5-6

Chapter Five

 

Shane smirked at our discomfort as he drug me—and my chair, as my ass was still attached to it—closer to him.  “We get down to that last can of beans you’re gonna be lovin’ those frog legs, darlin’.” 

“Oh Shane, these frog legs were just delicious. You’re my hero, may I please have another?”  Shane mocked in a girly voice and this time it was my turn to swat at him.  I hit him in the stomach and he grunted through a laugh. 

“Pigs’ll fly before I ever sound like that.”  I told him, trying not to smile though I could feel that I was doing a very bad job at it.

 

 

~Dale Horvath~

The old man let out a small chuckle and muttered, “I’ll be damned.” 

Chapter Six

 

“Ricky!”  I shouted, my feet eating up the ground between us, Trusty hot on my heels.  “Ricky!”

He and Carl gave a small “oompf” of protest as I plowed into them, squishing Carl between us in a trifecta of love.

 

Looking back behind me with tears in my eyes, I smiled widely at Shane, but he didn’t return the gesture.  He had gone pale as he stood there, staring at Rick in disbelief and immediately I knew something was wrong. 

Lori had told me how badly Shane had beaten himself up about leaving my brother in that hospital, completely believing he was dead and now, I sure he felt worse. 

Kissing my brother once on the forehead, I got up and left him to get reacquainted with his family.  Shane’s eyes didn’t leave Rick as I approached and he didn’t budge when I tried tugging on his arm. 

 

He nodded, shutting his eyes as a few more tears escaped and trickled down his face.  “He’s not the only one I love, Birdy.”