Losing Gabriel by Lurlene McDaniel Read Free Book Online Page A

everything,” LaDonna said, eyeing Dawson when they walked out of the trailer.
    “We’re just leaving.” Sloan took Dawson’s hand and pulled him toward his car, parked on the gravel and dead weeds in front of their trailer with its flecking green paint. The November day had turned blustery, the sky gray, as if smudged by a dirty pencil eraser. A plastic bag had blown onto a light pole, wrapped around as if holding on for dear life. Music from the open window of a nearby trailer floated on the wind.
    Dawson slowed, offering a smile and a wave. “Hi. I’m Dawson Berke. Sloan and I go to school together.”
    “My, you’re a tall one.” Sloan’s mother batted her eyelashes. Dawson took a step back. He didn’t know what he’d expected, but LaDonna was
no
version of her daughter. The woman was short, plump, with a doughy-looking face and bleached hair that looked fried. Hadn’t Sloan said she worked in a beauty salon?
    Resigned to introductions, Sloan let go of his hand. “My mother, LaDonna Quentin.”
    LaDonna said, “Never seen you with Sloan before.” She smiled, showing deep dimples that prettied her up. “Sloan never brings her friends around. I’m forever asking her to, but does she listen to me? You friends with Jarred?”
    “I don’t really know the guy,” Dawson said, thinking it odd that he and Sloan had been together since October and Sloan had never mentioned her breakup with Jarred.
    Sloan ground her teeth.
Why would I bring friends to this dump?
As if LaDonna even
cared
who she hung with or what she did as long as Sloan didn’t hang around when LaDonna had a new man. “Dawson and I have to go.”
    LaDonna turned on her daughter. “Well, I wouldn’t want to hold you up. Never mind that my head’s splitting wide open and you could fix me some supper later.”
    Dawson gave Sloan a questioning glance. He knew her father wasn’t around, so he wondered if she’d return to the trailer and help LaDonna.
    Sloan said, “Gee Ma, nothing to fix but peanut butter and jelly. But no bread, though. Guess you left it off your grocery list.”
    LaDonna flashed Sloan a hateful look. “Go on, then. I’ll take care of myself.”
    After a couple of drinks…
Sloan was familiar with LaDonna’s habits. She’d seen the pattern all her life…leave work, come home, have a drink, go bar hopping. Today was Friday, after all. “Come on,” she said to Dawson.
    “You’ll have to come visit,” LaDonna called to their backs. “When I feel better.”
    “Sure,” Dawson said, doubting it would happen. The rancor between the two women was tangible. He and his dad could get into some tangles, but they both got over it, went on with life. He basically
liked
his dad, while Sloan seemed to want nothing to do with her own mother.
    Once in his car, Sloan sat ramrod straight, staring out the windshield. Dawson could see and feel her animosity and wondered why it was so entrenched, but he was unsure if he should ask about it or forget about it. He started the engine and drove along the pockmarked asphalt that passed for a road through the park. He reached over and took Sloan’s hand. “You okay?”
    “Good as I can be with
her
for a mother.”
    “She said she was sick.”
    “In more ways than you know.”
    “Want to talk about it?”
    “Nothing to talk about. We just stay out of each other’s way.” She looked over at Dawson, wanting to forget the encounter. “Think we could stop for a burger and fries? I’m starving.”
    “Yeah, missed you in the cafeteria.”
    “Got busy, had to skip lunch.” In truth, she’d had no money to buy food in the cafeteria and hadn’t signed up on the freebie list at the beginning of the week. The condescending air of the cafeteria lady had put Sloan off too, so she’d gone without.
    “If that’s what you want.”
    Sloan flashed him a smile. “How about buying me a chocolate shake. This big.” She used her hands to measure from her lap to the top of the car, making him