Free Sins of September by Graysen Blue Page A

and from your grandparents,” he explains. “We agreed when they were here that you really need some wheels of your own. So they paid for half of it.”
    “But my birthday isn’t until Saturday,” I say, and then wonder why the hell that makes any difference.
    “I know when your birthday is,” he replies, “But I just couldn’t wait. I had to see your face when you saw it tonight.” And in that moment he seems like a kid himself.
    I run to him and wrap my arms around his neck, hugging him tightly and savoring the feeling of closeness we have, and for this occasion, I know that it’s a perfectly appropriate reaction. His arms encircle me and he hugs me back.
    “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” I repeat over and over, and beyond him I can see the curtains part in Casey’s kitchen and she looks out upon the both of us, taking in the whole scene, including my new car.
    I catch her eye and give her a big smile. She turns quickly away and closes the curtains.
    “Now,” he says, releasing his arms from me too soon. “This is a used car, but it’s been well-maintained, and it only has a little over a hundred thousand miles on it. If you keep it maintained, you can easily double or triple that, so it’s gonna teach you some responsibility too. There’s more to maintaining a vehicle than just putting gas and oil into it, hear?”
    “Yes, Jesse.”
    He’s on a roll. “There are periodic oil changes, tire rotation and alignment, tune-ups, brake inspections, and I’ll be here to teach you how to keep it on a good maintenance schedule.”
    “There’s just one problem,” I say.
    “What’s that?”
    “I don’t have my license yet.”
    “We’re gonna fix that tomorrow. Ruth mailed me your certification of completion in Driver’s Ed and your documented training mileage log so I’ve checked and all you need to do is take your final test.”
    Once again, I am compelled to give a high-pitch squeal of delight, wrapping my arms around him one more time. “You’re the best ever!”
    The warmth of his body touching mine is reminiscent of an earlier time. It’s a memory from my childhood. From another birthday years back.
    I think it was my eighth birthday. Mama had baked me a clown cake and she let me push eight little colored candles into it after supper. She was getting the ice cream out, and had warned me not to light the candles. Totally disregarding her instructions, I flicked her Bic, turning it upside down to light the wick of the first candle. Of course, the flame hadn’t followed, snaking up my thumb and burning the hell out of it. Mama turned when she heard my scream, running over and smacking the lighter out of my hands, yelling at me for being so stupid.
    Jesse had come into the kitchen, hearing the ruckus. He immediately went straight to the freezer, grabbing ice cubes and wrapping them in a paper towel. He picked me up and placed me on his lap, holding the wrapped ice up against my throbbing thumb. His kind and soothing words had been the first-aid I needed.
    “Now don’t forget to call your grandparents in the morning to thank them too,” he reminded me pulling away.
    “I will,” I promise, wishing our bodies didn’t have to be distanced; and that it was a perfectly normal thing for us to cling to one another. No special occasion or injury was required to precipitate our touching one another.

Chapter 15
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    It’s early October—two weeks after my birthday. I’ve successfully passed my driving test and am now proud to be a certified holder of a valid driver’s license issued by the state of Arkansas.
    It’s Friday and I have some great weekend plans. I pull into the driveway and am surprised to see Jesse’s truck pulled up in the garage.
    Gathering my books and discarded jacket, I get out of the car and go into the house hoping like hell that there’s no bad news. Seeing him sitting in the living room, his cell up to his ear, I breathe a sigh of relief.
    “I’m not sure what to