Edward huffed. “If I got on my knees and asked God nicely, do you think He could arrange a little quiet reading time for me before I go to sleep for the night?”
* * * *
Unable to read or sleep, Edward sat and looked over at his tent mate by the dimming light of the lantern whose battery was giving up the ghost.
Marcus slept on his back with his hands folded on his belly like a corpse. His chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, his face void of emotional expression. The man was at peace.
Edward turned off the light and stared into the darkness.
Am I a good man?
Chapter 28
“Hi, Mom.” Audra kissed her mother’s cheek. “I knew I’d find you in the kitchen. I smelled the marinara as soon as I walked through the door. Need help?”
“No, thanks. I’ve got it under control.” Mom minced cloves of garlic on the wooden cutting board on the counter. A loaf of Italian bread and a stick of butter lay nearby. “How was school today?”
Audra sighed. “Not good. I’m going upstairs. I have some papers to grade.”
“Cara mia, I’m sorry to see you so unhappy.” Mom set down the knife and wiped her hands on her apron. “Perhaps a letter from a handsome soldier would brighten your day?” She picked an envelope off the counter and displayed it in her outstretched hands.
Audra rushed around the counter. She took the envelope, kissed it and threw her arms around her mother. “Thank you, Mom.”
The embrace lasted longer than she’d expected. A kiss pressed her cheek. “I love you, Audra.”
Such tenderness. Audra’s eyes moistened. “I love you, too, Mamma.”
“Now, off with you.” Her mother smiled. “You’ve got a letter to read.”
* * * *
Audra dropped her purse and the folder full of student papers on the dresser. A letter opener sliced through the envelope in one quick zip. She took out the lined yellow paper and unfolded it.
Dear Audra,
Early that morning, while you were still sleeping, your father told me you were engaged to Bradley Warren, and that you would be married in September.
“What?” Her hands trembled.
He said I was distracting you from your fiancé, and he asked me to leave.
She doubled over and shrieked. “Nooo!”
Dizziness rocked her. She fell onto the desk chair. Tears blurred her vision. She blinked several times, and the words came into focus.
I should have spoken to you in a more civil manner and verified that what your father said was true. For that, and for lying about the call of duty, I give you my sincerest and deepest apologies.
The doorknob jiggled, and someone knocked. “Audra, what’s wrong? Let me in. It’s me, Rachael.”
Nothing mattered except Edward. And his letter.
My feelings for you are genuine. I never led you on. Your letter gives me hope that your father was somehow mistaken about your commitment to Mr. Warren.
Edward.
A long, tortuous scream filled the room.
“Audra?” Rachael knocked again.
A second voice spoke. “It’s Robin, too. Please open the door for us.”
Letter grasped in her fist, Audra unlocked and tore open the door.
Rachael reached for her. “Audra?”
Her heart jabbed her ribs with heavy beats. She pulled away from the hand that touched her and flew down the stairs. “Daddy!”
Her feet skidded on the tiles at the bottom of the steps. She regained her balance and turned down the hall. “Dad!”
Mom ran toward her from the direction of the kitchen, tossed a dishtowel aside and grabbed Audra’s arms. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
“Where is he? Where’s Dad?” Panting, her eyes darted in a frantic search.
The twins’ cries followed her down the stairs.
Dad stepped out of his home office at the end of the hall. Paperwork in one hand, pen in the other, he peered over half-glasses perched on the tip of his nose. “What’s all this screaming and carrying on about?”
Audra broke away from her mother and stepped around her.
“This.” She held the crunched letter in front of her father’s eyes. “All this screaming is about this. How could you?”
Mom’s hand rested on her back. “Sweetheart, what—”
“Liar!” Audra shouted into her father’s face. Her body shook with sobs.
“Don’t you ever speak to me that way, young lady.” Dad ripped off his glasses, his face twisted in anger. “I don’t know what you’re—”
“This is a letter from Edward.” Shaking, she stepped close again. “You told him I was marrying Brad. You asked Edward to leave. How could you to do this, Daddy?”
