The Path of the Child

By Sojourner McConnell

Seventeen-year-old Melanie Easton lives in a loveless home with her negligent, self-absorbed, and potentially dangerous mother. Consequently, she knows loneliness. Unexpectedly offered a ride with a classmate, Robert Reynolds, Melanie finds there is more to people than she ever imagined. Living in self-imposed anonymity, Melanie struggles to survive without becoming bitter and hate filled.

After being befriended by Robert Reynolds, windows of opportunity open for Melanie. Accordingly, the road to discovery divulges there may be reasons for her strange home life. The reasons she never imagined until she begins unraveling the documents hidden away, until now. 

Out of the discovery of the secrets, lies, and deceptions, comes the possibility for exciting changes. Perhaps along with the answers, comes the opportunity for genuine happiness. 

A suspenseful story that will engage your heart and mind with hopefulness and admiration for Melanie's courage and willingness for self-discovery and personal growth.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sojourner McConnell
• Release date: Nov 22, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370023349

Sojourner McConnell

Born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. Sojourner McConnell lives in Winchester, Kentucky with one of her daughters and three of her thirteen grandchildren. She has six grandchildren in Alabama and four that live in Michigan. With all those children and grandchildren, she has crafted her storytelling skills. Sojourner's new book is a children's chapter book, Pup in Training. This is book three in the Dolcey series. Pup in Training is the prequel to Who's That in the Cat Pajamas which is available now.  The Path of the Child, The Power of Forgiveness, When a Pachyderm Comes to Visit, and 31 Days of October are also available in paperback and in eBook format. Sojourner brings a taste of strong personalities with a healthy dose of southern charm to her characters.  When not writing, she is busy entertaining her Australian Shepherd, Beau. Unfortunately, Beau tends to get jealous when she spends too much time working on the computer.

Book preview

Chapter 1

The little baby girl cried in her cradle. On and on and on... No one came. In her mind, and in her heart, a sadness began to form. There was no one coming forth to prove to this little lost-child that there was the whole world out there that wanted her. As she grew, the sadness continued to grow and no one showed any interest in her at all. This innocent baby, with the golden hair and bright blue eyes, was given the name of Melanie. Once she had been given her name, it seemed as if no one felt the need to do anything else for her. There was the mother that would occasionally fill a milk bottle. Although grimy and coated with dried milk left over from the last few feedings. A mother who would toss the bottle into the crib for her. A bottle that was not soothing, just filling.

As if by a miracle, the baby grew. Learning early on, how to survive. Perhaps out of retaliation against her mother that lavished no attention on her. Perhaps her actual survival would be so, that in the future she might find a voice to bring attention to the level of neglect that had fallen upon her since birth.

Melanie taught herself to stand while trying to escape the cage that her mother called a bed. A short time later, using the same reasoning, she taught herself to walk, in an attempt to escape. To be free of this neglectful place that people might mistakenly call her home.

Melanie's good fortune heightened when one of the neighbors noticed that she was left alone and called in the authorities. At this point a Social Services caseworker was called in to assess the situation — with her mother assuring the concerned government employee it is just a mistake; someone else's fault. This time, she alleged that a babysitter caused all this for Melanie's poor unfortunate mother. Both mother and child knew that the babysitter never existed; this person created in her mother's mind as the perfect nameless scapegoat.

The caseworker listened intently to her story and left after speeches were given, a series of instructional classes were scheduled, directions, forcing her mother to feed her on a regular basis, and the mandate to find a daycare for her during the day were insisted upon.

Melanie almost innately knew just how shallow these meaningless gestures were. With no other family, there were no family members, no friends to intervene on her behalf. There were no Christmas festivities, no birthday celebration, and no Thanksgiving dinner. After all, there was nothing or no one to be thankful for.

Melanie survived against all odds. Once she turned five, the state demanded that she must be given an education. The state, just as the neighbors, those three years before, provided a gift of freedom to Melanie.

Melanie's mother received instructions to provide clothing for her. Clothing that fit and looked nice for school. She gave her a small sack of school supplies, even had to take her by the hand and walk her into a new building. This was one of the few times the child had left the house except to go to the Episcopal daycare down the street from their apartment. Her excitement knew no bounds. She felt the flapping butterflies in her stomach when she woke up and realized she was free at last — finally, escaping.

