Read Online Anna's Courage (Rose Island Book 1) by Kristin Noel Fischer - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kristin Noel Fischer
Tags: Fiction
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taking care of Travis. Life wasn’t always easy, but for four years, we were happy.
Then he died, and I gave up flying. While everyone assumed I’d stopped out of fear of an accident that would leave Travis orphaned, I sometimes wondered if I was motivated by guilt. Guilt that I was still alive, able to live my dream, while Marcus was gone.
Bianca had encouraged me to go to cosmetology school, and although I enjoyed working at the salon, it wasn’t my dream job. For starters, I didn’t make very much money. Not that I needed a lot, especially given that I paid very little to live at the beach cottage. But there were things I wanted to provide for Travis that I couldn’t because of my limited income, and I feared those needs would only increase as he grew older.
Was it too late to go back to school and change professions? And what about Travis? Did he really need me to be so busy with both work and school?
All these thoughts bounced around my head as I soaked in the tub, failing to relax. But the thought that played most on my mind—the thought that refused to leave me alone—was Nick.
*
I was still soaking in the bathtub when the front door opened followed by urgent and joyful shouts from Travis. “Mom! Mom! Where are you?”
“In my bathroom,” I hollered back, relieved he was home. I drained the water and climbed out of the tub. As I was drying off, there was a scuffling sound outside the bathroom door. “Travis? Are you okay?”
“Yes,” he replied, impatiently. “When are you going to be out? I want to show you something.”
The scuffling sound increased. “What’s going on out there?”
“Nick bought me an early Christmas present. Come see it.”
I hung up my towel and reached for my bathrobe. “It’s not a snake, is it?”
“ Yes, Mom ,” he said, exasperated. “That’s exactly what it is. I brought home Cuddles.”
As I pulled on my bathrobe, something barked. Surely, Nick hadn’t bought my son a dog, had he? Flinging open the door, I was shocked to see a black and brown puppy scoot under the bed.
“Travis Marcus Morgan!”
Travis positioned himself between me and the bed. “Mom, I know what you said about getting a dog, but Nick bought him for me. He’s a gift, and you can’t just refuse a gift. You don’t want me being rude, do you?”
“Rude?” I was outraged. “It’s a puppy, Travis. A living, breathing puppy. I already told you I didn’t want a dog. That’s why I bought you the cat.”
He thrust his hands together and begged. “Please, Mom. I promise to take care of him. I’ll do everything. You won’t even know Yoda’s here.”
“That’s what you said about Felix, and do you know who feeds and changes the litter box every day? Me!”
“But this is a dog .” His voice was full of sacred awe at the word dog. “Grandpa Walter is always saying a boy needs a dog, and Yoda is the best.”
“Grandpa Walter wanted to give you a purebred yellow lab, not a mangy street dog.”
At that moment, the mangy, street dog in question peeked out from under the bed. His large brown eyes met mine, taking away some of my outrage. Like all puppies, he was adorable. One of his fangs was longer than the other, giving him a lopsided expression that bordered on silliness.
I couldn’t deny his cuteness, but I hardened my heart, because like I’d told my father-in-law, dogs were messy, smelly, and lots of work, not to mention expensive. Even a free dog needed visits to the vet, shots, and dog food.
Travis turned toward the bed, knelt, and patted his leg. “Come here, Yoda. Here, boy.” The dog’s pointed ears twitched, and he slowly crept toward Travis who showered him with hugs and praise. “Good boy, Yoda. That’s a good boy.”
Pleased with himself, the dog wiggled away and pounced on the designer handbag Bianca had given me for my birthday last year. Although the purse outweighed the puppy by several pounds, he shook it hard, causing all the contents to fly out.
Then he died, and I gave up flying. While everyone assumed I’d stopped out of fear of an accident that would leave Travis orphaned, I sometimes wondered if I was motivated by guilt. Guilt that I was still alive, able to live my dream, while Marcus was gone.
Bianca had encouraged me to go to cosmetology school, and although I enjoyed working at the salon, it wasn’t my dream job. For starters, I didn’t make very much money. Not that I needed a lot, especially given that I paid very little to live at the beach cottage. But there were things I wanted to provide for Travis that I couldn’t because of my limited income, and I feared those needs would only increase as he grew older.
Was it too late to go back to school and change professions? And what about Travis? Did he really need me to be so busy with both work and school?
All these thoughts bounced around my head as I soaked in the tub, failing to relax. But the thought that played most on my mind—the thought that refused to leave me alone—was Nick.
*
I was still soaking in the bathtub when the front door opened followed by urgent and joyful shouts from Travis. “Mom! Mom! Where are you?”
“In my bathroom,” I hollered back, relieved he was home. I drained the water and climbed out of the tub. As I was drying off, there was a scuffling sound outside the bathroom door. “Travis? Are you okay?”
“Yes,” he replied, impatiently. “When are you going to be out? I want to show you something.”
The scuffling sound increased. “What’s going on out there?”
“Nick bought me an early Christmas present. Come see it.”
I hung up my towel and reached for my bathrobe. “It’s not a snake, is it?”
“ Yes, Mom ,” he said, exasperated. “That’s exactly what it is. I brought home Cuddles.”
As I pulled on my bathrobe, something barked. Surely, Nick hadn’t bought my son a dog, had he? Flinging open the door, I was shocked to see a black and brown puppy scoot under the bed.
“Travis Marcus Morgan!”
Travis positioned himself between me and the bed. “Mom, I know what you said about getting a dog, but Nick bought him for me. He’s a gift, and you can’t just refuse a gift. You don’t want me being rude, do you?”
“Rude?” I was outraged. “It’s a puppy, Travis. A living, breathing puppy. I already told you I didn’t want a dog. That’s why I bought you the cat.”
He thrust his hands together and begged. “Please, Mom. I promise to take care of him. I’ll do everything. You won’t even know Yoda’s here.”
“That’s what you said about Felix, and do you know who feeds and changes the litter box every day? Me!”
“But this is a dog .” His voice was full of sacred awe at the word dog. “Grandpa Walter is always saying a boy needs a dog, and Yoda is the best.”
“Grandpa Walter wanted to give you a purebred yellow lab, not a mangy street dog.”
At that moment, the mangy, street dog in question peeked out from under the bed. His large brown eyes met mine, taking away some of my outrage. Like all puppies, he was adorable. One of his fangs was longer than the other, giving him a lopsided expression that bordered on silliness.
I couldn’t deny his cuteness, but I hardened my heart, because like I’d told my father-in-law, dogs were messy, smelly, and lots of work, not to mention expensive. Even a free dog needed visits to the vet, shots, and dog food.
Travis turned toward the bed, knelt, and patted his leg. “Come here, Yoda. Here, boy.” The dog’s pointed ears twitched, and he slowly crept toward Travis who showered him with hugs and praise. “Good boy, Yoda. That’s a good boy.”
Pleased with himself, the dog wiggled away and pounced on the designer handbag Bianca had given me for my birthday last year. Although the purse outweighed the puppy by several pounds, he shook it hard, causing all the contents to fly out.
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