Free Angel Landing by Alice Hoffman

street from my office window. I wondered if Finn would really return, or if he would appear to me only once. My morning appointments each seemed to last hours, days; and at lunchtime, when I went across the street to Ruby’s Café, I found I couldn’t eat the sandwich I ordered, even coffee seemed much too heavy. My three-o’clock appointment was with Jack, the young truant, and I dreaded our meeting; often Jack failed to speak one word during our fifty-minute session. This week, however, was quite different; this week he had decided to talk about his aspirations.
    â€œWhat I’d really like,” Jack confessed, “is a motorcycle.”
    I didn’t bother to turn from the window to answer. “Oh, Jack,” I said, annoyed that he was no more realistic than he had been on the day he was first dragged into my office by the high-school truant officer. “It’s eighteen degrees out there. No one drives a motorcycle in this sort of weather.”
    â€œNot for now,” Jack said dreamily. “I’d ride it this summer.”
    â€œReally?” I said. “Your family can’t afford anything like that. With no education and no job, how are you ever going to get yourself a motorcycle?”
    Jack blinked. “I know I’m not really going to get one.”
    I looked over at the boy, wondering if I had been too rough.
    â€œIt’s all up to you,” I said. “I’m sure if you really want something badly enough, you’ll manage to get it.”
    â€œNo,” Jack said softly. He ran a hand through his fine long hair. “I’ll never have a motorcycle. I was just dreaming about it.”
    Jack stared at the carpet, but his eyes blinked rapidly, holding back tears.
    â€œI’m sure you’ll have a motorcycle someday,” I said.
    Jack shook his head. “No, I never will.”
    There was a knock at the door, and I was grateful to have reason to look away from poor Jack.
    â€œYes?” I called.
    Emily opened the door a crack and peered inside. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t want to interrupt, but there’s someone here who claims to have an appointment.”
    I bit my lip; it had to be him: early for his appointment, Michael Finn.
    â€œJack,” I said, “would you mind if the session ended now?”
    â€œOkay,” Jack shrugged.
    â€œThat won’t be necessary,” I heard my aunt Minnie say. “This will only take a minute.”
    â€œYou’ll just have to wait,” Emily said, blocking the door with her body.
    Minnie slammed a shopping bag against Emily’s shins. “You’re blocking the door,” she grumbled.
    â€œYou’re damn right,” Emily cried, unglued and rubbing at her shins.
    â€œIt’s all right,” I said. “This is my aunt.”
    â€œReally?” Emily said, raising her eyebrows as she backed out of the office.
    Minnie closed the door tightly. “Don’t worry,” she told Jack as she put down her shopping bag and dragged a hard-backed chair next to him. “This won’t interfere with you. You stay right where you are,” she nodded as she unbuttoned her camel’s hair coat.
    â€œYou can’t do this,” I told my aunt.
    â€œI wouldn’t unless I absolutely had to. This is an emergency. I don’t think he minds,” she pointed at Jack. “Do you mind?” she asked the boy.
    â€œMe?” Jack said.
    Minnie nodded. “Because as far as I’m concerned, you’re the boss. If you say stay, I’ll stay. If you say go, I’m on my way,” she told the boy confidentially.
    â€œPlease stay,” Jack said.
    â€œWhat do you want?” I said. “Briefly.”
    â€œThis is the place to go when you’re depressed, so here I am,” Minnie said.
    â€œThis is the place,” Jack agreed.
    â€œBut you haven’t mentioned this to me at home,” I