Ann

By Dominique Lunsford

A young girl's hunger and thirst for freedom and normalcy drive her to do the unthinkable. Her actions appear to be the answer to her prayers, but turn into a nightmare that costs more than she bargained for.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: May 26, 2016
• ISBN: 9781365122644

Book preview

Ann

Ann

By Dominique Lunsford

Copyright

Copyright © 2016 by Dominique Lunsford

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be used or reproduced in any form without prior written consent of the author/ publisher, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal.

ISBN: 978-1-365-12264-4

Published by Lulu.com

Cover image from Wavebreakmedia Ltd/Dreamstime.com

Author's note:

This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and events are of my imagination. Any resemblance to actual names, characters, or events are completely coincidental.

For questions and/or comments contact me at: mailto:[e-mail]?subject=Reader's comments

To my husband who, despite the cost, encouraged me to keep writing.

Ann

Chapter 1

It is 11 o’clock Saturday night and Mama and Daddy are fighting again. Mama has been gone a whole straight month this time—usually it is just a week or two.

The first time she disappeared, it was for only a few days and it scared Daddy to death. He called the police, the hospitals, all of Mama’s friends and family, but he couldn't find her. Daddy was a wreck. Next thing we knew, Mama came waltzing in as though she had only taken a quick trip to the grocery store. Daddy went ballistic and Mama pretty much told him to get over it.

After a few years, Daddy learned not to freak out when Mama disappears; he just gets livid, mostly because she never answers her cell phone and she never tells us where she's been. But I’m no fool. Mama has another man, and Daddy is the fool if he cannot see what is so obvious.

Mama was twenty-one and Daddy twenty-six when they got married. They have been together for almost seventeen years. I imagine there was a time when they were both happy and deeply in love, but I don't know what happened to change all of that.

My mother's name is Debra Diane Jeffries, but everyone calls her Dee Dee, except for Daddy and his mom. She has skin the color of almond milk and a body frame naturally toned. Her wavy black hair cascades down her back, and her face is youthful like a child. She has a prominent nose and full lips that always look poised to speak something important. But her most compelling feature is her piercing brown eyes that can change from affection to aversion without notice. She probably could have been a model if she were not so short; she's only 5 feet. As far as beauty goes, I can see why Daddy is still smitten by her.

Daddy’s name is David Lee Jeffries, but everyone just calls him Lee, and he is a whole foot taller than Mama. He has a smooth cocoa complexion and a slim body that he tries to hide with an extra layer of clothes. Don't be deceived by his size though; Daddy is very strong, and he takes no crap off of anyone—except Mama. He keeps his head shaven bald and always wears a black Kango—even with his mechanics uniform. His face is bald too—never had any facial hair except a few wild strands over his upper lip. All of his facial features are small—dark brown eyes, a round nose, and thin lips—giving him the look of a teenager. He still gets carded when he buys beer and he is 40 years old!

When she is in a good mood, Mama takes care of us. She cooks our favorite meals, does the laundry, and cleans the house. She is very affectionate toward Daddy, and sometimes she watches television with me and takes me shopping. Sometimes she'll even help me with my homework.

Then, without notice, her mood shifts and she becomes very hateful—complaining about everything, cursing at us, and throwing things. No matter what we do to appease her, it does not assuage her anger. I steer clear of her when she's going through one of her fits, but Daddy is always trying to soothe her, and each time he pays a price for loving her. He still has the scar right above his hairline from when Mama threw the iron at him. It is during these times, which are more often than not, that she does her disappearing acts. We never know for sure if she'll come back, and we never know what mood she'll be in whenever she decides to return.

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With a knot in my stomach, I watch the argument through the crack in my bedroom door. I hate when my parents fight; Mama can be so unstable.

You could at least call, Debra, Daddy shouts. You had Ann worried sick about you.

My name, by the way, is Annika Deon Jeffries and no one calls me Ann except Daddy and Grandma (his mother). And what Daddy said is not true; I can actually breathe when she's not here. Sometimes I don't realize how long I've been holding my breath until I suddenly inhale.

She got you don’t she? Mama shouts back. I leave when I damn well please. I don’t have to answer to nobody!

One of these days you gone come back and nobody’s gone be here, Daddy threatens. I wish that were true.

Lee, you ain’t got the balls to leave me, Mama spits out. I wish you did.

Mama stamps into her room and slams the door leaving Daddy standing in the middle of the living room fuming. Relieved, I creep out of my room and go to him. When he sees me, his face immediately softens and he opens his arms to embrace me. You always got me, Daddy, I tell him holding him