Continuing to turn
the pages slowly, the sketch of Deacon seems to fade and once dark pencil lines
get lighter and lighter, like he's disappearing. As she turned them she noticed
that the figure in the corner has moves closer to the family, specifically
Deacon. With her eyebrows knitted, she tried to process what she was seeing.
She even flipped backwards a couple of times and looked at them again. On the last page that Kyra had drawn on,
Deacon is completely gone and so is the shadowy figure.
She didn't even hazard a
guess at what it meant but the feeling that weighed heavy in her mind and heart
told her this wasn't a good thing. She would have to get Kyra a therapist and
make her go if everything worked out with the bank. She would get her daughter
the help she needed so that she could laugh and live. Have as full a life as
she could after this trauma.
With her throat threatening
to close, she put the sketchbook back where she found it and turned to walk
away. She took one step, then another and felt the tears start welling up as
her throat made good on it’s threat and she choked up.
“Shake it off Skye,” she
told herself “There is no time for this.”
Kona startled her with a
bark and as she tried to catch her breath the tears stopped and she smiled. She
looked at the dog with her hand covering her heart. “Oh you always know what to
say to make me feel better.” When Skye looked at the clock on the nightstand
and realized I only had just over an hour to get ready for her appointment and
she hadn’t even showered yet she got her butt moving and rushed to the linen closet to get a towel.
She glanced behind her at the
sketchbook as it sat on the bed with its deep brown leather cover, the reminder
of what she saw began to cut deep again. Skye swore right there to fix what was
broken if it was the last thing she ever did.
She knew that she had to make things better and show them all that they
could make it without their father, not like they had much of a choice anyway.
Skye shook her head almost violently and told herself again to snap out of it,
she had things to do.
Before she
finally got into the shower she cranked the tap over to as hot as she could
stand it and put her hand under the stream. Once it felt right she stripped off
her clothes and stepped under the spray. She relaxed almost immediately when the hot water
cascaded down her back. It felt like it could wash everything away for just a
moment and as much as she wished she could stay in there for an exceptionally
long 45 minute shower, she had to get a move on and get herself dressed. She soaped
up, washed her hair and gave herself a good scrub and then turned off the water
and stepped out. After she wrapped the towel around herself she took another
and towel blotted her hair while she wiped the steam off of the mirror.
She looked at her reflection
and practiced smiling for a quick second thinking she looked absolutely
ridiculous while she did it. As soon as
she turned around Skye almost tripped over Angel. That dog didn’t care where
you were as long as she could silently lay behind your feet in an effort to
pretty much kill you when you tripped over her. This time she had motive as
Skye realized she had completely forgotten to feed them this morning. Her scrambled
brain was not helping her at all. With quick steps Skye crossed the distance to
her room and quickly got dressed. She thought quickly that should really learn
how to plan ahead, she had no idea what to wear to something like this because
she was so used to just waiting until Deacon came home to tell her what
happened. She threw open the closet door and looked dismal. “I should have
asked Leigh to help me.” It’s too late now.
Finally after throwing several business
looking like items around on her bed and on the floor she decide to go with the
route that is her, black jeans, a nice blue blouse and light black jacket. It
may not be what typical people would wear to a meeting with a loan officer but
then again she’s not typical and she gave up caring as her frustration rose.
Dressed, keys,
travel mug in hand and heading for the front door Skye’s cell phone rings like
clockwork… and it’s Anna. “Good Morning Sunshine!” she chimes, Skye can almost
feel her beaming. Anna is not always this happy but when she is, it kind of
makes her want to gag a little when she’s so chipper. “Hey Anna, did you put a
bit of whiskey in your coffee this morning?”
She said. After a sarcastic laugh “Ha ha ha, you wish I did then I’d be
too tired to drive you crazy while we shop today.”
That is exactly what Anna would do today all the while nodding and smiling, “Well then at least you
couldn’t talk me into buying some new amateurs’ work that looks like it was
done by a five year old on a skittle high.” Now Anna laughed hard, “Yes Skye,
but he’d have to be cute too!” Despite how much Skye bugs Anna about the way
she acts around people, she is amazing and when she sets her mind to it Anna
could con a con artist into giving her what she wanted at the price she wanted
just by batting her big green eyes at them. Men and women react to her presence
in a way Skye wished she could bottle and market somehow.
Anna has no fear and cares
deeply for those around her with a strength that Skye had to draw from before,
and the last thing a person would want is to be on her bad side. She doesn’t
forgive or forget and she could hold one hell of a grudge.
Skye must have drifted again because Anna had noticed the pause and asked, “Are you
ok?” That snapped Skye out of her haze and she replied “No… I’m fine but I’ll
be a little bit late to pick you up,” with pause she added “I have an
appointment with the bank.” She could hear the concern in Anna’s silence. “Are
you sure? Is everything ok? I know it’s been tough.” The questions came
funneling out very quickly Skye couldn’t keep up with them and she didn’t want
to drag Anna into my problem just in case there wasn’t one.
“I’m just going to see if I
can rearrange a few things… you know to try and make it easier.” Skye heard Anna let out her breath “Oh… ok
well if you need me…need me at all
you give me a call ok?” Skye smiled despite herself and answered her with a sincere
thank you.
“I’ll pick you up
there after I’m done. It shouldn’t be too long.” Skye reassured her and with a
kiss kiss noise Anna was gone and Skye could continue the painful task of
speaking to a man in a suit about the future of her livelihood. “Angel, Kona,
let go for a car ride!” I heard the thunder coming down the stairs towards me
and they both came running. Kona stopped in front of me and sat down while
Angel nudged her head into my leg until I opened the door to the garage.
She walked around
to the back of her Dodge Durango and opened the door for the dogs to get in.
With no trouble Kona jumped in and settled on top of their blanket. Angel had
some trouble since she was a tad over weight and snorted life a bull as she
tried to get herself into the vehicle. In the end Skye had to help her by
lifting the pit bulls back end up. Angel waddled over to Kona and lay next to
him surely with hopes of taking off to the river for a run after Skye’s errands
were done. She closed the back door of the truck and as she turned to get in
the driver’s side she looked as she always did at the other stall in the two
car garage that was housing a vehicle with grey car cover holding a memory that
she was not willing to have surface yet and felt her throat start to close up…
again. “Oh god, not again and really not now.” she told herself not wanting to
wreck any of the makeup she was wearing and that wasn’t a lot just to show up
at the bank with red puffy eyes. Although that might not be a bad idea in order
to get a sympathy vote to extend the loan.
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