Promises (New Beginnings Book 2) Read Online Free Page A

right?" Now Jason was just messing with him.
    "I'm going to kill Maggie." Elijah laughed. In truth , he was happy to have the help and the deck was a good thing to have them work on.
    Jason laughed. “Josh here doesn’t have to be at the rink until this afternoon, so you have us for a while.”
    "Come around back then." Elijah led them to where he had the wood and tools set up. "Maggie really sent you guys?"
    "It was her idea," Jason shrugged. "But you know we would have helped anyways."
    Guilt started to build in the pit of Elijah's stomach. When she was doing stuff like this for him, how could he hide something as big as Jake coming to town from her?

Four
     
    Maggie finished the school day with another headache. The closer they got to summer, the worst her kids became. They were restless. She was restless. She was hoping she could be moved up a couple of grades next year, but she wasn't holding her breath.
    She let out a sigh of relief as she left the school behind and headed towards Legal Services. Michaela had taken an afternoon shift and would be off soon. They had girl plans while the boys did their manly building stuff. Maggie knew she and Michaela would eventually be dragged into that as well, but not today.
    Legal Services was in a sketchy part of the city, but it wasn't anything Maggie wasn't used to. She’d grown up in a similar part of Boston. It didn't scare her.
    She parked her car and walked down the sidewalk. A man tried to talk to her, but she brushed by him and turned into the building.
    This place was always a little crazy. There were a lot of people that needed legal help and couldn't pay for it. The waiting area was packed and volunteers worked furiously at the rows of desks.
    Maggie spotted Michaela at a desk with a young girl sitting on it, her legs swinging back and forth. Maggie smiled at the kid and she grinned toothily back.
    "Hey, Mags," Michaela said as she finished up whatever she was typing.
    "And who is this beautiful little girl?" Maggie asked.
    "Kimberly," the girl said in a high pitched squeal.
    "Hi Kimberly, I'm Maggie."
    Kimberly giggled and Maggie smiled wider. As difficult as her students could be, Maggie loved kids. The only dream that had ever mattered to her was to become a mother, but that wasn't in the cards. After three miscarriages, she learned she had a uterine abnormality, as the doctors called it. Really, it was an oddly-shaped uterus that she was born with. It prevented her from being able to carry a child to term. It was the hardest thing she’d ever had to hear.
    "Alright, Kimberly," Michaela said. "I have to go. You should find Katie. I think she'll be here for a while still."
    Kimberly hopped off the desk and wrapped her arms around Michaela. "Will you be back tomorrow?"
    "No, but I'll be here the day after."
    "Okay." Kimberly's voice was small, sad.
    She surprised Maggie by hugging her as well. Maggie squeezed her tight and didn't let go until Kimberly did.
    "It was nice to meet you," Maggie said. She didn't know what made her do it but she kissed Kimberly on the top of her head and said, "I'll see you again."
    ###
    "So, what's a kid doing hanging out in a law office?" Maggie asked. She and Michaela were shopping, but not really buying anything. Neither of them were into spending much money. Maggie didn't have it. Michaela did. She had a trust fund that would allow her to buy pretty much anything she wanted, but she rarely did.
    "You mean Kimberly?" Michaela put down the purse she’d been eying and turned to Maggie. "It's actually a pretty sad story. Last year she was a case I helped on. We helped her grandmother battle for custody so she could take care of her."
    "Instead of her parents?"
    "Her mom’s not in the picture and her dad cared more about his next fix than his own daughter." Michaela huffed loudly in exasperation before continuing. "He overdosed a couple months after he lost custody. He's dead."
    Maggie raised a hand to her mouth, her eyes