Hand-Me-Down Love by Jennifer Ransom Read Free Book Online Page B

address?”
    “ I don’t
know,” he said. “I don’t know the address.”
    “ Never mind,”
Marla said. “I’ll get it from the Internet. Sit tight. I’ll be
there as soon as I can.”
    “ K,” Sean
said.
    Marla Googled
Jackson’s in Mobile and got the address. It was on Old Shell Road.
She flew down the stairs and got in her car. A few minutes later, she
crossed the bay bridge and headed toward downtown Mobile. She turned
onto Old Shell Road and started looking for Jackson’s. She spotted
the neon lights on the right and pulled into a parking place a block
down. She walked down the sidewalk and entered the bar. It was smoky
inside and music was playing loudly. Marla thought her ears would
split with the noise. How could she have put up with that when she
was in college?
    Marla looked
around the room and finally saw Sean sitting at the bar. He was alone
and looked slumped over. She weaved her way through the bar customers
and finally stood next to Sean.
    “ Hey, Sean,”
she said. He looked at her drunkenly. “Let’s get out of here,
okay?” Marla said. She took his arm and together they navigated
through the crowded bar. Marla led Sean to her car and opened the
door. She guided him into the passenger seat and pulled the seat belt
around him. He didn’t protest. He just sat there. Marla got into
the driver’s side of her car and headed back to her apartment. She
didn’t know where else to take Sean. She didn’t feel right about
dumping him off at his condo, and she couldn’t take him to his
house in Bay Point. Her apartment was the only place she could take
him where she could keep her eye on him for the night.
    She drove
through the dark night and Sean didn’t say anything. When Marla
glanced over at him periodically, his eyes were closed. When they got
to the shop, Marla parked in her usual place along the side of the
building.
    “ Sean,” she
said, half expecting him not to answer her.
    “ Yeah,” he
said, not opening his eyes.
    “ We’re
here.” He opened his eyes and looked around. He knew where he was.
“Okay,” he said unbuckling his seat belt. He opened his door and
Marla went to his side of the car. She took his arm and led him to
the side door, which she unlocked. They walked through the shop and
to the staircase. Marla let Sean go up ahead of her so she could try
to catch him if he stumbled.
    When they
opened the door to her apartment at the top of the stairs, Marla
flipped the light switch, flooding the kitchen with light that seemed
too bright. Sean shielded his eyes when the light came on.
    “ Sorry,”
Marla said. She took his hand and led him to the spare bedroom. He
stood by the bed as she folded back the sheets and covers. She guided
him to the bed and pulled the covers over him. He was fully clothed,
but Marla wasn’t about to help him undress. Sean lay his head back
on the pillow and went out like a light. Marla left the room and went
to her own room, where she undressed and put on a gown. She crawled
into her bed. It had been a strange night. Lucy jumped up and settled
herself at Marla’s side.
    The alarm clock
buzzed insistently the next morning and it took a moment for Marla to
know what it was and turn it off. She lay back on the bed, knowing
she had to get up, forestalling it for just a moment. Then she
remembered that Sean was there. Sean! She got up and went to the
spare room. Sean was still asleep. She went into the kitchen and
started a pot of coffee. Sean would probably need a strong cup after
the night he’d had.
    She was sitting
at the table a few minutes later with a cup of coffee when Sean
walked in. His clothes were wrinkled. He did not look like someone
who was going to work in a bank that day.
    “ There’s
coffee,” Marla said motioning to the coffee maker. “Let me get
you a cup.”
    “ I can get
it,” Sean said walking to the counter where the coffee pot sat. He
opened a cabinet door and pulled out a cup. It was one Meredith had
brought her from