No secrets. Ever.(Kevin Hughes) She held her little brother’s hand tighter. He was only five years old. She was only seven. They huddled together in the lee of a dumpster as the wind howled and snow battered its way through the cracks in the cardboard shelter she had made for them. They weren’t worried about being discovered, not on a night like this. She pulled her little brother closer. She was so cold. So very cold.

*****

“What in the world do you mean: “I am going for a walk.” Honey, it is below Zero outside. The Wind chill temperature says “Minus 31 degrees”. It is so cold that it has stopped snowing. When it is to cold to snow…it is the kind of cold that can kill people. Heck, you could get frostbite in ten minutes or less. You are not going out in this weather!”

He looked at his young bride. It was their first Winter as a married couple. He was enjoying the time indoors. Lots of hot chocolate, cheesy Romantic Comedies on the telly. He made her laugh when he said he actually liked three of them.

“Which ones, Dear? Enquiring minds want to know.”

He blushed. After all, six foot four, two hundred fifty pound former All American Linebackers, aren’t suppose to be moved by mere emotion. He wasn’t sure if he liked the movies, or the fact that she always used him as a pillow when they watched movies that made the time so enjoyable. But he told her. After all, they had promised on their Wedding Day : “No Secrets. Ever.”

“Well, in no particular order that movie with the Blue Door (She nodded. Notting Hill), the Four Weddings and Funeral Movie (She nodded again, one of her favorites too) and While you were sleeping.”

She told him: “That is one of my favorites too. That is a pretty good list.”

She kissed him lightly on the cheek and went to make some more hot chocolate. He beamed. But that was a memory that just sprung to mind. Right now, she wasn’t happy with him. Her arms were folded. She was leaning against the door jamb. And if she looked at a rabbit the way she was looking at him right now…well the rabbit would have frozen in place. She really did not want him out in that weather.

He remembered his vow: “No Secrets. Ever.”

He straightened his hat, put on his gloves and told her the truth:

“I have to go out Honey. I have this feeling that I am supposed to go for a walk. I don’t know why. I just feel it. I have to go. Now.”

She lightened up a little. She knew he had these feelings once in a while. It is how they met. So she trusted them almost as much as he did. She slid up next to him, pulling his scarf a little tighter, drawing down his knit ski hat a bit. She hugged him and said:

“Then be careful. If you aren’t back in thirty minutes, I will go out and find you. I mean it.”

Her eyes flashed. He hadn’t been married long, but he knew that look: “If you get hurt, I will kill you.” It was love and fear doing their usual dance of concern.

He kissed her lightly.

He stuck a few candy bars in his pocket. He didn’t know why, but he knew he should have them. He had learned long ago to trust his premonitions. And out he went. It wasn’t snowing, but the wind was so strong that blowing snow was everywhere. He just started walking. Down two blocks, turned left, and almost went by the alley between Tom’s Tavern, and the Copper Kettle restaurant.

He almost missed the entrance to the little alley. But he looked down the alley where there were a couple of dumpsters lined up. So he walked down into the alley following his feelings. He saw a bright red tennis shoe sticking out from under some cardboard. It had a foot in it. His heart almost stopped. He hoped it was just a doll or something. He pulled the cardboard away.

He stared. Two sets of eyes stared back. Snow had frozen to their hair, icicles of frozen snot dangled below their nostrils. Their lips were blue, their teeth chattering, and he knew they were in deep trouble. They didn’t say a word. He did:

“MY God children! What are you doing out here in this weather. Why aren’t you home? Where’s your family?”

The girl spoke in low tones:

“We don’t have family. Just me and my brother. We ran away from the orphanage last summer. We won’t go back. Ever. “

His mind swirled with images. Two kids, barely school age, surviving on the streets for seven months…alone. These were tough kids…and lucky. His own childhood came back to him. He had a home at least, but it wasn’t really a home, just a roof over his head. Alcohol and drugs took what little parenting skills his parents had and left him to basically raise hisself. He felt a kindred link with these two.

“Well, would you go back with me? I have a nice little house, my wife would love to meet you…and, I brought some gifts.”

He reached in his pocket and pulled out the two Baby Ruth’s he stashed on his way out of the house. The children’s eyes lit up like he pulled a miracle out instead of candy.

Eager cold hands reached up for the candy bars. He noticed that their fingertips were turning blue too. That did it. As they reached for the Candy, he scooped both of them up, one in each arm. Neither resisted. Their fingers couldn’t open the candy bars…so he set them down for just a second. He opened the candy bars, still soft and warm from being in his pocket. They bit into them like they hadn’t eaten in days. He scooped them both back up in his arms.

“Where are you taking us?”

“Home.” He said: “Home.”

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