Forged by Fire by Sharon M. Draper Read Free Book Online

up the steps toward the waiting Jordan. At the top of the steps, she ducked to the right, just missing Jordan’s fist. Gerald leaped into the room, jumped between Angel and Jordan, and the blow came down on him instead. Gerald was tough and strong, but the force of that punch almost made him lose his breath. It would have knocked Angel unconscious.
    â€œDon’t you
ever
hit her!” he snarled at Jordan between clenched teeth. Jordan just laughed and hit Gerald again.
    Gerald had found out the reason Angel hadn’t wanted to take off her long black tights on that warm day last summer. Her legs had been covered with welts and bruises that Jordan had given her, trying, as he put it, to “make her behave.” Monique knew about it, but was so afraid of Jordan that she’d accepted it as appropriate discipline. Gerald also suspected that the reason the ambulance driver had remembered Angel was that he had driven her to the hospital for one of those bruisings, although Angel wouldn’t talk about it. But since Gerald had arrived, the beatings had almost completely stopped, and Angel loved Gerald all the more for being her protector.
    Today, however, the house was quiet. Jordan had stomped his cowboy boots down the steps and down the street. He never said where he was going or when he would return. No one ever asked.
    Monique busied herself, trying to clean up the apartmenta bit so that Jordan wouldn’t have anything to yell about when he returned. She alternated between sweeping the floor and looking out the window for him. Even though Christmas was only two weeks away, Monique had not bothered with a tree or with lights or decorations of any sort for the apartment.
    â€œAre we gonna get a Christmas tree, Gerald?” Angel asked as she walked over to where he was sitting, looking out the window at the cold winter day three stories below.
    â€œI don’t know, Angel. Me and Aunt Queen always had a big Christmas. What did you do last year?”
    â€œNot much. Jordan said Christmas was stupid, and Mama agreed.”
    â€œYeah, she probably even apologized for Christmas,” said Gerald scornfully. “I tell you what. They’ve got Christmas trees down at the market where she works. When school gets out tomorrow for Christmas break, I’ll stop by there on my way home and see if I can find one for us.”
    Angel smiled, then inhaled quickly, as if suddenly remembering a bad smell. “Gerald,” she said quietly. “Don’t be too late tomorrow, okay?”
    â€œSure, Angel,” replied Gerald, not noticing her fear. “I’ll find you the best tree ever.”
    When Angel got home from school the next day, Jordan was sitting in the big chair in the living room, drinking a beer. The shades were down and the television was off. Angel tried to tiptoe past him, but he grabbed her arm. “Where you been?” he snarled.
    â€œI been at school, Jordan,” replied Angel with fear and disgust. Jordan’s breath really smelled bad.
    â€œGo get me another beer!” he commanded. Angel hurried to get him a beer, hating the fact that she was acting just like Monique, frightened and fearful of Jordan’s moods.
    â€œHere, Jordan,” said Angel, holding the can out at arm’s length. “It’s the last one.” She was immediately sorry that she had said that, for Jordan grabbed her arm and squeezed, snatching the can from her trembling hand.
    Then, instead of yelling at her, or hitting her, he smiled, which to Angel was worse. “C’mere,” he said softly. “Come sit on Jordan’s lap. I don’t spend enough time with my little girl.”
    â€œI. . . I. . . gotta do my homework,” she stammered.
    â€œNow, don’t lie to me, girl. You in first grade—you ain’t got no homework—’specially at Christmas vacation. Now, I said, COME HERE!” He snatched her toward him and sat her roughly on