Welcome to Tuesday Tales! This week our word prompt is "brand." I have another excerpt from "Some Kind of Wonderful" to share. I hope you enjoy it. Please feel free to leave a comment. Scroll down to return to Tuesday Tales and go to my website. Thanks for stopping by.
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Jackie Stone sank down on a nearby stoop. Tears burst forth.
Chuck that dirty, lowdown bastard. Two-timing her and squandering his money.
Leaving her with nothing. Branded a failure - thirty years old and no job, a small savings account
and no place to go.
But she did have no place to go, did she? She
pulled up the bottom of her T-shirt to dry her eyes. An older man walking by
stopped to stare.
“Keep going. Show’s over.” She shot him a cold
stare and he hustled away.
Opening her phone again, she scrolled through her
contacts. When her father’s name came up, she hesitated for a moment before
pressing the button.
“Jackie?” The familiar gruff voice set her on edge.
“Hi, dad.”
“What’s up? Aren’t you working today?”
“That’s what I’m calling about.”
“Oh?” She could hear her father raise his eyebrows.
“Yeah. See, uh, Chuck, kinda didn’t pay his taxes.”
“What?”
“Yeah.”
Silence.
“So the feds shut him down, right?”
Jackie closed her eyes, and took a deep breath
–preparing herself for the giant “I told you so” she’d have to tolerate from
him.
“Yeah.” Her voice was almost a whisper. She drew
her knees up and rested her forearms on them.
“So you’re out of a job?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, then…”
“Aren’t you gonna say it?” Her head bowed.
In a soft tone she’d not heard since she was six,
he said, “I’m not gonna say it. Why don’t you come home for a while? You could
use a break.”
“Come home?”
“Yeah. I’ll fire up the grill. I’ve got some chops
in the freezer.”
“Really?” She sat up straight.
“Sure. You work plenty hard. Take a couple of weeks
off. Come out here. We’ll put our heads together and come up with something.”
“Really?”
“Are you hard of hearing or something, Jackie?”
She laughed. “Chuck asked me the same thing.”
“I hope that scoundrel is out of your life now.”
“Oh, he is. Count on it. We’re so done.”
“Every cloud has a silver lining. Hold on a sec.”
Jackie grinned. Could it be true that old Cecil
Stone would actually come through for her? And without a lecture? Maybe the
lecture was yet to come? She’d deal with it.
“Okay. I’m back. The schedule says there’s a three
thirty train. Can you be ready in time?”
“I can.”
“Good. I’ll pick you up at the station.”
Her tears returned. “Thanks, Dad. You’re the best.
I didn’t think. I just.”
“Oh hush. That’s what dads are for, see you at four
fifteen.” He ended the conversation.
I love how her dad comes through for her without recrimination. She really needs the emotional support right now. She can use a little break and someone who cares. Heartwarming scene!
ReplyDeleteLove this. My dad was the kind of man who would've been there for me, too.
ReplyDeleteI love how Dad is supportive even though you can tell that little bit of edge. I can't wait to see what happens when she gets home. Great job!
ReplyDeleteAwww! I'm so glad that Dad came through for her, and not in the way that she expected. Yay, Dad!
ReplyDeleteDads are wonderful. I love this one.
ReplyDelete