“You’ll have that one day.Someone who deserves you and loves you and treats you well.”Maggie pulled off a piece of her sandwich and held it out for Walker.The dog gently took it out of her hand and gobbled it up.He looked up at her, wagged his tail, and gave her a toothy smile.
“You don’t think Tony treats me well, do you?”Cindy stated.
Maggie locked eyes.“I don’t think a man should ever put his hands on a woman.A man that does that is a bully.”
Cindy set her half-eaten sandwich down on the stump and wiped her hands on her jeans.“It doesn’t happen all the time.And the good times are really good.”
Maggie lost her appetite.She fed the rest of the sandwich to Walker.“It’s called the honeymoon stage.Where, after an abuser hurts his victim, he love bombs her with gifts, words of endearment, telling her how sorry he is and it won’t ever happen again.Until it does.”
Cindy’s lips were pressed into a thin white line.
Maggie shook her head.“Cindy, if I didn’t care about you, then I would let it go.But I do care.I consider you a friend.And I don’t want you to get hurt—or worse.You have so much potential.You’re smart, caring, considerate.You deserve the best.”
Cindy’s expression relaxed.She looked at Maggie under her lashes.“You consider me a friend?”
“Of course.”Maggie smiled.“You’ve been a better friend to me than Lauren.And I’ve known her for years.”She snorted.
Cindy smiled brightly.“I consider you my friend too, Maggie.”
Maggie remembered the message from Cindy’s mom.“You know, I bet your family is really worried about you.I bet they would love to hear from you.”
Cindy’s smile faltered.“I don’t know.A lot has happened.There are some things you can’t forgive.”
Maggie cocked her head.“What did you do that you think is so unforgiveable?”
Cindy wrapped her arms around her chest and studied the ground.“Before I left with Tony, I stole some money.”She looked up at Maggie with pleading in her eyes.“I didn’t want to, but Tony said we needed it for gas money.I took two hundred dollars out of my dad’s wallet.”Her face went pale before she looked away.“I’ve never done anything like that in my life.There’s no way they could forgive me for that.”Cindy’s voice cracked with so much emotion that it broke Maggie’s heart.
“I’m going to tell you something.You might not like what I have to say.”Maggie lifted her chin.
Cindy stiffened.“You are kicking me out of your van.”
Maggie blinked.“What?!No!I would never kick you out.”Maggie gave her a reassuring squeeze on her arm.
Cindy relaxed a little.“What is it then?”
Maggie cleared her throat.“I contacted your mom, Joy Miller, on Facebook.”
The color drained from the girl’s face and she swayed on her feet.She quickly steadied herself and met Maggie’s gaze.“You talked to my Mom?”
“Well, not in person.Just on Facebook Messenger.Her last picture she posted has you in it.”
Cindy swallowed.“What did you say?”
“I told her I was your friend and was with you.”
Cindy narrowed her eyes slightly.“Did you tell them Tony left me?”
Maggie shook her head.“No.And she sent me a message back asking if you are okay and that the family hasn’t heard from you in months.Your mom seems really worried about you.”
Cindy slowly walked a few feet away, staring up at the sky.She turned on her heel.“So she’s not mad?”
Maggie quickly took her phone out of her back pocket and pulled up the message from Joy.She held it out.“Look for yourself.”
Cindy didn’t move for a second.She padded slowly toward her and reached for the phone.
Cindy was reading and rereading the message.
“Are you mad?”Maggie asked softly.
