| General Fiction posted January 31, 2024 | Chapters: |
3 4 -5- 6... 
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Gabby faces a fork in the road.
A chapter in the book Life's Twisted Road
Life's Twisted Road - Chap 5
by Begin Again
END OF CHAP. 4
"Come on, Gabby. We're the three musketeers. One for all and all for one. Let us help."
Gabby shook her head. "You don't understand." She picked up her backpack from the floor, pausing before she unzipped the side pocket. Reaching inside, she pulled something out, folding it tightly in her hand.
A fresh wave of tears spilled from her red bloodshot eyes. "There's nothing either of you can do. It's my problem."
"But three heads are better than one. I'm sure we can help."
"No, not this time, Beck." Gabby sighed. "I don't have food poisoning." She opened her hand, exposing the dreaded thermometer-looking item. She held it out for her friends to see it. A plus marked the spot.
"Oh my God, Gabby, you're pregnant." Becky screeched. Nat followed suit. All Gabby could do was sob and nod her head.
****************
CHAPTER 5
The kitchen reeked of beer and smelly fish. A wastepaper basket lay on its side, its contents of garbage, sardine cans, and beer bottles scattered across the floor. The table was littered with an empty bottle of whiskey and two glasses, a half-empty bag of Doritos, a plastic bag of cheese cubes, an opened can of King Oscar sardines, and beer bottles.
"Ya want another beer, Audry?" Bob snorted. "Dumb question, huh?" He grabbed two cold ones and pushed the refrigerator door closed. "It's been a while since you've stopped by to see your ole brother."
"Yeah, sorry about that but you know how it is. Been putting in extra hours at the factory, just trying to make ends meet." Audrey raised the bottle to her mouth and took a long swig, savoring the cold liquid. "Times are tough, Bobby. I might lose—" She cleared her throat as she pushed her chair away from the table and walked to the window. The thought of losing the family home overwhelmed her. She hadn't planned on telling Bobby, but she didn't know where else to turn. He'd be angry, but there was a chance he might help.
"Come on, Sis. It can't be that bad. Besides, I've heard Jackson has been spending a lot of time at your place." He snorted, wiped his mouth on his sleeve, and swallowed some more beer.
Audrey whipped around to face her brother, snapping, "Leave Jackson out of this. It's not his place." Audrey pursed her lips, hating herself for saying anything. She knew what would follow.
"It's not his place to be sleeping in your bed either. But I suspect there's not much sleeping going on." Bob slammed the beer bottle against the table. His face was flushed. He took a step toward her, snarling, "Better be careful or you'll be visiting that clinic again. Except this time, Jackson can take you. It ain't going to be your big brother, that's for sure."
Audrey flinched but stood her ground. "Shut up! I was fifteen. You going to tell me you weren't messing around with all the girls? How many do you think you knocked up?"
"That'd been their problem, now, wouldn't it? You girls thought you were so much smarter than us till you had to come crying about being pregnant. Daddy was right when he took the belt to your backside. That's exactly what I'd do if any fool daughter of mine got herself pregnant."
Audrey leaned against the sink, glaring at her brother. "Yeah, you're just like Daddy."
Gabby pressed her body against the mudroom wall as she listened to them. Tears trickled down her face. She'd planned on talking to her dad about what she should do, but now she knew that was out of the question. Grabbing her hoodie from the hook, she slipped back outside, carefully closing the door behind her.
**************
Gabby retreated to the firepit in the far back corner of their yard. Her father's words were spiraling around and around in her head. She needed to think and the further away she was from her drunk dad, the better off she would be.
She opened the chest filled with firewood, matches, and lighter fluid and quickly had an inviting place to settle. The spot wasn't new to her. Since her mother's death, she'd spent many nights snuggled up near the firepit, staring at the stars, and talking to her mom. "It would be so different if you were here, Mom. I miss you so much."
Somebody was standing near the tree, a few feet behind Gabby. "I miss her, too."
Startled, Gabby jumped up, turning toward the voice. "Aunt Audrey! You scared me."
"Sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you. I've had a go-around with your dad and was just headed home when I saw you sitting by the fire."
"I do it a lot. It's so peaceful here, especially when Dad's on one of his rampages."
