Everyone Deserves a Second Chance by Alyssa Shannon

and they know it."
Connie said with a grin and her three boys groaned. Garrett only
looked confused.
    "You guys be good.
Make sure you take good care of Garrett for me, okay?"
Marcus asked of the boys. They nodded and Brian put his arm
around Garrett's shoulder.
    "We'll take good
care of him Uncle Marcus. Don't you worry." Brian patted
Garrett on the shoulder and grinned up at Marcus.
    "Good. We'll see you
at the end of the parade then." Marcus said, tipped his hat
again, and he and Rick rode off back down the parade line.
    "That man has his
heart set on you. Give him another month or two and he's yours."
Connie said returning her attention to Brenda with a smile. "Now.
You were saying?"
    "Oh nothing."
Brenda returned her smile. "I'll just be glad when this
parade is over and done with, that's all."
    "You can say that
again." Connie said with a roll of her eyes. "Debbie
wants me to help her organize a winter dance for kids at the end
of next month."
    "But they're only in
elementary school."
    "I know I know."
Connie sighed and blew her short brown hair out of her mouth.
"Supposedly it's the in thing for all the eastern schools
right now. She read some article online from some school in
Boston that raised a fortune through their dance. You know
Debbie, she's always scheming for ways to raise money."
    "Well give her some
credit. She has done wonders for the school." Brenda turned
and started to wave to the crowd as the boys drove the wagon past
the beginning of the onlookers.
    "Oh I know, I
wouldn't discredit her there. But they're kids. Maybe she should
be working on her marriage instead of wasting her time on
something that isn't even really appropriate for kids so young."
    "There was a scene
again huh?"
    "It was awful."
    "I've tried
convincing them to come spend some time at the clinic."
Brenda offered, concerned about the worried look she saw in
Connie's eyes. "But they have to want the help first."
    "I'm just so worried
about her. How can I not help worrying about my sister? I hate to
say this, but I think she should leave him. Charlie! Stop that!"
Connie gave one of the twins a glare and he slowly lowered his
arm instead of hitting his brother again.

"I don't agree. Any marriage can work, no matter how ill
matched it is. They're not having any problems beyond normal. If
they knew how to cope with them they'd be as happy as you and
Rick are with each other."
    Connie wiped a tear from
her eye and gave Brenda a watery smile. "Listen to me
rambling on about myself. You'll start to think I'm trying to get
free therapy out of you." Connie laughed and waved with
renewed vigor to the crowd. "I just want to see them both
happy."
    "Mom! Hey Mom look!"
Lauren called as she pulled Tonka down to a walk to match stride
with the slower wagon. "I got second place! See?" She
handed her ribbon over to Brenda who took it with a smile.
    "I'm sorry honey. I
know you wanted first."
    Lauren stuck her tongue
out. "Oh well. The judge told me I was a pretty as a rose!
You know what he told Harmony? He told her that I was the only
thing that was as looked as pretty as she did!" Lauren
laughed and hugged Tonka around the neck.
    "Then who got
first?" Brenda wondered watching her daughter's delight with
amusement.
    "Harmony of course!
Don't you listen Mom? Gosh! Oh, I have to go tell Uncle Marcus."
She kicked Tonka into a trot and started back down the parade
line shouting, "Uncle Marcus look!"
    "Brian and Lauren
K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" One of the twins called to Brian who punched
him in the shoulder. Garrett giggled and fell along with the
twin's antics as they continued to tease Brian.
    "Knock it off you
two!" Connie scolded them as the wagon came to a halt at the
end of the parade. Brian jumped from the wagon and the twins took
off after him. Only Garrett remained seated with the reins in his
hands, watching the three boys as they tackled each other and
rolled in grass laughing.
    "Here Garrett, let
me show you what we do with the team while we're enjoying