Never Too Far Read Free

husbandssincethenGrantwasstillmyfamily.HeknewenoughtoknowthiswasaboutBlaire.
    “Blaire’sex-boyfriend,”Irepliedwithoutlookingbackathim.
    Grantclearedhisthroat.“So,uh,hecomeoverheretogloat?Ordidyoujustbeathimtoa bloodypulpbecausehetouchedheronce?”
    Both.Neither.Ishookmyhead.“No.Hecameoverhereaskingquestionsaboutmeand
    Blaire.Thingsthatweren’thisbusiness.Heaskedthewrongthing.”
    “Ah,Isee.Thatmakessense.Wellhepaidforit.Thedude’sprobablygotabrokennosetogo withthatclosedshuteyeofhis.”
    I inally lifted my head and looked back at Grant. “Thanks for pulling me off him. I just snapped.”
    Grantnoddedthenopenedthedoor.“Comeon.Let’sgoturnonthegameanddrinkabeer.”

    Blaire

    My mother’s grave was the only place I could think of to go. I had no home. I couldn’t go back to Granny Q’s. She was Cain’s grandmother. He was probably there waiting on me. Or maybe he wasn’t. Maybe I’d pushed him away too. I sat down at the foot of my mother’s grave.I pulled my knees up under my chin and wrapped my arms around my legs.
    IhadcomebacktoSumitbecauseitwastheonlyplaceIknewtocome.Now,Ineededto
    leave.Icouldn’tstayhere.Onceagainmylifewasabouttotakeasuddenturn.OneIwasn’t preparedfor.WhenI’dbeenalittlegirlmymommahadtakenustoSundayschoolatthelocal Baptistchurch.IrememberedascripturetheyreadusfromtheBibleaboutGodnotputting moreonusthanwecouldbear.Iwasbeginningtowonderifthatwasjustforthosepeople whowenttochurcheverySundayandprayedbeforetheywenttobedatnight.Becausehe
    wasn’tholdingbackanypuncheswithme.
    Feelingsorryformyselfdidn’thelpme.Icouldn’tdothat.Ihadto igurethisoneouttoo.
    My staying with Granny Q and letting Cain help me deal with day to day life had only been temporary.IknewwhenImovedintoherguestbedroomthatIcouldn’tstaylong.Therewas toomuchhistorybetweenCainandme.HistoryIdidn’tintendtorepeat.Thetimetoleave washerebutIwasstilljustascluelessaboutwhereIwasgonnagoandwhatIwasgonnado asIhadbeenthreeweeksago.
    “Iwishyouwerehere,Momma.Idon’tknowwhattodoandIdon’thaveanyonetoask,”I
    whisperedasIsatthereinthequietcemetery.Iwantedtobelieveshecouldhearme.Ididn’t liketheideaofherbeingunderthegroundbutaftermytwinsister,Valerie,haddiedI’dsat hereinthisspotwithmymomandwe’dtalkedtoValerie.Mommahadsaidherspiritwas
    watchingoutforusandshecouldhearus.Isowantedtobelievethatnow.
    “It’sjustme.Imissy’all.Idon’twanttobealone…butIam.AndI’mscared.”Theonlysound wasthewindrustlingtheleavesinthetrees.“YouoncetoldmeifIlistenedrealhardI’dknow theanswerinmyheart.I’mlisteningMomma,butIamsoconfused.Maybeyoucouldhelpme outbypointingmeintherightdirectionsomehow?”
    Irestedmychinonmykneesandclosedmyeyes,refusingtocry.
    “Remember when you said I needed to tell Cain exactly how I felt. That I wouldn’t feel betteruntilIhaditallout.Well,Ididjustthattoday.Evenifhedoesforgivemeit’llneverbe thesame.Ican’tkeeprelyingonhimforthingsanyway.It’stimeI igurethisoutonmyown.I justdon’tknowhow.”
    Just asking her made me feel better. Knowing I wouldn’t get an answer didn’t seem to matter.
    AcardoorslammedbreakingthepeacefulnessandIdroppedmyarmsfrommylegsand
    turnedtolookbackattheparkinglottoseeacartooexpensiveforthislittletown.Turning myeyestoseewhohadsteppedoutofitIgaspedthenjumpedup.ItwasBethy.Shewashere.
    InSumit.Inthecemetery…drivingavery,veryexpensivelookingcar.
    Herlongbrownhairwaspulledoverhershoulderinaponytail.Therewasasmiletugging
    onherlipsasmyeyesmethers.Icouldn’tmove.IwasafraidIwasimaginingthings.Whatwas Bethydoinghere?
    “Younothavingacellphoneisforthebirds.HowthehellamIsupposedtocallyouandtell youI’mcomingtogetyourassifIhavenonumbertocall?Hmmm?”Herwordsmadenosense butjusthearinghervoicesentmerunningtheshortdistancebetweenus.
    Bethy laughed and opened her arms as I lung myself into them. “I can’t believe you’re here,”Isaidafterhuggingher.
    “Yeah,well,meeither.Thatwasonelongdrive.Butyou’reworthitandseeingasyouleft