Sorry for deleting this story everyone, but every time I updated/edited it, wouldn't show it in my story.. make sense? So I decided I'd do my best to nearly complete it before bringing it back. So here it is. Thanks for your patience, and I am really sorry.
Chapter One: "Men Can Be So Cruel"
As she walked out onto the tennis court, she saw two people standing next to the net. The female gave a sorrowful look, which soon turned into a grin, said one word to her male companion and then wrapped her arms around him and leaned in for a kiss, to which he responded.
Tears began to stream down the on-lookers face. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes and turned towards the building as fast as she could.
It's 'bout as bad as it could be
Seems everybody's buggin' me
Like nothing wants to go my way--
yeah, it just ain't been my day
Nothin's comin' easily...
...I just wanna disappear...
...When everything is goin' wrong
Don't worry, it won't last for long
Yeah, it's all gonna come around
Don't go let it get you down
You gotta keep on holding on
It's 'bout as bad as it could be
Seems everybody's buggin' me
Like nothing want to go my way--
yeah, it just ain't been my day
Nothin's comin' easily...
"Up" By Shania Twain
Angela exits her bedroom and enters the dark hallway. After shutting the bedroom door softly, she tightly ties her pink bathrobe around her body and then heads downstairs. Reaching the last few steps, Angela sees Samantha on the couch, wrapped in a blanket, flipping through channels on the TV.
"Sam, what are you doing up, sweetheart?" Angela asks, squinting from the glare of the television. She walks toward the couch. "When I heard the TV, I thought you were your father."
"Oh, hi Angela. No it's me. I couldn't get any sleep. What are you doing up?" Sam scoots to her left to give Angela room.
"Same reason." Angela gives her a small smile and then it fades away. "Is something bothering you?"
"Well, kinda." Sam replies as she mutes the television and places the remote on the coffee table.
"Would you like to talk?" Angela asks giving the young girl a reassuring look.
"I-I guess so." Sam composes herself and then begins to talk. "I was in the library today doing some research and overheard a group of girls telling stories of males they knew that were abusive and neglected their families and stuff. Twin girls at the table were saying that their father abused their mom, but for some reason never touched them. And before he could harm either one of them, their aunt and uncle placed them into their home. Their mom is still in the hospital, but will get to move in with them as soon as she has fully recovered."
"Goodness. That's terrible." Angela says softly.
"And another girl said that she is having to move soon because her mother's boyfriend has been verbally and physically abusing her. And there was even a guy at the table who said he moved here two years ago because his father was an alcoholic and him and his mother had to get away. Then I was talking to a girl at the lunch table today who told me that she and her mom and little sister moved here because of her Dad. It turns out they are all in this class for 'Healing Families'. Some cases aren't so bad. She told me that one guy in the class, him and his mother moved here because his mom caught her husband kissing another woman. Seems he'd been having an affair with her for two months. And it's not all men, of course. But this class or group is for children with 'bad' fathers as they call it. A couple of the kids have fathers that don't abuse, just neglect them. I just couldn't believe what I was hearing. There are about two or so in the class that have had their father's just leave, like what Jonathan and you went through with Mr. Bower." Sam looks up and Angela gives her a nod and hugs her.
"I told Amanda, that's the girl I talked to at lunch, about Dad. And how he is, she just said that I was very lucky that he's always there for me. She said she was sorry about Mom, but said that I must be very thankful to have Jonathan, Mona and you. And guess what?"
"What?" Angela asks through tears.
"I'm very thankful for you guys." Sam tells Angela with small tears running down her cheeks.
"So am I." Angela replies sniffling and gives Samantha a hug.
"And then when she told me about that one guy's mother catching her husband kissing someone else, it made me think of when I saw Chad kiss Susie. But more – seeing someone you love kissing someone else as an adult must be very painful, especially if you're married." Sam moves back to her spot.
"Yes." Angela says softly nodding her head as her thoughts return to a few days ago. "Well at any age it's painful, well a mature age, when you can understand the concept." Angela situates herself on the couch and takes some of the blanket that Samantha offers her, "But let me tell you a story."
Sam leans back against the couch and hugs a pillow to her chest as Angela begins to tell her story.
