside barefoot. We’re gonna have to take you out of the house.”
“Then I can talk to Momma?”
“Yes.” I hoped.
“I’ll get her on the phone as soon as you’re out of there, Brooks,” Wes told me. Thank fuck for Wes.
Sawyer led me to the closet and got out a pair of Spider-Man slippers.
“Cool slippers, little man.” He beamed.
