Palmetto Poison by C. Hope Clark

Author:C. Hope Clark
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: BelleBooks Inc.
Published: 2016-12-14T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 19

ZACK RELUCTANTLY let Ally rub his hair as she followed the kids to the kitchen table. I stood glued to the floor, emotionally drained after a day of fights, wrecks, and SLED shadows; my throat tightened. My sister came home, just as I’d asked.

“Pizza, Aunt Ally,” hollered Zack. “You can have some of mine.”

“Throw two pieces on a plate for me,” Ally said.

“I know which one you want,” Ivy said. “No meat. Like we talked about.”

Ally laughed. “Oh my gracious, this smells extraordinary. Kay eats health food, and I’d kill for cheese and grease.” As I joined them, she studied my face, then eyed me up and down. She leaned in and whispered, “You look a mess. You want to tell me later?”

“Later,” I said, grateful.

Ivy clung to my sister as if welcoming a mother returned from the dead.

Ally reached over and yanked my shirt as a reminder of our sunbathing moment. “Seems last time I saw you, you offered to do anything to get me out of Clay River. Here I am, and you act like someone dumped a baby on your doorstep.”

“Of course I’m glad you’re here,” I said, then busted out in tears.

Ivy stood motionless, a slice of pizza in each hand. Zack’s eyes grew to the size of two harvest moons.

Although three inches shorter, Ally enfolded me in her arms, letting my head drop and hide in her hair so I could sob. “Sis,” she said. “Give it up, what’s going on?”

“I worried so much about you being around Kay,” I mumbled in to her shoulder. “Someone’s following me. I wrecked the truck. They disciplined me at work for doing absolutely nothing wrong.” I stopped to take in hitched breaths. In that pause, I realized what touched me most, and my tears flowed as if from a garden hose. “I’m just so happy you’re safe, and home . . . and I think Wayne and I broke up!”

The tears wouldn’t stop coming.

Ally stroked my hair. “Shhh, it’s okay. I bet it’s nothing we can’t talk out and fix.” I felt her weight shift as she motioned to the kids. “Your mom has had a hell of a week. Bet you had no idea, did you?”

They shook their heads in unison, unable to take their gazes off me. I started to pull away from Ally so I could move toward them, to console their worries, but Ally gripped me to remain fast.

“Tell you what, Zack,” Ally said, her hug tighter, one hand rubbing my back now. “You and Ivy take your dinner to the porch, or better yet, out to the dock. Give us a moment or two, okay? Sometimes parents have days that suck just like you do. Understand?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Zack said.

“Come on.” Ivy threw their slices on plates. “Get the drinks, Zack.”

My little man did as his big sister told him, and they scurried out the sliding glass door.

I felt like such a child.

Ally set me down at the table and poured me a glass of root beer.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.