Read Online Maggie's Turn by Deanna Lynn Sletten - Free Book Online
Authors: Deanna Lynn Sletten
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with her new friends urging her on, she knew it was going to be the best idea she'd ever had.
***
Andrew was working on an advertising campaign to run on the local television station when the phone on his desk rang. Absently, he picked it up. "Hello, this is Andrew."
"Mr. Harrison?" the lady on the other end of the line asked tentatively. "I'm calling from Woodroe Middle School."
This got his attention. "Yes?"
"Mr. Harrison, I'm sorry to bother you at work, but I tried your wife at both home and work, and she wasn't at either place. I know I usually call her, but we had your number as an alternate, and I thought I should try you," she stopped, sounding unsure. Andrew didn't know why she was rambling on and wished she'd get to the point.
"Did something happen to Kaia?" he asked, starting to worry.
"That's why I'm calling," the lady told him. "She's absent from school today, and you didn't call in, so I thought I'd check on her."
"Absent?" Andrew asked, confused. And what was this call-in bit about? What was he supposed to call in for? "Are you sure you have the right student?" he asked. "Kaia was perfectly fine this morning and went to school."
"Did your wife drop her off?" the lady on the other line asked. "I know she always drives her to school."
Andrew frowned. What was it with everyone knowing about Maggie driving Kaia to school? Did everyone in town know what Maggie did? "No, Kaia took the bus today. But what does that have to do with anything? She's in school today. I'm sure of it. Just check again." He was getting irritated. Didn't this lady know he had better things to do than talk to her all day?
"I'm sorry, Mr. Harrison," the lady said more firmly. "But Kaia isn't in school today. She wasn't in school yesterday, either. Didn't you get the message I left yesterday at your home?"
"Message?" Andrew mumbled. "No, there was no message." He thought back to the night before, and his mind began to spin. Kaia was home before him. She left on the bus in the morning after he left for work. Was Kaia skipping? He really didn't think she would do such a thing, yet, who knew? Feeling like an idiot for not knowing where his own daughter was, he told the woman on the phone he'd get back to her and hung up. Grabbing his jacket, Andrew told the secretary he was leaving for the day and took off for home.
***
Maggie was headed to Reno. She hadn't really known she was headed there, but when she'd reached Salt Lake City, she had her choice of four directions, north to Idaho, south to Las Vegas, turn around and go home, or continue on Interstate 80 West to Reno. She knew no one in Idaho, didn't care for Las Vegas, and certainly wasn't going home. So Reno it was.
She remembered the times she and Andrew had spent weekends in the Reno/Tahoe area in their college days and how much fun they'd had. She was excited to visit again.
Maggie had spent a wonderful couple of hours in Salt Lake City sightseeing and taking pictures. She had accumulated quite a portfolio of photos over the past few days and she couldn't wait to transfer the most recent ones onto her computer. She decided that she'd stay a few days in Reno, settle into a hotel, then go through the photos she'd taken. And while she was there, she was certainly going to explore the city and even drive to Lake Tahoe to enjoy the sights and take pictures.
As she drove, a sense of peace fell over her. She didn't know why, but she felt she was heading in the right direction after standing at a stalemate for years.
***
Kaia felt pretty good about herself. She had Lance drop her off down the road from her house so the neighbors would think she'd taken the bus home. You never knew with nosey neighbors. They'd tell on her for sure. As she stepped into the back porch, she was surprised to see Bear lying quietly in his corner, not begging to be let out. She let him out anyway and put him on his leash. Better safe than sorry. She didn't want to be the one to
***
Andrew was working on an advertising campaign to run on the local television station when the phone on his desk rang. Absently, he picked it up. "Hello, this is Andrew."
"Mr. Harrison?" the lady on the other end of the line asked tentatively. "I'm calling from Woodroe Middle School."
This got his attention. "Yes?"
"Mr. Harrison, I'm sorry to bother you at work, but I tried your wife at both home and work, and she wasn't at either place. I know I usually call her, but we had your number as an alternate, and I thought I should try you," she stopped, sounding unsure. Andrew didn't know why she was rambling on and wished she'd get to the point.
"Did something happen to Kaia?" he asked, starting to worry.
"That's why I'm calling," the lady told him. "She's absent from school today, and you didn't call in, so I thought I'd check on her."
"Absent?" Andrew asked, confused. And what was this call-in bit about? What was he supposed to call in for? "Are you sure you have the right student?" he asked. "Kaia was perfectly fine this morning and went to school."
"Did your wife drop her off?" the lady on the other line asked. "I know she always drives her to school."
Andrew frowned. What was it with everyone knowing about Maggie driving Kaia to school? Did everyone in town know what Maggie did? "No, Kaia took the bus today. But what does that have to do with anything? She's in school today. I'm sure of it. Just check again." He was getting irritated. Didn't this lady know he had better things to do than talk to her all day?
"I'm sorry, Mr. Harrison," the lady said more firmly. "But Kaia isn't in school today. She wasn't in school yesterday, either. Didn't you get the message I left yesterday at your home?"
"Message?" Andrew mumbled. "No, there was no message." He thought back to the night before, and his mind began to spin. Kaia was home before him. She left on the bus in the morning after he left for work. Was Kaia skipping? He really didn't think she would do such a thing, yet, who knew? Feeling like an idiot for not knowing where his own daughter was, he told the woman on the phone he'd get back to her and hung up. Grabbing his jacket, Andrew told the secretary he was leaving for the day and took off for home.
***
Maggie was headed to Reno. She hadn't really known she was headed there, but when she'd reached Salt Lake City, she had her choice of four directions, north to Idaho, south to Las Vegas, turn around and go home, or continue on Interstate 80 West to Reno. She knew no one in Idaho, didn't care for Las Vegas, and certainly wasn't going home. So Reno it was.
She remembered the times she and Andrew had spent weekends in the Reno/Tahoe area in their college days and how much fun they'd had. She was excited to visit again.
Maggie had spent a wonderful couple of hours in Salt Lake City sightseeing and taking pictures. She had accumulated quite a portfolio of photos over the past few days and she couldn't wait to transfer the most recent ones onto her computer. She decided that she'd stay a few days in Reno, settle into a hotel, then go through the photos she'd taken. And while she was there, she was certainly going to explore the city and even drive to Lake Tahoe to enjoy the sights and take pictures.
As she drove, a sense of peace fell over her. She didn't know why, but she felt she was heading in the right direction after standing at a stalemate for years.
***
Kaia felt pretty good about herself. She had Lance drop her off down the road from her house so the neighbors would think she'd taken the bus home. You never knew with nosey neighbors. They'd tell on her for sure. As she stepped into the back porch, she was surprised to see Bear lying quietly in his corner, not begging to be let out. She let him out anyway and put him on his leash. Better safe than sorry. She didn't want to be the one to
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