Read Online A Reason To Stay by Julieann Dove - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Julieann Dove
Ads: Link
starving after her seven-hour flight. Somehow the half-stale-looking sandwich she’d turned down from the flight attendant had become a sorrowfully missed opportunity in her recollection. “Is Mom all right? Why didn’t you stay with her? I told you I could rent a car.”
After locking the seatbelt for Faith in the back, Melanie got into the driver’s seat. “It went fine. She’s already back home. Aunt Hildie is sitting with her. I picked up her prescriptions and then I swung over and picked up you. We’ll go back to her house now and check on her.”
Elise stopped breathing for a few seconds after Melanie revealed the itinerary. A brief paralysis had overcome her entire body, making her involuntary muscles temporarily out of order. Thoughts of her mother often did this to her. The woman who worked hard to raise her daughters and have them want for nothing, except a father. Somehow she placed this inequity on Elise, as if it was her daughter’s fault for him leaving their home. Some nights, she could remember hearing her mother cry in the bathroom and not understanding why.
Her mother never re-married, let alone held a relationship past a few months. And she most certainly never introduced anyone she dated to her girls. Elise recalled being babysat a few evenings by the time she got into middle school. Other than that, Lyla Newton could do it all on her own, and prided herself on the fact. But there was something missing in those translucent, troubled blue eyes of her mother’s. Something Elise could see each time her mother looked at her. She was miserably unhappy. In some way, Elise felt penance for this came from denying her own self someone to love. It was either that or her mistrust that anyone would stay and commit himself to her. Her daddy left her and her mother. How could anyone else not do the same? She couldn’t go through something like that ever again.
“You look tired. Why was your flight delayed?”
“Engine trouble.” Elise searched in her bag for her phone. She knew it was in there. She kept rubbing the edges of it with her fingers on the flight, unable to pull it out and check to see if Darren had texted or called. She’d worn a ridge on her thumb, pressing hard against the cover of it. When she found it, her stomach dropped like a rock off a cliff, echoing Darren’s face in her mind.
“Are you hungry?” Melanie asked.
“I’m famished.” Elise dropped the phone back among the other things in her purse and tried putting the image of the screen out of her mind. One problem at a time, she thought. Lyla Newton’s house was closer than California at this very second. She’d think about Darren after she’d tamed the tiger in the state she was presently in.
“I bought groceries for Mom’s house. I’m going to make some teriyaki chicken skewers and steamed rice.”
“I came home for some down-home comfort food. Like some fried chicken and white gravy. What’s this with teriyaki?” She pushed her sister’s arm, poking fun and trying to resume normalcy in her brain. But seriously, teriyaki?
“Well, you can help yourself tomorrow to whatever your stomach desires, when I’m working, dear one.” She hit every green light with precision, on the way home. Where were all the red ones when you needed them?
The downtown of Bowling Green had changed very little since Elise had last been home. Still the same landmarks and sidewalks. Of course, they’d never change. They just seemed smaller than she remembered, less grandiose than her childhood brain could recall. The fountain that stood in the middle of the square looked like it had a new coat of paint. Oh, how many times she recalled throwing coins into that thing, praying for answers on what to do about her future. Just went to show you, wishes didn’t come from throwing money into a cement well. Nor did they come from anywhere else, either.
The bank on the corner of Chestnut and Franklin had a sign staked in the yard,
After locking the seatbelt for Faith in the back, Melanie got into the driver’s seat. “It went fine. She’s already back home. Aunt Hildie is sitting with her. I picked up her prescriptions and then I swung over and picked up you. We’ll go back to her house now and check on her.”
Elise stopped breathing for a few seconds after Melanie revealed the itinerary. A brief paralysis had overcome her entire body, making her involuntary muscles temporarily out of order. Thoughts of her mother often did this to her. The woman who worked hard to raise her daughters and have them want for nothing, except a father. Somehow she placed this inequity on Elise, as if it was her daughter’s fault for him leaving their home. Some nights, she could remember hearing her mother cry in the bathroom and not understanding why.
Her mother never re-married, let alone held a relationship past a few months. And she most certainly never introduced anyone she dated to her girls. Elise recalled being babysat a few evenings by the time she got into middle school. Other than that, Lyla Newton could do it all on her own, and prided herself on the fact. But there was something missing in those translucent, troubled blue eyes of her mother’s. Something Elise could see each time her mother looked at her. She was miserably unhappy. In some way, Elise felt penance for this came from denying her own self someone to love. It was either that or her mistrust that anyone would stay and commit himself to her. Her daddy left her and her mother. How could anyone else not do the same? She couldn’t go through something like that ever again.
“You look tired. Why was your flight delayed?”
“Engine trouble.” Elise searched in her bag for her phone. She knew it was in there. She kept rubbing the edges of it with her fingers on the flight, unable to pull it out and check to see if Darren had texted or called. She’d worn a ridge on her thumb, pressing hard against the cover of it. When she found it, her stomach dropped like a rock off a cliff, echoing Darren’s face in her mind.
“Are you hungry?” Melanie asked.
“I’m famished.” Elise dropped the phone back among the other things in her purse and tried putting the image of the screen out of her mind. One problem at a time, she thought. Lyla Newton’s house was closer than California at this very second. She’d think about Darren after she’d tamed the tiger in the state she was presently in.
“I bought groceries for Mom’s house. I’m going to make some teriyaki chicken skewers and steamed rice.”
“I came home for some down-home comfort food. Like some fried chicken and white gravy. What’s this with teriyaki?” She pushed her sister’s arm, poking fun and trying to resume normalcy in her brain. But seriously, teriyaki?
“Well, you can help yourself tomorrow to whatever your stomach desires, when I’m working, dear one.” She hit every green light with precision, on the way home. Where were all the red ones when you needed them?
The downtown of Bowling Green had changed very little since Elise had last been home. Still the same landmarks and sidewalks. Of course, they’d never change. They just seemed smaller than she remembered, less grandiose than her childhood brain could recall. The fountain that stood in the middle of the square looked like it had a new coat of paint. Oh, how many times she recalled throwing coins into that thing, praying for answers on what to do about her future. Just went to show you, wishes didn’t come from throwing money into a cement well. Nor did they come from anywhere else, either.
The bank on the corner of Chestnut and Franklin had a sign staked in the yard,
Similar Books
