The Kindness of Strangers
Katrina Kittle
Language: English
Pages: 393
ISBN: 0060564784
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
A young widow raising two boys, Sarah Laden is struggling to keep her family together. But when a shocking revelation rips apart the family of her closest friend, Sarah finds herself welcoming yet another troubled young boy into her already tumultuous life.
Jordan, a quiet, reclusive elementary school classmate of Sarah's son Danny, has survived a terrible ordeal. By agreeing to become Jordan's foster mother, Sarah will be forced to question the things she has long believed. And as the delicate threads that bind their family begin to unravel, all the Ladens will have to face difficult truths about themselves and one another—and discover the power of love necessary to forgive and to heal.
made him think of Jordan, and just that glimmer of what the kid must feel cross-checked him in the chest. “It’s okay,” Mackenzie insisted. “She invited me to come over.” Nate wondered if Mom planned on humiliating him by lecturing him and Mackenzie together. But Mom already knew that they didn’t . . . Oh, shit . . . what was going on? Ali taped up Jordan’s wound. She made him copy a series of gestures with his hand—making a fist, opening his hand wide, making a thumbs-up sign. “It’s a long way
Kramble started to tap out another but stopped himself. “No way,” he said, glancing at the porch. “She won’t care,” Nate lied. Kramble narrowed his eyes. “You trying to blow my chances?” Nate blinked. He knew that Kramble liked his mom, but he never expected Kramble to say anything about it to him. Especially not today, not right now. It seemed creepy, after talking about a woman slitting her throat. Nate knew that his cheeks were red. He sat there feeling like an idiot. “You cool with that?”
walked out of the stadium and out onto the street. She never looked back at him but walked about a hundred yards and sat down on a curb between two parked cars. What the hell? He caught up and stood behind her. “Mrs. Kendrick?” She sat with her knees to her chest. She patted the space beside her. “Sit down. I need to talk to you.” So he sat. They were in this really small space between the cars, and it meant Nate had to touch her. Their legs were pressed side to side. His heart pounded, and he
hell did that have to do with anything? He chewed his lower lip. The pouting woman said, “Some of the checks were for much smaller amounts. What would be the difference in your work for a hundred-fifty-dollar check and one for five hundred dollars?” “Sometimes they’d just have small dinner parties. Not clients. Associates. Still business, just smaller, more informal. Like the party scheduled for tonight.” Was this about money? Some kind of corporate scandal involving Mark? Sarah couldn’t get a
until she pulled in to the emergency-room lot, ignoring the red sign that said AMBULANCES ONLY, PLEASE, driving onto the sidewalk, almost hitting the entrance doors. Throwing the van into park, its windshield wipers still flapping, she yanked open the side door and pulled Jordan out by the ankles until she could reach under his arms. She half dragged him through the double set of doors into the registration area, where three people she recognized rushed to meet her, calling her by name. “Is it