When Life Doesn't Give You Enough Cards to Play the Game, You Deal
Chapter 18
Kat’s POV:
“Oh honey!” My aunt Hilda shrieked, gathering me in a tight squeeze. She peppered my face with kisses that, I’m sure, left lipstick marks.
“Hi, aunt Hilda.” I replied, squeezing back. It was nice to be held for a little while. I’d missed my auntie, not being able to see her all these years. She didn’t know this, but my dad had cut off all communication with my mom’s side of the family after she died. He didn’t want to see them; it probably hurt too much because they reminded him of her.
“You look famished! Has your dad been feeding you well?” She asked, pulling away, holding me at arms length to get a good look at me. “Oh, it doesn’t matter.” She smiled, releasing me. “I’ve made some cookies. Come, have some.”
I abandoned my bags by the door, following my Aunt into the kitchen. Her cookies were to-die-for. I salivated at just the thought.
***
“Here’s your room, honey.” She told me, helping me bring my bags in. The room was plain: light blue walls, white curtains, and a single bed with white sheets. In one corner was a desk with a chair and in the other was a closet.
“Thanks.” I replied, setting my bags down. She followed suit, leaving the bags next to mine before leaving and closing the door behind her.
I fell back onto my bed, breathing a sigh of relief. My life felt brighter. It felt lighter somehow too, like I didn’t have to worry about anything.
Chance’s POV
“Dad.” I whispered, seeing if he was awake. His eyes cracked open and he peered at me.
“Yes Chance?” He asked.
“Can you tell me about when you met mom again?”
“Why at this ungodly hour, son?” He inquired sleepily.
“I just miss her so much. Especially now that Kat’s gone. It makes me feel better when you tell that story.”
“Okay.” He sighed, sitting up in the chair he’d previously been slouched down in. I shifted in my bed so I could see him clearly.
Flashback:
It was Jack’s first day driving by himself. He was scared out of his mind without the guiding voice of his father. He tried to shake off the feeling, turning the radio a little higher, the calming country music drifting through the car.
A woman walked beside his car, face distraught, hands buried deep in her pockets. It looked like she was mumbling to herself, which concerned Jack. He pulled the car carefully up to sidewalk where she was.
She looked up from the cement, jumping ten feet back.
“You need a ride ma’am?” He asked politely through the rolled down window. His accent was still thick; his family had just moved up to the North.
“I…,” she looked behind her, hugging her coat closer to herself. Jack looked in his rearview mirror, trying to figure out what she was looking at. A menacing truck stopped behind his and the woman scurried toward Jack’s car when a man stepped out of his. “Yes please.” She replied, scrambling to get into the car.
“Caroline!” The man shouted, tendons popping out of his neck.
Caroline stuck her hand out the window, sticking her unholy finger up. The guy just stood there, chest heaving with heavy breaths.
“Is everythin’ okay?” Jack asked.
“Just a day in the life.” She let out a shaky laugh. “Sorry about that.”
“Don’t apologize.” Jack shook his head. “A pretty lady like you shouldn’t have to put up with whatever that was.”
“I’m not from around here. Are there any hotels, or heck, motels around here?” She asked, looking at her savior now. He wore a straw hat, red t-shirt and worn out blue jeans. What were the chances that a guy could be nice and handsome?
“Well I’ve got a pullout couch.” He shrugged. Caroline contemplated it for a moment before flashbacks of her boyfriend flooded her mind. Who’s to say he wouldn’t come looking for her? Beat her until she agreed never to run away again like she always did. She shuttered at the thought. She couldn’t spend the night alone. She hope maybe this strange boy could be some sort of protection.
“Sound good to me.” She smiled at him. “I’m Caroline by the way.”
“Jack.” He replied, tipping his worn out hat to her.
Flash forward:
“Thanks dad.” I said, breaking the long silence that followed the story.
“That was the night you were conceived, you know.” My dad laughed.
“Gross dad!” I groaned. “You couldn’t have just kept that to yourself?!"
