He's determined, and I like that.
"First, start with the basics. He's going to need his own room to sleep in. You're going to need to be able to feed him, provide for him, and support him."
Amos nods his head with a grim look on his face. "That I can do. I'm getting an honorable discharge from the military, but I'll find a new job. I've got a spare room, but it needs to be set up for a child."
"Good. And you're going to need to do some parenting classes."
"Come again?" His eyes widen. "Parenting classes?"
I laugh at the look of panic on his face. "You're about to take on a six-year-old who's experienced trauma. Don't you think a little training will help?
He runs a hand through his hair. "Yeah, of course. Sign me up. Whatever it takes."
I gaze at Amos and decide about the diaries.
"There's something else you should know. In the belongings we collected from the apartment, we found a stack of exercise books."
I pull the exercise books out of my purse and plunk them on the table. There are ten of them and all with worn edges.
Amos frowns "Are they Sam's?"
"That's what we thought, but it's not his writing. It's an adult scrawl. Sam says he saw his mom writing in them."
"Diaries?" Amos sits up. "Is there anything about Jake?"
I shake my head. "I haven’t read them. They belong to Sam now, and if they were his mom's diary's then they’re private."
"Fuck that. I want to know about her and my brother." He pulls the stack of book toward him and opens the first page.
A women's cursive scrawl glides across the page. Amos stares at the writing. He closes the cover, and when he looks up at me, his expression is troubled.
"I want to know who Sam's mom was and what her relationship with Jake was like. But you're right. Those are private." He runs a hand through his hair. "I just want it all to make sense. I want to know why she never contacted Jake."
My gaze rests on the stack of exercise books. The top one has a dark ring that could be coffee. He looks so unhappy, the grieving brother, that I want to help.
"I could read through them," I offer. "See if there are any clues about Jake."
He looks up at me with hope in his eyes. "Would you?"
I nod before I have a chance to change my mind. He's grieving, and if I can help give him closure and give him answers that he may one day be able to pass on to Sam, then I'll do it.
"Sure. It might take me a while, but I'll see what I can find."
"Thank you." He leans forward. "And once all this is done,thenwe can have that dinner."
I roll my eyes at him, trying to hide my smile. "And you've got to stop asking out every woman you see."
He leans across the table, so only a few inches separate us. I feel his warm breath on my cheek.
"I'm not asking outanywoman, Alana. I'm asking outonewoman."
He holds my gaze and I swallow hard, trying to compose myself.
"I'll send you the details of the classes."
I knock my soda back and stand up. We cannot spend time around each other, or my defenses are going to be worn down.
10