Mom’s glance bounced between her and her father. Lines creased her forehead. “Joe, is this true?”
“Well, I, he—”
“Joe, did you tell Edward that Audra was getting married? Did you ask him to leave?”
Dad’s voice went up a notch, “I never—”
Audra gasped and slapped her palm to her forehead. Her mind instant replayed Edward’s final moments on the porch. “Edward shook your hand that morning and said, ‘Thanks again for fixing my truck.’ Remember?”
“I suppose I do remember him saying that. What’s that got to do with anything?”
“Edward didn’t have a chance to thank you on Sunday. I was with him all day Monday. He never had a chance to thank you for fixing his truck. Not Sunday. Not Monday. Not ever. Yet, he said, ‘Thanks again.’”
Dad swallowed hard.
“You did talk to him early that morning. Everything in this letter is true, isn’t it?”
Dad straightened and lifted his chin. “Brad is a good Christian man. Can you say the same about Edward?”
She exhaled sharply. “I don’t believe this.”
“Answer me. Is this soldier of yours a Christian?”
“You lied to Edward, and you lied to me.” Tears ran down Audra’s cheek. “So, where does that leave you, Daddy? Are you a Christian?”
Dad threw his papers and pen to the floor. “As long as you live under my roof, you’ll not attach yourself to an unsaved man and gallivant around like a common trollop. Do you understand?” His face reddened, and his eyes flashed with rage.
“Joseph, stop it!” Mom wedged herself between them.
The twins wailed.
Audra backed away. “A trollop?” A slap couldn’t have hurt worse.
With slow, mechanical movements she made her way to the base of the stairs and touched the banister. She looked back at her father. “I love you, Dad. But, I’m not your little girl anymore. I’m a woman. I’m the one who decides who I’ll attach myself to.”
She lifted a foot onto the step. “I’ll pack my things. I can’t live under your roof anymore.”
* * * *
The first suitcase filled up fast. Favorites, everyday stuff, shoes, and purses. Audra pulled a second bag from the closet shelf, tossed it on the bed and stuffed it to the brim.
Someone knocked. “Audra, may I come in?” Mom called from the other side of the door.
“It’s not locked.”
Her mother’s gaze fell on the luggage that stood upright on the floor. “Don’t leave, Audra. Not like this.”
Audra couldn’t hold back her tears. “A trollop? Dad made it sound like Edward and I spent the day rolling around between the sheets in a cheap motel. It wasn’t like that, Mom. It wasn’t like that at all.”
“I know. What your father did was wrong beyond words. I’ve no explanation for his behavior. But, make space in your heart to forgive him, Audra. Push the bitterness and the anger aside, and give him room for repentance.”
“I will, Mamma. But, for now, I have to go.”
* * * *
Audra drove to a nearby convenience store. She gave herself a quick cleanup with a couple of wet wipes from the glove
box and ran a brush through her hair. It would have to do for now.
Inside the store, she grabbed a bottle of iced tea and picked up a bag of pretzels on her way to the register. She added a newspaper to her order, paid, and went back to the car.
With the real estate section of the paper draped over the steering wheel, she scanned the listings for apartment rentals and circled ads that interested her. She sipped her tea and nibbled a pretzel. What would she do tonight? Surely she couldn’t find an apartment, have the utilities turned on, and move in today. No, that wasn’t realistic.
First things first. Call Edward.
The call went straight to voicemail. She left a message then dialed Hank’s number.
He picked up with a “hello.”
“Hi. It’s, it’s Audra.”
“I know. Caller ID. You sound upset. What’s up?”
“I heard from Edward. A letter. You were right, there was a reason he left the way he did.”
“What’d he say?” She detected eagerness in his voice.
“He said…” No, don’t cry. Breathe. “He said my father told him I was getting married to someone else. He left because my father told him to. Hank, I’ve never been engaged. Ever. I can’t believe my father would fabricate such a preposterous story.”
