Chapter 21

But apparently the child wasn’t finished. “I don’t know what Tammy wants, but she likes horses. Maybe you can get her something with horses on it? But no unicorns. She’s too old for that.”

Vic paused, gift in hand, and peered at Brucey. “Who’s Tammy?”

“My sister.” Brucey stretched out his arms for the present, but Vic kept it beyond his reach. “She’s twelve, which is twice my age. She can’t come tonight because she’s in the hospital.”

Though Vic knew it was none of his business, he couldn’t stop himself from asking, “Why?”

“She was in a bad accident.” Brucey nodded at Vic even as his mother tried to shush him from the sidelines. “She was riding and fell off the horse. I think it threw her off, at least it looked like that to me. She’s got a metal bar in her leg and can’t walk and won’t be home for Christmas, so don’t forget to take her presents to the hospital instead of to our house.”