Chapter 16

“It’s okay. She got into drugs and couldn’t hold down a regular job. What money she did get, went to feed her habit, rather than me.”

David got up from his side of the table and went round to give Bud a hug. “I don’t know what to say.” How could a system fail those it was meant to serve so tragically?

“Thanks,” Bud said, resting his head on David’s chest. “Sure caused me to grow up quick, I can tell you.”

“I can imagine. Robbing a child of his innocence, not allowing him to experience life without loading him down with the knowledge of the cruelties of life. Wrong, so wrong.”

“Yeah.” Bud turned in his seat and buried his face in David’s chest.

David wrapped his arms around the man’s thick neck and applied a comforting pressure. Leaning down, David kissed the top of Bud’s head, eliciting a moan of pleasure from the Marine. Growing bolder, he kissed his way down the side of Bud’s face to his ear.

“Thank you.”

Bud looked up in surprise.