“ Emma,” a voice called from the other side of the store. Emma Howard looked around and saw her friend, Jack, waving to her.

“ Look at this bike,” Jack said. “ Isn’t it great? Solid black with lightening bolts and raised handlebars.”

Emma nodded.

“ That’s a pretty fancy seat,” Sarah Jane Howard said as she walked over.

“ It’s a racing seat,” Jack said.

“ This is my mama,” Emma said. “ Mama, this is Jack. He’s my friend from school.”

The little boy extended his hand and Sarah Jane shook it. “ It’s nice to meet you, Jack,” she said.

“ Hello, I’m Jack’s mother, Karen Saunders.”

Sarah Jane turned to see an exhausted woman with sad eyes and a tired smile. She looked defeated.

“ I’m Sarah Jane Howard, Emma’s mama. Are y’all new in town, Karen?”

Karen Saunders nodded. “ We just moved here a couple of months ago. My husband’s a self employed contractor. Remodeling and handy man type jobs, mostly, but he can do just about anything. We’re living out on Mountain View Road.”

“ Well, we’d be happy to have Jack come over and play,” Sarah Jane said. “ We own Wild Pony Ranch, just outside of town.”

“ Do you have horses?” Jack asked.

“ Yes we do,” Sarah Jane replied. “ Thirteen of them.”

Karen Saunders produced a card from her purse and handed it to Sarah Jane..

“ Here’s my husband’s number. I’m sure there are always things on a ranch that need fixing and, like I said, he can fix practically anything.”

“ Thanks. I’ll hang on to this,” Sarah Jane said.

“ I might get this bike for my birthday,” Jack said.

“ Jack,” Karen Saunders said.

“ When’s your birthday?” Emma asked.

“ Next Saturday,” Jack replied. “ I might have a party.”

“ We need to go, Jack,” his mother said.

“ It was nice meeting you, Karen,” Sarah Jane said.

“ Same here,” Karen Saunders replied.

“ Bye, Jack,” Emma said.

“ She seemed desperate, John,” Sarah Jane Howard said to her husband as she recounted her conversation with Karen Saunders. “ They live out on Mountain View Road, for god’s sake.”

“ I’ll keep his card and call him if I need him,” John Howard said.

“ Maybe we could offer him a position,” Sarah Jane said. “ We’re awfully busy.”

“ You said yourself we need another ranch hand, and Mr. Saunders is a

craftsman. Shouldn’t he be at the top of our list?”

“ Not really,” John Howard replied. “ I need people who can ride and know their way around livestock. I need cowboys. Besides, most of our hands grew up on farms or ranches. They know how to mend fences, string wire, and swing a hammer. Anything comes up that’s more complicated, I’ll give Mr. Saunders a call, same as I would for a plumber or electrician.”

Sarah Jane gazed out the kitchen window and said, “ I just wish there was something we could do. I’ve got a bad feeling about that family, John.”

“ How was school, honey?” Sarah Jane asked.

“ Okay,” Emma said as she dropped her book bag on the kitchen table and sank into a chair.

“ Wow, that looks like a ton of homework,” Sarah Jane said.

“ Some of them are Jack’s books,” Emma said. “ He’s missed school the last two days. I told Miss Austin I would take his homework to him.”

“ That’s very thoughtful, Emma,” Sarah Jane said. “ Miss Austin should give you a gold star for doing that.”

Emma shrugged and said, “ I didn’t do it for the star, mama. Jack’s my friend.”

“ Well, let’s give him a call, honey, and then we’ll take you over there.”

Emma dialed the number, waited, and then frowned. Sarah Jane took the phone from her daughter and listened. She hung up and redialed, only to be greeted by the same ominous recording – this number has been disconnected.

John Howard drove slowly down Mountain View Road looking for the address. It was dark and there were no street lights.

Emma stared out the window, chewing her bottom lip.

“ I’ve never been out here,” she said.

“ It’s not the best part of town, sweetie,” her father said. “ I’m sure it’s a hard place to live.”

“ Here we are,” he said.

The small house was what a real estate agent would call a rustic cottage or a fixer upper. Or, maybe, a handyman’s dream. Anyone else would call it a shack. The lights were off and there was no car in the driveway.

“ Doesn’t look like anyone’s home,” John Howard said.

“ Let’s check anyway, daddy,” Emma said.

John Howard knocked on the door. They were turning to leave when the door opened a crack and Jack peered out.

“ Jack?” Emma said.

Jack opened the door and Emma and her father entered the house. The darkness enveloped them like a black cape.

“ Jack, Emma, come outside right now,” John Howard said as he took each child by the hand.

