Whispered Prayers of a Girl

“Hey, Sade,” he offers. “How have you been?” He seems to be at ease as well.

“Good.” She nods. “Can’t complain.” After giving him another smile, she pulls the pen from behind her ear. “Now, what can I get you all?”

She leaves after taking our order, and I relax back against my seat, happy to be sitting here with the kids and Alexander. Out the corner of my eye, I see most of the eyes that were on us are no longer paying us any attention. I hope it stays that way.

Every so often, I see Alexander look at Kelsey, and remorse flashes in his eyes each time. She’s completely ignored him since we pulled up to the house, and I know it plagues him.

“You wanna look at my car collection when we get home? I got a lot,” Daniel asks, forcing Alexander’s eyes away from Kelsey.

He turns to regard him. “Sure.”

Daniel climbs to his knees on the seat. “Can we come ride a horse soon? It hasn’t been really cold anymore.”

Alexander’s eyes bounce to mine. “That’s up to your mom.”

Daniel’s hopeful eyes come to me for an answer, and I don’t have the heart to tell him no. I also don’t give him a yes either. I still haven’t gotten over the day they ran off to the barn by themselves.

“We’ll see.”

Some of the light dims in Daniel’s eyes, but he bounces back quickly. He starts regaling Alexander with questions on how to care for horses and what he does to train them. Alexander answers patiently and Daniel listens intently.

While they’re occupied, I turn to Kelsey. “You okay?”

She shrugs and continues to look down at the paper menu she’s been fiddling with.

“It’s okay to be upset with him, but maybe you can try to cut him some slack?” I lower my voice and tilt my head toward her. “Remember what I told you the other day?” She nods, and guilt and sorrow line her face. I grab her hand under the table and squeeze. “Just keep that in mind, okay?”

A few minutes later, Sadie brings out our food and we sit in silence as we eat. Other than when we first walked in and the few minutes of awkwardness, things have settled down, thankfully. People seem to have lost their interest in Alexander being out in public. I’ve heard some of the whispered rumors the townspeople like to think others can’t hear, and while I don’t condone that behavior—it actually disgusts me—I understand their surprise when they do see him. He’s become a recluse. I understand his need to come to town so rarely, but in a sense, it’s just as much Alexander’s fault as it is theirs, because he’s purposely secluded himself from the town.

We’re just finishing up when a handsome blond man about Alexander’s age and a blond lady come up to our table.

“Alexander,” the guy says, surprise written on his face. He recovers quickly and holds out his hand for a shake.

“James.” Alexander clasps his hand with a half smile. I get the sense that James is a friend of his.

James moves his eyes to me and his lips tip up into a crooked grin.

“Who’s this?” he asks, tipping his chin at me and looking back at Alexander.

“James, meet Gwen. Gwen, this is an old friend of mine, James.”

“It’s good to meet you, James,” I say, and hold out my hand.

He grabs it gently with his bigger one. “It’s very nice to meet you, too, Gwen.” His eyes twinkle as he lets my hand go, and I wonder what he’s thinking.

I don’t get a chance to ask before he turns his attention to Daniel and Kelsey. “And who might these fine kids be?”

Daniel introduces himself before anyone else can. “I’m Daniel.” He tries his best to act like the two adult men by throwing his hand out to be shaken, almost knocking Alexander in the face with his elbow.

“Daniel.” I point my finger at him then point it downward. “Sit.”

“It’s okay,” Alexander comments, then picks Daniel up and settles him on his lap so James can safely reach his hand.

“Hey, Daniel.”

Daniel beams when James shakes

his hand firmly.