Read Online Butterfly Lane by T. L. Haddix - Free Book Online Page B

was in bed almost before it was dark outside. At some point during the night, she heard a vehicle pull into the driveway. She registered her father knocking on her window, telling her he was home and to not shoot, but she was so tired that she just rolled over and went back to sleep.
    When she got up the next morning, she was pleasantly surprised to not be feeling any nausea. She didn’t have to go in to work that day, and she’d slept late.
    “I wonder if that has anything to do with it.”
    Her happiness was quickly eclipsed by panic, however, when she heard her father moving around in the kitchen, singing in a low, off-key voice. Not sure what to do, she took her time getting dressed and ready for work in her bedroom before scurrying down the hall to the bathroom.
    “You can do this,” she told her reflection in the long mirror on the back of the bathroom door, studying her image carefully for any sign of pregnancy. Seeing none, she let out a long breath and opened the door, then headed down the hall as casually as she could.
    “Hi, Dad.”
    “Hey, Zanny. You were in bed early last night.”
    She shrugged, trying to play it off. “I’ve been working a lot of hours. How—”
    Before she could finish her sentence, the smell of the frying bacon wafted over to her, and nausea rushed up in her throat without warning. Hand clamped over her mouth, she fled down the hall to the bathroom. She hung over the toilet for what felt like hours, retching. The normal morning sickness was exacerbated by her racing heart. Her father wasn’t stupid. He would know what her nausea meant. The only question left in Zanny’s mind was how he would respond.
    She got her answer when she opened the bathroom door, only to have him backhand her across the face. “God damn it, you’re pregnant. Aren’t you?” He didn’t wait for an answer, but slapped her again. While she was still reeling, he grabbed her by the arm and dragged her down the hall to the living room, where he pushed her onto the couch. “Whose is it? Do you even know?”
    Stunned, Zanny tried to find her voice, but couldn’t speak. Her arm ached where he’d dug his fingers into the soft flesh, and her face was stinging with pins and needles. Usually when he hit her, he hadn’t hit hard enough to leave a bruise. Zanny knew that wouldn’t be the case this time.
    “Answer me, damn it. Who is the father?”
    “John,” she whispered. “John Campbell. But, Dad, he loves me. It will be okay. As soon as he knows, he’ll make it okay.”
    “You really believe that? You really believe he’ll want to be tied to you any more than I have wanted to be? You’re more stupid than I thought you were. God damn it.” He stomped off, hands clenched at his sides. “Did he tell you he loved you? Whisper sweet nothings in your ear so you’d spread your legs for him? Stupid girl. He doesn’t want you! He got what he wanted, and you’ll be lucky to get the time of day out of him or his family now. Well, guess what? I don’t want the likes of you in my house. You’re his problem now, his and Owen God-Almighty Campbell. We’ll see how long it takes them to turn you out on the street.”
    Grabbing her arm, he hauled Zanny to her feet and out the door. He didn’t bother being gentle, just shoved her into the passenger seat of the truck. She barely had time to get her feet out of the way before he slammed the door. She thought about getting out of the truck and running up the mountain to Sarah and Owen, but before she could, Dennis was behind the wheel.
    “We’ll just see what they have to say about all of this.” Cursing and muttering the whole way, he drove much too quickly up the narrow, winding road. All Zanny could do was hold on to the door handle and pray.

    Sarah was giving serious thought to the idea of seducing her husband when the red pickup came roaring up the driveway. She and Owen were in the yard, getting the flower beds cleaned up for fall, and they stopped what