Audrey stepped in the circle around the fire, shaking her head. "Mind if I join you?" Gabby nodded and Audrey pulled a chair closer to her niece. "He can get mighty mean sometimes. Learned from one of the best."
"You mean Grandpa? He died when I was young, and I wasn't ever told much about him."
"Probably for the best. He wasn't the grandfatherly type. It was about work, work, work. Getting the job done and getting it done right. Nobody could do it better than him, especially any woman."
"That's sad. Is that why you work so hard at the factory? Seems like you shouldn't be doing such a dirty job."
"The job's okay, I guess. Though I don't get the same pay as the men I work with."
"That's not fair. If you do the same job, you should get paid the same."
"Doesn't always work that way." Audrey stared into the fire. "And life's not always fair. But enough about me. What's new with my niece?"
Gabby shrugged her shoulders. "Not much, I guess." She glanced toward the house. "Hope dad goes to bed soon. I heard you two fighting."
"Bobby's always thought he was better than me. Has it in his head that he should be the one to run my life. When he drinks, he gets a little more boisterous with his opinions."
"A little? I've learned to keep my mouth shut and steer clear of him when he's drinking."
"Probably a good idea." Audrey stood and stretched her arms upward toward the sky. "Nice night, but I better get home. Got an early start tomorrow."
Gabby watched the flames dance over the burning logs. Thoughts of her mom and dad swirled through her head. She needed to talk to someone and it couldn't be either of them.
"Well, girl, give me a hug. You going to be alright out here?" Audrey surveyed the house. The lights were off, so there was a good chance Bobby was passed out for the night.
Gabby stood and embraced her aunt. "Before you go, can I ask you a hypothetical question?"
Audrey smiled at the young girl. "You can ask me anything. My dad always said I wasn't the smartest chip in the woodshed, but I'll do my best to help if I can."
"At lunch, a friend was talking about another friend of hers that had a serious problem."
"How serious?" Audrey looked into Gabby's eyes, searching for a clue. "If it's bad, maybe she should talk to her parents or even her counselor."
"I don't think she can or wants to do that. I don't know the girl so I shouldn't say." Gabby bit the inside of her lip, praying Audrey would just answer her question without wanting details.
"I see. So, what's your question."
"She was asking if —" Gabby's nerves were kicking in hard. She could feel her legs starting to tremble. "Well, everyone at the table was offering suggestions, and some were kind of scary."
Audrey lifted Gabby's chin, asking, "Are we talking about you? Because if you're in trouble—"
"No, no way! It's okay, Aunt Audrey." She turned toward the fire, staring at the flames.
Audrey wrapped her arm around Gabby's shoulder and squeezed her. "There I go scaring you again. Sorry, Gabby. Go ahead and ask me your hypothetical question."
"Well, I figure you've guessed that the girl is pregnant. My friend suggested she get an abortion, but most of us said that wouldn't be possible without her parent's consent. That's the law, right?"
"Depends on which state you live in, and laws change. Currently, in our state, she can go to the clinic without her parents. It's amazing, but young girls can make medical decisions on their own. My neighbor's thirteen-year-old daughter had to sign the admission papers when she was being admitted to the psychiatric hospital."
A wave of relief washed over Gabby as she leaned her head against her aunt's shoulder. Her decision wasn't made, but she knew she had options now.
END OF CHAP. 4
"Come on, Gabby. We're the three musketeers. One for all and all for one. Let us help."
Gabby shook her head. "You don't understand." She picked up her backpack from the floor, pausing before she unzipped the side pocket. Reaching inside, she pulled something out, folding it tightly in her hand.
A fresh wave of tears spilled from her red bloodshot eyes. "There's nothing either of you can do. It's my problem."
"But three heads are better than one. I'm sure we can help."
"No, not this time, Beck." Gabby sighed. "I don't have food poisoning." She opened her hand, exposing the dreaded thermometer-looking item. She held it out for her friends to see it. A plus marked the spot.
"Oh my God, Gabby, you're pregnant." Becky screeched. Nat followed suit. All Gabby could do was sob and nod her head.
****************
CHAPTER 5
The kitchen reeked of beer and smelly fish. A wastepaper basket lay on its side, its contents of garbage, sardine cans, and beer bottles scattered across the floor. The table was littered with an empty bottle of whiskey and two glasses, a half-empty bag of Doritos, a plastic bag of cheese cubes, an opened can of King Oscar sardines, and beer bottles.
