Charli's Angel

By Donna Sikes

Charli's Angel is a mystery/suspense with humor. Charli and other children are connected by the same date of birth and blessed with an angel. Not everybody has these children's best interest in mind. The book follows Charli, a particular child in that group, that finds it difficult to keep the faith as she grows into adulthood, when life is not a dream. Charli's quirky grandmother gives her a pup for her third birthday, never realizing that Pepper is a wolf, a wolf that is more than her protector. This work of fiction was inspired by dreams that Donna had in her twenties.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Donna Sikes
• Release date: Aug 31, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476259420

Donna Sikes

Donna has been writing poems and short stories most of her life. In 2012 she began writing books. A Heart To Believe is her first published work via AuthorHouse. Charli's Angel is her second, via Smashwords. Book II of A Heart To Believe, Flowers In A Mason Jar, will be published, via Smashwords, in December of 2012. A Children's Christmas story is being published via Smashwords in November of 2012. Donna lives with her husband, Allen, in Georgia. They have three children and six grandchildren. They are raising two grandchildren, since their daughter passed away in 2010. Besides writing and raising grandbabies, Donna is now retired.

Book preview

Charli’s Angel

Charli's Angel is an urban fantasy, mystery/suspense with humor. Charli and other children are connected by the same date of birth and blessed with an angel. Not everybody has these children's best interest in mind. The book follows Charli, a particular child in that group, that finds it difficult to keep the faith as she grows into adulthood, when life is not a dream. Charli's quirky grandmother gives her a pup for her third birthday, never realizing that Pepper is a wolf, a wolf that is more than her protector.

CHARLI’S ANGEL

By:

Donna Bryant Sikes

Charli’s Angel

Published by Donna Bryant Sikes at Smashwords

Copyright 2012 by Donna Bryant Sikes

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Charli’s Angel is a work of fiction. Though some actual towns, cities, and locations may be mentioned, they are used in a fictitious manner and the events and occurrences were invented in the mind and imagination of the author. Any similarities of characters or names used within to any person past, present, or future is coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author. Brief quotations may be embodied in critical articles or reviews.

Dedication

Charli's Angel is a work of fiction that I have dedicated to my brother, Keith, for overcoming and serving to help others in the trenches of life. It is also dedicated to officers and domestic violence shelter workers that risk their heart, and sometimes their life, in making others safe. Thank you, Christin, for all your hard work with book signings.

I would like to thank my editor, Teri Gibson, for doing such a great job.

I would like to thank Miss Mae for formatting this work for Smashwords.

Chapter 1

Oh Baby

Leslie left the library with three things on her mind; a bed, a pillow, and an aspirin. Candi was calling her from the library door, Les, you forgot your leftovers!

Leslie felt nauseated. You can have them! I don't feel so good!

College was hard enough, and if there were a baby on the way, she just couldn't imagine! Cody decided marriage and college didn't mix well, so he left her about ten days ago. Leslie and Candi had successfully made arrangements to share a dorm. Living in a small town in Georgia, Leslie didn't want to arouse a lot of talk her parents didn't need and couldn't handle. She cranked her run-down Jeep and drove to the dorm with so much on her mind that she didn't even remember getting there. She was gathering her things to make a mad dash in the rain when she stopped, put everything back down and cranked the Jeep again. She drove five miles to a drugstore where she didn't expect to find anybody she knew.

Taking a shopping basket, she threw in bubble gum, a travel-size deodorant, cheap flip-flops, a cheap magazine, and a pregnancy test.

The cashier was watching and very familiar with the routine. Honey, if you don't really want all this, I can just ring up the test.

Leslie looked around the store and scrunched her face up; then she closed her eyes and nodded yes.

Later, back at the dorm, she could only stare at the positive stick, tears streaming down her face. I feel like I made a mess of things. Please forgive me, and can you help me with this? I sure could use an angel right about now. She stood at the mirror, wiping mascara off her cheeks as she dabbed at her green eyes. Leslie, you look the part--a mess. She pulled her long, auburn hair back into a ponytail and went to bed.

***

Candi and Laura had been best friends so long they couldn't even remember the first time they met. Candi finished cramming some leftovers in her mouth and threw the bag in the break room trash. After brushing crumbs from her shirt and pushing back her dreadlocks, she walked over to Miss Waddell's office door, I'm going home now.

Miss Waddell looked up with her glasses on the end of her nose, See you tomorrow, dear. Oh, and Candi, try to eat only during your break times.

Yes ma'am. Candi turned away before she grinned at the spinster's appearance. It was obvious that the janitor, old Mr. Brock, had his eye on Miss Waddell. And Miss Waddell noticed too. She was primping a little more, or maybe a little too much. Her lipstick usually went well past her lips or into her teeth; and her rouge... oh my word!

Candi opened her umbrella, making a run for the jalopy of a truck she was relegated to driving. Turning the key brought a very sluggish sound as the engine tried to turn over. Turning the key again brought a slower sound. And the third time brought nothing but silence. Candi tried to psych herself up. No luck with that so a three-block walk in the rain will be good. Ugh... for whom?

