Whispered Prayers

by Alex Grayson

“Thank you for the ride. You have no idea how much I appreciate this.” A grunt is all I get in return as he puts the truck in gear and slowly starts to creep forward. I fold my hands on top of my purse and look straight out the windshield. I hate the silence, but I’m not going to force the guy to talk if he doesn’t want to. He may not want to accept my gratitude, but this is the second time he’s come to my rescue, and I’m grateful. Something tugs on my jacket, and I look down to Daniel. He pulls me across Kelsey and tries to whisper, but it’s still loud enough for the man to hear. “What’s wrong with his face, Mom?” “Daniel,” I scold, and look up at the man in embarrassment. I know he had to have heard the question, but he shows no sign that he did. “You don’t ask questions like that.” “Sorry,” he mutters sullenly. “Don’t worry about it. It’s alright,” the man says, keeping his eyes forward and his expression neutral. “No, it’s not. It’s rude and he shouldn’t have asked it, especially loud enough for you to hear.” “He’s just curious. At least he’s honest about his curiosity.” I sit back and think about his statement, remembering back to the old ladies in the market yesterday. From what they said, he doesn’t come to town a lot, so I’m sure when he does, the gossip and whispers start anew. I can’t imagine everything I’m sure he’s overheard. No matter how quiet people are with their opinions and remarks, it’ll still always get back to the recipient of their chatter, especially...