Once Melanie began to read, write, count, and add, her world no longer stopped at the end of the long shabby living room with the big door that she rarely passed through. Provided the tools to make a life out of the corruption, the ugliness that she had always known, she soared. Never with companionship and never with words, mentally she soared.

Melanie was a shy girl, a girl that reads each book that appeals to her in the school library. Leaving her to crave more. She read romances, history, biographies and the classics. She read everything she could, soaking up knowledge like a sponge. She raced through each grade making the honor roll. Yet having no one that truly cared outside the school walls. With her habit of spending each lonely night studying subjects that were not on her schedule in school, she propelled herself through her classes easily.

Friday, her favorite day at school. Because she spent the hour after lunch, scanning and choosing library books that helped her excel through her current grade level. These books would open her mind to new questions, as well as teach her about life’s many mysteries.

There are some people that make it through their entire school career without anyone ever noticing their presence. This seemed to be the fate that Melanie was destined to have. No one took notice of the child that had no parents come to the parent-teacher night. No parent offering to help with parties or field trips. No parent answering the phone when the school called. No one responding when the principal needed to know if the parent had forgotten to sign the permission slip. Without a permission slip, Melanie would be unable to attend the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra's yearly Matinee performance of the Nutcracker.

Melanie sat in the office and read a book the office staff allowed her to check out of the library. She diligently read, while her class went on field trips and to special events without her. Should any of the other students or the chaperone noticed her, they would have realized she studied what the other children were learning in person on each missed field trip.

The day of the field trip to Helen Keller's home, Ivy Green, in Tuscumbia, she read The Biography of Helen Keller and gained extensive knowledge of the amazing woman’s life. All the while never leaving the little spot in the office. Alone for six hours, she read about the teacher and the student. She learned about how Helen and her teacher, Anne Sullivan, surpassed all expectations in both their lives and achieved miraculous heights, simply by believing they could do so.

The day of the orchestra trip, Melanie checked out the book on The Nutcracker and learned about the Mouse King. She lost herself in the rich storyline of this German Christmas Eve adventure. Life was only worth living while she read. As she matured, she continued to learn more and more about the world through pictures and the written word.

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Chapter 2

One morning, as she walked to her school, just as she did on every other school day for the last eleven years, she was surprised. Today became different when a car pulled up alongside. Completely unaware of it until she heard a voice call out. She recognized the voice as belonging to a boy from school, surprised when she heard him calling her name.

Melanie! Hey, Melanie, you wanna ride?

Her head jerked up in spite of herself. She bent over and glanced into the car, surprised that he remembered her name, much less would have stopped to offer her a ride. Blushing, she stammered, Well, um, well. She turned around and checked behind her back. She swallowed, hoping that her voice didn’t squeak. Me? Are you talking to me? Her feet were shuffling, starting, and stopping in confusion as she waited to confirm he meant her. Trying to decide if he intended to poke fun at her.

Should she accept? The thoughts whirled through her brain as she wasn’t sure if she should acknowledge she even knew this boy from class. Nevertheless, the thoughts of the potential ride made her giddy, how glorious. The racing thoughts kept coming full circle to the fact that he wanted to let her ride with him. She wanted to accept the ride. She wanted someone to know she existed and now someone did!

She called out, Yes, I’d love one.  

She surprised herself by saying it, yet, it had been spoken and he had heard her. Too late to turn back now. She pondered her next move, walked over to the car and smiled a genuine, yet shy smile at Robert - the boy leaning over watching her out the window.

Hop in, he called, as he pushed the door open from the driver’s seat while rolling up the windows, with his left hand on the electric window button. Melanie sat down carefully and stayed close to the door which was her custom when she rode in a car — never trusting that she would complete the entire trip without having to jump out and walk. She had been informed by her mother, that while on trips to her pediatrician when she was younger that she was antagonistic to the driver. Her mother said, Out! Walk home! on several occasions. She did not enjoy remembering the walks home in the downtown streets. It left her cold.

Thank you, Robert. Melanie truly appreciated the ride.

