Read Online Asher: A Second Chance Novel by Kylie Walker - Free Book Online Page A

he heard his father’s raised voice. He had grown accustomed to the sound of it after he had a ‘few’ drinks. He was slurring his speech and his tone sounded shocked as Asher heard him say, “No Lily! I can’t believe you would ask me that.” Asher was curious what his mother would ask him that he would deny her. He was a worthless drunk these days as far as his son was concerned but he still wouldn’t deny his wife anything, now more than ever.
    “Please Greg. The pain is too much.”
    His father’s voice softened and Asher stopped outside the door and listened. “Oh baby. Oh God I’m so sorry but I can’t. I can’t do that and live with myself.”
    “Even if I’m asking you too to do it. Begging you?”
    “Lily, listen to yourself. You’re asking me to end your life.” Asher’s body stiffened. What the fuck was going on?
    “I’m just asking you to give me a little more pain medication than usual. I’m so tired Greg and it hurts so much all the time.”
    Asher knew his father was crying when he heard him say, “Baby I can’t. I just can’t!” His mother was crying too when she said, “Greg, please.”
    “No!”
    Asher flinched at the sound of his father raising his voice to her. He suddenly couldn’t breathe. He needed air. He ran down the stairs and almost ran right into her nurse.
    “Is everything okay Mr. Fury?”
    “Yeah,” he said, barely able to talk. “I’m just…I have to go.” He brushed past her and ran outside, gulping in the fresh air as soon as he hit it. Every time he thought things couldn’t get worse they did. He waited until he could breathe normally again and then he got into his mustang and went to pick up Mia and Travis. For tonight at least there was nothing he could do about what he had overheard. His father wouldn’t do it…he was sure of it. He found himself wondering as he drove, ‘Why didn’t she ask me?’ As soon as that thought ran through his head a violent shudder ripped through his body. There was no way he could do it. That’s why she didn’t ask him, because she knew.
    **
    Mia noticed almost as soon as she got in the car that something was wrong. Asher had smiled at her and said hello, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. That wasn’t normal. His green eyes usually sparkled when he looked at her. Travis noticed it too because they were only a few miles from the house when he asked, “Are you okay?”
    “Yeah, I’m good.” He smiled at Mia again. She got the feeling he was trying hard to convince her he was good but something was definitely off.
    Asher parked the Mustang in the small lot near the lake and they took the bag of marshmallows Mia had brought for roasting and the blankets she brought for them to sit on. They made their way down to where the party was. It was already in full swing. The college crowd had brought a keg and there was a chick passing out paper cups. Asher and Mia both passed and while Mia roasted her marshmallows Travis horsed around with Dean and some other guys. Asher laid back on the blanket and stared into the fire. Mia stopped what she was doing and laid down next to him. “Baby, is there something going on? Is your mom okay?”
    He wrapped his arm around Mia and said, “She’s the same.” Then he just held her there under his chin and against his chest for a long time. She could feel the beat of his heart as her ear pressed into him. The party was going on around them and several times Dean and Travis both came by to ask Asher if he was okay. He kept insisting that he was but his friends all knew different. Unfortunately none of them knew how serious his thoughts were.
    **
    Asher spent as much time with his mother the following week as he possibly could, even cancelling on Mia a time or two. His friends had all tried to reach out to him and find out what was going on, but he just kept telling them all he was fine. There was no way he could tell them what he had heard his mother ask his father not even Mia. He