Sapphire Eyes ~ 10 Chapter Challenge

Three Years Before the Letter

Hand in the Cookie Jar ~ Mirna

I tiptoe down the stairs and sneak into the kitchen. Deb's nowhere in sight, and Jimmy's in the shower. Now's my chance! I lift the lid off the red ceramic cookie jar and set it back down on the countertop. Then with both hands, I reach into the jar and shovel all the dollar bills out, letting them spill all over the counter.

What kind of idiots leave this much cash just lying around like this? They deserve to have someone steal it, I think with a smirk as I remove my pink baseball hat and wad all the bills together inside. I run back upstairs before anyone catches me with my hand in the cookie jar.

Back in my room, I lock the door behind me and spread the money over my bed. I've never had this much money in front of me before. I sort all the bills into piles: ones, fives, tens, and even a twenty dollar bill. This is over fifty bucks! Way more than I need to pay for a bus ticket to San Francisco. I'll be able to pay for food when I get to the beach.

I roll all of the money together into a cylindrical wad of cash, so that it looks like it belongs to a drug dealer. With another smirk, I slip the money into my pocket and go downstairs for breakfast.

For Mirna's Sake ~ Jim

I run my hand over the bathroom mirror, making a track through the condensation. With my five o'clock shadow, dark circles and pallid complexion, I resemble a war survivor. Or maybe I just feel like one, and my imagination simply completes the visual for me.

So I'm a little tired; nothing is going to ruin today. I won't let it.

I shave, ruff up my hair quickly, and go back to our bedroom. Deb must be downstairs already.

Nessa intercepts me at the door. I take her harness from the belt rack inside the door. Nessa stands still as I slip it on, tighten it, and stand up.

Nessa nuzzles the back of my knee and woofs softly.

Not today! Why does it always happen at the exact moment to mess everything up? All I ask for is just one perfect day for Mirna's sake. It's always too much to ask.

Nessa keeps barking. Before she gets loud enough to hear downstairs, I kneel and unsnap the harness. Nessa cocks her head, but otherwise handles this new experience very well. "Good girl, Nessa," I croon. "Let's go." I stand up and hang the harness in its place, then walk down the hallway to the stairs. Nessa follows along at my side, as if she is still in her uniform.

I find Deb in the kitchen and pull her into a hug. "Good morning, ready for your test?" I ask.

Deb groans.

I rub her shoulders. "I'm sure you'll do just fine."

"I know; that's the problem. I don't want to do just fine. I want to do great."

"Then you'll do great. You know this stuff, Deb."

She grins sheepishly. "Thanks. You know ..." She sighs heavily. "I hate to tell you this, considering it's Mirna's birthday."

"Tell me what?"

"The cookie jar is empty."

"Empty?" I pull away from Deb and reach for the jar on the kitchen counter, not because I don't believe her, but because the thought of the jar being empty is such a ridiculous idea. But it is. "Oh, no."

"You'd better talk to her," Deb says.

I nod. "I can't believe—why does she feel like she needs to steal from us?"