Hey, no problem, I pass this way every day and we could ride together if you want. No one should walk nowadays.

Robert seemed to not realize that she had been told all of her life that she ‘wasn't worth the effort’ he was expending. Maybe he didn't know that she had been rejected, loathed, and reviled by her own mother. Tempted to ask why he bothered to stop for her and offered her a ride; nonetheless, she decided not to question his motives and accept his friendly manner at face value.

I enjoy walking, I’m completely accustomed to it. Melanie tried to sound sincere, when deep down, she relished the ride he provided. She watched her familiar route to their school whizzing past. It sure made her trip to school quick and easy.

Robert snickered. You can't be turning down a chance to carpool. Shall I tell you the ecological and environmental reasons we should carpool? You would be helping me and the environment out, Mel! Hey, you mind if I call you Mel?

The lightness of his voice was a bit confusing to her.

She responded, I know that if people carpool, they stop causing pollution. That will stop the effects of global warming. However, if I’m walking, she grinned. I’m not leaving a footprint at all, right? You can call me Mel, if you wish.

The thought of having a nickname pleased her.

Yes, she continued, a smile drawing across her lips in an unfamiliar way. I want to be called Mel.

Melanie felt dizzy, an urge to giggle, she didn't dare. How strange would he believe I am if I burst out giggling or worse yet, laughing? Melanie's thoughts were racing ninety miles and hour and somehow she loved it. Relaxing back into the seat a bit, she listened to the radio as they neared the school. Her eyes shifted over to his face and she admired his straight nose and his spiky brown hair.

The sun shining in through the windshield showed the natural highlights in those spikes. He had blue eyes just as she did, yet, his were a greenish blue, the shade of the greenish blue water in the Caribbean. She could draw up her memory of those pictures she had seen in Science class. Rob’s arms were relaxed as he handled the car comfortably. As if he felt her gaze, he cut his eyes over to her and raised one eyebrow. A slight knowing grin crossed his full lips.

Melanie turned her head to stare out her own window, hoping he couldn’t tell that her face was glowing. She could feel the warmth that always accompanied the red color filling her cheeks. She swallowed and tried to sound casual when she finally spoke. Thank you for this ride, Robert. This is the earliest I have ever been to school. A chuckle slipped out which caused her to relax, especially when he chuckled too.

It dawned on her that she had never been in a car with anyone except her mother. However, that had only been for necessities such as doctor’s visits. The forced trips to the Department of Child Services each month, after the visit from the social worker as a child. Those were the best years of her life, and all due to her mother being forced to feign interest in her.

If I will be calling you Mel, you can call me Rob, deal? Rob turned off the car after they pulled against the curb, half a block from the school. The sidewalks were already filling with students heading toward the front doors of the school. There was limited street parking which meant the students filed in like cattle, heading off to market.

Nodding, she agreed. You sure can drive, Rob. Safer than my mother! She crinkled her nose, grinned, before stepping out of the parked car.

Rob closed his door and started in front of the car to join her. She stepped up onto the sidewalk and called over her shoulder, I will meet you after class, She stopped again and spoke directly to him. I’m running to the library before class, since I have all this time! Thanks for the ride, Rob! I'll meet you after the seventh-period class.

Melanie walked briskly toward the library where she started scanning books to provide the answers she needed to aid her in this unfamiliar territory. She might have left Rob standing on the sidewalk, his expression betrayed his confusion, as she blended into the line of students. The Guys at school had never been an issue for her, Melanie was clueless as to how best to deal with them at any level. All the books she read, discussed girls and boys in one sort or another, she had absolutely no hands on experience with a guy. She felt absolutely no confidence that she would be able to sit in a car and not stammer and giggle all the way home this afternoon. She needed answers immediately. This was an emergency, she had never had such an emergency before.

She knew not to be angry and cold as Estella behaved in Great Expectations. She knew not to be distant and sour like Mary Lennox in the Secret Garden. What she didn’t know caused her to feel frustrated. The grinding of frustration churned in her blood. Her mind whirling with books and characters that had been her best friends, her comforters, and her role models. How should I behave? She yelled in her head, Me? Who knows how to be me? She spent twenty minutes scanning book titles, reading the back of each book. Mulling over which titles would assist her. Oh, why can’t I just be normal?

