Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 72196 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 361(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72196 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 361(@200wpm)___ 289(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
That was true, and the urge to jump to my child’s defense was high.
Yet, I couldn’t argue with him.
He was right.
Hannah, Reggie, and I had done our part in this. We’d done everything right. We’d bowed to everything that Allegra requested, yet Allegra continued to fuck me over. And in turn, continued to turn our child against me.
It hurt.
And obviously, I wasn’t the only one affected.
My mom was devastated. Allegra literally hated her guts, and after losing one granddaughter who moved out of state, and the other two grandchildren in the car crash…well, that was just the icing on the shit cake.
I looked around the empty house.
TJ was at daycare, Reggie was at school, and Hannah was at work.
This was my first day off in weeks, and I didn’t know what to do with myself.
I’d been on my way into work when my brother had called, telling me in no uncertain terms that I needed to turn my life around.
“What brought this visit on?” I asked, taking a sip of my beer.
It was ten o’clock in the morning, but I needed it.
I literally thought I might die without the beer.
“I saw Hannah’s brother today.”
My stomach clenched.
“Where?”
“The hotel.”
Fuck!
“What’s he doing here?”
I didn’t bother to ask him why he was at the hotel. I knew why.
“He’s here to see the kids. Hasn’t seen them in a while.”
I pursed my lips. “Did he bring Nikki and the kids?”
He nodded.
Wonderful.
I’d have to depart my residence to allow them the ability to come over and visit without adding that certain level of uneasiness that was always around when Michael and I were in the same room.
Not that I could blame him for hating me.
If anyone had done what I’d done to Hannah to my sister, I’d feel the same freakin’ way.
Goddammit.
Two hours later, I left my house for my brother’s house, and stayed there while Hannah, Reggie, and TJ caught up with their Uncle Michael. I’d return once Michael and his crew left for the hotel they would be staying at during their visit.
Lucky for me, I didn’t have to sleep on my brother’s couch because he’d rented a room. Unlucky for me, Michael was just leaving as I was arriving. I was treated to a glare from Michael, and a sad, uncomfortable grin from Hannah.
Just wonderful.
Chapter 8
Apparently, rock bottom has a basement. Who knew?
-Hannah’s secret thoughts
Hannah
“Mom!” Reggie pulled on my hand. “Look at the dog that Travis has! It looks just like Mogley!”
Mogley used to be my ex-husband’s hunting dog. Right around the time we got divorced, Mogley started to go downhill. With no more use for his hunting dog now that Mogley was too old to hunt, he had no use for the dog.
When I’d heard that he was about to take him to a shelter, I’d taken Mogley with me.
Mogley had lived out the rest of his days in comfort, and he’d passed about ten months ago during the night.
That was the night that I’d called Travis in tears, unsure what I should do with him.
***
347 days ago
I walked out into the hall, discomforted when I’d realized that Mogley hadn’t followed into my room after an hour or so.
And I knew, the moment that I saw the large black lump on the floor, that it was Mogley.
What I hadn’t thought, was that he wouldn’t be breathing.
Sure, he was nearly eleven years old, but the ol’ boy had a lot of heart left in him.
I’d thought I had another few years with him at least.
I didn’t think, not in a million years, that he would die.
“Moge?” I called.
The black form didn’t move, and my brows furrowed.
“Moge, it’s bedtime!” I called to him, clapping my hands. “Come on, let’s go!”
Mogley still didn’t move.
Worried now, I flipped on the light, and my heart dropped.
“Moge?”
Mogley was facing me, his unseeing eyes staring toward my door.
“Moge?” My voice broke.
This time there were tears in my eyes.
“No,” I croaked. “Please no.”
Reggie would break. She’d literally break when she heard the news.
So, in order not to wake her, I let my tears fall silently.
“Oh, baby.” I dropped down to my knees, running my fingers down my baby’s soft fur. “I’m going to miss you like crazy.”
I ran my hand down the length of his body, then back up again. He’d been so big…so full of life. It didn’t feel right that he wasn’t attacking me with his tongue like he normally would have.
He was lying so still.
A tear fell to my bare thigh.
Sniffling, I stood up and walked to my room, slipping on my shorts and tennis shoes.
My intention was to lift him, to bring him outside…to do what, I didn’t know. But I knew I couldn’t leave him there. The moment that Reggie got up, she’d see him.
She’d know instantly.
Which meant I had to do this now, in the middle of the night.