Today’s snippet is from Lost and Found, the short story prequel to the sweet romance book, Home Again.
Sarah was starting to panic. It was getting dark and Brian, her eight year old son, wasn’t home yet. He’d ridden his bike to the church, spending the afternoon helping Mr. Jacobs, the maintenance man. Pacing the kitchen she muttered, “I should have insisted on driving him.” She stopped – her car still wasn’t running. It had died just as they drove into town two weeks ago and she still didn’t have the money to get it fixed.
Brian had really kicked up a fuss when she told him they were moving back to her hometown of Baxter Springs. He had stormed into his room muttering something about Corntown Kansas. Not that she had really blamed him, he’d never lived anywhere but Chicago. His idea of enjoying the outdoors was taking a bus to the science museum.
It wasn’t like she’d had a lot of choices after her divorce. She’d had to go to work to make ends meet; child support helped but it wasn’t enough for both of them. The waitress job at the local diner had flexible hours, which was great, but the tips, not so much. No matter how hard she tried, food and rent still ate up most of the money.
As a last resort she sold her Honda and bought an old Ford pickup. Looking back she wasn’t sure that she had gained much with the increased gas and maintenance costs.
She’d been thinking they might end up living in their car when her parents called, telling her Aunt Dot had moved to a nursing home. When they asked if she’d be interested in moving into the rural cottage, she jumped at the chance. Not only would it help her money problems, but she hoped they could both relax and enjoy the country life she had loved as a child.
She tugged at her ponytail, absentmindedly pulling her fingers through her curls. Maybe she’d been wrong. Maybe the dangers here were just as bad as those in Chicago. Maybe even worse – at least there she knew and understood the dangers. Brian had been raised in the city, taught about about the streets at an early age.
Her mind raced. Where is he? He could be hurt, laying in a ditch. Or maybe he drowned, or maybe, maybe, he’s been kidnapped. Why isn’t he home yet? She stared out the window, hoping she’d see Brian racing up the driveway.
Thank you.