Read Online Life's A Cappella by Yessi Smith - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Yessi Smith
Ads: Link
perfect childhood. “She was gone for a long time before we could visit her. She eventually came home and we were happy for a long time before she relapsed for the first time. She went back to the treatment center a few times after that. Since then we go to this event every year. And every year I’m grateful that my mom has stayed sober another year.”
“And you’re not mad at her?” I asked, not fully understanding the strength of unconditional love.
“Mad at her?” he asked, and I felt him shake his head. “She didn’t give up, Erin. No matter how many times she fell, she dragged herself back up. How can I be mad at her?”
“So just like that, you forgave her?” I asked, pretty angry at the concept and grateful I hadn’t known that about Leah beforehand, because it would have been difficult for me to have liked her.
“Forgave her?” He shook his head at me, and I could feel his disappointment in my questions. “You really don’t get it. Look at her. She’s the strongest person I know.”
“How long has she been sober?” I asked, still not comprehending his forgiveness or the pedestal he had placed her on. To me, the words strength and addiction didn’t belong in the same sentence together.
“Her last relapse was shortly after Dave’s sixth birthday and just before my tenth. I was so proud of her because I had a feeling this would be the last time she had to go for treatment, and I was right. I even told my friends where she was when they asked about her on my birthday. So fifteen years. She’s been sober for fifteen years.”
I didn’t say anything to him because my mind was far too muddled with confusion to form a coherent thought. Instead, I curled deeper into Trent’s body and felt myself fall asleep as I thought of T.I.’s song Slide Show. Because what was life but looking back at a bunch of pictures, forever engraved in our minds, teaching us, guiding us, and sometimes repelling us from life itself.
Chapter 12
Shayna
She was going to have a family soon. A real family, Nate had promised her. She didn’t know what it meant, but she hoped Nate would be a part of it. He was nice and had taught her how to change her baby doll’s diaper.
She felt safe when he was around and had started to talk to him. She liked the way he laughed when she said something funny. She liked the way he made her forget the bad things that had happened to her. He made her almost forget that she was supposed to miss Momma.
Chapter 13
Erin
Camilla met us at Trent’s apartment after work to get ready for the Imagine Dragons concert. The three of us had decided to drive together while Brianna, Jermaine, and Tonya went in their own car. I sang and danced around the apartment in my bralette, jeans and flip flops while Camilla put on her crop bandeau top laced at the bottom with high rise jean shorts and sandals. Tonya had done my makeup and the outcome left me feeling fairly sexy.
Trent looked at us and shook his head in mock disapproval. “I’m going to jail tonight,” he told me, and I laughed at him, enjoying the look he gave me as I walked past him to the door.
“What are we listening to?” Camilla asked once we were in the car.
“Not Imagine Dragons,” Trent responded. “We’re already going to the concert, no need to listen to them before.”
“Where’s the fun in that?” I pouted.
“Yeah,” Camilla agreed.
“One song,” I tried to compromise, but Trent was adamant.
“Because we won’t hear that song at the concert?” he asked sarcastically.
“You suck,” Camilla told him.
“Fine. Whiz Khalifa then,” I suggested.
“Alice Cooper,” he retorted.
“Akon.”
“Jethro Tull,” he laughed.
“T.I.”
“Beiber!” Camilla shouted, causing us to laugh.
“Why are we even together?” I asked Trent.
“No clue. You have horrible taste in music.”
“Me? At least the artists I listen to are of this century.”
“But you are kind of cute though.” He grabbed my hand
“And you’re not mad at her?” I asked, not fully understanding the strength of unconditional love.
“Mad at her?” he asked, and I felt him shake his head. “She didn’t give up, Erin. No matter how many times she fell, she dragged herself back up. How can I be mad at her?”
“So just like that, you forgave her?” I asked, pretty angry at the concept and grateful I hadn’t known that about Leah beforehand, because it would have been difficult for me to have liked her.
“Forgave her?” He shook his head at me, and I could feel his disappointment in my questions. “You really don’t get it. Look at her. She’s the strongest person I know.”
“How long has she been sober?” I asked, still not comprehending his forgiveness or the pedestal he had placed her on. To me, the words strength and addiction didn’t belong in the same sentence together.
“Her last relapse was shortly after Dave’s sixth birthday and just before my tenth. I was so proud of her because I had a feeling this would be the last time she had to go for treatment, and I was right. I even told my friends where she was when they asked about her on my birthday. So fifteen years. She’s been sober for fifteen years.”
I didn’t say anything to him because my mind was far too muddled with confusion to form a coherent thought. Instead, I curled deeper into Trent’s body and felt myself fall asleep as I thought of T.I.’s song Slide Show. Because what was life but looking back at a bunch of pictures, forever engraved in our minds, teaching us, guiding us, and sometimes repelling us from life itself.
Chapter 12
Shayna
She was going to have a family soon. A real family, Nate had promised her. She didn’t know what it meant, but she hoped Nate would be a part of it. He was nice and had taught her how to change her baby doll’s diaper.
She felt safe when he was around and had started to talk to him. She liked the way he laughed when she said something funny. She liked the way he made her forget the bad things that had happened to her. He made her almost forget that she was supposed to miss Momma.
Chapter 13
Erin
Camilla met us at Trent’s apartment after work to get ready for the Imagine Dragons concert. The three of us had decided to drive together while Brianna, Jermaine, and Tonya went in their own car. I sang and danced around the apartment in my bralette, jeans and flip flops while Camilla put on her crop bandeau top laced at the bottom with high rise jean shorts and sandals. Tonya had done my makeup and the outcome left me feeling fairly sexy.
Trent looked at us and shook his head in mock disapproval. “I’m going to jail tonight,” he told me, and I laughed at him, enjoying the look he gave me as I walked past him to the door.
“What are we listening to?” Camilla asked once we were in the car.
“Not Imagine Dragons,” Trent responded. “We’re already going to the concert, no need to listen to them before.”
“Where’s the fun in that?” I pouted.
“Yeah,” Camilla agreed.
“One song,” I tried to compromise, but Trent was adamant.
“Because we won’t hear that song at the concert?” he asked sarcastically.
“You suck,” Camilla told him.
“Fine. Whiz Khalifa then,” I suggested.
“Alice Cooper,” he retorted.
“Akon.”
“Jethro Tull,” he laughed.
“T.I.”
“Beiber!” Camilla shouted, causing us to laugh.
“Why are we even together?” I asked Trent.
“No clue. You have horrible taste in music.”
“Me? At least the artists I listen to are of this century.”
“But you are kind of cute though.” He grabbed my hand
Similar Books
