Read Online Losing Faith by Jeremy Asher - Free Book Online
Authors: Jeremy Asher
Tags: General Fiction
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mirror for the zillionth time since they had pulled out of the airport parking lot, looking for a pair of headlights belonging to a giant white gas- and money-guzzling truck with the letters T & T on the side. But the only thing staring back at her was the storm, darkness, and another mile of freedom.
“Dang it!” Savannah tossed her phone on the dashboard. “Stupid birds.”
“Savannah! You know better than that.” That phone had cost Trista a week’s worth of wages. Being a nurse paid well, but it wasn’t enough to buy her daughter another smart phone. Especially now that she had quit her job.
Savannah propped an elbow on the door, resting her head on her hand. Trista knew how hard this was on Savannah. It wasn’t like she had given her much notice or even a chance to say goodbye to her friends. She reached over and laid a hand on Savannah’s.
Savannah jerked her hand back and folded her arms.
“Did I do something wrong?” A knee-jerk parental question. Trista already knew the cold, hard answer to her question.
Savannah scowled. “Why did we have to leave?”
Questions like these tested the core of Trista’s parenting. There wasn’t an answer she could give that wouldn’t expose the poor choices she had made on behalf of her and her daughter. “It’s complicated—”
“No it’s not,” Savannah interrupted. “It’s because of Tuck, your psycho fiancé. Isn’t it?”
Trista didn’t disagree, but she didn’t want to admit it either. When a parent made a mistake this monumental, it took everything she had just to look at herself in the mirror each day, let alone her own daughter. “Honey, I’m sorry. But we could really use a change.”
“Not me. I have a life. I have friends and a boyfriend who loves me.”
Trista said nothing. What do you say to your fifteen-year-old daughter after you’ve completely ruined her life? She looked over at Savannah and saw her father’s blue eyes again. A constant reminder of what she had lost. What they both had lost. She’d never forget the day she had opened her front door to the two uniformed officers. Mrs. Tilman. We regret to inform you that your husband, Anthony Tilman, died during a training exercise this afternoon. She hadn’t heard another word. Numb, she had closed the door and collapsed to the floor, her heart shattered.
For months afterward, she had watched her young daughter sleep, wondering how on earth she was going to take care of her. Her mother had offered to take her in, but pride was pride, and the day she had left was the day she swore she’d never return. Seventeen is too young to raise a baby, Trista. Don’t make the same mistakes I did. That was the first time she had heard her mother refer to her as a mistake. The day she and Anthony walked out of that house, she vowed never to come back to Indiana. A vow she had kept until the day Tuck threw his last punch.
Trista placed her hand on Savannah’s shoulder. “Everything’s going to be okay, baby. I promise.”
And as if calling her bluff, fate chimed in as the Cavalier let out one choke and then another. Trista pumped the gas, trying to keep it running. After a series of what could only be described as coughing fits, the engine shut down completely. Trista watched as the speedometer needle dropped to fifty, then thirty, then twenty. The lower it went, the lower her heart sank into her chest. Time to pull off the road. Time to start worrying.
“Sure, Mom. Things are definitely going to be okay now.” Savannah’s sarcasm rang loud and clear.
Trista coasted to the side of the road and put on her flashers. Both hands gripped the wheel until her knuckles turned white. She bit her lip, trying not to cry. Keep it together. Now’s not the time to lose it. Sure, the Cavalier has broken down, and they were stranded in the biggest storm the Midwest had seen in years. But they were together, and Tuck had no idea where they were going. Trista had never spoken of her mother to
“Dang it!” Savannah tossed her phone on the dashboard. “Stupid birds.”
“Savannah! You know better than that.” That phone had cost Trista a week’s worth of wages. Being a nurse paid well, but it wasn’t enough to buy her daughter another smart phone. Especially now that she had quit her job.
Savannah propped an elbow on the door, resting her head on her hand. Trista knew how hard this was on Savannah. It wasn’t like she had given her much notice or even a chance to say goodbye to her friends. She reached over and laid a hand on Savannah’s.
Savannah jerked her hand back and folded her arms.
“Did I do something wrong?” A knee-jerk parental question. Trista already knew the cold, hard answer to her question.
Savannah scowled. “Why did we have to leave?”
Questions like these tested the core of Trista’s parenting. There wasn’t an answer she could give that wouldn’t expose the poor choices she had made on behalf of her and her daughter. “It’s complicated—”
“No it’s not,” Savannah interrupted. “It’s because of Tuck, your psycho fiancé. Isn’t it?”
Trista didn’t disagree, but she didn’t want to admit it either. When a parent made a mistake this monumental, it took everything she had just to look at herself in the mirror each day, let alone her own daughter. “Honey, I’m sorry. But we could really use a change.”
“Not me. I have a life. I have friends and a boyfriend who loves me.”
Trista said nothing. What do you say to your fifteen-year-old daughter after you’ve completely ruined her life? She looked over at Savannah and saw her father’s blue eyes again. A constant reminder of what she had lost. What they both had lost. She’d never forget the day she had opened her front door to the two uniformed officers. Mrs. Tilman. We regret to inform you that your husband, Anthony Tilman, died during a training exercise this afternoon. She hadn’t heard another word. Numb, she had closed the door and collapsed to the floor, her heart shattered.
For months afterward, she had watched her young daughter sleep, wondering how on earth she was going to take care of her. Her mother had offered to take her in, but pride was pride, and the day she had left was the day she swore she’d never return. Seventeen is too young to raise a baby, Trista. Don’t make the same mistakes I did. That was the first time she had heard her mother refer to her as a mistake. The day she and Anthony walked out of that house, she vowed never to come back to Indiana. A vow she had kept until the day Tuck threw his last punch.
Trista placed her hand on Savannah’s shoulder. “Everything’s going to be okay, baby. I promise.”
And as if calling her bluff, fate chimed in as the Cavalier let out one choke and then another. Trista pumped the gas, trying to keep it running. After a series of what could only be described as coughing fits, the engine shut down completely. Trista watched as the speedometer needle dropped to fifty, then thirty, then twenty. The lower it went, the lower her heart sank into her chest. Time to pull off the road. Time to start worrying.
“Sure, Mom. Things are definitely going to be okay now.” Savannah’s sarcasm rang loud and clear.
Trista coasted to the side of the road and put on her flashers. Both hands gripped the wheel until her knuckles turned white. She bit her lip, trying not to cry. Keep it together. Now’s not the time to lose it. Sure, the Cavalier has broken down, and they were stranded in the biggest storm the Midwest had seen in years. But they were together, and Tuck had no idea where they were going. Trista had never spoken of her mother to
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