All I've Ever Wanted - Adrianne Byrd [20]
Grudgingly, she settled for one of Tommy’s chocolate pudding pops as a consolation prize.
In a daze, she entered the living room, her gaze danced over the various items that made it home. But now something was missing—something unseen, yet tangible—security.
They weren’t safe here anymore. That realization hurt.
“What am I going to do now?” she questioned in a soft whisper. Packing and getting the heck out of Dodge topped the list. In fact, they could leave tonight—now. But where would they go?
She returned to the kitchen for a second, third, then fourth pudding pop. They weren’t half bad after all.
Somewhere between two and three o’clock in the morning, she all but made up her mind to send Tommy to her grandmother’s in Tennessee. Of course, Nana had only seen Tommy a few times. But that didn’t stop the annual birthday and holiday cards.
Kennedy exhaled a long and tired sigh. A few minutes later, she yawned. Eventually, she surrendered her fight with the sandman and drifted somewhere between the dream world and reality….
She was back in the woods, running, but this time there were no bullets flying. There were people. But instead of them chasing her, she chased them. Her parents ran just ahead of her; their musical laughter filled the air like a symphony.
The seemed so happy, so carefree, that she was envious. When they glanced over their shoulders to smile at her, their faces morphed into Lee’s and Tommy’s.
She started to run faster, and then suddenly her legs grew heavy—too heavy.
“Come on, Mommy.” Tommy waved encouragingly.
She cried out, yet no words passed her lips.
Farther and farther, father and son ran. She feared that she would never catch up—feared that they wouldn’t come back for her. Then, she would be alone. She struggled more vigorously. Her arms flailed in desperation.
“She ran this way,” a hauntingly familiar voice instructed.
She turned to see Keenan wave on a group of men. Cloaked in black, eyes menacing, the men more closely resembled a pack of snarling Doberman pinschers than a human gang. Her gaze fell onto the crossbones stitched on the men’s front lapels and she realized that she would have preferred to face the dogs.
Kennedy stumbled, then struggled to climb back to her feet. Her limbs were so heavy…
“Mommy?”
A cool touch landed on her fevered brow and Kennedy’s eyes flew open. Before she was able to discern the figure standing before her, she inched up on the sofa with a startled gasp.
“Mommy, you’re scaring me.” Tommy’s voice hitched—a sign that he was close to tears.
Kennedy’s mind cleared and she pulled her son against her chest. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. I didn’t mean to scare you.” She lowered her head to touch his.
“Were you having a bad dream?” he asked. His body trembled in her arms.
Her face felt damp. She lifted a shaky hand and felt the slick tracks of tears. It must have been a really bad dream. “It’s okay. I’m fine now.” She frowned when the dream drifted just beyond the realm of recall.
“Are you sure? You were crying and calling my name.” He rubbed his tired eyes with the back of his hand. His mouth stretched wide in a yawn.
“Come on. Let’s get you back in bed.”
“Maybe I should sleep with you so you can feel safe.”
She laughed at the familiar quote. She used to tell him that whenever he had had a bad dream. “I don’t think that will be necessary.”
“Are you sure?” He could barely keep his eyes open.
She smiled at his weary but unquestionable chivalry. “I’m sure.”
Max jerked open the fridge and withdrew a beer. He popped the cap and placed the cold bottle against his forehead. He closed his eyes and prayed for sleep. But as usual—his prayers had fallen on deaf ears.
He took a swig from the long-necked bottle and enjoyed the slight buzz he achieved from his fifth drink. Scratching the new stubble on his chin, he left the kitchen and returned to his La-Z-Boy.
Instead of reviewing his notes from the Underwood