Alexander by Kathi S. Barton Read Free Book Online

sense of humor too. He was crossing the street when he noticed the man again. He walked up beside the kid to shield him from the stranger.
    “ Kid, your mom is a walk in the park compared to mine. She once hosed me and my sister down in the kitchen because we were fighting. She has a wicked way of making you toe the line without raising her voice.”
    “ My mom told the electric guy the other day that she’d sooner eat a skunk raw than to go out with him. I believed her. The guy…I think he thinks she’s nuts.” Alex was amused to think of this spunky kid being afraid of his mom. “This is my stop. Thank you, mister.”
    “ I’ll wait until the bus comes.” Alex saw the kid glance back to the stranger. He was pleased to see the kid was aware too. “I won’t leave you.”
    “ He followed me here. And he’s taking pictures. Do you suppose he uses them for sex?” The kid looked back at the stranger on the corner again. “I don’t know him. And I don’t want to either.”
    “ He won’t come near you. When you get off the bus at school, are there other people around? Adults?” Alex stared at the man, trying to get as much detail as he could. Suddenly, the stranger put his cell phone away and moved down the street.
    “ Yes, sir. Teachers.” He heard the kid sigh. “He’s gone now. Thanks for walking me here.”
    “ No problem. But I’ll stay until the bus comes.” There were enough people milling around that Alex stepped closer to the kid. He didn’t know why he was getting involved and was a little surprised at it. He’d been doing that a lot lately and was starting to think he should have found something better to do with his time.
    “ This is my bus,” the kid said as he pulled out a card. “Thanks again, sir. I really appreciate you letting me sit at your table and then this. It was very kind of you.”
    Alex stuck out his hand and was happy when the kid took it. When he turned away then turned back, Alex could see the kid was struggling with something.
    “ It was my pleasure, really. I needed the exercise and it’s not too cold out yet for me to get a cold. You have a great day at school, kid.”
    “ My name is Jack,” he said as he walked up the steps and onto the bus. The door was closed before he could say anything back.

~Chapter 6~
     
    Heather was exhausted. It had been five days now since she’d been working the extra half shift in the morning and wasn’t sure she could do it much more. The tips were great and so long as she was there, she wasn’t as tired because they were so busy. But now, standing with her hands in bread dough, she wasn’t so sure. When the timer went off, she went to the oven, pulled out a pan of cookies, and put them on the cooling rack. While she was standing there, Lisa came back to get some supplies.
    “ Out of sugar cookies again. And a customer wants to know if you’ll be making some Christmas ones soon. I tried to tell him it was only November, but he just smiled at me. Moron.” Lisa started putting the sugar dusted cookies she needed on a tray as she continued. “Also, Mom wants to talk to you later if you have time. She’s got some great news.”
    Heather nodded. She hoped that she was hiring another cook, but quickly changed her mind. The extra money she was making wouldn’t be extra if she lost her job. When Lisa was gone, she moved to the bread again.
    She couldn’t remember when she’d had her last good night’s sleep. Probably since before Jack was born. She grinned when she thought of him this morning telling her he was going to be in the Christmas pageant at school. She closed her eyes for a second and drifted off. When the alarm went off again, she nearly screamed. She had actually fallen asleep standing up. When she pulled the first batch of cakes out of the oven, she grabbed her bottle of water and stepped outside.
    It was mid-November now and it was feeling it. She knew she had to get to the store and get Jack a coat before much