to be sorely disappointed if he doesn’t get to
see you. Any chance you can squeeze that in before you head down to Hamilton?”
I
nodded. “I’d like to visit the office first thing in the morning, before we go hiking.”
Dan
perked up again. “You’re not dragging Rafael to the office, are you?”
I
shot Dan a scathing look. “You’re not hauling him out to the mountains like you
did Kadyn.”
“No…”
Dan conceded grudgingly. “I’ll make sure he stays a little closer to town so
you two can go on your little nature walk.”
My
eyes narrowed. “This little activity you’re planning for Rafael wouldn’t happen
to involve guns would it?”
Dan
laughed, but he didn’t respond.
“Why?”
I demanded. “Do you know how unnerving that is? Every time I bring someone home
to meet you, you gotta drag the guns out. Why don’t you two just have a pissing
match on the fire pit and get this all out of your system now?”
Rafael
burst out laughing. “I think I’d prefer to hit the shooting range.”
Kimme
giggled. “I’d rather see you two pee on the fire.”
I
just shook my head. It felt really good to be home again.
*
* * * *
“Hey,
Charlie.” I shifted the large paper bag full of bagels into my left arm as I
nudged his office door open.
Charlie’s
entire face lit up. “Kri! I was hoping you’d stop by.” He walked around his
desk and gave me a hug. “It’s good to see you, kiddo. I see you stopped by The
Bagel Company.” There was no identifying information on the bag. The smell of
warm jalapeno cheese bagels had given me away.
I
chuckled softly. “You can’t find bagels like this on the east coast. Would you
like one?”
“Sure.”
Charlie grabbed his coffee cup and followed me down to the break room.
I
grabbed one of the jalapeno cheese bagels before setting the bag in the center
of the table. “Where is everybody?”
Charlie
handed me a cup of coffee before filling his own. “Half of our staff is out on
vacation this week. Seems the only time we can take personal leave these days
is when the legislature’s not in session.” He rummaged through the paper bag, in
search of a blueberry bagel.
“Do
you need any cream cheese?” Kimme asked, breezing into the break room. She
deposited three containers of cream cheese on the table along with a second bag
of bagels.
Charlie
and I shook our heads. We waited for Kimme to grab a cup of coffee and a bagel
before walking back to Charlie’s office. “Is everything okay with your dad?” I
asked. She had gotten waylaid in the parking lot when her mom called.
“Mom’s
pretty worried about him,” Kimme confessed. She sank into a chair next to
Charlie’s desk. “I need to request some time off, Charlie, so I can go see
him.” Kimme’s father lived in Minnesota. He had been struggling with heart
problems for years.
Charlie
pulled the door closed before taking a seat behind his desk. “Take all the time
you need.” He took a sip of coffee while silently studying me. “I heard what
happened in Ukraine,” he finally admitted.
I
looked at Kimme.
She
slunk down in her seat. “You know I can’t keep anything from him. If Charlie
sees even a hint of puffiness around my eyes, he’s in my office trying to help.”
I
sighed. “You told him everything?”
She
nodded. “I’m sorry, honey, but I thought you could use the prayer power.”
My
eyes strayed to the life size portrait of Jesus that hung over Charlie’s desk. I’d
always considered Charlie’s decision to hang that portrait a bold move,
especially for a state employee. Still, I found it comforting. How could I not,
when I’d grown up with the very same picture in my parents’ house? “The last
few months have been difficult,” I admitted. I met Charlie’s steadfast gaze. “There’s
this constant ache deep down in the marrow of my bones that I don’t think will
ever go away. I feel abandoned, and I’m angry with God.”
Charlie
took another sip of coffee.
see you. Any chance you can squeeze that in before you head down to Hamilton?”
I
nodded. “I’d like to visit the office first thing in the morning, before we go hiking.”
Dan
perked up again. “You’re not dragging Rafael to the office, are you?”
I
shot Dan a scathing look. “You’re not hauling him out to the mountains like you
did Kadyn.”
“No…”
Dan conceded grudgingly. “I’ll make sure he stays a little closer to town so
you two can go on your little nature walk.”
My
eyes narrowed. “This little activity you’re planning for Rafael wouldn’t happen
to involve guns would it?”
Dan
laughed, but he didn’t respond.
“Why?”
I demanded. “Do you know how unnerving that is? Every time I bring someone home
to meet you, you gotta drag the guns out. Why don’t you two just have a pissing
match on the fire pit and get this all out of your system now?”
Rafael
burst out laughing. “I think I’d prefer to hit the shooting range.”
Kimme
giggled. “I’d rather see you two pee on the fire.”
I
just shook my head. It felt really good to be home again.
*
* * * *
“Hey,
Charlie.” I shifted the large paper bag full of bagels into my left arm as I
nudged his office door open.
Charlie’s
entire face lit up. “Kri! I was hoping you’d stop by.” He walked around his
desk and gave me a hug. “It’s good to see you, kiddo. I see you stopped by The
Bagel Company.” There was no identifying information on the bag. The smell of
warm jalapeno cheese bagels had given me away.
I
chuckled softly. “You can’t find bagels like this on the east coast. Would you
like one?”
“Sure.”
Charlie grabbed his coffee cup and followed me down to the break room.
I
grabbed one of the jalapeno cheese bagels before setting the bag in the center
of the table. “Where is everybody?”
Charlie
handed me a cup of coffee before filling his own. “Half of our staff is out on
vacation this week. Seems the only time we can take personal leave these days
is when the legislature’s not in session.” He rummaged through the paper bag, in
search of a blueberry bagel.
“Do
you need any cream cheese?” Kimme asked, breezing into the break room. She
deposited three containers of cream cheese on the table along with a second bag
of bagels.
Charlie
and I shook our heads. We waited for Kimme to grab a cup of coffee and a bagel
before walking back to Charlie’s office. “Is everything okay with your dad?” I
asked. She had gotten waylaid in the parking lot when her mom called.
“Mom’s
pretty worried about him,” Kimme confessed. She sank into a chair next to
Charlie’s desk. “I need to request some time off, Charlie, so I can go see
him.” Kimme’s father lived in Minnesota. He had been struggling with heart
problems for years.
Charlie
pulled the door closed before taking a seat behind his desk. “Take all the time
you need.” He took a sip of coffee while silently studying me. “I heard what
happened in Ukraine,” he finally admitted.
I
looked at Kimme.
She
slunk down in her seat. “You know I can’t keep anything from him. If Charlie
sees even a hint of puffiness around my eyes, he’s in my office trying to help.”
I
sighed. “You told him everything?”
She
nodded. “I’m sorry, honey, but I thought you could use the prayer power.”
My
eyes strayed to the life size portrait of Jesus that hung over Charlie’s desk. I’d
always considered Charlie’s decision to hang that portrait a bold move,
especially for a state employee. Still, I found it comforting. How could I not,
when I’d grown up with the very same picture in my parents’ house? “The last
few months have been difficult,” I admitted. I met Charlie’s steadfast gaze. “There’s
this constant ache deep down in the marrow of my bones that I don’t think will
ever go away. I feel abandoned, and I’m angry with God.”
Charlie
took another sip of coffee.
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