The dame with the sight

plight as she waited for it to turn to green. An old hound lay immobile on the the street corner, immune to everything, including the flies buzzing around his ears. A small child

e child ducked her head and turned to run back into the nearby grocery store. As she did, she

wer lip, and without hesitation, wheeled towards the curb and parked. By the time she got out, the litt

happened?" The

." Janey said. "I saw

what all the fuss was about. When the little girl, who Janey now k

sighed through her purse for a small pack of aloe-vera-coated wipes, then

said softly. "These will

them gently on the little girl's knees, then handed the rest of the

s kiss against her daughter's cheeks before easing the dam

cried, then his her face a

l at the side of the little girl's chee

l nodded witho

"I'll bet your lip would feel a whole lot bet

silence, and then th

?" Jane

odded

rried into the small grocery store.

pointed toward

icles and headed towards the checkout counter. She tossed a fi

ur change!" Th

y said as she r

other and child were sitting, she eased d

t to pick out one

at. She took one long lick on the cherry-red ice, then t

er mother said.

said, and hande

said. "It's orange... a

at and then wrapped it around the stock

x around to the rem

lves before

efore walking away, but a teenage boy and his girlfriend,

she tried to keep up with the quic

lick, looking at Janey only when sh

sess the stranger who'd involved herself on her daughter's plight. The C

ne. This is my b

t you, Yvette... and you t

d noisily to catch a big drip

d, then took a big bite of the green po

sicle, then did something she'd been taught

ed recently and left he property to me. I was on my

h... I didn't mean to pry.

the last of her popsicle before standing. "I'd better

ous. She stood abruptly, clutching

to Wister

y no

s your gr

he had seen on the people's faces were gone. Sh

Y

ing nearby suddenly moved out

Josie'

going to have to defend the honor of

woman said, then made

smile, echoing similar murmurs of encouragement

ss her, yeah." Then she eyes Janey up and down, hesitating o

ccent, Janey wasn't certain what she was hearing. But idlf she wasn't mistaken, not on

.um,

fear on Janey's face a

m way back. But missin' her somethin' fierce. But you here now... so a piece of her still wit' is

ey's throat tighte

ut I heal some. If you get da malaise, you

breath. "Yes. I'

still present. No one seemed wary or offended. She gav

ain. " Mary Andy...

vaguely familiar, but sh

Mary