Excerpt
She reached for her coffee, brushing my hand with her fingers. I pulled back to let her take my hand warmer without opening my eyes. After a sip, her loud voice interrupted the silence. “What happened?”

Never thought of myself as transparent–except to Wilma. I didn’t even have to talk for her to know something weighed on me. Knowing me for…what…my whole life probably had a lot to do with it.

But no way would I tell her about last night. I didn’t need another person I cared about thinking I boarded the crazy train. “He hit her again.”

“That sadistic piece of garbage needs to be hung up by his balls.”

I snorted. She had a way with words, my lunch lady. “You volunteering?”

Her knuckles whitened on the steering wheel, and her face developed blotchy red patches across her pudgy cheeks. “You have no idea how much I’d love the job.”

“I’ll be out of there soon. No need to take his balls.” I slouched in the seat. “Besides, I’m sure those shriveled up a long time ago.”

She snorted this time, setting her coffee in the holder. Smoothing frizzy black curls away from her face, she said, “Found a place in town, looked decent. I’m thinking of taking it.”

The news didn’t surprise me. Wilma had lived in that double wide for years, but when I told her about my plan to move a week ago, she started grumbling about how much she hated her house and needed a change. Guess it didn’t matter hers was the nicest dump in the park.

With a grin, I looked her way. “I think that’s a great idea.”

She nodded, never taking her eyes off the road.