Read Online The Queen of Bad Decisions by Janel Gradowski - Free Book Online Page A

months, but still couldn’t find things in the kitchen. It was like the items came to life and moved around while they slept. When she got up to use the bathroom at night she often heard scratching and shuffling noises Animated kitchenware was a much more pleasant fantasy than the reality of the real-life rodents that she knew caused the sounds. The front door banged open as she was topping the pasta with a mountain of fluffy, cheese confetti. Daisy hissed as her knuckle slid over the sharp eyelids of the grater.
    “What’s for dinner? I’m hungry,” Gary yelled even though he was only three feet away from her. The walls were so thin in the apartment building any tenant that was home would have clearly heard him. She sucked on the battered knuckle as he stalked to the stove to examine the contents of the frying pan. Oil in his black, slicked back hair glinted in the harsh glare from the bare light bulb overhead. The metallic saltiness of blood replaced the residual tang of the cheese in her mouth. “What the hell is that? Smells like breakfast, instead of supper.”
    Daisy glanced at the counter beside her. The knife she had used to slice the bread was still laying on the cutting board. The thought of defending herself with it made her want to vomit, but it was an option if he got violent. She stood up straighter and pulled her shoulders back. Her physique had intimated many men in the past. Hopefully it would have the same effect on him. As her little brother always pointed out, she looked more like a linebacker than a swimsuit model. Gary took a step closer. His usual rancid breath was laced with harsh alcohol. She blinked to hold back the building tears and said, “It’s spaghetti with croutons. I don’t get paid for another two days, so I don’t have enough money to buy anything else.”
    “I’m not eating that shit.”
    Every muscle in Daisy’s body turned to cold stone. His arm shot out. She flinched, but stood her ground when he snatched the remaining chunk of cheese off the counter. He had never physically hurt her, but he had never come home at 5 p.m. so drunk before either. Gary leaned forward until their noses almost touched and growled like a pissed off dog. Crooked, stained teeth added to the menacing effect. He whirled around, stalked out of the apartment and yanked the door shut, but the latch didn’t catch. The battered door slowly swung back open as his footsteps pounded up the stairs.
    She stumbled backward. Her spine smacked into the edge of the counter. All of the stony tension had evaporated from her muscles, leaving behind wobbly Jello. She grasped the edge of the worn laminate with both hands to keep from collapsing. The muscles between her shoulder blades spasmed in protest. Outside, Gary’s pickup truck rumbled to life. It roared like an angry demon as he tore out of the parking lot. Gravel pebbles, shot by the spinning tires, pinged on the ground-level kitchen window. She lunged at the door, slammed it shut and flipped the deadbolt. Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, time to get the hell out.
    She grabbed two garbage bags from under the sink and ran to the bedroom. Her cell phone was in her purse, which was hidden in the closet with a bulky winter coat draped around it to keep Gary from easily finding it. He took money out of her wallet to fund his nights out if she left the purse in plain sight. She dialed a phone number and tossed the phone on the bed to let it ring while stuffing clothes into the bags. It rang three, four . . . five times. Her mother finally answered. Daisy dropped the bag and snatched up the phone. “Mom. You’ve got to come and get me. I need to get away from Gary and I don’t have any money to take the bus.”
    “Slow down. What’s going on? Did he hurt you?”
    “No, he hasn’t hurt me. Yet. He’s been drinking and we got into a fight. He left, but I don’t know what will happen if I’m here when he gets back.”
    “I’m walking out the door right