Sticks and Stones by Angèle Gougeon Page B

alright.”
    This time, they both looked down at her. And wasn’t that great, nearly seventeen and she was still dwarfed by all the men in her life.
    Lem seemed to get it, and a smile stretched across his face, one hand coming up to gently squeeze the back of her neck. “That’s alright then,” he said.
    The other set of eyes on her weren’t so enthused. He only nodded.
    Daniel was going to be okay . Her and Jack … well, she wasn’t so sure. But that was okay as well.
    She had time.
    ~
    She did get to see Daniel that day.
    Like her vision, he was still and drawn, looking young and small underneath the hospital blankets. The light scruff over his chin was tamer than Lem’s, even with the extra day. Those dark lashes too closely resembled bruises, and, as Sandra edged closer, she itched to smooth her fingers over them, over the sharp lines of his face and the swell of his bones, memorize him as he was, here and now, because this was one sure image to prevent her from making the same mistakes all over again.
    A hand-width away and Sandra hesitated. He looked calm, like he’d just fallen asleep, and she didn’t want to bother him, no matter the urge that remained from the vision – to place her hand on his chest and feel that sturdy fall and rise.
    “Hey,” his low croak made her snap upright, eyes wide and breath coming fast.
    You know he’s going to be alright . But knowing and seeing him like this were two completely different things.
    “I’m sorry, Danny,” she whispered.
    He laughed.
    One slow hand caught her wrist, dragging it down and fitting fingers to fingers, palm to palm. “Don’t worry about it,” he rasped out. He held on tightly and Sandra couldn’t let go.
    ~
    They brought Daniel home.
    He moved stiffly and slowly, but he was all quiet reassurances and softly hidden grins. Sandra snuck into his room while he lay on his bed, white bandage hiding the stitches on his left side. He welcomed her with a soft look, shifting over just enough for her to lay lengthwise next to him. She gently placed her hand just above the wound on his side, cool hand on his warm skin. His muscles rippled a little, like he was ticklish there, but he didn’t make her move.
    “You and Jack,” he intoned, and there was no way he could have missed the tension.
    Sandra sighed deep and pressed the top of her head back into his pillow, nose level with his shoulder. “He’s mad with me.”
    “He thinks you could’ve stopped it. That you put me in danger.”
    “I—” Sandra opened her mouth.
    “You know I don’t blame you, but in Jack’s head… It’s going to take him awhile to forgive you. Seeing you trying helps.” She felt so defeated. “He’s not as angry as he seems,” Daniel added. “Trust me.”
    “I don’t know. I think I really screwed up.”
    “You think I’ve never thought that? I kissed this girl once. He liked her. Real bad. She was two years older than him, but hell if that made any difference. Twelve years old and he thought he was on top of the world. I knew, of course, but she kept chasing after me. I was fifteen and she wouldn’t take no for an answer. Makes a guy feel good about himself. Jack gave me a black eye and didn’t talk to me for three weeks.” His hand touched her side, nearly mirroring her position, except he didn’t have to be careful, and his fingers ran across the ribs through her shirt. “I won’t lie. Jack can hold a grudge. But once he makes it through, he’ll come back stronger than ever.”
    “Yeah?”
    “Yeah.”
    “I think that was the most I’ve ever heard you say.”
    She couldn’t be certain, but she thought Daniel rolled his eyes. “I talk.”
    “Mm-hmmm.”
    His fingers jabbed her, and this time it wasn’t anything other than a tickle. Sandra nearly choked herself hoarse trying to keep her voice down. They laughed until Jack came in, and then she slunk out, went to her room, and tried to have faith that Danny was right.
    She’d gotten pretty good