"Ya want another beer, Audry?" Bob snorted. "Dumb question, huh?" He grabbed two cold ones and pushed the refrigerator door closed. "It's been a while since you've stopped by to see your ole brother."
"Yeah, sorry about that but you know how it is. Been putting in extra hours at the factory, just trying to make ends meet." Audrey raised the bottle to her mouth and took a long swig, savoring the cold liquid. "Times are tough, Bobby. I might lose—" She cleared her throat as she pushed her chair away from the table and walked to the window. The thought of losing the family home overwhelmed her. She hadn't planned on telling Bobby, but she didn't know where else to turn. He'd be angry, but there was a chance he might help.
"Come on, Sis. It can't be that bad. Besides, I've heard Jackson has been spending a lot of time at your place." He snorted, wiped his mouth on his sleeve, and swallowed some more beer.
Audrey whipped around to face her brother, snapping, "Leave Jackson out of this. It's not his place." Audrey pursed her lips, hating herself for saying anything. She knew what would follow.
"It's not his place to be sleeping in your bed either. But I suspect there's not much sleeping going on." Bob slammed the beer bottle against the table. His face was flushed. He took a step toward her, snarling, "Better be careful or you'll be visiting that clinic again. Except this time, Jackson can take you. It ain't going to be your big brother, that's for sure."
Audrey flinched but stood her ground. "Shut up! I was fifteen. You going to tell me you weren't messing around with all the girls? How many do you think you knocked up?"
"That'd been their problem, now, wouldn't it? You girls thought you were so much smarter than us till you had to come crying about being pregnant. Daddy was right when he took the belt to your backside. That's exactly what I'd do if any fool daughter of mine got herself pregnant."
Audrey leaned against the sink, glaring at her brother. "Yeah, you're just like Daddy."
Gabby pressed her body against the mudroom wall as she listened to them. Tears trickled down her face. She'd planned on talking to her dad about what she should do, but now she knew that was out of the question. Grabbing her hoodie from the hook, she slipped back outside, carefully closing the door behind her.
**************
Gabby retreated to the firepit in the far back corner of their yard. Her father's words were spiraling around and around in her head. She needed to think and the further away she was from her drunk dad, the better off she would be.
She opened the chest filled with firewood, matches, and lighter fluid and quickly had an inviting place to settle. The spot wasn't new to her. Since her mother's death, she'd spent many nights snuggled up near the firepit, staring at the stars, and talking to her mom. "It would be so different if you were here, Mom. I miss you so much."
Somebody was standing near the tree, a few feet behind Gabby. "I miss her, too."
Startled, Gabby jumped up, turning toward the voice. "Aunt Audrey! You scared me."
"Sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you. I've had a go-around with your dad and was just headed home when I saw you sitting by the fire."
"I do it a lot. It's so peaceful here, especially when Dad's on one of his rampages."
Audrey stepped in the circle around the fire, shaking her head. "Mind if I join you?" Gabby nodded and Audrey pulled a chair closer to her niece. "He can get mighty mean sometimes. Learned from one of the best."
"You mean Grandpa? He died when I was young, and I wasn't ever told much about him."
"Probably for the best. He wasn't the grandfatherly type. It was about work, work, work. Getting the job done and getting it done right. Nobody could do it better than him, especially any woman."
"That's sad. Is that why you work so hard at the factory? Seems like you shouldn't be doing such a dirty job."
"The job's okay, I guess. Though I don't get the same pay as the men I work with."
"That's not fair. If you do the same job, you should get paid the same."
"Doesn't always work that way." Audrey stared into the fire. "And life's not always fair. But enough about me. What's new with my niece?"
Gabby shrugged her shoulders. "Not much, I guess." She glanced toward the house. "Hope dad goes to bed soon. I heard you two fighting."
"Bobby's always thought he was better than me. Has it in his head that he should be the one to run my life. When he drinks, he gets a little more boisterous with his opinions."
"A little? I've learned to keep my mouth shut and steer clear of him when he's drinking."
"Probably a good idea." Audrey stood and stretched her arms upward toward the sky. "Nice night, but I better get home. Got an early start tomorrow."
