Read Online Under the Open Sky (Montana Heritage Series) by Michelle Maness - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Michelle Maness
Ads: Link
behind at a slower pace.
Amanda, listening to the eerie calls, remained where she was for some time. She finally stood and moved inside before climbing back in her bed to stare out the window, sleep slowly over took her. She dreamt she was a wolf, moving silently and gracefully over the land, surrounded by tall towering trees and rushing streams, never seeming to quite reach a destination.
Six
Amanda leaned against the arm of the couch, her gaze fixed on the TV screen but her thoughts elsewhere. Her father and brother had been arguing again; this time so much that Amanda feared that they would come to blows. Both had stomped out of the house. Now the house was quiet, her aunt puttering in the kitchen, leaving Amanda to a little peace and quiet. Summer was almost over leaving her with mixed feelings. On one hand she dreaded her brother leaving, on the other she was beginning to think it was the only thing that would stop the fighting. The sound of a truck roaring to an abrupt stop in front of the house brought Amanda to her feet. By the time she stepped onto the front porch Cade, his shoulders set in a tense line, was rushing up the steps.
“What’s wrong?” Amanda demanded.
“Your dad sent me to get you and your aunt.”
“Why?” Amanda’s stomach knotted.
“Trent and Angela were apparently eloping; they had an accident.”
“What?! Are they okay?” Amanda was shaking now.
Cade shook his head, “I think Trent will be.”
Amanda shook her head. “Angie’s okay; right?” tears spilled over to run down her cheeks unchecked.
“No, Manny, she isn’t, the truck hit the light pole on the passenger side,” Cade shared, his own voice breaking slightly, “the doctor said Angie never had a chance.”
Amanda was sobbing now. Angie had befriended her, in ways taken her under her wing; she couldn’t be gone. How would Trent ever stand it? Amanda welcomed Cade’s embrace as he let her cry while sobs shook her slender body.
“What on earth…Mandy?”
Amanda heard her aunt’s question but she wasn’t able to answer.
“Mr. Jennings sent me to get you and Amanda, Miss. Jennings, Trent has been in an accident; I think he’s okay, but you’re needed. Angie was with him and she didn’t make it,” Cade explained.
“Dear Lord. Alright, just let me get my purse,” Naomi said before turning back to the house.
“Are you alright, Manny?” Cade asked as Amanda slowly recovered from the shock of his news.
“I don’t know,” she answered honestly as stepped from his arms and attempted to collect herself.
“Your shoes,” Naomi stepped out the door and extended a pair shoes to Amanda before shoving tissue in her hands.
“Thanks, Aunt Naomi,” Amanda sat down on the swing long enough to pull her shoes on before following Cade to his truck. Leaving the outside for her aunt, she climbed into the middle. The cab was quiet as they started for town, Naomi finally broke the silence.
“I guess this is one of those times when it would have been to my benefit to get my license,” she mused.
“I don’t think your brother would have wanted you to drive even if you could have,” Cade informed her.
“No, probably not,” she acknowledged.
“Have you seen Trent yet?” Amanda queried of Cade.
“No. I came up on the aftermath of the accident and
Amanda, listening to the eerie calls, remained where she was for some time. She finally stood and moved inside before climbing back in her bed to stare out the window, sleep slowly over took her. She dreamt she was a wolf, moving silently and gracefully over the land, surrounded by tall towering trees and rushing streams, never seeming to quite reach a destination.
Six
Amanda leaned against the arm of the couch, her gaze fixed on the TV screen but her thoughts elsewhere. Her father and brother had been arguing again; this time so much that Amanda feared that they would come to blows. Both had stomped out of the house. Now the house was quiet, her aunt puttering in the kitchen, leaving Amanda to a little peace and quiet. Summer was almost over leaving her with mixed feelings. On one hand she dreaded her brother leaving, on the other she was beginning to think it was the only thing that would stop the fighting. The sound of a truck roaring to an abrupt stop in front of the house brought Amanda to her feet. By the time she stepped onto the front porch Cade, his shoulders set in a tense line, was rushing up the steps.
“What’s wrong?” Amanda demanded.
“Your dad sent me to get you and your aunt.”
“Why?” Amanda’s stomach knotted.
“Trent and Angela were apparently eloping; they had an accident.”
“What?! Are they okay?” Amanda was shaking now.
Cade shook his head, “I think Trent will be.”
Amanda shook her head. “Angie’s okay; right?” tears spilled over to run down her cheeks unchecked.
“No, Manny, she isn’t, the truck hit the light pole on the passenger side,” Cade shared, his own voice breaking slightly, “the doctor said Angie never had a chance.”
Amanda was sobbing now. Angie had befriended her, in ways taken her under her wing; she couldn’t be gone. How would Trent ever stand it? Amanda welcomed Cade’s embrace as he let her cry while sobs shook her slender body.
“What on earth…Mandy?”
Amanda heard her aunt’s question but she wasn’t able to answer.
“Mr. Jennings sent me to get you and Amanda, Miss. Jennings, Trent has been in an accident; I think he’s okay, but you’re needed. Angie was with him and she didn’t make it,” Cade explained.
“Dear Lord. Alright, just let me get my purse,” Naomi said before turning back to the house.
“Are you alright, Manny?” Cade asked as Amanda slowly recovered from the shock of his news.
“I don’t know,” she answered honestly as stepped from his arms and attempted to collect herself.
“Your shoes,” Naomi stepped out the door and extended a pair shoes to Amanda before shoving tissue in her hands.
“Thanks, Aunt Naomi,” Amanda sat down on the swing long enough to pull her shoes on before following Cade to his truck. Leaving the outside for her aunt, she climbed into the middle. The cab was quiet as they started for town, Naomi finally broke the silence.
“I guess this is one of those times when it would have been to my benefit to get my license,” she mused.
“I don’t think your brother would have wanted you to drive even if you could have,” Cade informed her.
“No, probably not,” she acknowledged.
“Have you seen Trent yet?” Amanda queried of Cade.
“No. I came up on the aftermath of the accident and
Similar Books
