Part 9 (1/2)

”I'm just getting ready to take care of it now,” she said.

”You wait until your mama's done and then you can go outside.”

Winn started to lift Greg off his leg but the boy clung to his neck.

”I'm not going outside unless you are.” He had promised Winn that he would never go anywhere without him.

”Don't be silly,” Winn said, hugging the small warm body.”Your mama's going to put a fresh bandage on my hand. I'll be fine.””Then carry me out of the house.” The little arms tightened around Winn's neck.

”You can't let a blind man carry you around. You'll get hurt.” Winn could

hear Cynthie's rag slide across the floor. Surely she would come and s.n.a.t.c.hthe child away from him. He listened for an exclamation or hasty footsteps.”I'll watch where we're going,” the boy encouraged.The rag continued to swish nearby. He even thought he heard Cynthie humming softly but wasn't sure. His own heart was pounding loud enough to drown out

a thunderstorm.

”You're a crazy kid and deserve whatever happens to you,” he muttered in the boy's ear as he stood up.

Greg giggled and leaned away, pointing.

”Go that way.”

”Greg!” Winn held him more tightly. He heard the panic in his own voice and

couldn't understand why Cynthie didn't come rescue her baby.

He counted the steps to the kitchen door, trying his

best to take normal-size steps, knowing he couldn't while holding the child.

”Will we make it through the doorway?” he whispered.

”I can reach the top of the door!” called Greg.

Winn felt the jolt as the boy grabbed the upped sill and was glad he had been moving so slowly.

”Don't do that,” he pleaded.”There's no gla.s.s on the kitchen floor. You can walk now.”Greg threw his arms around Winn's neck.”There might be,” he said solemnly.Winn took a couple of steps into the kitchen.”There might be stickers outside. Do I have to carry you around everywhere?””Yes.” The boy giggled, but he let go and Winn helped him gently to the floor.

Winn heard Cynthie come in behind him as Greg dashed out the back door, let ting it slam behind him. He heard the sound of a stove lid dropping into

place. ”Have a seat, Mr. Sutton. I'll have the coffee on in a minute and wecan get to your hand.”Winn gritted his teeth. Did she have any idea what he had just been through?

Well, he would find a seat or trip over one. As he took a step forward, he

realized that he already knew where the back door was.

The sounds had helped him place both it and the stove. The table would have to be ahead and to the right.

He knew the room was small. One more step and he set his hand down on the

edge of the table. A second later his other hand found the chair.

He sat down and rested his arm on the table, feeling very proud of himself.

He didn't realize that he was smiling.

Neither did he know that Cynthie had been watching and that her smile

matched his. She went quickly back to the coffee preparations.”Louie or Peter will be taking us into town sometime this week,” she began.She set something on the table. The soft thud wasn't enough to tell him what.i.t was.

”I think you should come with us.”

He didn't want to go to town. He didn't want to stumble into people.

He didn't want Cynthie to see how frightened he was by the whole idea.

She had taken his hand and turned it over.

”This could sting,” she warned.

The next instant Winn jerked away as she proved her words to be correct.

Winn didn't know what she had used but it was probably unnecessary and