"The Impossible Dream." Impossible dreams were the only kind she knew.
She had no money, a stack of bills higher than her sister's inventory, and no real job to speak of, but wherever her heart was, was home. She could pack up and leave anytime she liked—after Cleo got out of jail.
December, 1945
The night you walked into the bar, I thought you were the most amusing thing that had happened in a long time. The joint stank of beer. Pete had passed out at his usual table. The piano player was more interested in one of the guys at the bar than the music. Then you walked in with your shiny new church suit and spiffy fedora, trying to look as if you walked into dens of iniquity all the time. You were irresistible.
I was half way to drunk when you looked at me, but I sobered up quick. God, you were one good-looking fellow. Why am I telling you this? You damned well knew it all along. You probably got through the war on your looks and charm. I'll sober up in the morning and rip this letter to shreds, so it doesn't matter what I say anyway.
Or maybe I won't. Maybe I'll mail it and hope it poisons your two-timing heart.
You had eyes that seared the soul and set my jaded heart thumping. Even Pete wasn't amusing anymore. I didn't want you to ignore me, so I walked right up and caught your tie between my fingers and led you straight down the path to hell.
Or maybe I hoped you'd lead me out. I never was very smart.
Chapter 2
Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.
"Maya, is that you? We've got problems, girl." The lilting Southern accent drifted down the darkened school hall through the office doorway, sounding more bemused than worried.
Maya kneeled and hugged the five-year-old clenching her hand. "It's all right, sugar baby. Selene makes jokes. Everything's going to be just fine. Why don't you turn on the lights and check on Mr. Pig?"
The solemn little boy with her sister's bright green eyes nodded his shaggy head. She really needed to get his hair cut. Maya ruffled the dark strands and kissed his forehead. Maybe pregnancy was magnifying her emotions, but his solemnity tore at her heartstrings. Except for his eyes, he didn't even look like Cleo, but she saw her older sister's worried frown in his expression now. He might be only five, but he carried the world's burdens on his shoulders already. And just like Cleo, he frequently rebelled at the weight. He still didn't entirely trust Maya to carry the burden.
"I bet Mr. Pig missed you today. Pat him nicely so he knows you care."
Matty smiled shyly. "I will. Can I have a chocolate milk?"
"May I," she corrected. "Sure thing, sugar dumplin'. Only one, though. We've got to have enough for everyone." Maya bit her lip and watched with a sob in her throat as her nephew ambled down the long hall toward the school's main workroom. That poor child had lived through hell these last few years. She cursed Cleo and turned to find Selene watching her from the doorway.
"That boy will be just fine. Kids bounce back fast. It's you I'm worried about. Get yo'self in here and put your dogs up."
"Don't give me that cotton-mouth, girl," Maya mocked, following Selene into the office to drop onto a shredded couch that was one step ahead of the garbage heap. "I may be white trash, but you've got upbringing."
Selene's grin spread across her face. "You're the one with the education, not me. I'm just here washing floors."
"Scrubbing." Maya arranged her back and expanded belly on the sagging cushions and put her feet up. "One scrubs floors and washes dishes. Shows how much you know about real work."
With a more serious expression, Selene inquired, "You heard from that sister of yours yet?"
She sighed. "Going cold turkey hasn't made Cleo any more communicative than before. She won't take my calls." Just the topic of her sister made her nervous. She hadn't seen Cleo in years, had barely exchanged more than a dozen phone calls with her since Cleo had reached the age of eighteen and fled the series of foster homes they'd grown up in.
Still, Maya treasured memories of her street-tough older sister rescuing her from childhood dragons, and she figured she owed Cleo. She just couldn't rely on her. For that, she had her wealthy partner.