Free Jack by Amanda Anderson Page A

was inked darkly on Preach’s arm.  He looked like a man sitting in that wheelchair listening to Preach.  He nodded his little head and held out his hand for Preach to shake.  Viki overheard him say, “I’ll hold you to that sir.” And she had never been more proud.  Bobby had faced so much and he had more courage than she did.
    Jack let out a chuckle.  “I wonder what that was about.”
    Viki shook her head. 
    As soon as Bobby finished she took him inside and changed him into his swim trunks.  Lamb had already blown up his swim ring and was wearing a pair of shorts of his own.  Viki donned her own swimwear and pulled on her shorts.
    She would be a part of this group today and she would figure out what to do tomorrow when the sun came up.  Right now she needed a break and she was going to take it.
     

 
     
     
    12
     
    Jack kept his eyes on Viki as she made breakfast.  He’d insisted that it wasn’t something she needed to do, but she hadn’t listened.
    “Would you stop it?  You sound like a mad dog over there.”  She said as she looked over her shoulder at him.
    “I just don’t want you to feel like you have to wait on me.”
    “I know!  I’m fixing breakfast for Bobby anyway so it’s really no trouble.”
    “Yeah, so you said.”  Jack sat back in his chair.  He didn’t like the fact that she had to go into town to take Bobby to school.  He had a bad feeling today and he wanted to keep them close.
    “You’re doing it again.”  She said while pointing at him with an egg covered spatula.
    “I wish you’d just stay here today.  One day won’t kill him.”
    “It’s silly.  There is no reason to stay home.  His school is safe and you can go with me to drop him off and pick up if you want to.  I need to go by the apartment to get a few things too.”
    “No.  Let me do that.”
    “No way!  I’m not letting you go through my stuff, just no.”
    Jack threw his hands in the air.  “You are an impossible woman.”
    “No she’s not.  She’s a good woman.”  Bobby said from the doorway.
    “Yeah Bobby I know.  She just won’t listen to reason.”
    “No!  She just won’t let you tell her what to do and you hate it.”  Bobby said with anger in his voice.
    “Bobby.  Watch your tone.  Jack isn’t being mean, he’s trying to be nice.”  Viki said as she continued at the stove.  “He’s just worried.”
    Jack looked at the kid.  He wasn’t bigger than a minute, but he jumped to Viki’s defense.  He had to admit he respected the boy.
    “I’m not forcing her to do anything, I’m trying to make her see reason, but she’s too stubborn.”
    Viki frowned at him.  “Fine, how about this then?  You go with me to grab a few clothes and then you can go back with somebody to get anything else that needs getting.”
    “Yeah that will work.”
    With that settled Viki plated his food and set in on the table.  She set Bobby’s in his spot and leaned against the sink to watch them eat.
    “And where exactly is yours?”  Jack asked with his fork halfway to his mouth.
    “She never eats anything.  Maybe a piece of toast when her hands get shaky, but she never eats.”
    “Sit. Down.”  Jack’s voice was harsher than he’d meant it to be, but he would be damned if she starved while living under his roof.
    “I’m fine.  I’ll have something later.  I didn’t fix enough for me.”
    Jack stood and strode to the cupboard.  He pulled down and other plate, grabbed a fork and filled a glass with milk.
    “I said sit.”
    “I’m not a dog you can order around.”  She stood with her arms crossed.
    Jack didn’t tell her again, but he halved his food and transferred it to her plate.
    “Eat this or we all sit right here until you do.  One thing I cannot stand is seeing someone hungry.  There’s food here and I expect you to eat all you want.”
    “I’m not hungry.”  Her stomach rumbled calling her a liar and her cheeks bloomed with color.
    “Better sit