Free All That's Missing by Sarah Sullivan Page B

was Frankie. Here he was Ronald. When could he just be himself?
    â€œYou better look at me now. We’re into some serious business here.”
    Arlo’s heart beat so hard, his throat ached.
    â€œAfter I helped you get on this bus so you could see your grandma, don’t you think you owe it to me to tell the truth?”
    â€œYes, ma’am.”
    â€œWhat about the grandmother part of your story? Is that true?”
    â€œMostly.”
    â€œMmm-mmmm.” Bernice looked up at the ceiling of the bus and shook her head. “Mostly, you say. S’pose you tell me which part of your story
is
true. Maybe that’s where we need to start.”
    Arlo swallowed. He sat up in his seat and turned halfway around to face her. “I
am
going to see my grandmother,” he said. “That part’s the truth.”
    â€œFor some reason, I feel a
but
coming on.”
    Arlo took in a slow breath and let it out again. “The thing is, she doesn’t exactly
know
I’m coming. That part’s a surprise.”
    â€œGo on.”
    â€œAnd she doesn’t exactly live in Richmond, either.”
    Bernice pursed her lips. “And just
where
exactly
does
she live?”
    â€œEdgewater.” Arlo’s shoulders felt like hollowed-out pastries, those crème-filled éclairs, only without the filling inside. “I don’t think it’s that far,” he said.
    Bernice had the saddest look on her face. It made Arlo feel awful.
    â€œWe got us a problem here, don’t we?” she said.
    â€œYes, ma’am. I guess we do.”
    â€œLord, have mercy, what are we going to do now? You have any suggestions?”
    â€œI could try getting her number from Information.”
    â€œYou think I’m gonna leave you standing in a bus station all by yourself?”
    â€œI don’t want to be any trouble.”
    â€œIt’s a little late to be worrying about that now.” Bernice fanned herself with one of the magazines from the pocket on the seat. “My son Tyrone’s picking me up in Richmond. We could give you a ride to Edgewater.”
    â€œI don’t want to take you out of your way.”
    â€œIt’s a little late to worry about that, too. I’m not leaving till I see you’re with family. You understand?”
    â€œYes, ma’am.” Arlo worked hard to breathe. It felt like someone had tied a rope around his chest. “I’m sorry,” he said.
    Bernice sighed. “I know you are. But let’s us deal with the situation we got. Something tells me there’s a big part of this story you haven’t told me. That’s all right. Maybe it’s none of my business. Besides, it’s too late to do anything about it today, other than getting you where you’re supposed to be, safe and sound. If you and I work real hard on this together, we might just manage that. All right?”
    â€œYes, ma’am.”
    â€œBut you got to tell me the truth.”
    Arlo felt another choking fit coming on. He took a deep breath to squelch it down.
    â€œWe’ll try Information when we get to Richmond. You’re going to have to promise to help. All right, son?”
    Arlo’s stomach churned. The words didn’t want to form in his mouth. It was awful to promise something he wasn’t going to do.
    â€œYes, ma’am,” he said, swallowing extra hard to keep the cheese and crackers from coming back up.

At the station in Richmond, a tall man wearing khaki pants and a blue shirt waved from the sidewalk. Bernice put down her bags and opened her arms.
    â€œTyrone!”
    The man walked over and gave her a hug.
    â€œWhat’s in the bags, Mama?”
    Bernice grinned at him. “You know I don’t like to come empty-handed.”
    The man bent down to lift one of the bags and grunted when he felt how heavy it was.
    â€œWhat in the world have you got in here? Bricks? You know you don’t need to bring