Gabby watched the flames dance over the burning logs. Thoughts of her mom and dad swirled through her head. She needed to talk to someone and it couldn't be either of them.
"Well, girl, give me a hug. You going to be alright out here?" Audrey surveyed the house. The lights were off, so there was a good chance Bobby was passed out for the night.
Gabby stood and embraced her aunt. "Before you go, can I ask you a hypothetical question?"
Audrey smiled at the young girl. "You can ask me anything. My dad always said I wasn't the smartest chip in the woodshed, but I'll do my best to help if I can."
"At lunch, a friend was talking about another friend of hers that had a serious problem."
"How serious?" Audrey looked into Gabby's eyes, searching for a clue. "If it's bad, maybe she should talk to her parents or even her counselor."
"I don't think she can or wants to do that. I don't know the girl so I shouldn't say." Gabby bit the inside of her lip, praying Audrey would just answer her question without wanting details.
"I see. So, what's your question."
"She was asking if —" Gabby's nerves were kicking in hard. She could feel her legs starting to tremble. "Well, everyone at the table was offering suggestions, and some were kind of scary."
Audrey lifted Gabby's chin, asking, "Are we talking about you? Because if you're in trouble—"
"No, no way! It's okay, Aunt Audrey." She turned toward the fire, staring at the flames.
Audrey wrapped her arm around Gabby's shoulder and squeezed her. "There I go scaring you again. Sorry, Gabby. Go ahead and ask me your hypothetical question."
"Well, I figure you've guessed that the girl is pregnant. My friend suggested she get an abortion, but most of us said that wouldn't be possible without her parent's consent. That's the law, right?"
"Depends on which state you live in, and laws change. Currently, in our state, she can go to the clinic without her parents. It's amazing, but young girls can make medical decisions on their own. My neighbor's thirteen-year-old daughter had to sign the admission papers when she was being admitted to the psychiatric hospital."
A wave of relief washed over Gabby as she leaned her head against her aunt's shoulder. Her decision wasn't made, but she knew she had options now.
"Come on, Gabby. We're the three musketeers. One for all and all for one. Let us help."
Gabby shook her head. "You don't understand." She picked up her backpack from the floor, pausing before she unzipped the side pocket. Reaching inside, she pulled something out, folding it tightly in her hand.
A fresh wave of tears spilled from her red bloodshot eyes. "There's nothing either of you can do. It's my problem."
"But three heads are better than one. I'm sure we can help."
"No, not this time, Beck." Gabby sighed. "I don't have food poisoning." She opened her hand, exposing the dreaded thermometer-looking item. She held it out for her friends to see it. A plus marked the spot.
"Oh my God, Gabby, you're pregnant." Becky screeched. Nat followed suit. All Gabby could do was sob and nod her head.
****************
CHAPTER 5
The kitchen reeked of beer and smelly fish. A wastepaper basket lay on its side, its contents of garbage, sardine cans, and beer bottles scattered across the floor. The table was littered with an empty bottle of whiskey and two glasses, a half-empty bag of Doritos, a plastic bag of cheese cubes, an opened can of King Oscar sardines, and beer bottles.
"Ya want another beer, Audry?" Bob snorted. "Dumb question, huh?" He grabbed two cold ones and pushed the refrigerator door closed. "It's been a while since you've stopped by to see your ole brother."
"Yeah, sorry about that but you know how it is. Been putting in extra hours at the factory, just trying to make ends meet." Audrey raised the bottle to her mouth and took a long swig, savoring the cold liquid. "Times are tough, Bobby. I might lose—" She cleared her throat as she pushed her chair away from the table and walked to the window. The thought of losing the family home overwhelmed her. She hadn't planned on telling Bobby, but she didn't know where else to turn. He'd be angry, but there was a chance he might help.
"Come on, Sis. It can't be that bad. Besides, I've heard Jackson has been spending a lot of time at your place." He snorted, wiped his mouth on his sleeve, and swallowed some more beer.
Audrey whipped around to face her brother, snapping, "Leave Jackson out of this. It's not his place." Audrey pursed her lips, hating herself for saying anything. She knew what would follow.
