SANDS OF DELUSION

By Tessa Harvey


CONSEQUENCES

The boy realised there were two pairs of adult eyes firmly focused on him. He flinched. "What?" he asked, defensively. "It was just a fight!" His friend, Bryant had accused him of being horrible to Kitty. He had overheard Max's accusation and been really upset.
    The boys sometimes had disagreements, but this one was serious. Because Max knew his friend was right, he had become angry and shoved him. The situation had escalated from there.
    Jaxon, watching his son's face, saw apprehension, then anger and defiance. Suddenly he blurted out, "I just took the kid a ride on my skateboard. Nothing wrong with that, even if we did skip school."
    "Kitty is pregnant," Maria Alvarez declared firmly, unsmiling.
"Yeah, so," rudely Max answered, speaking louder than was necessary.
    His dad flinched. "You admit this? What were you thinking? Mrs. Alvarez says Kitty is only fifteen.
    A song suddenly came on the radio, "Amazing Grace." 
"Look, Mrs. Alvarez, Max, let's sit down."
They perched on the battered couch, and Jaxon took the armchair opposite. "What do you expect us to do?" he asked, rubbing his face and hair, tiredly.
    Suddenly an image of a car in flames rose before him, instant and deeply disturbing. Terrifying.
    Jaxon put his head in his arms and sobbed. Max was shocked. "Dad, it's okay. I'm sorry. Really sorry! I'll work hard and help about the kid. It was my fault. Sorry, Mrs. A." Max looked at the two adults.
    His cockiness had vanished. He loved his dad. "We can fix this," he added. Even to his own ears, it sounded lame.
    Jax shook his face. This all seemed unreal. "I miss Merry, my wife," he stated baldly. "The fire got her. I couldn't stop it."
    He swallowed. "Everyone knew about the fire, and its devastation." People had collected money and bedding and other things for the victims - even giving tomato plants, lovingly cherished, donating food for starving livestock.
    Mrs. Alvarez looked at them both. "Luis and I, we will pray. Our daughters are foster children. They may be taken from our care. I'll get Luis to come and see you. He was working late shift at the meatworks. We do not want to lose Kitty and Alice.
Kitty may not be allowed to keep her baby. I will go now. There is no blame, Max." She quietly left.


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