Denise put her hand on Kyle’s shoulder. He was sipping his milk through a straw, standing quietly. She couldn’t help but overhear the two people behind her.

“Aw, c’mon, Mom!”

“If you keep it up, you’ll get a swat. We don’t have time for this.”

“But I’m hungry.”

“Then you should have eaten your hot dog.”

“I didn’t want a hot dog.”

And so it went. Three customers later Denise finally reached the register, opened her pocketbook, and paid with cash. She kept one credit card for emergencies but seldom, if ever, used it. For the clerk, making change seemed more difficult than swiping credit cards. She kept glancing up at the digital numbers on the register, trying to get it right. The argument between mother and son continued unabated. In time Denise finally received her change and put her pocketbook away, then turned toward the door. Knowing how hard it was for everyone tonight, she smiled at the mother behind her, as if to say, Kids are tough sometimes, aren’t they?

In response, the woman rolled her eyes. “You’re lucky,” she said.

Denise looked at her curiously. “Excuse me?”

“I said you’re lucky.” She nodded toward her son. “This one here never shuts up.”

Denise glanced at the floor, nodded with tight lips, then turned and left the store. Despite the stress of the storm, despite the long day driving and her time at the evaluation center, all she could think about was Kyle. Walking toward the car, Denise suddenly felt the urge to cry.

“No,” she whispered to herself, “you’re the lucky one.”

Chapter 1

Why had this happened? Why, of all the children, was Kyle the one?

Back in the car after stopping for gas, Denise hit the highway again, staying ahead of the storm.