Free Tomorrow's Lies (Promises #1) by S.R. Grey Page B

back. “He really helped me a lot. I don’t think I ever would have made it for so long without him. He was a runaway, too, at the time, but he’d been out on his own for a lot longer than I had. He knew things, like which fast food restaurants didn’t lock their dumpsters at night and who dumped the most food. He also knew the best places to panhandle, and where it was safe to sleep.”
    “He sounds amazing,” I say. “Was he fifteen at the time, too?”
    “No, he was seventeen when I met him, almost eighteen.”
    Mandy stares at the wall behind me, and I know she’s lost in a memory. Maybe she’s thinking about what Josh might be doing right now, maybe she’s wondering if he still thinks of her, the way she’s thinking of him on a stormy April night.
    Mandy clears her throat. “Oh, I should tell you something else about Josh. Something that kind of makes him…well, him. He’s a really talented musician.”
    “Wow, that’s pretty cool.”
    “Yeah, it is. He used to play gigs around town, mostly in coffee shops. He sang a capella, at first, since he had no money for an instrument. But once he earned enough cash, he bought himself a pawned guitar. He was really catching on about the time I got picked up.”
    “Picked up? What’d you do?”
    “Something stupid.” Mandy makes a face. “I got arrested for shoplifting a donut and was thrown back in the system.”
    “Ugh, that sucks.”
    “Yeah, it sucked big time. Josh had been saving money at the time. We were hoping to get ourselves an apartment. There’s this state program Josh knew of where you can apply for subsidized housing.”
    I perk up. “Wow, really? I might be interested in that. After I get out, that is.”
    “We’ll keep in touch,” Mandy says. “Once I hook up with Josh, I’ll get the details for you.”
    I like the idea, and I ask, “Do you think Josh has his own place by now?”
    “He may, Jaynie. I sure hope so. But if not, we’ll find one together.”
    Curious, I ask, “How do you plan to get in touch with him?”
    Mandy smiles a we got that covered grin. “We worked out a plan ages ago. After I get to Morgantown I’m supposed to wait at our secret spot every evening at sunset. He’ll find me. He knows I’ll be there shortly after my birthday.”
    “Secret spot, huh?” I can’t help but smile. “That sounds romantic.”
    Mandy snickers softly. “Yeah, I guess it does. We had a little home set up under an overpass, right along the river. Josh used to play guitar at night and sing me to sleep. That’s where we plan to meet.”
    “He sounds really sweet.”
    “He is, Jaynie, he really is. And we’re going to have the life we want together. I figure if I get a job right away, and Josh is earning money from working and playing music, we can apply to be foster parents. That’s my real plan, Jaynie, to foster the twins. I just want to get them out of here. And eventually I hope to adopt Cody and Callie. I want to officially become their mom.”
    “The twins do love you,” I say. “I think it’s a great idea.”
    Mandy’s plan is amazing. Callie already told me she wants nothing more than for Mandy to become her mom, and I’m sure Cody feels the same way. Silently, I send up a prayer for everything to work out for Mandy and Josh, and for Cody and Callie, especially. I send up a quick prayer for Flynn, too, just in case he has a plan, as well.
    Mandy glances over her shoulder at Callie, then back at me. “Do you want to hear the twins’ story?” she asks. “I can tell you how they ended up in foster care, if you want to know.”
    “Of course I want to know,” I reply. And I do. I want to learn as much about my new family as possible.
    “Well,” Mandy says. “I should start by telling you the twins have been in the system since they were four.”
    “How’d they end up orphaned at such a young age?” I ask.
    Mandy glances over at Callie once more, to make sure she’s asleep. When she turns back, she says,