Page 5 of Moon's Promise

Devon carefully maneuvered himself out the window without shaking the shelf containing several trophies. Dropping down to the ground below, he felt the switch move inside of him, leaving him cold and emotionless as he traversed the dark back streets. He ran at a loose jog until he came to the house he wanted, then stopped behind a fence. Glancing around, he made sure no one was close before he lithely climbed the fence. Then, sticking to the shadows, he snuck toward the back door, where he silently jimmied the lock and slid inside the house.

As he quietly moving around the place, he heard the sound of a television playing from somewhere. Carefully maneuvering himself closer, he pressed against a wall. When he heard the click of the television channel being switched, Devon came out of hiding to stand at the door.

It took the man lying on the bed several minutes before he realized Devon was standing there. Rising upward into a sitting position, Vance glared at him angrily as he reached for the phone sitting on the nightstand. “What in the fuck are you doing here—”

Devon rushed forward, snatching the phone with his gloved hand and gently placing the receiver back down on its cradle. He stood, outlined in the moonlight coming in from the window. “Keeping my promise.”

Four minutes later, Devon slid out the back door then over the fence. Jogging unhurriedly, he made it back to the grocery store with time to spare.

Joel reached a hand out to help him.

Devon dropped down next to him, then reached out to straighten a picture that had been knocked down. As he gazed at the picture, he felt the switch turn back on as emotions rushed back in.

Swallowing down the heartache at seeing his brother’s image, he turned back to his manager. “Thanks. I don’t want to leave the taxi waiting any longer,” he forced out croakily.

Joel reached out his hand, and Devon shook it. “Stay safe.”

“For sure. I have another favor to ask.” Releasing his hand, Devon removed an envelope from his pocket and gave it to the manager. “Pay the entrance fees for the kids who can’t afford theirs. I bagged up my bats and gloves; told Mom you would stop by to get them.”

Joel’s compassionate gaze caught his. “I can’t take those; you bought them to practice with Eric.”

Devon clenched his jaw, the pain easing in his chest. “Take them. They aren’t doing any good sitting in a closet.”

Joel nodded. “I’ll stop by tomorrow.”

“I put extra in there for you to buy the kids snow cones when they win their first game. Eric loved snow cones.”

“Devon, you already did so much for the kids last season. I don’t expect you to keep doing it every year. You need to get on with your life.”

“From the moment I handed Eric his first baseball, that’s all he wanted to do. He would throw that plastic ball until I got tired of throwing it back. It isn’t possible for Eric to play anymore, but I think he would like it if I spent the money I would have given him to provide the same opportunity to another kid.”

Joel nodded. “I think so, too.”

Devon left the office and made it back to the waiting cab.

“I was about to leave.” After giving him a harassed look, the driver turned around and put the car in motion.

“Saying goodbye was harder than I thought it would be,” Devon explained, taking off his gloves.

The rest of the ride to the airport was accomplished in silence.

Handing over the rest of his cash to the driver and taking his duffle bag, Devon got out. He passed a trash can at the entrance and threw the gloves away before walking through the electric doors. He had barely enough time to make it through security and reach the gate before his plane called for final boarding.

Getting in line, he noticed two women in front of him turn around and do a double-take before turning forward again. When two ticket agents split the line apart to make it move faster, Devon maneuvered himself around the women as they searched for their tickets. Wistful expressions followed him.

Finding his seat with the help of a flight attendant who had left greeting other passengers to latch on to his heels, he put his bag in the overhead before sitting down.

“Can I be of any other assistance to you?” Suggestively leaning forward, she moved his hands away to latch his seat belt for him.

Uninterested in the overture, Devon turned his head to stare out at the dark sky. “No, thanks. I’m good.”

Not moving his eyes away from the window as the other passengers boarded, he felt someone take the seat next to him.

“Hi!”

A breathy voice had his head turning. It was one of the women who had been in front of him in line.

“So, you’re going to Chicago, too?”

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