Hank cursed. “Sorry ’bout that. It slipped.”
“I tried to call Edward, but I got his voicemail. I left a message telling him what I just told you.”
“Don’t get upset if he doesn’t call right away. They don’t always have access to voicemail when they’re in country.”
“I confronted my father. We had a terrible fight. I moved out. My car’s packed with most of my stuff, and—”
“Where are you?”
She broke into tears. “Parked at a convenience store.”
“Which one?”
“A few miles from my house. Near Finnegan’s Nursery. The one with the big fountain out front.” Silence filled her ears. “Hank, are you still there?”
“Yeah. Hold on a sec.” After a short pause, he said, “Meet me at the Walmart down the road from where you are in forty-five minutes. Park in the row that faces the street in front of the lawn and garden center.”
“But, Hank—”
“Forty-five minutes.” He hung up.
* * * *
The sight of Hank getting out of his vehicle calmed her frazzled nerves.
“You made good time.” Audra glanced at her watch. “Thirty-five minutes.”
“I gunned it.” Hank kissed her cheek. “You look like you’ve been crying. You okay?”
“I will be, once I know Edward understands what happened.” She shook her head. “I still can’t believe my father—”
“I don’t give a—” He pressed his lips together and looked down at the pavement for a moment. “Let’s not talk about your dad right now. I’m here for you. Eddie would want that.”
Dear, sweet Hank. His brotherly love seemed to be spilling over onto her.
She showed him the newspaper. “I’ve circled some apartment ads that look okay.”
“Audra.” Hank’s huge hand touched her arm. “Are you sure this is what you want? It’s a big financial commitment. Just getting into an apartment can be expensive. First, last, security, not to mention utility deposits. Do you have a good handle on your money situation?”
“I think so.” Uncertainty gnawed her gut. “This is what I want, Hank. I should have done it sooner.”
“All right, then. Let’s go take a look. We’ll take the Jeep. Where do you want to go first?”
Audra gave directions and soon they rolled into the Misty Oaks Apartments. Almost immediately, three teenage boys stepped out from between parked cars and walked in front of the Jeep. The boy in the lead passed a smoke to the one behind him and shot an evil glance in Hank’s direction. They appeared to be dragging their feet on purpose.
Hank lowered his window and stuck his head out. “Excuse me. Would you guys mind moving out of the way, please?”
The tallest kid answered, “Yeah, we do mind.” The look he gave Hank could only mean trouble. Something in his eyes didn’t look right.
Hank shifted into park and reached for the door handle. “Stinkin’ dope heads.”
“Hank, don’t.” Audra grabbed his arm. “I don’t think I’d want to live here with kids like that hanging around. Can we just go? Please?”
He turned around and headed out of the complex. “Where’s the next one on your list?”
“Not far. King’s Haven Apartments.” She directed him.
Audra’s eyes grew wide as they drove by the place. Trashcans overflowed onto the sidewalk, the grounds were unkempt, and loud music assaulted her ears.
She crossed out the ad. “King’s Haven’s a misnomer if I ever heard one. Keep going, Hank.”
“Next?”
“I’m not sure where this one is. Let me call them.”
A man answered. “Crow’s Nest Apartments, Vincent speaking.”
“Hello,” she said. “I’d like to take a look at the one-bedroom apartment you have listed in the paper. Can you give me directions, please?”
“Sure. Lemme ax you this. Where you comin’ from?” She recognized the accent. Brooklyn, maybe Queens.
“We’re on Vine Street and we just passed the King’s Haven Apartments at the intersection of—”
“Say no more. I know that dump. Here’s how you get here.”
She jotted the directions.
They drove just a few blocks and pulled into a common parking area with identical rows of clean and well maintained townhouses on their left and right. Clearly, someone took great pride in the appearance of the place. Audra smiled. This was more like it.
Straight ahead, an office sign hung from a pole outside a single-family home. A short, stocky, middle-aged man leaned against the pole and gave them a nod as they pulled up. He sauntered to them as they got out of the Jeep.