Nearly there, and the rain a mere drizzle now, she closed her umbrella. As she stood at the last traffic light, she thought there was really something to that positive thinking. She actually felt better for taking the walk. She decided to have her old truck looked at first thing in the morning. A car sped by, splashing her with rainwater from her head to her toes. When the light changed for her to cross, she just stood there, wiping her face with her free hand. Positive thinking. I'm positive I'm drenched with not a dry thread on my body. Leaving her shoes and umbrella by the door, she tiptoed to her bed and changed into her robe. She stopped when she heard Leslie's sobs. Les, are you all right? Leslie sniffed, but didn't answer. Candi slowly walked over to her bed where Leslie lay on her side, facing the wall, with a box of used tissues strewn everywhere.

Candi slowly sat on the bed, and Leslie immediately collapsed into her arms. Candi, I'm going to have a baby. They sat in silence for a time, just embracing and crying together. Leslie could feel Candi's sympathetic tears falling on her shoulder.

Leslie woke up the next morning with the sun shining in her eyes. Seeing that Candi was still asleep in her bed, she tiptoed into the bathroom. After taking a shower, she zipped up her robe and searched for her purse. She took her cell phone out and tiptoed outside. The sooner she got the call over, the better. Cody answered with a loud voice, trying to talk over all the commotion in the background. Hey Cody.

Hey Les! What's up? Leslie could hear the basketballs bouncing in the background.

Can you meet me at the park by the court?

Sure, but it won't change anything. When Leslie didn't respond, he added, Just give me about fifteen minutes to take a shower. Cody could tell by her voice that she was still upset over their breakup.

***

Leslie parked her Jeep and joined Cody on a bench by the road. Taking a deep breath, she prayed for courage. Cody, I'm going to have a baby.

Cody froze, his emotions turning to ice. He stood up, thrusting his hands in his pockets, and turned to Leslie. How could you be so irresponsible? You know what this means for me. You did this on purpose. You are the most self-centered person I've ever known.

Leslie couldn't stop her tears. I'm so sorry. I wasn't trying to be self-centered at all. I didn't mean to do anything to cause you any trouble.

He took a deep breath, ran his hands through his hair and paced in front of the bench, I can help you get rid of it.

With utter shock, Leslie shook her head, "I'm not doing that. We are married. It’s our child! Don't I get any say in it?"

Cody looked at Leslie with dead, lifeless eyes for a moment before speaking. His calm demeanor was frightening. Each word left his mouth with slow, deliberate purpose. Then you are on your own. I am not giving up what I worked so hard for. I won’t quit now. You’ll get the divorce papers in the mail.

Why would you have to give up anything you worked for? What about us? I can handle the baby.

There is no us, and as far as I am concerned, there is no baby. My dad already advised me about the responsibilities of parenthood, and how a family would ruin my life right now. I have a basketball scholarship. I'm going somewhere with this. I'll be traveling. I don't have time for a baby. And it doesn't stop there; you know my love for astronomy. Who knows? I may even be in space someday. The sky is still the limit for me.

Buddy, you're already in space. Fresh tears stung her eyes again. How could she have fallen for such an immature bonehead?. It wouldn't be that way. I'm going to be out of nursing in a few months. I'll be an RN at the hospital nursery. I can take care of things: you, me, the baby, even both of you babies.

You don't get it! It’s just not on my agenda! With that, Cody was gone.

Leslie sat staring as he walked away. Wiping the tears, she numbly headed to her car. He sure gave the term pitter-patter of little feet a whole new meaning. To him, it was no more than a bullet point on an agenda.

***

Her parents, Bill and Maggie Hayes, worked hard for what they had, saving as much as they could for their children’s college funds. Her dad was employed by the local telephone company and her mother taught third grade, only having recently retired. Despite the difficulty, she told her parents about her pregnancy, which was hard as she faced them both. It got worse when she told them Cody had already abandoned her, something she wanted to keep to herself, just in case it might be temporary. When her dad finally stormed out of the house, he drove away, tires squealing, on two wheels. Her mother wiped her eyes and put her arms around Leslie. Don’t cry, dear, we'll get through this. You're doing the right thing. He's just upset with Cody.

Leslie waited for her sister, Laura, to get home from high school. She was almost a senior. Their sisterly bond was too close for Leslie to leave without spilling the news of such magnitude to her too. When Laura arrived, Leslie tried to convey how hard she expected it was going to be. She was hoping Laura would see it as a lesson, a very valuable lesson of what-not-to-do. But Leslie just sat on the couch while Laura jumped up and down on the cushions in eager excitement. Laura couldn't control herself, so Leslie just went in search of her mother. Ugh, blondes do have more fun. I'm going to take a nap.

Her heart breaking after losing the love of her life, choosing to bring a baby into the world without a loving father, and causing her parents so much pain, Leslie left their house with the promise to call her mother every day. Driving back to school was a complete blur. Begging for mercy, she let her heart drop and break ... and she felt God picking it up.

In the days ahead, Leslie grew stronger and knew she could handle it. As the weeks went by, she felt less sick and more excited with anticipation, although exhausted. She continued to work at the library, typed essays as a side job, and studied until all hours of the night. Her father still hadn't quite adjusted, but she kept her promise, and spoke to her mother almost everyday. She was thankful that the months speedily went by.

***

Les, hurry, we're late! Graduation is in thirty minutes! Candi held the door open as she waited for Leslie. Are you coming?

Leslie stepped out of the restroom wearing her graduation gown and looking like she'd swallowed a Persian melon.

Candi chuckled, Come on, girl, that tummy ain't gettin' no flatter just standin' there.

Graduation went off without a hitch. Leslie was encouraged when she saw her dad sitting with her mom and sister. She was graduating with a 4.0 GPA, something she