Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 56893 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56893 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
Dani was a year old when the feds moved them as a family to a small town in Illinois. And that sent a bored, miserable Patrice into a drug-induced spiral, leaving Hadley to care for Dani just as she had been prior to the move. Ultimately, Patrice lost custody due to her neglect and she only saw Dani because their father allowed it, as long as he or Hadley was home to supervise.
“Hads?” Dani’s voice shook Hadley out of her stupor and put her squarely back in reality. Was it any wonder she’d escaped into her memories, even if it had meant revisiting a shitty past?
“What? I didn’t catch what you said.” Hadley looked at her sister.
Dani rolled her eyes. “I said, can we please leave after I see Mom?”
Hadley sighed. “You saw your mom last night.” And it was unusual for Patrice to show up two days in a row, let alone all that often. Hadley doubted she’d be returning tonight, disappointing Dani yet again. But she wasn’t going to fight with her sister by bringing up the truth about her mom.
“We’ll figure out what to do about seeing your mother again but right now, we need to go.” Hadley walked to the closet and pulled out Dani’s suitcase. “Come on, now. Get packing.”
Ignoring the half-yell, half-whine from her sister, Hadley rushed to her room, retrieved her suitcase, and began to throw things in without thinking.
She dumped her entire underwear drawer into the suitcase, along with some casual clothes, hearing the thump of her diary. A habit she’d kept up from her teenage years. Putting her feelings on paper helped clear her mind.
Nothing could give her that clarity now, as she wondered what she could possibly tell the school district about her sudden leave. She needed an excuse that wouldn’t jeopardize her Teacher Loan Forgiveness or get her fired for bailing on them with no warning the last week of the school year. At least she had until Monday morning to think of something.
After she packed, Hadley shut her bedroom door. She walked to her closet and knelt, grateful that ever since their middle-of-the-night move, she’d thought ahead. Beneath three shoe boxes, she pulled out a fourth and opened the top. Inside she had a secret stash. A mix of cash and prepaid Visa and Mastercards she’d saved over the years along with a burner phone. She couldn’t say she’d anticipated this moment but something inside her knew she needed to prepare just in case.
She stuffed everything into the inside lining of her everyday tote, hooked the bag on her shoulder, and dragged the suitcase to the kitchen. She passed Dani’s room on the way and a quick glance confirmed her sister was packing like she was supposed to.
In the kitchen, her father sat at the table, his head in his hands. The shattered jar still lay on the floor, and it took everything in her not to act on habit by getting the broom and cleaning up his mess.
“Dad?” she asked when he didn’t look up.
He rose from his seat and walked over to where she stood. “Take this.” He shoved cash in her hand. “Don’t use your credit cards. They’re traceable.”
As if she hadn’t learned that lesson from the female agent who’d accompanied them here when she was sixteen. Hadley glanced back at the destroyed cookie jar and realized he’d gathered up the spare fives and singles she’d stuffed inside.
From the look and feel of the bundle, he’d added more but as she flipped through the pile, her heart sank at the small denomination of the bills. He didn’t know she had access to untraceable money, yet this wasn’t enough to get by, and her disappointment in him somehow grew.
“This won’t even cover a motel. Not if we want to eat. I need more. Is there anything else in the house?” she asked, pushing him because she would eventually need access to more funds.
“I’m here,” a sullen Dani said at the same time her father shook his head.
Hadley turned as her sister shuffled into the room. Her backpack hung over one shoulder and she dragged her suitcase behind her. She’d put on a baseball cap and her long hair hung in braids on either side of her head. The front strand she’d dyed pink covered one eye and she glared at them through the other. Looking at her now, no one would realize how beautiful the teen really was.
Their father moved close and pulled Dani into a long hug. “I’ll see you soon. I promise.” He met Hadley’s gaze over Dani’s head, seeming to beg her to make this easier.
He couldn’t even handle the goodbye like a man.
“Dani, why don’t you meet me in my car? I parked it in the garage. I’ll be right out.”
The teenager held onto her father for a few seconds longer, enough time for Hadley’s anger at their dad to grow. Every time she thought he’d hit his lowest in her estimation, he dug the hole deeper.