“Well, I do.You know that news never sleeps.Well, unless one is ill.”
I wasn’t waiting for Trinity or Peggy to say another word.Instead, I stepped out from the other room and cleared my throat, watching as LuAnn glanced at me over her shoulder.
“I couldn’t help but overhear you’re looking to do an article on the soldier who returned from the dead?”I questioned.
“Why yes, I am.Do you know him?”she questioned.
“Sure do.”
“Wonderful, tell me where I can find him?”
I chuckled and stepped forward a little more, coming up beside her.I put my arm around her and leaned in.“I’m him, and you can tellThe Gazette, it’s a no-go.”
I placed the book I was going to buy on the counter and walked out of the store without a word to anyone.
I felt like my heart was going to beat out of my chest at what LuAnn had said.I hadn’t filled out paperwork for Mindi?What was that about?I didn’t know I was supposed to fill anything out.Confusion filled me now as I made my way over to the center.
My heart was pounding as I made my way into the community center.I ran to Mindi’s office, but her door and blinds were closed.I was about to knock when I heard my name.I turned to see Ethan round the corner.
“Hey, Noah, glad you are here.I need some help in the auditorium to fix the tree before Santa gets here.”
“Oh, I wanted to speak with Mindi.”
“She is in there with Sarah.She should be done shortly.Can you give me a hand first?”
I looked back at her door and then nodded, following Ethan into the auditorium where we got to work on the tree.Somehow, someone had bumped into it, knocking the fake tree crooked, and while Ethan climbed up on the ladder, I held the base of the tree, hoping we could straighten it without having to take anything off it.A couple of quick twists, and we were able to fix it.
Ethan came down off the ladder, while I straightened up the Santa chair.It was then we heard a door slam and saw Sarah run off past the auditorium door.
“What was that all about?”I questioned, looking at Ethan.
Ethan looked over at me, and then looked over at the doorway where Mindi stood, her eyes red, tears streaming down her face.She barely even took notice of my being there; instead, she ran over to Ethan and collapsed against him, sobbing into his chest.
“Oh, sweetheart,” he soothed, wrapping his arms around her.
“I broke her heart,” she sobbed.
Ethan rested his head on top of hers as she sobbed against him.I looked over at the door, wondering where Sarah had gone, and decided I’d go over and speak with her, leaving Ethan with Mindi.
I walked down the hall and stopped when I passed my office.The room was dark, but I could hear a tiny cry coming from within.I walked over and flipped the light on to see Sarah curled up on my couch crying.
“Hey, kiddo.What’s going on?”I questioned, making my way over to sit beside her.
She continued to cry, and then sat up and wrapped her arms around my neck.
“I thought I’d be with Mindi forever, but she just told me I have to leave.”
“I see.”
“The military is taking me to a foster home on New Year’s Eve.I don’t want to go,” she sobbed.“Mindi is my best friend, and she created a home for me when I was hurting.”
“I’m sorry, sweetheart.Sometimes the military doesn’t look at those things.They look at what is best for you.”
She looked at me, her blue eyes now bloodshot and puffy from crying.
“I don’t understand.They don’t care that she has given me a safe and loving home?”
“I don’t know.I haven’t spoken to them to know what their reasons are.”
