Ashes Read Free Page A

ground. “She’s just a stupid dog .”
    â€œEllie,” Jack began, then bit back whatever else he’d been about to say. “Please take out your earplugs now. You’re being rude. Besides, it’s too loud. You’re going to ruin your hearing.”
    Again with the eye-roll, but the kid uncorked her ears and let the buds dangle around her neck. Another awkward silence and then Alex said, impulsively, “Look, I just made coffee. Would you guys like some?”
    The girl gave her a duh, hello, I’m a kid look, but Jack said, “I’d love a cup, Alex. We can even make a contribution.” Jack winked. “You won’t believe this, but I packed in some Krispy Kremes.”
    â€œ Grandpaaaaa ,” the girl said. “We were saving them.”
    â€œThat’s okay,” Alex put in quickly. “I just had break—”
    â€œWe are having doughnuts.” Jack’s tone took on an edge, and Alex heard the ghosts of a lot of old arguments.
    â€œSure, that would be great,” Alex chirped, so cheerily she sounded like Alvin on speed. “I love doughnuts.”
    â€œThey’re probably stale,” said Ellie.

3
    The Krispy Kremes were stale—she still got texture—but dunked fine. To Alex, they tasted like wet paste.
    â€œI used to take a French press, only this one time I forgot to grind the beans beforehand.” Jack dumped powdered creamer into his mug and stirred. “Ended up smashing the beans with my ax.”
    Ellie broke off another bite of a chocolate-dipped with sprinkles, flipping the morsel expertly to the dog, who snapped it up in midair. “Isn’t that, like, being totally addicted?”
    Jack colored. Alex felt sorry for the old guy and said, “I’d have done the same thing.”
    Ellie gave her a withering look, but Jack only chuckled. “Well, I wouldn’t recommend it. That coffee was so strong, my teeth curled … Ellie, honey, that doughnut’s going to make Mina sick. Chocolate’s not good for dogs.”
    â€œShe’s fine,” Ellie said, and flipped more doughnut to the dog.
    Alex changed the subject. “So where are you guys from?”
    â€œMinneapolis,” Jack said. “I used to be a reporter—foreign correspondent for the Trib. Haven’t been able to write a lick since Danny died. My editor’s tearing his hair out. Seeing as how he’s already bald, that’s kind of a challenge, but he’s a good guy.”
    Ellie snorted. “Is that why you call him a jerk every time you get off the phone?”
    What was with this kid? “My English teacher said that a writer is the worst judge of his own work,” said Alex.
    â€œMaybe. Mostly, I don’t much believe in my writing anymore. People don’t care. Most have the attention span of gnats and can’t be bothered. Like that baloney about combat operations in Iraq being over? What a crock. It’s political. What they don’t tell you is that for the guys still over there, the rules of engagement are the same, and there’s plenty of shooting—” Breaking off, Jack sighed, then ran a hand through a swirl of snowy-white cowlick. “Sorry. That makes me sound angry and bitter. I’m not. It’s just …”
    â€œWell, you ought to be mad,” Ellie said, with sudden heat. “My dad’s dead, but no one’s going to jail. He gets blown up, and all I get is a stupid dog. How come that is?”
    â€œNow, Ellie, we’ve talked about this. In a war—”
    â€œA war? What kind of answer is that ?” The girl hurled the rest of her doughnut at the dog. Surprised, the dog retreated a few steps and darted an anxious look at Jack.
    Alex couldn’t help herself. “You ought to be nicer to your grandfather. He isn’t doing anything to you.”
    â€œWho cares what you think? You’re not my mother. I don’t know