“The minute she started to get better… she fell.” His upset voice disintegrated into a frightened child’s halting speech, but his gaze hadn’t left me since he began to speak. “She hit her head… and she had a stroke. God must have a wild sense of humor, Madison.” He shook his head, signaling he couldn’t speak any more.

“But He loves all of his creatures,” I sighed. “He’s just… got a real funny way of showing it.” It was my turn to stare at the gravel on the ground in the alley. Less than twenty seconds passed before his thin arms were around me. I jumped and wormed my arms out to hug him back.

“What was that for?”

“You needed it.”