Fighting to Stay by Kasey Millstead Read Free Book Online

I’ve slept at all. 
    Last night’s events come rushing back and I rub my temples in an effort to remove them from my mind.  It doesn’t work.  It never works.
    “You awake, Lace?”  I hear Jenn tapping on the door as she asks.
    “No,” I grumble.
    “You look like shit,” she says, giving me a once over.  “Are you working today?”
    “Thanks,” I say sarcastically.  “And, no.  I’m not working.”
    “Good.  Want to go for a drive with me?  I’m going to visit Gran.”
    “Sure would.  When are you leaving?”
    “’Bout an hour, so get your ass up.  Gran won’t like it if you show up looking like shit.”  She flounces out of the room and I roll over.  Grabbing a sucker off my side table, I pop it in mouth and then set about making myself not look like shit.
    ~*~
    “Here y’all are.  I was wonderin’ when you two girls would show up.”  Jenn’s Gran hugs us before placing a kiss on top of our heads and asking, “Can I get y’all some sweet tea?”
    “Please, Gran.” Jenn nods.
    “That’d be lovely, thank you ma’am.”
    Jenn’s Gran, Jenn a (Jenn was named after her) is her father’s mother.  She is the nicest little old lady I’ve ever met.  With her slightly graying hair and rounded figure, she’s bubbly and full of good old fashioned Southern hospitality.
    “How y’all been?  Jenn, you still working at that nightclub place?”
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    “And what about you, Lacey Monroe?  What’s new with you , child?”
    “Uh, not a whole lot, ma’am.”  I fucked a guy whose name I don’t know…twice. “I’ve been waitressing at a bar in Salt Rock.”
    “ That’s good to hear.  What about boys?  I bet y’all have got ‘em chasin’ you around, everywhere you go.”
    I give Jenn a look.  She still hasn’t told her parents about Switch, but I’m sure she would have told Gran.  Gran is awesome and would never judge someone without reason.
    “Things are going well with Switch…”  Jenn trails off.
    “It’s about time you bought him out here for a visit, don’t you think?” 
    “Yes, ma’am,” Jenn grins huge.
    We sit around sipping sweet tea, chatting and laughing until into the early evening.  Then, after another round of hugs and kisses, and a stern reminder that Jenn had better bring Switch on her next visit, we bid farewell to Gran.
    The forty five minute drive back to Salt Rock is uneventful and goes by quickly.  Before I know it, we’ve pulled into the garage and Jenn is out of the car and rushing inside, mumbling something about being starving and ordering pizza.  I follow in behind her and raise my eyebrows when I see she’s already on the phone.
    “Yes, one large pepperoni and a large sausage, olive and mushroom.  A garlic bread as well, please, and a bottle of Coke.”
    “Hungry much?” I mutter, just loud enough for her to hear.
    She gives me the finger and turns her attention back to the phone.
    I walk in to my bedroom and change into a pair of loose fitting cotton shorts and a pale purple tank top.  When I come back out, Jenn is sitting on the couch.  She’s changed into her pajamas and the pizza is on the coffee table in front of her. 
    She stuffs a slice into her mouth and then orders, “Sit.”  I laugh, because with her mouthful, it sounds more like, shit.
    “Shut up,” she pouts.  “Tell me what’s on your mind.  You’ve been down all day.”
    I take a slice of pepperoni and nibble on the corner.  “Nothing,” I reply, a little too defensively.
    “Don’t bullshit me, Lacey.”
    “I fucked the biker again, last night.  Up against the wall in the bathroom at my work, like a dirty whore – and funnily enough, that’s exactly what I feel like.  After we’d finished he told me it should never have happened.  And to top it off, I still don’t know his name.”
    “First , you’re not a whore, Lacey.  Don’t ever let me hear you saying that again.  Secondly, he clearly can’t resist a Southern