Last of the Summer Tomatoes by Sherrie Henry Read Free Book Online Page A

head, food, and clothes, but they never really went out of their way. Well, Hank never went out of his way. Kyle knew he was just another mouth to feed to Hank.
    He heard Glenda pull a chair over to him; he felt her hand on his arm, her other hand brushing his hair back from his face. “Kyle, you are worth it. You are worth some clothes and so much more. Can I give you a hug?”
    Kyle didn’t know what to think. He hadn’t been hugged much since he was a kid and certainly never hugged because he needed one. He nodded. He felt her arms come around him; she settled his head next to her chest, holding him close. Tears threatened to fall.
    “Walt’s out back. If you need to let them fall, it’s okay. I won’t tell. You can be yourself with me, and I swear, I’ll never tell.”
    One tear, then two fell. He felt like such a baby, crying in front of this stranger, but she made him feel wanted, truly wanted for the first time since his own family was torn apart by a drunk driver.
    “I… I’m not usually like this. I try to keep my emotions under control, like a male should.” He pulled back from her, wiping his face. “I’m sorry. I guess I’m more tired than I thought.”
    “Kyle, don’t you ever apologize for having feelings. Males cry, hun, they do. Even Walt’s cried a few times. When his brother died… he’d fall apart at the most unusual times. I found him crying in the barn, trying to milk the cows through tears.”
    “But Hank has always said that males have to toughen up, be strong.”
    “Hank’s your…?”
    “Stepfather.”
    “Well, Hank’s wrong. Is that why you emulate this emo lifestyle? To keep your emotions under control?”
    “You know, um, emo stuff?”
    “I may be old, but I still read. I still try to understand Sam and his friends. He’s got one friend, Jack, who is into the emo lifestyle. Not really because of anything, just because he likes it, the music, the way to dress. Although I think he smiles much too often to be truly emo.”
    “It kinda spoke to me. The music first, then the way everyone was so….” Kyle shrugged. “Unemotional. I guess it was what I needed. I ended up escaping into the music and into my art.” He hugged himself, trying to get back to that even keel that had kept him sane in Hank’s house.
    Glenda placed her hand under his chin, making him look at her. “You want to be emo, that’s fine by me. You want to go goth, I’ll get you the black mascara and eyeliner. You want to go metal, I’ll buy you the mousse and hairspray. You be who you want to be, not who you need to be or who you think we want you to be, okay? Walt said you took to the cows so well this morning. I knew you were going to be a good fit with us from the moment I saw you.”
    Her words made him want to cry again, but he held it together. One crying session a day was about all his brain could handle. “It was neat to be around such huge creatures that were so peaceful.”
    “That they are. Except the bulls during mating season. Then best to stay out of their way.”
    “Mating season?”
    “Each spring and fall. Don’t worry, we’re well past it. Walt will be finding out which ones are pregnant soon.” Glenda got up, pushed the tissue box toward him and picked up her purse. He plucked a tissue out and dried his eyes. “So, shall we go now?”
    He nodded. “Yeah, I’m ready.” He felt as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders; her caring about him, caring about a teenaged criminal, without any expectations, without wanting anything from him, had eased his broken heart that had been severely damaged that rainy night when he was eleven.
    The next thing Kyle knew, the car was stopping in front of a row of stores. He rubbed his eyes and straightened up. “Sorry, I guess I fell asleep.”
    “It’s okay. You probably haven’t ever had a morning like today, huh?” Glenda unbuckled her seatbelt and grabbed her purse. “This isn’t a Macy’s or Gap, but they’ve got some