Theo And Reed's Wedding Bells : Book 2

Chapter Thirteen

                     You get family
                     From God Up Above
                     But Sometimes Your
                     Strongest Family Is
                     The One You Chose
                     All On Your Own

                     --------------

    Theo was surprisingly grateful that Winnie had come to them. For what ever reason the young man had came. His coming took his mind and Reed's off of the damn cancer. For just a little bit. Of course Bitch Cancer was still there. Like a strong demonic presence lurking just within the background, it's greedy cold clammy fingers tightening around all that Theo held dear.

     For just this brief spell he didn't need to think about it. Not till tomorrow. No. Today he was welcoming a lost young soul into their home and listening to a tale as old as time. They sat in the living room; him and Reed on the sofa and Winnie in Reed's deceased father's old beloved black leather chair. Against Reed's wishes that he sit and rest Theo had made tea in the kitchen and it settled on the coffee table next to a plate of chocolate chip cookies. Store bought of course; did Theo look like his perfect sister Grace? They sat and drink tea and ate cookies while Winnie told his story of how he got to D.C. And why.

     Winnie Palmer tossed back his hair nervously and talked. Ok he pretty much babbled but it was Winnie. Winnie was a babbler. Apparently he had gotten into a terrible fight with his widowed father who worked on an oil rig in Louisiana although the family lived in Texas. The father was mad that Winnie had not found a new job after Reed left Texas. Not many in town wanted to hire the flamboyant and outspoken young man. His father had beaten him and pushed his three older brothers to beat him. Which they could see from the faded but still apparent bruising on his thin fragile face and collarbone.  His father refused to pay his tuition at Sweet Flower College anymore. His father threw him out the house with only one suitcase that contained a few clothes Winnie managed to grab , a framed picture of his dead mother and a well worn Bible. He had no where to go and wandered the streets of town until Theo's sister Grace saw him. She gave him a meal and enough money to buy a bus ticket anywhere. He had Reed's address and he chose D.C.

" And that's it," Winnie said in a matter of fact way. " That's how I got here. " He started to chew on his finger nails but didn't seem to realize he was doing it.

    Reed looked at Theo and Theo saw in his eyes he was leaving it up to him. Theo had cancer. This probably wasn't the best time for an unscheduled guest. Yet. Theo took a sip from the tea. Grace knew what she was doing when she gave Winnie that money. She knew exactly where he would go and what their reaction would be when he arrived. They couldn't turn him out on his time of need.

    " The guest room is ," Theo said," there if you want it. As long as you want it. Now I have a story of my own to tell you. About why I look like roadkill. "