nice gesture offering the food and sunshine. She almost didn’t want to go back just now, but the idea of curling up on her comfortable overstuffed sofa sounded like heaven.
“Yes. Let’s. We’re sure to find a video store in Ocean City, and we do have to feed your babies.”
He grunted at that information but found that he wasn’t all that uncaring about the projected evening. He would have to be careful, though. He was beginning to feel too manly again. He was recognizing the fact that she was having an effect on him. Maybe it was good, maybe it wasn’t. He still didn’t know who had sent her or why. He still didn’t know if she was for real or some cruel trick of fate. He still couldn’t identify the feelings she stirred in him; wasn’t sure he should.
As they approached the jewelry store owned by the sweet old folks, their attention was immediately drawn to two young men making a hasty but hopefully unobtrusive exit from the shop. Each man held a feed sack as they dashed from the shop toward their old, battered yellow pickup truck.
Sterling felt Joe tense beneath the hand she had tucked in the crook of his elbow. Their suspicions were confirmed at the exact time the elderly lady came shuffling out of the shop, her fist raised in the air.
70
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Sterling’s Reasons
Her voice was almost lost over the roar of the pickup as it started moving away from the curb. “Help. Somebody stop them. They robbed us!” Her husband was right behind her, putting an arm around her trying to coax her back into the store. She’d have none of it. She stood on the sidewalk and continued to shake her fist at the two men jumping in the truck, tears rolling down her pink cheeks.
The entire scenario was in jerky slow motion, like a very old newsreel at a Saturday afternoon matinee. Sterling would have sworn to it. She was nailed to the spot by disbelief and shock as were the other people who slowly became aware of what was going on. She wanted to move…she wanted to stop them. She felt instinctively that Joe would click into action.
Sterling pulled her arm free from Joe, figuring he would make a run for them now. There were only two of them and he could surely catch them quickly enough. The truck wasn’t making much headway as the driver revved the engine and pulled the stick into gear, grinding it.
She found her voice, “Joe! Get them! Don’t let them get away!”
The wheels peeled rubber as the truck skidded away from the curb and down Main Street. People stood riveted to their spots, staring disbelievingly.
Other shopkeepers came to the sidewalk to talk among themselves and offer kind words to the proprietors. Kids soon ignored the incident and went back to their games.
Suddenly Sterling could feel her pulse tripping at her temple. Her throat was dry and she felt the anger and indignation that came with the realization of what she was witnessing. She turned to look at Joe, to try to understand why he hadn’t made an attempt to stop the thieves. She couldn’t hide her disappointment. She didn’t even try. Joe returned her stare. He seemed to have completely distanced himself from her…from what just happened.
www.samhainpublishing.com
71
Joey Light
Sterling slapped a killing look on Joe and went into the shop to help settle the couple. The elderly man was calling the police.
The little old lady was crying, weeping into a lacy handkerchief and sitting on a stool in the back room. Sterling put her hands on the woman’s shoulders and hugged her. “They’ll find them. They’ll get your money back.” She tried to smile up at Sterling through teary eyes only to break down again. Her husband came back to hold her hand.
“They took our wedding rings,” she cried anew. “It wasn’t enough that they took all they could, they had to take our rings. We’ve had those rings for over fifty years.” She wept uncontrollably into her husband’s shirt.
He looked over her head and smiled
“Yes. Let’s. We’re sure to find a video store in Ocean City, and we do have to feed your babies.”
He grunted at that information but found that he wasn’t all that uncaring about the projected evening. He would have to be careful, though. He was beginning to feel too manly again. He was recognizing the fact that she was having an effect on him. Maybe it was good, maybe it wasn’t. He still didn’t know who had sent her or why. He still didn’t know if she was for real or some cruel trick of fate. He still couldn’t identify the feelings she stirred in him; wasn’t sure he should.
As they approached the jewelry store owned by the sweet old folks, their attention was immediately drawn to two young men making a hasty but hopefully unobtrusive exit from the shop. Each man held a feed sack as they dashed from the shop toward their old, battered yellow pickup truck.
Sterling felt Joe tense beneath the hand she had tucked in the crook of his elbow. Their suspicions were confirmed at the exact time the elderly lady came shuffling out of the shop, her fist raised in the air.
70
www.samhainpublishing.com
Sterling’s Reasons
Her voice was almost lost over the roar of the pickup as it started moving away from the curb. “Help. Somebody stop them. They robbed us!” Her husband was right behind her, putting an arm around her trying to coax her back into the store. She’d have none of it. She stood on the sidewalk and continued to shake her fist at the two men jumping in the truck, tears rolling down her pink cheeks.
The entire scenario was in jerky slow motion, like a very old newsreel at a Saturday afternoon matinee. Sterling would have sworn to it. She was nailed to the spot by disbelief and shock as were the other people who slowly became aware of what was going on. She wanted to move…she wanted to stop them. She felt instinctively that Joe would click into action.
Sterling pulled her arm free from Joe, figuring he would make a run for them now. There were only two of them and he could surely catch them quickly enough. The truck wasn’t making much headway as the driver revved the engine and pulled the stick into gear, grinding it.
She found her voice, “Joe! Get them! Don’t let them get away!”
The wheels peeled rubber as the truck skidded away from the curb and down Main Street. People stood riveted to their spots, staring disbelievingly.
Other shopkeepers came to the sidewalk to talk among themselves and offer kind words to the proprietors. Kids soon ignored the incident and went back to their games.
Suddenly Sterling could feel her pulse tripping at her temple. Her throat was dry and she felt the anger and indignation that came with the realization of what she was witnessing. She turned to look at Joe, to try to understand why he hadn’t made an attempt to stop the thieves. She couldn’t hide her disappointment. She didn’t even try. Joe returned her stare. He seemed to have completely distanced himself from her…from what just happened.
www.samhainpublishing.com
71
Joey Light
Sterling slapped a killing look on Joe and went into the shop to help settle the couple. The elderly man was calling the police.
The little old lady was crying, weeping into a lacy handkerchief and sitting on a stool in the back room. Sterling put her hands on the woman’s shoulders and hugged her. “They’ll find them. They’ll get your money back.” She tried to smile up at Sterling through teary eyes only to break down again. Her husband came back to hold her hand.
“They took our wedding rings,” she cried anew. “It wasn’t enough that they took all they could, they had to take our rings. We’ve had those rings for over fifty years.” She wept uncontrollably into her husband’s shirt.
He looked over her head and smiled
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