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Show 138 "He used to feed the ducks in Liberty Park. I thought he was nice. I really kind of liked him there at the first. Then one day he asked me if I could use a job and I said yes. I guess about that time I was mad at the world, anyway-" "You haven't had the best breaks, have you?" "You know, Parker . . . now I'm not using this for an excuse . . . but it wasn't a bit hard to tell myself I was just getting back some of my share," Dyna went on. "Every place I looked other kids had cars, money, all that good stuff. Most of them had at least one parent kicking around. We'd pull a job, you know, and I'd go home with twenty-five or thirty bucks. I'd just say, 'Thanks, Mary Alice!' or 'Thanks, Linda!' You know the type, Parker, kids that flash their money and their status around. I hated them so much!" "So what's changed?" "Plenty! For one thing, I'm not mad about what other people have anymore. The crazy thing is, I don't know how it happened, but sometimes I think . . . I think I might be one of the lucky ones." Parker grinned. It was like having the sun turn on. "So what happens to Dyna Suggs next?" "I'll miss graduation, that's the first thing." Dyna felt her mouth quiver. "I made Gram promise she'd go anyway. She's going to write it all up in my journal . . -" Without warning, Parker's face blurred in front of her eyes. The dashboard began to swim. Dyna fumbled for the door handle, but she never found it because by then Parker had reached out and taken her in his arms. "Dyna . . . Dyna . . ." It was all he could say, half-crying himself. He rubbed his cheek against her hair and held her close until the sobs had run their course. And then he held her longer, thinking how content he was with her in his arms. How absurdly content! He never wanted to let her go. Finally, she pulled away, still catching her breath in gulps. Parker wiped her cheeks with his hands and tucked her hair behind her ears. His touch was as tender as Gram's. "I have to go," she said at last. "I can't check into the DT looking like a damned crybaby, can I?" |
