Free Against the Wind, Season 2, Episode 1 (Rising Storm) by Rebecca Zanetti Page A

leave.”
    The little girl nodded.
    Finally, they stopped in front of the Cuppa Joe bakery. “All right. We’re going to celebrate our new plan of talking about feelings instead of hiding them or unlocking doors.” He winked at his baby girl.
    She held his hand, heading into the bakery. “Grandma!” Releasing him, she rushed toward Alice Johnson, who was standing at the counter and paying for a container of cupcakes from Marisol Moreno, the store owner.
    Alice dropped and hugged the little girl, her face swathed in smiles. “There’s my girl.”
    Bryce walked toward them and leaned over to hug Alice. “It’s good to see you.”
    Alice hugged him hard. “Rough day, huh?” She pushed her graying hair away from her deep blue eyes.
    “Yeah.” He shook his head. “Thank goodness for Sara Jane.”
    Alice pointed toward the far counter. “Go check out those cupcakes, Carol.”
    With a happy squeal, the girl ran over to look at the green frog-shaped cupcakes.
    Alice turned toward Bryce. “I’m not sure if Tara has had a chance to talk to you, but Zeke and I would love to give her Pringles.”
    “The pony?” Bryce rubbed his chin. “Are you sure?”
    “Yes.” Alice kept an eye on Carol. “She loves the pony, and maybe taking care of him will give her self-esteem and a sense of accomplishment. Plus, we’d get to see her more.” The woman grinned.
    Bryce waited until Alice looked at him. “That’s really sweet of you. Thanks.”
    Surprise flashed across Alice’s face, to be quickly banished. “You bet.”
    The door opened and Bryce half turned to see his sister walk inside. “Kristin.”
    “Hi.” She cleared her throat and clasped her hands together, her blue eyes bloodshot. “I, ah, saw you come in here.”
    Alice looked from one to the other. “Why don’t Carol and I eat a cupcake together over by the display and I can tell her about Pringles? You two can have a nice chat.” Without waiting for a reply, she headed for her granddaughter.
    Bryce nodded. “Two vanilla lattes, Marisol.” He gestured toward the other side of the bakery, and Kristin walked over to take a seat.
    Marisol made the lattes, and Bryce paid, heading over to hand one to his sister. “Here you go.”
    She had her russet hair up in a fancy knot and was wearing makeup.
    He took a drink of his coffee. “You’re just out and about?”
    “Yes. Running errands.”
    Uh, huh. “I like your hair.”
    She gingerly touched the side. “Thanks.”
    “What errands?” he asked evenly.
    She shrugged. “You know. Bank, the post office, the pharmacy.”
    Yeah. He’d figured that one. “So you wanted to talk to me?”
    “Bad news.” She drew out an envelope from her purse. “The institution is increasing its monthly rate by three hundred dollars, but we can’t get an increase in her state stipend until her next review, and that’s almost a full year away. I can pay for half, but that’s all I have.”
    He sighed and took the envelope. “The last thing I want to spend money on is that woman.”
    Kristin took a drink of her brew. “I agree. Our mom is a total bitch.”
    Bryce didn’t even frown at the expletive. When a noun fit, it really fit. “Agreed.”
     

Chapter Nine
    Kristen allowed the sweetened coffee to warm her belly. She hadn’t missed the look in Bryce’s eyes when she’d mentioned the pharmacy, but they had other things to worry about. “If we stop paying, they’ll force her into a different institution, and it’s going to suck the life out of us dealing with new doctors and administrators.”
    “I know.” Bryce shoved the envelope in his pocket. “I’ll take care of it.”
    “No. We both will.”
    His face darkened. “That woman made our childhood a living hell, and here we are, spending our hard-earned money, funds we could put anywhere else, on her care. I believe in God, but I just don’t understand how she’s still among the living.”
    “The whole ‘good die young’ philosophy certainly