Free Forged by Fire by Sharon M. Draper Page B

years in prison. As he was taken away, Angel finally breathed deeply. Gerald watched the door close and smiled with grim satisfaction. Finally, Jordan would be in a place where he could no longer threaten them. A caseworker was assigned to the family, and it was decided that Gerald and Angel would stay with Monique for the time being.
    Mr. Washington smiled at Gerald at the end of that very long day. “My boy Rob could learn quite a bit fromyou, Gerald. You got guts! And remember, you also have me. You call me if things start to get shaky, you hear?”
    â€œI will, but we’ll be fine now. I can handle Monique. She ain’t like most mamas, but she’s all we got. We’ll do all right.”
    â€œI know you will, son. I’m sure of it.”

FOURTEEN
    A NGEL LOVED TO dance. She wore music like a graceful gown that shimmered as she moved. Even the simplest melody became a full concert—like a music video—when Angel danced to it. And Gerald loved to watch her as she danced in her bedroom late at night, and danced in the kitchen while she was getting ready for school.
    In the six years since the arrest and conviction of Jordan Sparks, music had helped Angel to heal and grow. She never had any formal dance lessons, but she made Gerald take her to every new movie that featured dancers, and she would get up in the middle of the night to watch a rerun of an old Fred Astaire movie. Whenever Angel felt sad, or guilty, or afraid, music and dancing made her feel whole again.
    Life for Gerald and Angel continued to be rough even after Jordan went off to jail. Monique never did admit that she was aware of Jordan’s abuse, but she did stop calling the children liars. She seemed to stop caring about the children at all. Sometimes she went to work,but sometimes she just slept all day. They had moved four times in the last five years because Monique forgot to pay the rent. At other times she forgot to buy groceries. A caseworker checked on the children occasionally, and she tried to encourage Monique so that the family could survive. Gerald learned to cook and shop with food stamps and wash clothes at the Laundromat. He never complained about the difficulty of taking care of his little sister; rather, Angel’s hugs and smiles kept him going. Gerald was her warrior and protector and she adored him.
    Tiger, the kitten from that terrible Christmas six years ago, was the fat and clever ruler of wherever they lived. She ate anything—broccoli, sweet rolls, even toothpaste. She never strayed far from Angel’s side and had once jumped on a dog that growled at Angel. Angel never slept without Tiger, who was the only one there to comfort her in the darkness of the night when old fears came creeping from the past.
    Angel, who was now twelve, was thin and shy. She had large eyes which sometimes were full of remembered fear. Her hair was long, brown, and fuzzy. She wore it in two long braids. She walked gracefully; her movements were never quick and jerky like those of some girls her age.
    At seventeen, Gerald was tough and stocky, with the muscles of a young man who knew hard work. He was dependable and strong, and storekeepers often paid him a few dollars to move boxes or clean up after hours.
    Every morning, after walking Angel to her school around the corner, Gerald took the bus to Hazelwood High School. He was glad that in spite of all their moving around, he could still attend Hazelwood. He had made a couple of really good friends, and was really proud that he had made the basketball team. The Hazelwood Tigers always made the high school playoffs. Two years ago they were first in the state.
    Rob’s dad had called him the day after the team roster was posted. Only fifteen boys had been chosen to wear the red uniforms of the Tigers Varsity.
    â€œCongratulations, Gerald. I’m proud of you, son.”
    Gerald wasn’t sure if Rob’s dad called everybody “son” or not, but he