Read Online Tempting Fate by Lisa Mondello - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Lisa Mondello
Tags: Literature & Fiction, Short Stories, Genre Fiction, Anthologies, Anthologies & Literature Collections, Holidays, Short Stories & Anthologies
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that all she wanted to do was hold her baby.
"Everyone makes mistakes, Lauren. It was a long time ago," Kyle said.
"Yes, it was. And I don't regret any of the mistakes I've made because, if I did, it would mean that Kristen wouldn't be in my life. And I can't imagine that. But it doesn't change anything. I disappointed them and they've never forgiven me for it."
"How do you know that? Have you tried to contact them?"
"Yes. I send them birthday cards and Christmas cards and anniversary cards. I call them every year during the holidays, hoping they’ll want to see me. But it’s always so awful. Dad won’t come to the phone, and Mom rushes me off because we don’t know what to say to each other. They know where I am. But they've never made any move to contact me on their own.” She swallowed hard, but the lump in her throat would not ease. “They've never seen Kristen. They left the hospital without even looking at her. They told me they wouldn't support me and they meant it."
"What did you do? Where did you go?"
She shrugged. "I managed. I had some money saved for college, so I bundled Kristen up and got on a bus. I knew the money wouldn't last, but I stretched it out long enough to move here and get a job waitressing at a good restaurant. I did that until this past September when Kristen started school. Part of me hoped that I'd be able take some classes and get my degree."
He smiled. "I'm sure you will someday."
She tried to smile, but the muscles in her face wouldn't cooperate. All her childhood dreams seemed a million miles away. "I barely have time to brush my teeth, Kyle. Did you forget I have a six year old?"
He lifted himself from the chair and dragged it to the table before absorbing the distance between them. Though they weren't touching, she could feel his warmth. "Things change, Lauren. People can change."
She laughed sardonically. "You really believe that?"
Nodding his head, he said, "You should, too."
She shook her head. "It's a nice fairy tale."
"Give them a chance. Tell them you want to see them," Kyle urged.
She sighed as she walked over to the table and picked up her coat. "It must be time for dinner," she said, moving toward the door.
"You need to try again. You owe it to yourself and-"
She cut him off before he could finish. "We'd better get back to the house. Kristen will wonder where I am."
* * *
Kyle pushed his plate away and stared at Lauren sitting across from him at the antique table. Although she smiled pleasantly and engaged in small talk with his family, he knew it was just a front. All during dinner, he watched as she picked at her food and twisted her fork without so much as taking a bite.
"Did you see my new earring, Kyle? This makes ten," Zoey said, pulling at her gold clad earlobe.
Groaning, Kyle inspected the stud his sister had added to her collection. "At least it goes with all the colors of your hair, Zoe."
She waved him off and huffed. "I should have known you'd have no taste in fashion. You like it Lauren, don't you?"
"Uh, sure. Very nice," Lauren complimented. She looked at Kyle and shrugged.
Turning her attention to Judy, Zoey added with excitement, "Bruce says he's gonna get me one for my nose and my belly button for Christmas."
Kyle darted a glance over at his father, who sat at the head of the mahogany table with his arms knotted across his chest and his eyebrows raised as high as his skin could stretch. Patience and tolerance were Will Preston's strong suits, but Kyle could tell his father was just about ready to blow his gourd.
"How, ah, nice, Bruce," Judy replied with forced graciousness. "Very...thoughtful."
Zoey smiled at Kyle, then leaned into her boyfriend, who had yet to crack a smile or say one word during dinner, and snaked her arm around his waist.
It made Bruce blush.
It made Kyle nauseous.
"How wonderful. And this you do...why?" Kyle finally asked because no one else dared.
"Oh, I can't talk to you, Kyle." Zoey stood up and started to
"Everyone makes mistakes, Lauren. It was a long time ago," Kyle said.
"Yes, it was. And I don't regret any of the mistakes I've made because, if I did, it would mean that Kristen wouldn't be in my life. And I can't imagine that. But it doesn't change anything. I disappointed them and they've never forgiven me for it."
"How do you know that? Have you tried to contact them?"
"Yes. I send them birthday cards and Christmas cards and anniversary cards. I call them every year during the holidays, hoping they’ll want to see me. But it’s always so awful. Dad won’t come to the phone, and Mom rushes me off because we don’t know what to say to each other. They know where I am. But they've never made any move to contact me on their own.” She swallowed hard, but the lump in her throat would not ease. “They've never seen Kristen. They left the hospital without even looking at her. They told me they wouldn't support me and they meant it."
"What did you do? Where did you go?"
She shrugged. "I managed. I had some money saved for college, so I bundled Kristen up and got on a bus. I knew the money wouldn't last, but I stretched it out long enough to move here and get a job waitressing at a good restaurant. I did that until this past September when Kristen started school. Part of me hoped that I'd be able take some classes and get my degree."
He smiled. "I'm sure you will someday."
She tried to smile, but the muscles in her face wouldn't cooperate. All her childhood dreams seemed a million miles away. "I barely have time to brush my teeth, Kyle. Did you forget I have a six year old?"
He lifted himself from the chair and dragged it to the table before absorbing the distance between them. Though they weren't touching, she could feel his warmth. "Things change, Lauren. People can change."
She laughed sardonically. "You really believe that?"
Nodding his head, he said, "You should, too."
She shook her head. "It's a nice fairy tale."
"Give them a chance. Tell them you want to see them," Kyle urged.
She sighed as she walked over to the table and picked up her coat. "It must be time for dinner," she said, moving toward the door.
"You need to try again. You owe it to yourself and-"
She cut him off before he could finish. "We'd better get back to the house. Kristen will wonder where I am."
* * *
Kyle pushed his plate away and stared at Lauren sitting across from him at the antique table. Although she smiled pleasantly and engaged in small talk with his family, he knew it was just a front. All during dinner, he watched as she picked at her food and twisted her fork without so much as taking a bite.
"Did you see my new earring, Kyle? This makes ten," Zoey said, pulling at her gold clad earlobe.
Groaning, Kyle inspected the stud his sister had added to her collection. "At least it goes with all the colors of your hair, Zoe."
She waved him off and huffed. "I should have known you'd have no taste in fashion. You like it Lauren, don't you?"
"Uh, sure. Very nice," Lauren complimented. She looked at Kyle and shrugged.
Turning her attention to Judy, Zoey added with excitement, "Bruce says he's gonna get me one for my nose and my belly button for Christmas."
Kyle darted a glance over at his father, who sat at the head of the mahogany table with his arms knotted across his chest and his eyebrows raised as high as his skin could stretch. Patience and tolerance were Will Preston's strong suits, but Kyle could tell his father was just about ready to blow his gourd.
"How, ah, nice, Bruce," Judy replied with forced graciousness. "Very...thoughtful."
Zoey smiled at Kyle, then leaned into her boyfriend, who had yet to crack a smile or say one word during dinner, and snaked her arm around his waist.
It made Bruce blush.
It made Kyle nauseous.
"How wonderful. And this you do...why?" Kyle finally asked because no one else dared.
"Oh, I can't talk to you, Kyle." Zoey stood up and started to
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