Waiting For Life

By Michael A Dickison

Abigail lived an ordinary life. Some might even say, boring compared to most high school seniors. All that changed one rainy Saturday morning when a tragic accident threatened to turn her world inside out. A secret becomes exposed which forces her down an uncertain path.

 

Jack worked hard at keeping the people who loved him safe at a distance. Along with his tendency to make unwise decisions, he often finds himself in uncompromising situations which continually tests his ability to escape unscathed.

 

The fallout from the uncovered truth begins to create havoc not just for Abigail and Jack, but also the people in their world. And one who is beyond their world. All try desperately to weather the storm and limit the damage, however not everyone will be successful when all is said and done.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Michael Dickison
• Release date: Apr 23, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223551812

Book preview

ONE

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ABIGAIL

A loud and unfamiliar sound forced her to shake off her headphones. Her quizzical gaze scanned the closed bathroom door, while her left hand cupped her ear to try and pick up any auditory clues. Sitting cross-legged on the floor, the teenager reached up and tapped her dad lightly on the leg, as he relaxed in his overstuffed recliner. Hey, did you hear that noise?

Her dad ignored her, clearly, he didn't want to be disturbed. He couldn't be drawn away from the sports article on his tablet. He barely gave out an audible grunt.

Growing impatient, she pressed on and nudged him harder. She paused, waiting for him to take over the responsibility of caring about that mysterious noise. She needed to get back to her phone. She bristled at yet another attempt at trying to get her dad to care about something other than himself. She found it so difficult in dealing with his selfish side, but she had no choice but to accept it. She fumed at having to waste her time hoping he would come through and do the right thing for once.

Just once.

She looked back over to her dad. He hadn't moved. Defeated, she yelled out to her stepmom, Mac, are you okay in there? No response, only water flowed from the faucet.

Learning her lesson, she quickly put her headphones back on and shifted her focus back to more important matters. A short video of a stupid stunt from some of her classmates raced across the phone screen. She laughed at the absurdity of the silly nonsense and winced as the video ended with a cringe-worthy crash full of skinny arms, baggy pants, and bike tires.

She scoffed. I need new friends.

After several more videos, each one goofier and more irresponsible than the one before, and numerous text messages and chats later, her gaze drifted back to the bathroom door at the opposite end of the room.

She drifted off to that all-too-familiar place of dreaming about what life would have been like if her real mom were still alive. They’d be together now, planning her high school graduation party; picking out the invitation cards; deciding on the caterer and the food options; hiring a DJ and then probably playfully arguing over what music to play; and selecting the perfect arrangement for the centerpiece on each table.

She continued her trance-like stare and mindlessly acknowledged that Mac didn't come close to being her real mom. She wasn’t sure why, maybe Mac didn't want a daughter. Or perhaps Mac didn't want someone else's daughter. The two of them had never developed a close bond. It wasn’t anyone's fault, really.

She snapped out of her daydream. Is Mac still in the bathroom?

This time, her dad took off his headphones and shot her an icy glare. His agitated state quickly turned to confusion. Is who...? Wait, is Mac where, in the bathroom?

She nodded quickly as her dad continued, his head shaking back and forth with discontent. I don’t know, honey. She frustratingly removed her headphones once again.

Dad. I can hear the water. It’s been running for a while. Do you think she's having one of her bouts again?

The sound of the water rushing into the sink became quickly drowned out by her dad’s deep and slightly elevated voice. Mac, what are you doing in there?

Once again, she cocked her head to listen, clearly expecting an answer from Mac this time. Several seconds passed with no response. She exhaled deeply as she sensed her dad’s level of frustration increasing. She bunched her shoulder-length hair into a too-tight ponytail. This isn't going to end well. She didn't want this to turn into one of their huge, explosive fights again. When her stepbrother got kicked out of the house it put the entire family on edge. Mac and her dad had fought nonstop for the last couple of months over this situation and tensions were extraordinarily high.

Mac, come on, her dad implored as he let out another big sigh. He sluggishly pulled himself up and out of his restful chair. He took one step and then stopped. He stood motionless, pausing to look at the rain pelting the bedroom window. The stormy weather fit the mood for the current situation about to unfold.

Her dad started to walk again, quite bitterly, around the bed and towards the bathroom. She motioned to her father, both arms stretched out in front of her with her palms facing down, gesturing for calm.

She won't answer me, again. You know how that pisses me off!

She nodded reluctantly, forcing herself not to roll her eyes. It had been such a peaceful, rainy Saturday, up to this point. She shrugged her shoulders and put her headphones back on.

***

JACK

The young man leaned against the refrigerator, his lanky, six-foot three frame, filled the corner of the kitchen. His much smaller girlfriend looked directly at him, arms folded tightly across her chest, a painful, strained look on her face. Jack resisted the urge to laugh out loud, instead focusing on finding the right response to the question she just asked.

What did she say again?

Tina had no way of understanding how he truly felt inside. It wasn’t her fault. After all, he worked extremely hard at not sharing anything deeply personal with her. He preferred it that way. And he most certainly didn't want to talk about that, anything but that.

An extended period of unpleasant silence followed. He desperately hoped a distraction would interrupt this awkward situation. A phone call, knock at the door, or even a visit from the Jehovah's Witnesses would be a welcome diversion.

Focus, Jack. Focus.

He eventually lifted his head and inadvertently stared directly at Tina and became momentarily struck by her beauty. But he couldn't let that deter him from his purpose. He needed to get out of this annoying discussion that she cornered him into.

Get to it, dude.

He needed to take advantage of Tina's gullible nature. Again. So, he forced himself to investigate her annoyingly innocent eyes. Okay. Listen, Tina. The truth is, and I know this might be a bit weird for you to hear. He took a deep breath. I just don’t want to talk to her. Not now. Not ever. 

