Free Promising Angela by Kim Vogel Sawyer Page A

the score disappeared and was replaced with the image of a pair of spectators—two women wearing baseball caps and waving banners.
    Ben whistled and poked Kent with his elbow. “Hey, some pretty girls, huh? What do you think, Kent?”
    Kent shook his head, scowling. “An–ge–la is … pretty.” He grinned. “She … is my … girlfriend. She visits … me.”
    Ben fought the wave of worry that welled up. Keeping an intentionally light tone, he said, “Oh, yeah? When does she visit you?”
    “Work. Home from … work.” Kent chomped down on another bite of pizza. “I see her … in lobby.”
    The worry from earlier in the day magnified with this new information. Apparently she hadn’t heeded his warning about Kent’s misinterpretation of her intentions. Remembering how she’d spouted her intent to be friends with Kent, he felt his ire grow.
Stubborn woman! Can’t she listen to reason?
And now that he knew she’d been found guilty of a crime that warranted community service as a punishment, he was even more concerned about Kent spending time with her.
    Since Angela hadn’t made Kent understand a relationship beyond friendship wasn’t possible, he was left with the difficult task of crushing his cousin. He took a deep breath, prayed for the right words, and tapped Kent’s arm.
    “Hey, Kent?”
    Kent pulled his gaze away from the television and offered a little grunt at the interruption of the game.
    “I have to tell you something … about Angela.”
    “An–ge–la?” The expectant look in his cousin’s eyes took Ben back fifteen years to seventh grade and the first all-school party. Kent had had a crush on Macie Warren, and he’d sent Ben over to see if she’d go with him to the party. Macie said no, and Ben had been faced with telling Kent the bad news. He could still see the eager hope in Kent’s eyes as he’d walked back from the giggling group of girls.
    He swallowed. It was just as hard today as it had been back then. “You see, Kent, Angela is a real nice girl, but …” He took in another fortifying breath. “She really isn’t your girlfriend, is she?”
    Kent began rocking in his wheelchair, his face tightening into a scowl.
    Ben grabbed his arm to make him sit still.
    Kent jerked loose, his scowl deepening. “An–ge–la is … my … girlfriend,” he spat the words.
    Ben shook his head. “Your friend, Kent. Your friend, but not your girlfriend.”
    Swinging his hand, Kent whacked the pizza box from the table. The remaining two pieces flew to the floor, one upside down. “You go!”
    The anger tore at Ben’s heart. “Listen, Kent, I’m not trying to upset you, but—”
    “Go! Go! Go!” Kent repeated the word at top volume, his face red, until his voice sounded hoarse.
    Someone knocked on the door, and it swung open before Ben could get up. Kent’s resident caretaker rushed into the room. She seemed surprised to see Ben sitting on the couch. “What’s going on?”
    “Go!” Kent yelled again, pointing a finger at Ben.
    The caretaker crouched beside Kent’s wheelchair. “Kent, I’ll take Ben outside. You calm down, okay? When he’s outside, will you be all right?”
    Kent nodded his head, his hair flopping. “Ben … go!”
    The woman stood and grabbed Ben’s arm to escort him to the hallway. After closing the door, she said, “What happened in there? I haven’t seen Kent that upset in ages!”
    Ben hung his head. “I told him something he didn’t want to hear.” His heart ached. His cousin’s fury spoke so clearly of the pain Ben had caused.
    “Was it necessary to tell him?”
    Ben nodded. “Yeah. I really believe it was.”
    “Well, from past experience, I know it won’t take him long to calm down if we give him some space.” She sighed, looking toward the closed door. “I’ll stay here and listen. If it sounds as if he’s tearing the place apart, I’ll go right in. Otherwise, I’ll give him ten minutes or so then help clean up the mess he