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Chapter 14
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Seasmoke Friends Chapter 15
Fifteen Years Ago-Age ThirteenIn moments like this, I wished I had a mom. Most of the time, I told myself I didn't give a hoot whether that woman gave me away and ran as far as she could, that she didn't love me and left me wondering why. Or how there was a hole in my heart which couldn't be filled. But when a girl gets her period for the first time, she just wants her mom. Though it left me feeling stupid and weak, I wanted her. I wanted my mother. She would tell me what to do, not to worry, explain things.We'd gone over it all in school. I'd giggled from my lone perch behind the other girls and rolled my eyes. But now, as I sat on the floor of the bathroom, I wished I'd paid more attention in health class. Panic was threatening to take over, and I fought not to have another attack. My heart beated a mile a minute.Should I tell Daddy? Did he know about this stuff? Maybe I could ask Mrs. Memmer. Ian's mama could help, right? Yes. What other choice was there?I rushed to the ph
Seasmoke Friends Chapter 16
IanShe smiled, nailing me right in the chest. "Only joking.""Something tells me he'd be a little upset if he saw us right now." If she were mine, I would tear the other guy's limbs off. "We're not doing anything wrong.""Just the same, I wouldn't want my girlfriend climbing in bed with another guy. Ulterior motives or not.""You don't have a girlfriend. You have girlfriends. Plural."I didn't bother commenting on that. None of them were her."What do you think of Matt moving to Charlotte?" Her tone was so tentative I knew she wasn't completely comfortable with the idea. Not for the first time, I wondered why she was with him, other than companionship. They didn't seem to have any chemistry.Despite the fear she didn't feel the same way about me, I cared too much about her to admit the truth before. I was the only family she had left. I'd been her quiet protector, her sounding board, her supporter, and shoulder to cry on. If she were to lose me, literally or metaphorically, i
Seasmoke Friends Chapter 17
IanI woke from a fitful slumber to some ingrate pounding on my back door. Grousing from little sleep, I reluctantly hauled my ass out of bed and downstairs to let Rick and Dee in. Rick gave me a once-over. "Man, we've been pounding for ten minutes."I groaned in response. Mornings sucked. Morning people sucked harder.Rick followed me upstairs, leaving Dee mumbling something about breakfast.I sat on the side of my bed and rubbed the grit out of my eyes."You look like crap. I'm driving today." Rick lifted his eyebrows as if I'd explain my dismal state."I didn't sleep well." "What's the matter with you? It's Fourth of July week. Vacay. Seasmoke. Beach, sun, sand.""I kissed Summer last night."Rick froze like a comical cartoon and dropped beside me on the bed."I told her we'd talk about it at Seasmoke. She high-tailed it out of here faster than a blink." I lay back on the bed, covering my face with my arm. My chest felt ready to explode all over my bedroom walls from th
Seasmoke Friends Chapter 18
Twelve Years Ago-Age ThirteenDaddy was letting me redecorate my room. He had said I was a teenager now, that I was old enough to have a new room and design it myself. It was such a cool idea and very sweet, but I wasn't like the other girls at school. I didn't hang out at the mall on weekends and polish my nails pink and giggle over boys. As a matter of fact, my only two friends were boys.He'd bought me a subscription to Teen magazine, too, for my birthday, but that really wasn't helping either. All it did was make me feel more alienated from my peers. I'd asked Rick and Ian what they thought, but they'd shrugged and said, "I dunno," in unison. Boys.I should've probably just left it alone. What was wrong with my pink frilly bedspread and matching curtains? Nothing. Who saw it but me and the boys and Daddy anyhow? No one.Except it seemed like I was letting Daddy down by not doing something, and he must have thought a long time about the gift idea. Maybe I should call Ian's mom.
Seasmoke Friends Chapter 19
Ian"That was Jenny on the phone," I said, descending the stairs to join the others. "We're supposed to pick her up on the way." We were heading farther into South Myrtle tonight, where local bands played on the beach and venders sold hush puppies and various other unhealthy foods. Locals and tourists alike crammed into pavilions and onto the dunes to celebrate, drink, and lose sight of inhibitions. The third of July bonfire has been a tradition since childhood. Summer glanced up from the wicker chair she was curled in, looking past me instead of at me. The mention of Jenny's name should have pulled some reaction from her, but no. Nothing. Summer liked Jenny, always had. Well, maybe more like tolerated her. Jenny was a local woman I hooked up with once a year while we were on vacation. Nothing serious, friendly even. Of course, I didn't plan on sleeping with her this trip, not after everything with Summer, but Jenny had hung around our circle since we were teens and to leave her o
Seasmoke Friends Chapter 20
SummerJenny was tagging along tonight. Unlike the rest of us, she lived in Myrtle. She and Ian had been hooking up on and off for years. I couldn't help but wonder how strong Ian's supposed feelings for me were if he had no qualms about having her around. It kind of solidified my suspicion this was all physical. I closed my cosmetic case and stared at the sink. What would my father want me to do? He'd been a hopeless romantic at heart. I'd gotten that from him. Except he'd acted on his passion and I only dreamed about it. He'd never loved again after Sharon left. He hadn't so much as looked at another woman. Would he say, Go ahead, have a wild fling with the guy next door? Or be more level-headed and say, Pick the stable choice with Matt?"Dee.""Yes?" She smoothed out her dress and stood."Do you think my dad would be proud?" Hot tears formed a ball in my throat "I teach more than I paint. I haven't fallen in love or made plans for a family."She grabbed my shoulders and gave
Seasmoke Friends Chapter 21
Nine Years Ago-Age SeventeenI had to admit, the dress was hot. It was prom, after all, I had to look good. Dave Rockwell had asked me to be his date. I was never one of those girls who struggled for popularity, but when the linebacker of the football team asked me, little ole Summer Quinn, well, I'd been excited to say the least.Me and Dee had gone shopping with Ian's mom for a dress. It was navy blue, fell to my knees like a cloud, and crossed at the breasts to tie behind my neck. It actually made me look like I had breasts.Dee had come as Rick's date. I hadn't liked Dee much at first, but she'd started to grow on me. Initially, I'd thought she was trying to break into our little happy bubble of three. She was everything I wasn't. Fun, pretty, popular. But if Rick liked her, then she must be okay. Ian's date, however, was captain of the cheerleading team and the biggest bitch on the planet. I looked across the gym at them dancing. If I could call it dancing. They should breath
Seasmoke Friends Chapter 22
Ten Years Ago - Age EighteenLess than a month into the first semester of college and it was possible I might have to drop out. I watched the leaves just beginning to change from my bedroom window. A beautiful death in yellow and orange and red. Some were starting to fall already, as if a prelude to the news we'd received today. He had cancer. My dear, sweet Daddy. Daddy who had never done anything wrong in his entire life except smoke those damn cigarettes. He'd quit, for me, two years ago, but it hadn't been soon enough. The habit had caught up with him. The coughing and shortness of breath wasn't just a cold. It was cancer. The doctors claimed they could try aggressive treatments and removing the mass on his lung, but they gave us no false hope or promises. It was looking grim. Stage 4 was bad.After we'd gotten home from the doctor's office, still in a measurable amount of shock, Daddy had sat me down at the kitchen table. "All of the papers for the house are in the safe upstairs.
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