BrookLyn's Journey by Coffey Brown Read Free Book Online Page B

is down to the minute.”
    “If you lived in this house, yours would be too. ” BrookLyn hushed herself, thinking she heard footsteps in the hallway. She sat up and tuned her ears toward the door.
    “I’m sure. Well, let’s talk about it later . I’d tell you I love you but you already know that.”
    What? How can she love me when she barely kn ows me? BrookLyn di dn’t love Gabby, but she did like her a lot . Her heart fluttered all the same. She made her feel good. She never felt good. W hat next ? She was strangely excited to find out .
    “ I have to go . ”
    “ Okay. I miss you like crazy. I’ll come and get you soon , and I’ll hold you tight all night long . ”
    “Bye, Gabby . ”
    “I’ll see you later , Sweets .”
    BrookLyn stood in the bathroom giggling at the thought of seeing Gabby tonight . She had slept so peacefully the night before. I wish I could sleep so soundly every night. Was it just because she was doing something forbidden, something to defy her captors ? Or was it something more?
    S he fi gured since she was in the bathroom she might as well pack a few toiletry items. When she fi nished , she was feeling so free that she decided to throw some clothes into a bag too. S he checked to see if her mother was lurking nearby. She looked l eft , then right , down the hallway. S afe. She eased the door shut then steepled her fingers in front of her and tapped them together, thinking. I have no idea what to pack and I don’t have many options , either. As BrookLyn peered through her sparse closet , she wonder ed if Gabriella w ould let her sleep in the little outfit from the night before .
    Just in case she did manage to sneak out, BrookLyn tossed the toiletry bag inside her blue sports bag with the clothes she had chosen , and set it in the back of her closet . H er mother had already fulfill ed her weekly quota of space invading , and she must be getting ready to leave too, so BrookLyn’s closet should be safe from prying eyes .
    She often wondered what her mother thought she would find on her snooping missions. It was more like she was just gathering information to ensur e her own safe ty by channeling her father’s anger toward BrookLyn .
    My father. BrookLyn ’s excitement faltered as she remembered she ’d be facing his wrath soon.
     

 
    Chapter Four
     
    BrookLyn spent most of the day on her bed, looking at her ceiling. She didn’t want to go into the living room near her mother. She checked the time. Her father was almost finished with work , although she wasn’t sure what he did because he never talked about it. His life outside of this house was something neither he nor her mother ever spoke about.
    Her thoughts wandered to Gabby and what they were going to do . Will it be as much fun as last night ? In her parents’ absence, Ms. Cora would still check on BrookLyn, as they would ins ist she do , but she was much more trusting and she really did go to bed quite early. BrookLyn had not tried to get away with anything in the past , with prison wardens instead of parents , although she didn’t really have any need to . B ut now that she did have incentive ... would she try?
    She got up off of the bed and started her homework just in case she didn’t get a chance to do it on Sunday. Though, there wasn’t much point, she was too distracted. BrookLyn wasn’t able to think about anything besides Gabby. It was as if the girl had taken over her mind. Her writing turned into a faint scribble.
    “What are you smiling about? Is your homework that much fun?” Her father was standing in her doorway and she snapped to attention . H is furrowed eyebrows reflect ed his anger and disgust. It was always the same look . It was time for her to have to deal with him , just as her mother had promised. She would receive her punishment for not being able to get into their house , even though he had prevented her from doing so by changing the lock that , like their phone number , had never been