“Vincent Pellegrino,” he said. “Can I help you?”
“Hi, my name is Audra Lorenzo and this is Hank Fleming. I called about the apartment a few minutes ago.”
Vincent squinted and took a long drag on his cigarette. “Lorenzo. Fleming. You’se two ain’t married? I don’t allow no shackin’ up. I run a resputable extablishment here.”
Hank looked at Audra, one brow raised. “He runs a what?”
Audra tried not to laugh and smiled big to cover it. “Mr. Pellegrino says he runs a respectable and reputable establishment.”
Vincent nodded. “Yeah, that’s right. What she said.”
“Vincent,” Audra said, “I’m looking for an apartment for myself only. Hank and I are just friends.”
“Oh.” He shrugged, then puffed his cigarette and blew a smoke ring. “I’m sorry to say that someone already put a deposit on the apartment anyways.”
“What?” With one step, Hank’s imposing shadow engulfed the man. “She called no more than three minutes ago. How could you have rented it that fast?”
“Call off your goon,” Vincent said, looking at Audra. “I got a bodyguard who’ll put a bullet in his head if I give him the signal.”
“Bodyguard?” Hank looked around. “Where?”
“Over there.” Vincent pointed to a muscular, tattooed man sitting in a lawn chair beside an open apartment door about thirty feet from them. “Eh, Dante!” Vincent shouted.
The man looked up from his magazine, and Vincent said something to him in Italian.
Dante patted his hip, leaned forward in his chair and scowled in their direction. He pointed at Hank, his hand mimicking a gun, then his fingers slowly coiled into a fist. The muscles in his forearm grew wider. He glared at Hank and jerked his fist.
Audra laughed and clapped her hands. “Bravo. Uno spettacolo magnifico. Vale dieci dollari, Dante.”
Vincent gasped. “You speak Italian?”
“Yes, Vincent. I speak Italian.”
&nb
sp; Hank tapped her arm. “What was that all about?”
“Vincent asked Dante, over there, to pat his side as if he had a gun, then shake his fist at you for five dollars. I told Dante his performance was worth ten bucks.”
She laughed again. “Come on, Hank. Why don’t we go get something to eat?”
Hank opened the Jeep’s door and Audra started to get in.
“Hold on a minute,” Vincent said, walking up to them.
Audra and Hank turned.
Vincent smiled for the first time with a broad grin, showing many teeth. He looked at Audra and laughed. “You know what? You got moxie for calling me on my little charade just now. You’re spunky and you speak Italian. I like you.”
He dropped his cigarette, snuffed it out, then picked the butt up and put it in his breast pocket. “When you called, a guy was looking at the apartment. I wasn’t sure he’d take it, but he did.” He eyed her as if he were making some sort of decision, then he sighed. “Come wit me. I got somethin’ to show you.”
They followed Vincent up a flight of stairs to a garage apartment. He unlocked the door and pushed it open.
Audra stepped into a tiny kitchen and drew a breath. “Vincent, this is lovely.”
A polished oak table with two matching chairs stood by a window. The counters and cabinets sparkled.
“Go ’head. Look around,” Vincent said.
She and Hank wandered into the living room, then the bedroom, and peeked into the bathroom.
“Hank, this is perfect. I’d love to have furniture this nice. It’s cozy, but the big windows make the place look bright and cheerful. I love it.”
They went back to the kitchen where Vincent waited.
“It’s been empty six months.” Vincent’s eyes misted. He coughed. “My mother lived here. Healthy as a horse, I swear. Went shopping one day, had a heart attack in her car, and just like that,” he drew a finger across his throat, “dead.”
“How terrible. I’m sorry for your loss,” Audra said.
“Thanks. Tell you what. You seem like a nice girl. I’ll let you have the apartment, fully furnished, utilities included, for…” He puckered his lips and turned his eyes upward as in deep thought.
A Soldier Finds His Way Page 22