Read Online Whispers in the Dark by Chris Eboch - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Chris Eboch
Ads: Link
gently lifted the mug toward her mouth. “Drink.”
I wanted to say, “It will be all right,” but I couldn’t force the lie. We might get through this night, but she had a long road ahead. Would she be strong enough to handle it?
I smiled at the boys, but they looked so wary I didn’t dare touch them. I wished I had a couple of stuffed animals to offer.
“Listen,” Lily said.
I had half-turned and was reaching toward my mug still on the counter. We froze like a tableau, the woman’s mug halfway to her parted lips, Lily’s head cocked to one side.
I could still hear shouting, but something had changed. More than one voice rose outside. After a couple of minutes, they faded. A knock came at the door, a sharp rat-a-tat-tat but without the earlier violence. Then a voice—”Lily! Lily, you all right?”
She put her hand to her chest. “Robert.”
“Surely it’s too soon for the police,” I said.
She frowned and shook her head. Robert kept calling.
“He’ll be worried,” Lily said. We shoved the file cabinet away from the door.
“Wait here,” I told the mother and children as Lily opened the door.
Robert was peering through the broken window. He gave a glad cry at the sight of Lily. She rushed to the front door and moments later they were embracing.
I held onto the front door, ready to slam it shut, as I looked outside. A half-dozen people milled around. I vaguely recognized a woman I’d seen in the bathroom and a couple who had been sitting at a picnic table when I passed by earlier. The gay couple stood close together, watching a man seated on the ground with his head down. Blood dripped from one fist; he must have punched through the window. A young man stood over him as if ready to pounce should he get out of line.
The gay man formerly in blue glanced up and waved. He crossed to me and asked, “Is everyone all right?”
I nodded. “Where—why—”
“We heard the commotion at the campground. We weren’t sure what was happening, but then—” He gestured at Robert. “He said women and children were in trouble and needed help.”
Well. “Thanks.”
He shrugged. “We didn’t do much. Just showed up. He backed down pretty quickly when he saw all of us.”
I smiled. “Sometimes showing up is enough.”
Robert came up and patted my shoulder. I glanced back to see that Lily had gone into the other room. I wondered if I should join her, but she already had a rapport with the family. Another face might make them more anxious.
The police showed up ten or fifteen minutes later. They put the violent man in the back of the police car and started taking statements. Lily said she and Robert would look after the woman and children until everything got sorted out. “Maybe now she’ll take my hints about a shelter,” she whispered to me.
I smiled and blinked back tears. “Thank you.”
Her eyes widened. “For what? Dragging you into this trouble?”
“For being the kind of person who helps.” I hugged her. The thin woman tried to scurry by with her head down, but I reached out to stop her. When she flinched, I dropped my hand, but I had to speak. “Keep asking for help. You deserve it.” She didn’t look up, but after a moment she gave a tiny nod.
I wished I could do more for her, but at least I had done something. I had been there when needed, which not everyone could claim. And as I had learned in my own quest to embrace life again, the first step really was just showing up.
Chapter 9
An odd atmosphere had fallen over the group, half party, half funeral, with whispers and nervous laughter. People were excited to be part of the solution, even as they mourned the problem.
I still felt somewhat outside of myself, like a distant observer even though I’d been in the middle of things. I went around the side of the building, a little separate from the rest of the crowd. A chicken-wire fence outlined the small garden plot where I’d seen Danesh working earlier. Several of
I wanted to say, “It will be all right,” but I couldn’t force the lie. We might get through this night, but she had a long road ahead. Would she be strong enough to handle it?
I smiled at the boys, but they looked so wary I didn’t dare touch them. I wished I had a couple of stuffed animals to offer.
“Listen,” Lily said.
I had half-turned and was reaching toward my mug still on the counter. We froze like a tableau, the woman’s mug halfway to her parted lips, Lily’s head cocked to one side.
I could still hear shouting, but something had changed. More than one voice rose outside. After a couple of minutes, they faded. A knock came at the door, a sharp rat-a-tat-tat but without the earlier violence. Then a voice—”Lily! Lily, you all right?”
She put her hand to her chest. “Robert.”
“Surely it’s too soon for the police,” I said.
She frowned and shook her head. Robert kept calling.
“He’ll be worried,” Lily said. We shoved the file cabinet away from the door.
“Wait here,” I told the mother and children as Lily opened the door.
Robert was peering through the broken window. He gave a glad cry at the sight of Lily. She rushed to the front door and moments later they were embracing.
I held onto the front door, ready to slam it shut, as I looked outside. A half-dozen people milled around. I vaguely recognized a woman I’d seen in the bathroom and a couple who had been sitting at a picnic table when I passed by earlier. The gay couple stood close together, watching a man seated on the ground with his head down. Blood dripped from one fist; he must have punched through the window. A young man stood over him as if ready to pounce should he get out of line.
The gay man formerly in blue glanced up and waved. He crossed to me and asked, “Is everyone all right?”
I nodded. “Where—why—”
“We heard the commotion at the campground. We weren’t sure what was happening, but then—” He gestured at Robert. “He said women and children were in trouble and needed help.”
Well. “Thanks.”
He shrugged. “We didn’t do much. Just showed up. He backed down pretty quickly when he saw all of us.”
I smiled. “Sometimes showing up is enough.”
Robert came up and patted my shoulder. I glanced back to see that Lily had gone into the other room. I wondered if I should join her, but she already had a rapport with the family. Another face might make them more anxious.
The police showed up ten or fifteen minutes later. They put the violent man in the back of the police car and started taking statements. Lily said she and Robert would look after the woman and children until everything got sorted out. “Maybe now she’ll take my hints about a shelter,” she whispered to me.
I smiled and blinked back tears. “Thank you.”
Her eyes widened. “For what? Dragging you into this trouble?”
“For being the kind of person who helps.” I hugged her. The thin woman tried to scurry by with her head down, but I reached out to stop her. When she flinched, I dropped my hand, but I had to speak. “Keep asking for help. You deserve it.” She didn’t look up, but after a moment she gave a tiny nod.
I wished I could do more for her, but at least I had done something. I had been there when needed, which not everyone could claim. And as I had learned in my own quest to embrace life again, the first step really was just showing up.
Chapter 9
An odd atmosphere had fallen over the group, half party, half funeral, with whispers and nervous laughter. People were excited to be part of the solution, even as they mourned the problem.
I still felt somewhat outside of myself, like a distant observer even though I’d been in the middle of things. I went around the side of the building, a little separate from the rest of the crowd. A chicken-wire fence outlined the small garden plot where I’d seen Danesh working earlier. Several of
Similar Books