After lunch, she faced the fact that she would be riding home with a boy that she knew only a minuscule amount about, she knew his name, and that one time he had offered her a valentine’s card. It was second grade. She still remembered that day. Making the paper bag festive with white doilies and red construction paper. She could practically smell that white glue. She remembered placing the bag with the red hearts on her desk and watching all the children rushing around the room dropping secret cards inside those decorative bags. She got a few valentines that day and she knew the ones who had given her each one. She remembered his, especially, He handed it to her. He did not drop it into the bag as the other kids had. She knew another fact, it made her sad to remember, with that she cleared her head. She did not want to be sad today. Today was too special.

Why is he showing an interest? She had asked that question over and over, class after class. For the first time in her life, she didn’t pay attention in class. Her thoughts roaming freely in her head, her loud, unruly thoughts blocking out the teacher’s words every period.

This morning had been the longest she had ever spoken to a boy before. Sadly, now she had no perfect words. She had used up all of the clever words she could conjure. Her confidence shrinking she realized, they were not actually very clever after all.

The end of the day came quickly for Melanie. She wasn’t any closer to knowing how she could possibly relax in Rob's car. Problem is, time’s up, it is time to meet him. She walked slowly, head down, lacking confidence, and was a bit startled when she crashed into a tree, or a fence, she wasn’t sure.

Oh! That’s all she could say when she stopped staring at her shoes and realized it was not a something, it was a somebody. A someone with a lean, firm, warm body.

Rob! She called out through her fingers as she covered her face in embarrassment.

He laughed, as she nearly ran over him. He jumped back just in time to keep her from crashing into him chest to chest. He spoke quickly to cover his own wayward thoughts when he realized how close they had come to a full body contact collision. Now I understand why you don’t drive.

Even without turning toward his face, she could hear the humor in his voice. Melanie snickered. Rob chuckled as he opened the car door for her and took her books from her while she sat and snapped her seat belt. Once she was secure and settled, he placed the books gently on her lap. Melanie adopted a sweet if not genuine smile to cover her embarrassment.

Sorry. She wanted to add I didn’t notice you. "Finally able to spit out the apology that she had been struggling over, unfortunately, the words other than sorry were not able to form.

Robert burst out laughing. Sorry? My cat hits harder than that. Still, with a smile in his voice, he continued. You should look up when you walk, Mel, or you just might miss a sunset, or a cat, maybe a monster! He lightened his tone and she knew he was joking with her. Seriously, no worries, you didn’t damage me. I’m a big, strong, boy. Did you fail to notice how much larger I am than you? He held out his hand toward her. Hold yours up here. Mine is bound to be larger. Melanie held up her hand and her fingers did not reach his second knuckle. Told ya! He chuckled.

A real smile came crawling across Melanie's face as Rob cranked the car and started pulling carefully away from the curb. This was much better than walking. Trying to imagine topics of conversation, Mel finally went with what she had in her head.

This is a beautiful car, Rob.  

She felt proud of herself, beginning a conversation that consisted of a safe topic. Maybe he can take that topic and run with it! She definitely needed to read some different books explaining and describing interpersonal relationships. She never knew any type of relationship with anyone except her mother, which meant there was no basis from which to draw.

Rob beamed and started telling her all the details of his sixty-four Mustang, cream, and red. I bought it by saving my money from working at Tribal Pizza. You know delivery driving earns excellent tips on the weekend. Living at home with my dad means I only pay for my car and the Internet. It’s simpler than I imagined to save up for the parts I needed. I became Amazon’s favorite customer while I was replacing all the interior and exterior parts. My dad and I worked on this baby for over a year. It was in terrible shape when I bought it. It had been sitting in Mr. Johnson’s barn ever since his son died. I’m not sure exactly what year he died, I just know it was a long time ago. After Dad and I finished, I fell completely in love. I’m such a proud daddy.

Animatedly, he carried the conversation to his part time job after school at Tribal Pizza. I have been working at Tribal Pizza for over a year now. I started there at sixteen as soon as I could drive. I would borrow my dad’s car after work. He appreciated the pizza and pasta I brought home after closing.

Melanie