Page 129 of Charity's Redemption

The water turned from a blue reflection of the sky to a tinge of green as I approached the pier in search of those babies I now realized were all grown up now.

So much time had passed between, and their lives were so short, they were probably adults now, on their own, flying towards the sun.

The pier creaked as I walked across it, towards the end, and leaned over the edge in search of some sort of animal to feed my lettuce when I spotted six ducks with a shimmery green head and four more that were dull brown.

“I bought you some delicious green stuff, guys.”

Digging into the bags, I tore off small chunks of lettuce, leaned on the railing with my forearms, and tossed to them. It landed in the water with a plop, and they swam as fast as they could to get it.

One of the green-headed ducks reached it first, putting it in his mouth and nibbled, then spat it back out.

I scoffed, offended that my free offering of food wasn’t good enough. “Isn’t this the shit you eat?” A second came, picked it up with his beak, and the same thing happened. He spat it out.

Maybe it’s too big.

I twisted off a few more pieces, making them smaller than the last, and tossed in a few more in different areas so they could all have a chance. They repeated the same process, never eating it.

“Spoiled shits.”

“I think they like bread.”

I spun on my heel, twisting my shoulder, causing a sharp pain to branch out across my back and up my neck.

“What are you doing here?”

Max walked towards me, his foot hitting the pier with his hand half tucked into his pocket and a smirk on his lips. “Well, funny story. I was looking at this god-awful home when I got a phone call from Luca telling me our precious Charity took his car out for a joy ride, and I needed to come get him.”

I peered around Max’s shoulder, disappointed I didn’t see Luca. “Where is he then?”

“He’s finishing up that important phone call you interrupted.” He leaned sideways against the flat wood railing. “But don’t worry, you’ll know when he’s done.”

A smile crept over my face from his insinuation.

“I told him to entertain me.”

“He’ll entertain you all right… with his belt across your ass.”

“Don’t tease me now, Max. I think we understand just how much I enjoy this.”

“I don’t doubt it, bella.”

He held his hand outstretched, seeking the lettuce.

“They don’t like it.”

“I told you. They want bread even when they know it’s not prudent to eat it.”

“I feel like there is a double entendre there.”

He shrugged, twisted the entire lettuce head in half, making it sound like a movie effect, then tossed it to the ducks below.

“They can’t eat it that way.”

“They won’t eat it, period. So what does it matter if I throw the whole bit in or just a little at a time?”

“Maybe they won’t eat it because we’re here.”

He laughed as the sound of footsteps slicing through the weeds approached us from behind.

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