“Oh honey!” My aunt Hilda shrieked, gathering me in a tight squeeze. She peppered my face with kisses that, I’m sure, left lipstick marks.
“Hi, aunt Hilda.” I replied, squeezing back. It was nice to be held for a little while. I’d missed my auntie, not being able to see her all these years. She didn’t know this, but my dad had cut off all communication with my mom’s side of the family after she died. He didn’t want to see them; it probably hurt too much because they reminded him of her.
“You look famished! Has your dad been feeding you well?” She asked, pulling away, holding me at arms length to get a good look at me. “Oh, it doesn’t matter.” She smiled, releasing me. “I’ve made some cookies. Come, have some.”
I abandoned my bags by the door, following my Aunt into the kitchen. Her cookies were to-die-for. I salivated at just the thought.
***
“Here’s your room, honey.” She told me, helping me bring my bags in. The room was plain: light blue walls, white curtains, and a single bed with white sheets. In one corner was a desk with a chair and in the other was a closet.
“Thanks.” I replied, setting my bags down. She followed suit, leaving the bags next to mine before leaving and closing the door behind her.
I fell back onto my bed, breathing a sigh of relief. My life felt brighter. It felt lighter somehow too, like I didn’t have to worry about anything.
Chance’s POV
“Dad.” I whispered, seeing if he was awake. His eyes cracked open and he peered at me.
“Yes Chance?” He asked.
“Can you tell me about when you met mom again?”
“Why at this ungodly hour, son?” He inquired sleepily.
“I just miss her so much. Especially now that Kat’s gone. It makes me feel better when you tell that story.”
“Okay.” He sighed, sitting up in the chair he’d previously been slouched down in. I shifted in my bed so I could see him clearly.
Flashback:
It was Jack’s first day driving by himself. He was scared out of his mind without the guiding voice of his father. He tried to shake off the feeling, turning the radio a little higher, the calming country music drifting through the car.
A woman walked beside his car, face distraught, hands buried deep in her pockets. It looked like she was mumbling to herself, which concerned Jack. He pulled the car carefully up to sidewalk where she was.
She looked up from the cement, jumping ten feet back.
“You need a ride ma’am?” He asked politely through the rolled down window. His accent was still thick; his family had just moved up to the North.
“I…,” she looked behind her, hugging her coat closer to herself. Jack looked in his rearview mirror, trying to figure out what she was looking at. A menacing truck stopped behind his and the woman scurried toward Jack’s car when a man stepped out of his. “Yes please.” She replied, scrambling to get into the car.
“Caroline!” The man shouted, tendons popping out of his neck.
Caroline stuck her hand out the window, sticking her unholy finger up. The guy just stood there, chest heaving with heavy breaths.
“Is everythin’ okay?” Jack asked.
“Just a day in the life.” She let out a shaky laugh. “Sorry about that.”
“Don’t apologize.” Jack shook his head. “A pretty lady like you shouldn’t have to put up with whatever that was.”
“I’m not from around here. Are there any hotels, or heck, motels around here?” She asked, looking at her savior now. He wore a straw hat, red t-shirt and worn out blue jeans. What were the chances that a guy could be nice and handsome?
“Well I’ve got a pullout couch.” He shrugged. Caroline contemplated it for a moment before flashbacks of her boyfriend flooded her mind. Who’s to say he wouldn’t come looking for her? Beat her until she agreed never to run away again like she always did. She shuttered at the thought. She couldn’t spend the night alone. She hope maybe this strange boy could be some sort of protection.
“Sound good to me.” She smiled at him. “I’m Caroline by the way.”
“Jack.” He replied, tipping his worn out hat to her.
Flash forward:
“Thanks dad.” I said, breaking the long silence that followed the story.
“That was the night you were conceived, you know.” My dad laughed.
“Gross dad!” I groaned. “You couldn’t have just kept that to yourself?!"
♠ ♠ ♠
Well this update didn't take too ling, did it? I bet Jack was a cute country boy ;D Hope you enjoyed.. have a beautiful day!~Kylie