Soon Found, Soon Lost: A Novel

EXCERPT: Amanda slammed her coffee mug down on the glass table hard enough to attract the attention of some other diners. “Listen lady. I know you’re mad as hell at me for giving you such a rotten life, but even I don’t deserve this kind of treatment. You don’t think I knew how much you hated me all during high school? You think I don’t know how much you hated being in that stupid town?” She was leaning her body across the table now, challenging her daughter.

“If you knew how much I hated that town and you for making me be there, then why didn’t we move? Why the hell did you keep me there to suffocate and almost be raped and suffer all that ugly racism and hatred? I hate you, you stupid bitch, I hate you to death.”

Now people were staring at the two women, so wrapped up in what they were talking about that they could have been on the moon. Caroline was choking on the tears rolling down her face, and she put her hands over her eyes to hold some of the flow back inside her. Amanda reached her hand over to touch her daughter’s face, but Caroline flinched when she felt the hot fingers on her cheek.

She got up quickly, leaving her tray and her mother at the table. She needed air, she kept telling herself, get some air. All the nightmares were happening all over again. Why didn’t she stay away, or better yet, why didn’t she just die?

Published by Yardbird