Sleeping with the Enemy

a

en a thirteen-year-old girl. Sixteen years to be exact. Hayden was a sweet girl and asked for nothing. I had offered her bre

ng trip on the weekend. The girl was in desperate need of new clothes. I wasn’t sure where my mom had gone shopping fo

erday and then you’re late today. What is this world c

k, putting my to-go cup on my desk

the o

your weight

this morning,

Hayden is liv

and looked up at me. “What happene

ed out and Mom was stoned. Hayden didn’t get up for school in time and neithe

muttered. “

ough. She needs some new clothes. I told h

e should have gotten her ou

want to put any more stres

aten you agai

at was that. If she calls the cops on us like she did last time, it’s going to

a breath. “S

now. I didn’t really t

figure it out. You have the spare room. It’s pro

ger, but I guess we’ll figure it out. It isn’t l

she doesn’t dese

” I commented. “We turned out okay,

keyboard, but he wasn’t typing. He was staring blankly at the sc

mind. “You want to go shopping? At the

ook. “You don’t have

rty-three-year-old guy’s guy. Your idea of a shopping spree

er and will be there for her. If that means I have to be the purse and bag holder while you

t have to tell me to

all be on yo

do you

Mom and Dad pull any bullshit, I’ve got your back. We a

ould be kind of annoying. “Yo

’t start getting

rabbed my coffee once

n’t fit in your ti

t isn’t that small.

an aver

say something to boost your ego, yo

e office. “I don’t need your compl

o the office, claimed there was a family e

d and confused. “What happened?” she whis

thinking we would play hooky today. We’ll go shopping and just have a da

That sounds fun. Wh

e new clothes for

she asked with the same co

“Yep. It wa