Runaway? - Part 2

 Good morning!

It's a lovely morning. Cool enough to have the windows open and go walking before breakfast. Actually, this whole week has been nice. A few days we never had to turn the AC on. And Sis and I have walked a mile every day. I've missed getting out and walking.

This week has not been a writing week, but I've gotten other things done. As some of you may have noticed, I was interviewed on Once Upon an Ordinary, and then Kate reviewed one of my books, and then I did a guest post over there for her all about writing short stories. But that wasn't what kept me from writing. I was just busy with other projects:

• Kate designed a cover for "Lawrence & Lenexa" and gave it a new title "Summer Light" which fits so well!
• I've tried to get a few blog posts written.
• There have been organizing and cleaning out that I've been doing.
• This year's Christmas Collection story was edited, so I made corrections and added to the final scene.
• Oh, I updated many pages on my website! Including the Home page. (hint: you can see a cover of Summer Light on there)

Today all my nieces and nephews except my oldest are spending most of the day over here. My oldest niece (who has a birthday today!) will be shopping with her parents. (Happy 16th birthday, Pickle Puss!  It's been a long time since I called you that. :)) Anyway, today will be busy.

I hope you enjoy this next part of this little story.

 

Runaway?

Part 2

    Gil came over and leaned on the counter. His clean white shirt was unbuttoned at the collar, and his sleeves were rolled partway up. Thin dark hair was brushed back on his head, and a smile turned up one side of his mouth. “Hi there.”
    “Hi.”
    “Gil, Jerry here is headed to the White House.” Officer Rockwell hoped his friend would pick up on what he wasn’t saying. All his wondering was put to rest when Gil spoke.
    “You don’t say! The White House in Washington?” Gil looked impressed. “I’ve never been that far east before. I went west during the war. Say now, young fella, are you planning on walking the whole way?”
    Jerry gave a half shrug.
    “It’s a mighty long way, but if you’re heading that far, you’re going to need a good meal. What’ll you have?” And Gil straightened up.
    “I only have ten cents,” Jerry admitted, looking first at Gil and then at Rockwell.
    “That’ll get you just about anything,” Gil told him. “And what about you, Rock? Want your usual?”
    Rock gave a nod. “Sure do. No one makes spaghetti like you do.” He turned to the boy beside him. “How about you, Jerry? Want spaghetti?”
    Jerry shook his head. “I want a sandwich.”
    “Ham?” Gil asked.
    Jerry nodded.
    “I’ll take those orders back to the kitchen and will be right back.” And Gil moved down the counter, leaving the boy alone with Officer Rockwell.
    This was what Rockwell wanted, and he leaned over. “Say, Jerry, how old are you?”
    “Almost seven.”
    “That’s mighty grown up, but it’s a long way to Washington D.C. Where are you going to sleep?”
    Jerry patted the sleeping roll he had across his lap. “I’ll sleep out under the stars in this. It won’t be too cold since it’s summer.”
    “That’s true,” Rockwell said musingly. “But what if it rains? I heard the man on the radio say we might get some thunderstorms tonight.” Rockwell shook his head. “I wouldn’t want to be sleeping out in a storm. Would you, Gil?”
    Leaning once more on the counter, Gil looked from one face to the other. “Sleep outside in a storm? Well, I’ve done it before, and I don’t recommend it. You get all wet, and your bed and clothes get wet, not to mention how loud that thunder can be. Besides, if you’re going to see the president, you don’t want to show up all dirty.” Gil shook his head slowly. “No, sir. I wouldn’t recommend walking the whole way. Now a bus might be a good way to get there.”
    Rockwell nodded. “Yep, that’s how I’d go.” Then he stopped as if a thought had just occurred to him. “Jerry, I don’t see how you can take a bus though if you’ve only got ten cents.”
    Jerry said not a word, and Rockwell wondered what he was thinking but didn’t feel that he should ask yet.
    “What made you decide to go to Washington today, sonny?” questioned Gil, his tones curious. “Or have you been traveling some time?”

*

    Jerry’s hands fiddled with the rope around his sleeping roll. What should he tell them? It was wrong to lie, but he didn’t want to go back home.
    “I started this morning. I didn’t hear anything about storms,” he admitted at last.
    “Oh.”
    Jerry wondered what Gil’s tone meant. It had sounded somewhat like his dad’s voice when he knew more than Jerry hoped he did.
    A little bell rang, and Gil disappeared for a moment, only to return with their lunch. Officer Rockwell took off his cap and set it on the counter. “I always pray before I eat, Jerry,” he said.
    Quietly Jerry folded his hands and bowed his head.
    “Heavenly Father, thank You for this food that You have given. Thank You for Jerry’s company. I do ask that You would help Jerry know what he should do about his trip. Keep us safe today, I ask. In Your Son’s Name. Amen.”
    No one spoke for some minutes as Jerry and Officer Rockwell enjoyed their lunches. Gil busied himself on the other side of the counter doing something, though Jerry didn’t know what.
    “You know,” Gil said thoughtfully after several minutes, coming over and resting one elbow on the counter, “you never did tell me why you were heading to Washington? Oh, I heard you were going to see the president, but what about? You have important matters to discuss with him?”
    Right then Jerry was thankful for his mom’s constant admonitions not to talk with food in his mouth, for he had just taken a large bite, and this gave him a chance, a polite one, to think. He stole a glance at Officer Rockwell, but he didn’t even seem to be listening, for he was concentrating on his spaghetti. Maybe it would be okay to tell.
    “I was hoping I could live with him.”
    “What for? Don’t you have a good home?” Gil asked.

Have you seen the cover for Summer Light?

What advice would you give Jerry if you were there?

How has your week been?

 

P.S. The Prequel of  the Woodbreak series is Free on Amazon right now.