Eddie's Girl

He’d first snuck into the Keller home in the wee hours of the morning through a basement window.  People were after him and maybe even wanted him dead.  Eddie hadn’t intended to trespass, but when the opportunity presented itself, he dove in.  He soon learned the old house was occupied by a middle-aged couple who left at or around seven every morning for work. 

The Keller’s stacked boxes of stuff they choose not to unpack since moving into the fixer-upper in an extra room.  Eddie considered himself an angel on two counts.  One, he sells their stuff on eBay to get money for his sister’s medication.  Kallie, the youngest, suffers grand mal seizures due to diabetes.  She gets all the attention, while Eddie comes and goes as he pleases because mama thinks he does delivery work.  And two, he’s helping the Keller’s get rid of things they won’t miss, well not for a while during remodeling.

Eddie’s family home is cramped and shabby comfortable, but things are tougher now since his daddy got laid-off and collects scrap metal to keep the utilities going.  Mama helps out at the school, but the time in minimal and doesn’t account for much money.  Besides, she worries about Kallie too much. 

It’s the reason why he lies.  If she ever found out what he was doing to these nice people she’d go to the juju doctor and get a potion for him to take just like the time before his eighth birthday.

She was one angry lady that day.  Mama carried Kallie around on her wide hip, but she still tackled and grabbed Eddie by his hair, then dragged him back to the corner store for the five-finger discount spearmint gum he was chewing.

“You apologize to Mr. Riley.”  Mama yelled.  When she was done her face was a shocking red.

His face was tear-stained.  Eddie wouldn’t look Mr. Riley in the eyes.  He was more embarrassed by his mother than having to apologize, but he did and it exasperated him because pretty little Amy Morgan witnessed the horror of the whole ordeal.

He adored Amy more than anyone.