Free Our Daily Bread by Lauren B. Davis

say, especially girls.”
    â€œWhat are they picking on Ivy for? And why isn’t the school doing anything about it? Nobody’s called us. Nobody’s told us a damn thing.”
    â€œHey, don’t shoot the messenger, Tom. If we thought it was really serious, of course the school would be in touch. It’s not like that. I just thought you should know. It’ll all blow over, of course, and next week I’m sure they’ll be on to somebody else. You know . . . She’s so sweet . . .”
    Rita reached out and put her hand on his arm and then took it away again. Gabrielle rolled down the window and yelled, “Mom, I’m going to be late!”
    â€œHang on a minute! Look Tom, it’s all schoolyard nonsense. No one holds any store by it. It’s all for effect.”
    â€œI’ll talk to her.”
    â€œI know you will. You’re a fantastic father.”
    Gabrielle hollered again. “I have to go.”
    â€œRita, listen, I’m really sorry about Harry.”
    She looked at him, her expression sad and weary. “Life just doesn’t turn out like we planned, does it, Tom? See you around.”
    Tom paid Ed, not really listening to what he was saying about poker or how good Rita looked these days, now that she was single again. All Tom could think was Ivy, getting teased like that and not saying anything. He didn’t have the faintest idea how to deal with it. Driving along Franklin, he scowled at every face he saw. The world was full of shadows, places where things were happening that he couldn’t see. So much could happen when you weren’t looking, when you weren’t paying attention. Look what happened to Rita and Harry. Look how that ended up. A horn sounded and Tom slammed on the brake just as he was about to run a red light. The driver in a landscaping truck swore as he passed. Tom shook his head, realized he was trembling. See? Just like that, you weren’t looking and then everything changed.

Chapter Seven
    Proverbs 11:19. “
As righteousness leads to life, so he that pursues evil pursues it to his own death.”
When a good man dies he not only goes to heaven, drawn thither by the natural forces of spiritual gravity, by the approval of God and angels, but when a good man dies he goes to heaven by the common consent of every intelligent creature in the world. When a bad man dies he not only goes to hell, drawn thither by the natural forces of spiritual gravity, not only by the approval of God and His angels, but when a bad man dies he goes to hell by the common consent of every man in the world.

    â€”Reverend Sam P. Jones,
visiting preacher, Church of Christ Returning, 1885

    Albert stepped into mavericks first , with Bobby on his heels. Since that day by the bridge, Albert managed to run into Bobby six or seven times as the kid walked home from school. He was always alone, except for one instance, when Bobby had been with a group of jocks who clearly only tolerated the skinny, sunken-chest boy. On that occasion Albert passed on by with only a toot of the truck horn. The other times they’d gone for a drive, talking about Bobby’s family, mostly. He said his little sister was a prissy pain in the ass. According to Bobby, neither of his parents gave a shit what he did as long as he didn’t get into trouble. There was trouble in the Evanses’ marriage, apparently, but Bobby wouldn’t elaborate. Albert didn’t push. There was no rush. And today was a big day. Today he’d get the kid his first beer in a real bar.
    Maverick’s was a long room—the ancient, battered wooden bar on one side, with a mirror behind it, and a few tables on the other. In the murky light beyond that lurked a row of booths, tall backed, favoured spot of those wanting to do a little quiet business in private. A cigarette-burned pool table and a few stools were tucked into an alcove off the bar. Stevie Ray Vaughn’s guitar