Read Online Third Time's a Charm by Virginia Smith - Free Book Online Page A

Though Mom hadn’t shed a tear, the look on her face made Tori’s stomach ache as they drove away, leaving her behind. Even now, a shadow of that fifteen-year-old ache threatened to send tears into her eyes.
    Allie upended the shoebox on the floor between them and sifted through the photos with a finger. “I took that picture with Daddy’s camera. And here’s another one.”
    She extended another photo, this one with Daddy standing in front of a tilt-a-whirl with Joan on one side and nine-year-old Tori on the other. Tori examined her younger self, the familiar dimple, her small hand engulfed in her father’s large one. The sight of those clasped hands brought a lump to her throat.
    “Boy, there’s an old one.” Joan tapped the pile with a finger. “Tori, you couldn’t have been more than two months old there.”
    Allie laughed. “Joan, do you remember those dresses? We called ourselves twins when we wore them.”
    Joan’s smile was wide. “I do! And those matching tights and shiny black shoes too. I can’t believe I remember that. I was only three.”
    Tori stared at the portrait. Mom was seated and holding a ruffle-covered blonde infant that held no resemblance to the woman Tori had become. Allie and Joan, in identical polka-dot dresses, stood on one side of her chair, blonde Allie a head taller than her brunette sister. Towering above them all, the head of the family stood behind Mom’s chair. Daddy’s left hand rested casually, almost possessively, on Mom’s shoulder. Gold gleamed on his third finger.
    Looking at that hand, acid surged in Tori’s stomach.
    She scooped up the pictures and began shoving them back in the shoebox. “So, this stuff goes in the trash, right?”
    Joan and Allie looked startled.
    “We can’t throw these away.” Joan’s fingers tightened on the photo of her and Daddy at the fair. “This is all we have left of our father.”
    “Our loser father.” Tori slapped the lid on the box. “And who cares? He deserted us. Why should we want any reminders of him? He’s obviously forgotten all about us.”
    Tori was surprised at the sharpness of her tone. Apparently Joan and Allie were too. They both watched her stuff the shoebox back in the bigger box, concern etched on their faces.
    When Allie spoke, her tone was the even one she used when she was getting ready to play armchair psychologist. “Listen, we’re all dealing with anger over Daddy. That’s completely normal. But I think Joan is right. One day each of us will have to come to terms with our parents’ divorce and our father’s actions. When that day comes, we might want—”
    “Oh, cut the psychobabble, Allie.” Tori tossed a textbook in on top of the shoebox with force. “We don’t have to come to terms with anything. It wasn’t our fault our father was a jerk. We didn’t do anything to drive him away. At least, that’s what you’ve said in the past.” She challenged Allie with a direct gaze.
    “Of course we didn’t do anything wrong. We were children.”
    Allie’s placating tone only served to fuel Tori’s irritation. “That’s right. We were kids. And you know what? Lots of people get divorced and they manage to keep a relationship with their kids. But not our father.” She replaced the blankets and slapped the flap over to close the box. “So I don’t see where we have anything to deal with. Our father didn’t want to be bothered with his kids.” She jerked a shrug. “It happens. Life goes on.”
    Joan placed a hand on Tori’s arm. “Life does go on. But sometimes in order to move on with life, we have to forgive the people who have hurt us. Otherwise our pain holds us back.”
    Oh, great. In another minute one of them would start spouting Bible verses, and they’d join forces to gang up on her with a sermon on forgiveness. Well, she didn’t intend to sit around for that.
    “All this dust is making my throat dry. I need some water.” She climbed to her feet, stooping so she didn’t bang