For the Children
Page 34
put anything he really cared about in that pack. And he’d been carrying it everywhere he went ever since.
Lighting up, Abe wiped away the tears that sprang to his eyes from the first shock of smoke in his throat, held his breath so he wouldn’t cough and started walking again. He’d smoke every single one of the bastard’s cigarettes.
He’d show them. He’d show all of them.
How dumb did they think he was?
“Abraham?”
Shit. Abe froze. And felt the heat of that cigarette as he turned it backward in his hand.
“Abraham! Wait up!”
What the hell was Coach Chandler doing here? Abe had heard he lived up near the foothills with all the rich people.
He slowed, but didn’t turn, frantically searching for something to do. He thought about putting the lit cigarette in his mouth the way he’d seen on television.
But he was too much of a wimp.
“Abraham, it’s good to see you.” Coach wasn’t even out of breath as he caught up to him.
“Yeah,” Abe said, dread seeping through him.
This was it. He was caught like a rat in a trap and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do to save himself.
Story of his life.
CHAPTER SEVEN
“I THOUGHT YOU HAD to work on Saturdays.” Coach Chandler acted like it was any old day.
“I got done early.” He actually hadn’t gone at all. As long as he was playing basketball he didn’t have to go back to the old folks’ place. He’d been shocked as hell when he heard Judge Simms had ordered that. He’d figured for sure he’d lose his spot on the team as soon as she saw that it meant her kid didn’t get one.
That lady scared him. When she looked at him, he swore she could see every thought he’d ever had.
He felt kind of sorry for Blake and Brian having to actually live with her.
“So what are you up to now?”
“Going home.” In another minute, the cigarette was going to be burning his palm.
Just like his butt was gonna get burned. Smoking was in violation of his probation.
“You live around here?”
“Around the corner.”
“In the trailer park?”
“Yep.”
“Just you and your mom?”
The heat was getting close. “Yeah.”
“You like it there?”
He shrugged, forgetting about the cigarette for just that second. And almost hollered as the movement brought the smoldering tobacco in contact with the flesh of his hand. He dropped the cigarette. And just kept walking.