Read Online Song of Renewal by Emily Sue Harvey - Free Book Online

the demons of her mother’s illness, ones that could reappear at any given moment.
    Hers was a position earned by her hellish odyssey from such a young age. “Battle scarred” was Charlcy’s bantering label.
    Liza’s father, an Alzheimer’s patient in an assisted living home, was not accessible. Even Charlcy, her joined-at-the-hip
sister, was halfway around the world right now. How she missed Charlcy’s snug presence at that moment.
    Yeh, along with Garrison’s distancing, Liza felt the aloneness closing in on her.
    “I guess I just plain need family,” Liza said, barely controlling her voice and emotions as she looked at Garrison. When their gazes collided, his slid away. Her heart dropped even lower. He wasn’t buying in to her need.
    His distancing stung even more right now. Once he would have sailed like a scud missile to her. Long ago. He’d never have held her at arm’s length when Liza keened to fall into his comforting embrace while their daughter lay at death’s door.
    Thanks, Garrison. She would get the hang of going it alone, even if it killed her.

    “When will Charlcy be back?” Garrison asked Liza the next evening after they’d gotten home from the hospital. Their dinner had been a hamburger and fries again, half of it dumped down the garbage disposal.
    “Charlcy’s month long European cruise has three more weeks to go before her ship comes in. She knows about Angel, but I told her under no circumstance is she to shorten her trip and fly back. There’s nothing she can do. I can keep her informed by e-mail and on rare occasions by phone. She carried her laptop.” She was aware of her nervous prattling and reined herself in.
    He shrugged and moved to the den. Liza felt hurt at his lack of real dialogue. Lately he’d grown more and more taciturn. She could no longer read him. Nor his body language. She followed him into the den, where he flipped on Fox News. She curled up in her chair while he slid onto the long sofa. Did
his little shrug mean he censured her not summoning Charlcy home or that he simply did not want to talk?
    She decided to elaborate. “Charlcy’s saved for this vacation for a long time and it’s not fair to her to cut it short. Teaching isn’t the most lucrative profession.”
    Garrison’s eyes remained glued to the screen, where Bill O’Reilly declared the “Patriot and Pinhead of the day.” “My mother was a teacher.” His voice was empty. Flat.
    In other words, shut the heck up . Hurt swirled and tossed about inside her, bouncing like boulders against her vitals. Her already wounded and raw emotions flamed high, like an out of control wildfire. Desperation clawed at her nerve endings.
    He wants Charlcy here so he won’t have to endure my presence as much.
    Suddenly, Garrison arose and asked Liza politely, “Can I bring you anything from the kitchen? I’m going for some ice cream.”
    “No, thank you,” she replied, perplexed, jerked around. Just when she thought there was no hope left for them, he turned on his blasted manners.
    Liza credited Ruth for that. His mother’s long classroom experience enabled her to teach Garrison the finer points of behavior. She had done a great job there.
    Except for teaching him about being there. And forgiveness.
    Liza shoved away that line of thought. She would survive.
    With or without him.

Chapter Five
    Angel floated in nothingness…bits and snatches of sounds wafted in and out...voices…Mama…Daddy…others not familiar…words reverberated in a strange way, echoing, running together, seamless, Loveloveloveyoucheckbloodpressure…Penny’s voice…she’s crying…why?...Laurie and Ginger, “She’ssososopalepaleale…lookslookslooksbadbad… cheerleading squad...Chuck and Buddy, “wha’s’supupup, Angelgelgel?”
    I’ve gotta get outta here! Can’t move!
    “Byebyebye, Angelgelgel. Seeseeyouyoulaterter.”
    Wait! I’m going, too! Don’t leave me!
    Floating...floating… why can’t I move, dang it? ...