Page 8 of Christmas Wishes

"Lilah, you're embarrassing me!"

I pull back at this outrageous comment.

"I'm embarrassing you? How do you think I felt when the Sheriff, no less, informed me you'd been apprehended?"

He blushes and sits back down on the chair. I look at the officer at the desk with an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry, officer. I'm Connor's sister and legal guardian, Lilah Castle."

I hear, more than see Gene pulling up a chair for me. The officer explains what has happened and tell us that the owner of the store won't be pressing charges if Connor apologizes and does some sort of community service.

My sigh of relief is loud, but the officer makes a face at me. Apparently Connor won't apologize and is balking at the community service. My eyes go wide and I see my brother has a determined look on his face. I'm about to lose it when Gene intervenes.

"Officer, is it possible for us to talk to the young man in your conference room?"

The officer agrees and shows us the way. I don't know what Gene wants to say to my brother, but I'm crossing my fingers and my toes that he's able to reach him.

Chapter 4

Gene

As soon as the door closes behind us Connor turns around and starts talking to his sister in a tone I don't particularly like.

"I'm not doing it, Lilah."

"Connor, you were caught stealing. There's evidence. You could go to jail." I say.

"Who is this guy? And what is he doing with you?"

"I'm the one who is going to represent you if things escalate. Let's not let them get that far."

"You're not the boss of me."

"Is this how you've been getting the money to help me?" Lilah asks.

"If you hadn't made that payment this week we would have been evicted, Lilah."

My heart breaks when Lilah starts crying, hands on her face. I pull out one of the chairs and guide her into the seat.

"Connor, I'm Gene Mitchell. I'm a friend of your sister."

"Mitchell? Mitchell! It's your fault people don't buy my sisters flowers anymore."

"Yes, I didn't know about that until today. I'm going to try to fix that."

"What do you want with Lilah, anyway?"

"Right now I'm trying to help her. She's very distraught about this whole situation."

"I'm the one trying to help her. I'm the only family she's got left."

"I know you are, but you are going about it the wrong way. If you go to jail there'll be no one to look after your sister."

That was a total lie. I would always be there for Lilah, but I needed this kid to snap out of his stubbornness. He bites his lower lip and looks at where his sister is still crying, all because of him. I try to maintain my cool, because he is Lilah's brother after all.

"How can I apologize if I needed the money to help my sister?"

"That's exactly how you do it. You tell the man you are sorry and that your sister needed help. And then promise you won't do it again."

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