Page 44 of Beautiful Defiance

“Then I’ll work the maximum.”

He reaches under the counter. When he straightens, he’s holding a bunch of papers in his hand. “Fill these out. What size shirt do you wear?”

“Small.”

“I’ll have a uniform shirt ready for you. Wear black slacks. Got that?”

“Thank you.” I extend my hand, and we shake on it.

On the way out, Red wraps his arms around my waist and Rue’s. We walk to the restaurant with smiles on our faces, Rue’s dog yapping away at everything in his or her line of sight.

“We’re complete, Rue,” Red says.

We stop in front of the door to the pho restaurant.

“You and me and Leigh, we are rebels.”

“Outcasts,” Rue says.

“A triple threat.” I put in my two cents.

“Triple threat, I like that.” Red nods, this slow up and down of his head. “To new beginnings.” He sticks out his pinky finger. “To the triple threats.”

Rue and I hook our fingers on his and say in unison, “To the triple threats.”

I smile. Can’t stop smiling as I share a meal with my new friends. I’ve never been happier.

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