He continued, lowering his voice and in a much more serious tone. So, hey, do us both a favor and just drop it. Tina’s forehead wrinkled even deeper than before, and her head nodded slowly in disbelief and confusion. He watched her reaction and knew he had disappointed her once again. 

How many times had this happened?

Too many to count, for sure. 

Who cares about her disappointment? Not me.

His attention wandered into the living room, and he instinctively cleared his hair away from his blue eyes. His focus strained past Tina and towards weak sun rays streaming through the window. The golden arrows were racing across the room, and he allowed his gaze to follow them, anticipating they were directing him towards something hopeful. Something better than his current circumstance.

However, disappointment set in once again, as the hazy light fizzled out before they reached the floor. Nothing at the end.

Just the stupid dirty floor.

He mentally shook off the interruption and glanced back at Tina. She tried for weeks to get him to talk about his mom. He told Tina that his mom had called him nonstop for the last few months, and he wished he hadn’t. And he shouldn't have shared with her that he never answered his mom’s calls. Ever. Not even once.

He listened to some of the voicemails and noticed that his mom's voice sounded different. She begged him over and over to call her back. She didn't say it, but he hoped she would call to apologize for kicking him out of the house last year. Perhaps she called to say she regretted not supporting him, her one and only son. Instead, she chose to listen to all the negative crap about him coming from his stepdad's mouth.

He deleted every voicemail she left him. It didn't matter how many times she said sorry; or tried to say sorry. The time had passed for any reconciliation.

What's done is done.

His mind drifted back to the many times his mom told her that his real dad had left them shortly after his birth. She said they were barely home from the hospital and his dad split. His dad just took off and never returned. He had never even seen a picture of his dad, and he didn't care about that either. His mom always told Jack that she only needed him in her life. She didn't need anyone else. Just you and me, Jackie, you and me against the world.

A great life. At least until his stepdad entered the picture. He continued to sift through his memories as he recalled his 14th birthday party. His mom said he could invite all his friends over and it turned out to be the biggest birthday party he’d ever had. His friends even invited their friends, and all enjoyed the loud music, video games, and tons of pizza. 

And then, suddenly, he showed up; some strange guy in the kitchen, standing next to his mom, his arm around her waist. She talked to him for the whole party, constantly smiling and laughing. His relationship with his mom changed that day. She spent most of her time with her new boyfriend and eventually she began to leave him at home alone when she went out. At first, she only spent part of the day, then it became whole days, and then entire weekends. 

Often, he would come home from school to find a note on the counter – ‘I'm with Greg. Love Mom!’ She didn't leave any further explanation; no instructions on what to eat or information on when she'd be back. But that’s not what bothered Jack the most. The exclamation mark at the end of her note drove him crazy with anger. His mom used an exclamation mark at the end of every stupid note she left when she went out or away with him.

It made him angry even thinking about it now.

Yes, mom, you should be sorry.

His focus shifted back to Tina. His mood had turned very dark. He hated this nonsense with Tina, all her nosiness and questions. He had to figure out a way to get her to stop the line of questioning. He had to get her to let it go. Yet, as if right on cue, Tina pressed on.

Alright, I’m not sure what’s going on and why you're so angry with your mom. But seriously, you should just talk to her. See what she wants. It can’t be that bad, right? What would it hurt?

Right. What would it hurt?

Tina remained so clueless. There is no way she could understand the anguish he felt towards his mom. The anger he had over how she left him, and abandoned him, just like his dad. All that nonsense about the two of them against the world.

The familiar heat intensified behind his eyes. He needed to calm down. Take a deep breath. And then he sprang into action. Okay. I’ll call my mom. I will, alright? He forced a halfhearted smile to reassure Tina that all would be fine. She leaned in softly and gave him a reassuring hug. He returned the hug, reassuring his escape. As he hugged her, and safe from Tina’s view, his weak smile gave way to an angry snarl.

After an extended embrace, he began to squirm in her tight grasp. Tina whispered sheepishly in his ear, Jackie, you should call her right now and...

He quickly straightened up and threw off Tina’s embrace. Startled, she took a step back away and the frightened look in her eyes confirmed that even she knew she’d pushed the issue too far.

Damn it, Tina. You never know when to stop, do you? He shot her with a menacing glare. You keep pushing and pushing. He drew in his breath; after a long pause he muttered, The truth is, I don’t care if I ever talk to or see her again. Ever.

Tina stood there, stunned. Tears welled up in her eyes, he watched as she lowered her head and whispered softly, I’m sorry, Jackie.

He rushed past her and towards the front door. He yelled, I gotta go as he stepped out onto the porch. He slammed the door behind him, looked up and noticed the clouds had overtaken the sun.

Gray. Gloomy. He nodded. It fit his mood fine.

***

SARAH

The beautiful woman glanced over at her husband. Her face hardened as her mind shifted towards playing that all-to-familiar game again of trying to figure out why she married him. Maybe this time, she’ll be able to produce a better explanation.

Hell. Any explanation would do at this point.

With her gaze still locked on the man on the other side of the room, Sarah shut her eyes and then opened them slowly. Her focus intensified as she tried desperately to see something that wasn't there the hundred times that she’d played this game before.

Think, Sarah. Think!

Since she’d done this so many times, the first reason came easy. The one thing that people say when talking about her husband is that he's such a nice guy. Every conversation she had with her friends seemed to end with someone pointing that fact out. Yes, right, no one would deny that. 

There. That’s one thing. Okay. Next.

What’s it again? Oh, right. He treated her nicely, too. He always seemed to go out of his way to take care of her needs. And he made sure to say ‘I love you’ every night before falling asleep and then again in the morning when he left for work. He