Love Me Anyway by J.P. Grider

Author:J.P. Grider
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: love stories, friendship, death loss grief, family life, teen young adult coming of age, teen romantic, first love, love through mix tapes music, coming out, stepfamilies blended families, social issues coming out
Publisher: Fated Hearts Publishing
Published: 2017-12-25T00:00:00+00:00

“HEY, MEL,” I SAID, faking glee and putting into place phase one of my plan.

“Good morning, Tia. You feeling better this morning?”

“A little.” Feigning too much joy would be obvious. She had already heard me sobbing all night, and I was sure Tommy had filled her in on Clinton. “He called me last night.”

“Is he feeling okay?”

“Kinda.”

“Hang in there. I’m sure he’s in good hands.”

“No. Not with his father in the same state.”

She put a plate of pancakes in front of me and sat down. “That man is terrible.” She turned around to reprimand David, who was throwing Scott’s Matchbox cars across the kitchen floor.

“What’s he going to do when he gets out of the hospital?”

“He has a cousin he’s gonna move in with.”

“Is she good? She’s not violent like his father, is she?”

“No. She worked with my mom. I met her. She’s a nice lady.”

“Good.”

I heard the shower go on in Mel and Tommy’s room. Here goes nothing. “Hey, Mel. I was gonna ride bikes with Kelly, and she usually stops at The Ice Cream Shack. Does Tommy have a few dollars I can have? Just to get a cone?”

She stood from her chair, so I did too. “Oh, Mel, I can get it. Sit. Relax. I don’t mind.”

She sat back down. Good. She took the bait. “He usually keeps his wallet on his dresser. I’ll let him know you took a couple dollars.”

“Yeah, just, like two, if that’s okay?”

“Of course.”

Tommy’s wallet was on top of his dresser, just like Mel said. And like I told her, I took out two dollars.

Phase Two. Ready.

Bedroom door locked. Check.

Phone moved to far corner of my room. Check.

Airline reservation number I got from Information last night on my lap. Check.

“People Express Airlines, this is Monica, how can I help you?”

I can do this. I can do this. “Yeah, hi. This is Melanie Mercury. I’d like to purchase a one-way ticket to Newark, New Jersey from Liberal Mid-America airport for tomorrow.”

“Okay, Ms. Mercury. Tomorrow is not possible, unless there’s a death in the...”

“There has been,” I cut in, not needing to fake the panic in my voice. “My mother.” No need to lie there. Adults have mothers who pass too.

“Okay. I’m sorry to hear that. Let me check.”

I waited impatiently while she checked for a flight.

“Ms. Mercury, I have a 1:15 p.m. going straight through.”

“Okay. I’ll take it.”

She took down my credit card information and told me where to pick up my flight pass.

I stuck the credit card in the waistband of my sweats and went back to the kitchen, where Tommy was eating breakfast.

“Hey, kiddo. Ya good?”

“Better,” I said. “Mel said it was okay if I rode bikes with Kelly.”

“She told me. Sure. Be back for dinner. We eat at five on Sundays.”

“Okay. Thanks. Just going to grab my coat.”

I quietly went into Tommy’s room and prayed his wallet was still there. It was. I slipped the card back in his wallet, left the room, and went to mine to get my coat.

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