Chapter 10
Max Carlisle enters—sharp, grounded, unwilling to look away.
Ronald crossed the busy street, smiling a toothy, smug grin. The breeze was delightful this morning, especially on his bare cheeks, as his pants hovered slightly above his thighs.
The world loved to pretend they couldn’t see him. Today, he decided to give them something to remember him by. He smiled wider, walking past the gasps, the clutched pearls, the sheer horror his cheeks solicited.
I’m not so invisible now, am I? he thought smugly.
A voice interrupted his victory lap.
“I’ll trade you my coffee and breakfast sandwich for you pulling up your pants.”
He turned. He knew exactly who it was. Without protest, he returned his pants to their proper place.
“The adults are fair game, Ronald,” she said, gesturing toward a gaggle of school-aged children. “But not in front of the kids.”
“You’re right, Max,” he replied as he accepted the food and beverage. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
With that, he tipped the cup in her direction to signal his thanks, and walked a little taller, as the flicker of dignity he’d kept buried began to spark more clearly.
My stories are free. My caffeine addiction is not. Feel free to hook a sister up. 😉
