Free Judging Joey by Elizabeth John

had just mentioned tugged at his memory.
    Caitlin shrugged. “Thank goodness it turned up.”
    His mother and aunt called from the kitchen to help set the table. Lots of chatter followed everyone as they left the kitchen, including Christopher, who rattled on about the carnival as he carried a basket of rolls to the dining room table.
    Joey drowned them and the clanking of silverware out as he imagined a redheaded girl sitting alone and eating a microwavable dinner. Madeline must have never experienced a moment like this growing up. No matter how much he complained about his family, he wouldn’t change this for anything.
    He doubted Madeline White would say the same about her family. Life had not handed her a deck of winning cards.
    His neck tensed and he got that feeling he sometimes did when he was on duty and he knew something was about to go down. “I remember Scott telling the team about some girl who crashed the party. He claimed some redheaded chick from the school newspaper went ballistic when she realized I wasn’t there and started to throw food and drinks around and stole Mom’s jewelry.”
    He stared at his sister. How could they have been so blind? “Don’t you see? Miss Madeline White must have been that redheaded girl.”
    Madeline checked her watch. One o’clock. Careful not to tug on Rusty’s leash, she kept time jogging alongside Sabrina and her dog, Pepper. “Not bad,” she said, wiping sweat out of her eyes. “Ready for a cool down?”
    Sabrina nodded. “Let’s hit the dog park afterward so we can really chat.”
    “Sounds good. Then I have to head back. My dentist appointment took longer than expected this morning. Thank God, we have dental insurance at work.”
    Sabrina shrugged. “It’s decent enough, but it could be better. At least your teeth won’t fall out.”
    Madeline laughed it off, but she found it far from amusing. Fact was, her teeth could fall out if she wasn’t diligent about her dental hygiene. “At least we have some insurance.”
    Slowing down to an easy jog, Sabrina looked sheepish. “Sorry. That was insensitive.”
    “Don’t worry about it.”
    Sabrina stopped abruptly and grabbed Madeline’s forearm with a clammy hand. “No, I need to check myself before inserting foot into mouth.” She pointed to her well-worn grayish sneakers.
    The image of where those sneakers had just been, and Sabrina literally putting one into her mouth, made Madeline chuckle. “Okay, that’s just gross.”
    Sabrina’s grip tightened. “It’s not your fault no one made sure you brushed your teeth, or had fluoride treatments, or went to the dentist.” Sabrina studied her with such concern in her eyes Madeline couldn’t help but hug her. Sweat and all.
    Madeline knew her friend meant well, so she would never question her motives. Sabrina was the closest thing she had ever had to a sister. “Forget it. Let’s go to the dog park.”
    They stopped briefly at their cars for reusable plastic water bottles, sports towels, and portable water bowls for the dogs. At the dog park, they got water from the drinking fountains and filled up the collapsible bowls for the dogs.
    The dogs lapped up the water and soon took off when the women released them. While Sabrina gulped water from the fountain and then filled her bottle, Madeline stole a glance at her friend of several years and recalled when they had first met. Both had volunteered at the local dog shelter, and they had immediately bonded. Been inseparable since. It was Sabrina who told her of the teacher opening at their school and helped her get a job there.
    Madeline had quit her former teaching job at a private school to take care of her aunt when she had taken a turn for the worse. Aunt Patty’s failing health became too much for her uncle to handle all by himself. Madeline and Uncle Mark both refused the doctors’ suggestions of putting her into hospice care. Aunt Patty wanted to stay at home as long as possible. When her aunt passed