Page 47 of It's Going to Be a Chrome Christmas
Mrs. Wynn shook her head. “No, I don’t think so. She tried, but he wouldn’t see her. After so many refusals, I think she stopped going.”
“What about Lee? Trix said he wasn’t a Marine anymore, but she didn’t tell me what he was doing.”
“Honestly, I don’t know. I haven’t seen or heard from Lee in years, not since Marco’s funeral. That man’s…” She hesitated before deciding on the word, “haunted. He was so thin and weary at the funeral. I got the impression he was homeless, to be honest. Wouldn’t talk to anyone, not even Trixie. He got up inthe middle of the service, pressed his hand to the coffin lid, and then walked out. I don’t think anyone has seen him since.”
Fuck. “So she’s virtually alone.”
“Is she?” For the first time since starting this conversation, Mrs. Wynn looked happy. “Trixie told me what you did for her last night.”
Cayden cleared his throat, uncomfortable with her praise. “I wished I could have stayed overnight.”
She patted his cheek. “I know, honey. You’ve got just barely a month left. You must be excited.”
He nodded. “I am. Mind you, I’ll probably starve to death the moment I leave here and your cooking.” To emphasize his point, Cayden picked up a carrot and bit off the end.
Mrs. Wynn giggled, flicking her dish towel in his direction. “I’m really happy for you two. I hope she feels like her luck has changed now that she has you.”
“It’s the other way around,” Cayden told Trixie’s surrogate aunt. “I’m the lucky one. I’ll never take that or her for granted, I swear to you.”
“You’re a good boy, Cayden Russo. Past sins aside, you are still good.” She reached forward and touched her hand to his heart. “Do yourself a favor and tell her you love her. It’ll give you both some peace.”
His eyes narrowed mockingly at her. “How do you know I haven’t already told her?”
Mrs. Wynn let out a laugh. “Because that girl would have told me if you had.” She tweaked his nose. “Plus, you look weighted. Just tell her. They’re three little words that can move mountains. She needs to hear them as much as you need to say them.”
Cayden paused, not sure he was talking to the right person but needing some advice. “What if… What if she doesn’t say it back?”
“Then you keep telling her until she does.” Mrs. Wynn turned back to the dough. “But you have nothing to worry about, dear. That girl’s head over heels for you.”
Cayden smiled widely. “Thanks, Mrs. Wynn.”
She waved him off. “Now shoo. If dinner’s late tonight, I’m blaming you.”
Cayden walked out of the kitchen, feeling marginally better. AJ’s story was tragic, but Mrs. Wynn was right. Cayden and AJ had nothing in common except their time in prison. Likely Trixie was keeping AJ’s situation to herself to keep away her own bad memories. He wanted her to share her burden with him, but also understood the pain her brother’s tragedy cost.
When Cayden entered his room, he was surprised to find a rectangular book on his bed. That hadn’t been there an hour ago when he’d left to track down Mrs. Wynn. Cayden glanced around but didn’t find anyone in his room or the hallway.
After closer inspection, Cayden realized it was a scrapbook. The thick brown leather cover was plain with only light gold stitching as decoration.
He flipped it open and saw a newspaper clipping titled.
Local Country Club Owner Brutally Slain
There was a portrait of the man with an American Flag behind it. The dual pages had multiple clippings taped across them. The biggest one was titledFallen Father a Hero.Most of the pictures accompanying the articles were of Mr. Wilson, some with his family but most on his own at his place of business. Cayden cocked his head when he saw a picture of young Addy. She looked familiar for some reason, but he couldn’t place why. He flipped through the pages until he got to a picture of the courtroom on the day of AJ’s sentencing.
AJ stood tall next to a flustered lawyer. He looked sad, even trounced. But his eyes weren’t facing in the direction of the judge or even the jury. They were on a young woman sitting in the first row. Addy. Even in the single snapshot, the two were clearly drawn to each other.
Cayden spotted a younger Trixie, Mr. and Mrs. Wynn, her father, and grandfather further back in the pews. He wondered if AJ even noticed their presence and support or if his entire attention that day had been on his girl.
At the end of the article, it stated that Antonio Jesus Romero was found guilty of manslaughter, guilty of aggravated assault, guilty of violation of a restraining order, and guilty of kidnapping. He was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole. His term would be carried out in Buford State Penitentiary.
Cayden had to reread the final paragraph many times for his mind to make sense of it. He brought the courtroom picture up closer to his face. No way!
Prison had changed him, made him gaunter. Cayden couldn’t believe he hadn’t recognized those eyes! AJ, Trixie’s brother, had been Cayden’s cellmate for two years of his sentence.
“What do you mean he called out sick? What does he have?”
Jeff shrugged. “Greg called and said he wasn’t coming in today. I honestly assumed that meant he was sick.”
