Read Online Never Forget: A Novella in the Echo Platoon Series by Marliss Melton - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Marliss Melton
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respect the boy’s wishes. “Okay,” he agreed. “Let me get my first aid kit. Let’s let it bleed a while. It’s washing out any bacteria that might have been on Draco’s teeth. Be right back.”
“We can’t take too long,” Curtis called after him. “Draco hasn’t had his run yet.”
Chapter Eight
‡
M AYA DROVE UP the driveway, proud of the fact that she’d found everything on Rusty’s wish list. He’d been right about the small metal waste bin. It had been the hardest thing to find, but she’d found the perfect one in the last store she’d visited. By bringing it to him, might she be offered a tour of the majestic farmhouse?
Parking in the same spot as yesterday, she gathered her purchases off the back seat and carried them to the back of the house. There she found Curtis lobbing the ball to the dog, who scarcely glanced in her direction before focusing on the ball.
“Hey, Mom,” Curtis sang out.
Wondering at his overly cheerful tone, Maya transferred her gaze to the outdoor picnic table where Rusty sat with a pile of paperwork before him and a tall glass of water beside that. At her approach, he put his pen down and looked up. One look at his taut expression and she knew something had happened. She couldn’t help her step from faltering for a moment before she reached the table and plunked down all her hard sought treasures.
“Is everything okay?” She wished she didn’t sound like such an anxious mom, but she’d lived through the worst and knew it could happen.
The crease on his forehead deepened, and his lips firmed into a straight line. “Curtis has something to tell you,” he said, waving her son over.
Calling the dog, Curtis started in their direction. Seeing his slight limp, Maya feared the worst, but she could see no sign of injury. Curtis ordered the dog to sit and stay. Draco obeyed him. With his tongue lolling out one side of his mouth, he stared at Curtis, awaiting more commands. They’d come a long way from yesterday.
“What do you want to tell me?” Maya prompted.
“Well…” Curtis glanced at Rusty, who nodded his encouragement. “Draco was messing with a crab down at the pier.” He pointed toward the marsh. “I thought the crab was going to pinch his nose so I tried kicking it out of the way. Draco thought I was taking it from him, and he kind of bit me on the ankle.”
Her worried gaze dropped to his ankle which was hidden by a sock too white to be his own.
“How bad is it?” she asked, glancing again at Rusty’s grim expression.
“Not too bad,” Curtis said.
“Superficial,” Rusty echoed.
“Can you show me?” she requested.
Curtis bent over and peeled the sock away from his skin. She spotted at least two puncture wounds surrounded by red and slightly swollen flesh.
“I followed protocol for animal bites and cleaned it out with warm soap and water,” Rusty added. “Only thing to do now is to keep it clean and dry. If it starts to show signs of infection, a topical ointment ought to be enough.”
Maya didn’t know what to say. Dismay held a tight grip on her vocal cords.
“It’s my fault,” Curtis insisted. “Rusty told me not to take anything away from Draco unless he was there.”
“And I was making phone calls,” Rusty inserted. “I’m sorry. I should have been keeping a closer eye on them.”
She shook her head. “Don’t apologize for that,” she said. “You have your own work to do. Maybe this wasn’t the best idea,” she heard herself say.
Curtis made a sound of disgust. “I told you we shouldn’t have told her,” he said to Rusty.
Realizing they’d discussed keeping her in the dark about the incident, her anger flared without warning.
“Of course you had to tell me,” she said, staring hard at her son. Then she turned to Rusty. “How do we know the dog won’t bite him in the face next time or on the hand?” she asked him.
“He won’t bite me again,” Curtis insisted.
“I didn’t ask you, honey. I
“We can’t take too long,” Curtis called after him. “Draco hasn’t had his run yet.”
Chapter Eight
‡
M AYA DROVE UP the driveway, proud of the fact that she’d found everything on Rusty’s wish list. He’d been right about the small metal waste bin. It had been the hardest thing to find, but she’d found the perfect one in the last store she’d visited. By bringing it to him, might she be offered a tour of the majestic farmhouse?
Parking in the same spot as yesterday, she gathered her purchases off the back seat and carried them to the back of the house. There she found Curtis lobbing the ball to the dog, who scarcely glanced in her direction before focusing on the ball.
“Hey, Mom,” Curtis sang out.
Wondering at his overly cheerful tone, Maya transferred her gaze to the outdoor picnic table where Rusty sat with a pile of paperwork before him and a tall glass of water beside that. At her approach, he put his pen down and looked up. One look at his taut expression and she knew something had happened. She couldn’t help her step from faltering for a moment before she reached the table and plunked down all her hard sought treasures.
“Is everything okay?” She wished she didn’t sound like such an anxious mom, but she’d lived through the worst and knew it could happen.
The crease on his forehead deepened, and his lips firmed into a straight line. “Curtis has something to tell you,” he said, waving her son over.
Calling the dog, Curtis started in their direction. Seeing his slight limp, Maya feared the worst, but she could see no sign of injury. Curtis ordered the dog to sit and stay. Draco obeyed him. With his tongue lolling out one side of his mouth, he stared at Curtis, awaiting more commands. They’d come a long way from yesterday.
“What do you want to tell me?” Maya prompted.
“Well…” Curtis glanced at Rusty, who nodded his encouragement. “Draco was messing with a crab down at the pier.” He pointed toward the marsh. “I thought the crab was going to pinch his nose so I tried kicking it out of the way. Draco thought I was taking it from him, and he kind of bit me on the ankle.”
Her worried gaze dropped to his ankle which was hidden by a sock too white to be his own.
“How bad is it?” she asked, glancing again at Rusty’s grim expression.
“Not too bad,” Curtis said.
“Superficial,” Rusty echoed.
“Can you show me?” she requested.
Curtis bent over and peeled the sock away from his skin. She spotted at least two puncture wounds surrounded by red and slightly swollen flesh.
“I followed protocol for animal bites and cleaned it out with warm soap and water,” Rusty added. “Only thing to do now is to keep it clean and dry. If it starts to show signs of infection, a topical ointment ought to be enough.”
Maya didn’t know what to say. Dismay held a tight grip on her vocal cords.
“It’s my fault,” Curtis insisted. “Rusty told me not to take anything away from Draco unless he was there.”
“And I was making phone calls,” Rusty inserted. “I’m sorry. I should have been keeping a closer eye on them.”
She shook her head. “Don’t apologize for that,” she said. “You have your own work to do. Maybe this wasn’t the best idea,” she heard herself say.
Curtis made a sound of disgust. “I told you we shouldn’t have told her,” he said to Rusty.
Realizing they’d discussed keeping her in the dark about the incident, her anger flared without warning.
“Of course you had to tell me,” she said, staring hard at her son. Then she turned to Rusty. “How do we know the dog won’t bite him in the face next time or on the hand?” she asked him.
“He won’t bite me again,” Curtis insisted.
“I didn’t ask you, honey. I
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