“Some other time, then.”Her voice faded, deflated.
Guilt punched me square in the gut.I felt like absolute shit for shutting her down, for ruining whatever she’d carefully put together.For disappointing someone who’d actually tried.
ChapterThirteen
ERIKA
I relaxedagainst the bank of metal cages next to Vinny and waved at Marty as she headed out.
We sat on a “clean” towel with suspicious orange stains.The marks looked like the aftermath of some ancient diarrhea or blood disaster, but neither of us cared.The towel had clearly been washed a hundred times, which scientifically made it fine.“Sorry I had to drag you to do this tonight.I took an arrow out of that dog’s chest earlier today.I had to pitch in to monitor him for a few hours.”
Petey rested comfortably in a cage, sedated on his pain medication.
Vinny glanced up from his iPad.“I stayed sometimes with Dad here.But not on a school night.It’s Friday tomorrow.Can I skip?”He stared up at me so hopeful that I wondered if there was more to it.
“It will be a late one tonight, but we should be able to get you to school.”
He deflated.“I really want to miss tomorrow.”
“Why?”
“I’ve got a spelling test.They’re doing it spelling bee style with us standing up and spelling out loud.I’m not good at that.I can spell, but I can’t do it out loud.Mrs.Tru said it should make it easier for me when I read or spell if I do it out loud, but it doesn’t.”
This kid…my heart broke for him.And for the memories it dredged up in me.
“I was trash at it too.”I worked hard to push down the nightmare of spelling tests in school.“Dyslexia.If a spelling word had more than one letter, forget it.And counseling?Yeah, been there.In school it made me feel like the official special-needs idiot, but in hindsight, I’m kind of glad they forced me into all those extra learning sessions.”
“Yeah, I got the dyslexia thing.”
“Guess that’s Dad’s gift to us.The good news is you can do well once you get it figured out.The counselors help.”I grinned.“I don’t ever have to spell out loud.I still mess up spelling or reading once in a while.”
A sparkle of hope went through his eyes.“I really don’t want to do the spelling test.”
I put my hand on his forehead.“Oh, my.I think you might have a fever.”I put a hand on my mouth in fake drama.“I think that means you can’t go to school tomorrow.”
He frowned but then smiled.“I can’t go if I have a fever.”
“Nope, you sure can’t.You need to rest.To get your fever to improve, of course.How about if you help me here and then you sleep in?”
“What you did at the pool hall place was neat.”
“Thanks.I’m good at those games.”
“Will you teach me?”His gaze pleaded me to teach him.
“Sure.First lesson: when a pretty girl asks you to bet real money on something, she’s not being cute.Assume she’s way better than you.She’s going to wipe the floor with you.Your only choice is whether you let her win or clutch your wallet and run.”
“Why would I let her win?”
“Someday, you might want to lose.”The suppressed chuckle in my mouth broke free at his scowl.
“Ain’t no girl worth losing good money over,” Vinny declared.
“Smart kid.You remember that when you’re playing against a girl you have a crush on.”
Jay had phoned earlier.I needed to call back and see if he could arrange for me to return to work on Monday instead of Sunday night.That would give me time to figure out care for Vinny up in Philly.
I patted Tracker where he’d settled in next to Vinny.