Retrieving a flashlight from the truck, they reentered the house. As he moved from room to room John Howard felt like he had been kicked in the stomach. The power and water had both been disconnected. The thermostat registered a brisk and drafty fifty eight degrees. There wasn’t a piece of furniture in the entire house. John Howard checked the refrigerator, kitchen cabinets, and pantry. All empty. He walked over to a corner of the living room where Jack had made a small nest with his clothes. A half eaten sleeve of soda crackers sat on the floor.

John Howard put a comforting hand on Jack’s shoulder.

“ What happened here, Jack?” he asked.

“ Am I in trouble?” the child replied.

John Howard looked at the boy and saw that he was shivering. Probably hungry, thirsty, and half frozen, he thought to himself.

“ Come on, let’s go out to the truck and get warm,” he said.

As they walked to the truck John Howard flipped open his phone and hit the speed dial.

“ I need your help, Sarah Jane,” he said.

Dinner was waiting and Jack attacked the food like a wild animal. Sarah Jane quietly refilled his plate and glass. They spoke softly in the living room, watching as Jack finished a slice of pie, his third, for dessert.

“ He came home from school Monday afternoon and the house was cleaned out,” John Howard said.

“ My god,” Sarah Jane said. “ Why didn’t he call someone?”

“ He’s only five years old,Sarah Jane. I’m not sure he knew who or how to call. Besides, the phone was disconnected, remember.”

“ Why didn’t he go to a neighbor’s house, John?” Sarah Jane asked.

“ The nearest neighbor lives a ways down the road. Jack doesn’t know them and he knew he shouldn’t speak to strangers,” her husband replied.

“ Why didn’t he go to school Tuesday and Wednesday?” Sarah Jane wondered.

“ You mean besides the fact that he was cold, dirty, scared, thirsty, and hungry because he had no food, electricity, and running water?” John Howard asked.

Sarah Jane remained silent.

“ Actually, he said he didn’t want to miss his parents when they came back to get him. He figured his father got an out of town job and they had to leave immediately.”

“ I think that’s the saddest thing I’ve ever heard,” Sarah Jane said.

“ Did you make the calls?” her husband asked.

“ Yes,” Sarah Jane replied. “ We’ve got appointments tomorrow with the doctor, police, and social worker. The social worker is trying to contact Jack’s grandparents about taking custody of him.”

“ I wish there was something else we could do,” she added.

John Howard remained silent.

“ It’s Saturday, Jack,” Emma said.

Jack looked at her.

“ Happy birthday,” she said.

Jack smiled weakly. He had talked with a child psychologist yesterday and his grandparents were coming to get him today. After five days he was beginning to realize that his parents had tossed him away like a bag of trash.

“ Let’s go down to the barn and visit the horses,” Emma said.

They headed down the hill to the barn, Jack scuffing his feet and lagging behind.

Emma waited for him and they opened the barn door together.

“ Surprise!” a chorus of voices hollered.

Jack blinked and looked around. His entire class was there, including Miss Austin.

Balloons were everywhere and a huge happy birthday banner was strung from the ceiling. A long table held a huge cake, ice cream, and a small mountain of gifts.

Later that day Jack’s grandparents arrived. John Howard came outside to greet them.

“ Mr. Saunders?” John Howard said.

Jack’s grandfather got out of the car.

“ David Maddox,” he said, shaking hands. “ We’re Jack’s grandparents on his mother’s side.”

“ Your grandson is a very special little boy, Mr. Maddox,” John Howard said.

David Maddox nodded. “ I know he is, Mr. Howard. We’ll take good care of him, you can be sure of that.”

David Maddox drew a deep breath and gathered himself. “ I want to thank you for everything you’ve done for Jack. My daughter, Karen.”

John Howard watched as David Maddox’s shoulders slumped and his voice broke, unable to continue.

“ I understand,” he said, putting his hand on the older man’s shoulder. “ Jack’s lucky to have you.”

John and Sarah Jane watched as Emma helped Jack load his birthday gifts and his meager possessions into the car.

“ Do you think he’ll ever get over this, John?” Sarah Jane asked.

“ No, I don’t,” her husband replied. “ I don’t see how that’s possible.”

He paused, and then added, “ but he’s a strong little boy and he has people that care about him. I think he’ll make it.”

They watched as Jack hugged Emma and then walked over to them.

“ Thank you Mr. Howard. Thank you Mrs. Howard,” he said simply.

The little boy was climbing into the back seat when John Howard called to him.

“ Jack, I almost forgot. There’s one more present for you.”

Jack’s eyes lit up with joy as he saw Emma bringing the gift over.

“ Thank you,” he said, tears in his eyes, as he hugged John and Sarah Jane.

Emma, John, and Sarah Jane waved and watched the car drive away, a back seat filled with gifts and a brand new solid black bike with lightening bolts, raised handlebars, and a fancy racing seat in the trunk.