Broken Wings (Broken Wings 1)

“It’s a fresh start for both of us, for all of us, Del. We can make it work. Together, we can.”

He looked at me.

“I don’t understand about the money. Why do you say no one wants anyone to know about it?” he asked, and I told him what I had heard Carson and Daddy discuss.

“So they won’t be so quick to report it missing,” I emphasized.

He was thoughtful again.

“We’re not incapable of doing this, Del. We’ll get to California. We’ll do it,” I urged.

He lifted his eyes to me. I could see it was on the tip of his tongue. He was going to do it. My heart was pounding so hard, I thought that was what was making the noise, until we both realized, someone was at his front door. The pounding grew louder. For a moment neither of us could move, and then he rose and looked through the front windows.

“It’s the police!” he said.

“Oh, no. My father.”

“Oh, great,” Del said. “I knew it. I just knew it, Teal. You weren’t thinking.”

“I’m sorry, Del,” I moaned.

“Right, you’re sorry,” he said angrily, and went to the door.

A patrolman stood there gazing in at us. The thought of my being arrested again sickened me. I felt like I would actually faint.

“Del Grant?”

“Yes?”

“The hospital has been trying to reach you. No phone?”

“No, we lost service and I haven’t restored it yet. What is it?”

“Your mother,” he said, and shook his head. “I’m sorry.”

It felt like a bullet had passed through Del into me. Cold and then numbed, I moved up beside him. He was just standing there, nodding.

“You’ll have to contact the hospital as soon as possible,” the policeman said.

Del continued to nod.

“Is there anything we can do for you, get in touch with anyone else?”

“No,” Del said. “Thank you.”

“I’m sorry,” the policeman muttered. It was easy to see he hated the assignment and wanted to get it over with as quickly as he could. He turned and walked back to the patrol car. Del stood there looking out at the street, unmoving.

Despite how angry he is at his mother almost all the time, she is still his mother, I thought, and she’s gone. Surely, he was also thinking about the impact it would all have on Shawn and Patty Girl. I felt so bad for all of them. Any thoughts about my own misery were forgotten.

“Del,” I said gently, touching his arm.

When he turned to me, I was expecting to see tears, but instead I saw a face so stone cold, it chilled my heart.

“Go get the money,” he said.

“Del?”

“Go on. We’ll leave tonight. I’ll start packing what I want to take.”