Page 2 of Redemption

“Jackass! Where the fuck do you think you’re going?” He stumbled again and came after me.

I wanted to ease into the drive, still not feeling one hundred percent sober but I had to get out of there before he got hold of me. He didn’t try to hit me anymore, now that I was bigger than him. When I was sixteen, he made that mistake once and never tried it again. And goddammit I still felt guilty about hitting him back and didn’t wanna have to do that again, even if he was a piece of shit.

I put the truck in gear, the clutch resisting but I forced her. “Come on girl, not tonight,” I groaned and then she was off. Something bounced off the bed of the truck and a glance in my mirror told me it was my dad’s shoe. He was screaming after me, but I couldn’t make out what he was saying, not that I even cared.

The scent of freshly cut grass and wildflowers came in through the window as I headed down my road and onto the main strip. I had to blink a few times, my eyes wouldn’t focus properly when streetlights glared but I’d be good once I was out in the rolling fields and ranches where the streetlights were few and far between.

The road changed to dirt and gravel. I released a breath, knowing I was away from the mostpopulated areas. Not long, and I would be at Scotty’s and then I could sober up before the drive home. If I even decided to go back.

My phone rang in my jacket pocket, I pulled it out and saw Scotty was calling me. I fumbled to answer, my eyes flicking to the road then my phone slipped from my grip.

“Fuck!” I growled, lunging forward to grab it and knocking it under my seat.

“Jack?” I could hear Scotty’s voice coming from under the seat, all muffled and a little bit Darth Vadery, or was that the alcohol making him sound like that? I patted the floor, trying to keep my eyes on the road. My fingers brushed the edge of the phone but I just needed a bit more space.

I took my eyes off the road.

For one moment.

And that was all it took.

When I straightened, phone in hand, I had a split second before the flash of blonde hair appeared and then the most sickening sound I’ve ever heard in my life.

Screaming. So much screaming.

It was coming from me.

CHAPTER ONE

Katarina

Can you call yourself an orphan when you’re over thirty? Asking for a friend…

I stood by the old bur oak trees on our property line, having just scattered my father’s ashes, hugging my four sisters to me. All of them were in various states of sobbing, but not me. I couldn’t. I had to be the strong one and keep us all together. I was the oldest, so they all looked to me for guidance now Mama and Daddy were both gone. But who could I look to?

I tilted my head back, the rain tickling my face, twitching my closed eyelids. Perfect weather if you asked me. I actually loved the rain and I knewDaddy did too. Sometimes we would sit together on the porch and watch as it poured and poured, big grins on both of our faces.

Not anymore.

I swallowed the sob that tried to heave itself from my throat but it stuck, refusing to go until finally I was granted some grace and it disappeared. The pastor of our church came over and, struggling to get to me through my siblings, just nodded at me.

“If you need anything from us, y’all just holler.”

“Thank you for coming and saying a prayer, Pastor Dave,” I gritted out, trying to keep the despair from my voice and struggling to rein it the fuck in.

He nodded once more before glancing at each woman in my arms then he shook his head sadly. I fought another wave of crushing misery. He finally left, taking his pity with him and it was just us, standing in the rain that trickled through the leaves, Daddy’s ashes blending with Mama’s in the dirt.Now they’re together again.

I didn’t know what to do next, but after a half hour, self-preservation finally kicked in.

“Come on, girls. We can’t stand out here all day.” I squeezed each of them in turn and they eventually lifted their heads, and turned their heartbroken, tear-stained faces to me for guidance.

But I didn’t know what we did now. Except, maybe, eat?

“Let’s go get some food in our bellies, we’ll feel much better then.” I cringed when I realized what I’d said. My youngest sister, Tilly, frowned at me, her blonde hair plastered to her head and her green eyes so bright. “Sorry Tills, you know I didn’t mean it like that.”

Not only was Tilly the most sensitive but she was fifteen, right in the middle of all those teenage hormone changes that made everything so much worse. I tried tobear this in mind whenever I spoke to her. Her sharp, bright stare softened slightly, and she nodded before linking our arms together. She was extra clingy with me at the moment, but I didn’t mind. She was just a baby.

I turned my head towards the main house and started trudging back. We all kicked our feet in the wet grass, slipping occasionally and catching one another.

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