Second Chances Read Online Free PDF

for
updates.  But, Tyler didn’t really understand what was going on or why Mom
never came back.
    He wasn’t crying about it anymore. He thought she didn’t
love him anymore, and it had taken Rico and Nichole a long time to convince him
that wasn’t the case. He seemed more curious than worried now, since so much
time had passed.  Nichole didn’t know if that was good or bad.
    “I don’t know,” Nichole said.  “I don’t think so.”
    “Oh,” Tyler said.  “Okay.”
    The bus pulled up to the curb. It was faded with age and the
driver looked exhausted.  Nichole gave each of them a hug as the other children
piled on.
    “You both have a good day,” she said to her brother and
sister as they climbed aboard.  “I love you.”
    “I love you too!” Tyler shouted, bounding up the steps onto
the bus.  Moping and sad, Kenni followed.
    Nichole watched them disappear into their seats, and then
watched the bus shudder its way down the road.  She hated how depressed Kenni
was, and she feared that it wouldn’t be long before Tyler was in the same
position.
    By the time she made it back home she was running low on
time. She lived close to the law firm where she worked, but it was still a
fifteen minute walk.  She gathered her law books off the table and put them
into her bag, and then headed for the door.
    But, when she reached it, she hesitated.
    She called Rico.  He answered right away.
    “Hey, sis. I’m on break. What do you need?”
    “Are you busy?”
    He worked for a pizza joint up the road, Johnny’s, in the
mornings and then went to work at a car dealership in the afternoon. The pizza
place was a new job, something he’d picked up in the last month to help cover
bills.
    “Nah,” he said.  It was never really busy until the
afternoon, so his job was mostly prep work.  “And it won’t be too busy tonight
either so we aren’t rolling a lot of dough.  Did they head off?”
    “Yeah,” she said. “Just got on the bus.”
    “How was Kenni?”
    “The same,” Nichole said.  “She hates the entire situation,
but she’s still dealing with it for now.”
    “You heading in to the office?”
    “I don’t know,” she said, biting her lip.  “I don’t think
so.  There isn’t any real reason for me to go, is there?”
    “You said you thought Richard could help with the paperwork.”
    “He can,” she said.  “At least I know he could, if he wanted
to.  I’m just not sure he will.”
    “He will,” Rico said. 
    “Not if he knows the truth,” she said.  “Enrollment was last
week and I should be starting classes this week.”
    “So you aren’t in school for now. Big deal.”
    “It is a big deal, because my internship is dependent on it. 
If he finds out I didn’t enroll in any college courses this semester, then
there’s no way he’ll help us out.”
    “He still will,” Rico said.  “You said he’s a good guy,
right?”
    “Most of the time,” she replied.  “He has his moments.”
    “Then trust that he’ll help,” Rico said.  “Kenni needs this.
You didn’t tell her, right?”
    “No,” Nichole said.  “I didn’t want to get her hopes up
until I know if there’s something we can do.”
    “Good,” Rico said.  “We can surprise her with it later.”
    Nichole let out a sigh.  “Okay,” she said.  “I’ll go in.”
     
     
     

Chapter 5
Richard
     
    “Good morning, sir.”
    Richard nodded at the gentleman holding the main door of the
office and strode past into the enormous ground floor lobby. The chamber was
full of men and women in well-tailored business suits, talking amongst
themselves as they planned out their day.
    It was just after eight in the morning and the place was
thrumming with activity.  Richard strode across the lobby floor to the
elevators. The weather was nice out in early autumn and he felt that it was
going to be a good day.
    A short day for most of his staff, who were only working
half-days today.  He climbed into one of the