"It's not his place to be sleeping in your bed either. But I suspect there's not much sleeping going on." Bob slammed the beer bottle against the table. His face was flushed. He took a step toward her, snarling, "Better be careful or you'll be visiting that clinic again. Except this time, Jackson can take you. It ain't going to be your big brother, that's for sure."
Audrey flinched but stood her ground. "Shut up! I was fifteen. You going to tell me you weren't messing around with all the girls? How many do you think you knocked up?"
"That'd been their problem, now, wouldn't it? You girls thought you were so much smarter than us till you had to come crying about being pregnant. Daddy was right when he took the belt to your backside. That's exactly what I'd do if any fool daughter of mine got herself pregnant."
Audrey leaned against the sink, glaring at her brother. "Yeah, you're just like Daddy."
Gabby pressed her body against the mudroom wall as she listened to them. Tears trickled down her face. She'd planned on talking to her dad about what she should do, but now she knew that was out of the question. Grabbing her hoodie from the hook, she slipped back outside, carefully closing the door behind her.
**************
Gabby retreated to the firepit in the far back corner of their yard. Her father's words were spiraling around and around in her head. She needed to think and the further away she was from her drunk dad, the better off she would be.
She opened the chest filled with firewood, matches, and lighter fluid and quickly had an inviting place to settle. The spot wasn't new to her. Since her mother's death, she'd spent many nights snuggled up near the firepit, staring at the stars, and talking to her mom. "It would be so different if you were here, Mom. I miss you so much."
Somebody was standing near the tree, a few feet behind Gabby. "I miss her, too."
Startled, Gabby jumped up, turning toward the voice. "Aunt Audrey! You scared me."
"Sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you. I've had a go-around with your dad and was just headed home when I saw you sitting by the fire."
"I do it a lot. It's so peaceful here, especially when Dad's on one of his rampages."
Audrey stepped in the circle around the fire, shaking her head. "Mind if I join you?" Gabby nodded and Audrey pulled a chair closer to her niece. "He can get mighty mean sometimes. Learned from one of the best."
"You mean Grandpa? He died when I was young, and I wasn't ever told much about him."
"Probably for the best. He wasn't the grandfatherly type. It was about work, work, work. Getting the job done and getting it done right. Nobody could do it better than him, especially any woman."
"That's sad. Is that why you work so hard at the factory? Seems like you shouldn't be doing such a dirty job."
"The job's okay, I guess. Though I don't get the same pay as the men I work with."
"That's not fair. If you do the same job, you should get paid the same."
"Doesn't always work that way." Audrey stared into the fire. "And life's not always fair. But enough about me. What's new with my niece?"
Gabby shrugged her shoulders. "Not much, I guess." She glanced toward the house. "Hope dad goes to bed soon. I heard you two fighting."
"Bobby's always thought he was better than me. Has it in his head that he should be the one to run my life. When he drinks, he gets a little more boisterous with his opinions."
"A little? I've learned to keep my mouth shut and steer clear of him when he's drinking."
"Probably a good idea." Audrey stood and stretched her arms upward toward the sky. "Nice night, but I better get home. Got an early start tomorrow."
Gabby watched the flames dance over the burning logs. Thoughts of her mom and dad swirled through her head. She needed to talk to someone and it couldn't be either of them.
"Well, girl, give me a hug. You going to be alright out here?" Audrey surveyed the house. The lights were off, so there was a good chance Bobby was passed out for the night.
Gabby stood and embraced her aunt. "Before you go, can I ask you a hypothetical question?"
Audrey smiled at the young girl. "You can ask me anything. My dad always said I wasn't the smartest chip in the woodshed, but I'll do my best to help if I can."
"At lunch, a friend was talking about another friend of hers that had a serious problem."
"How serious?" Audrey looked into Gabby's eyes, searching for a clue. "If it's bad, maybe she should talk to her parents or even her counselor."
"I don't think she can or wants to do that. I don't know the girl so I shouldn't say." Gabby bit the inside of her lip, praying Audrey would just answer her question without wanting details.
"I see. So, what's your question."
"She was asking if —" Gabby's nerves were kicking in hard. She could feel her legs starting to tremble. "Well, everyone at the table was offering suggestions, and some were kind of scary."
Audrey lifted Gabby's chin, asking, "Are we talking about you? Because if you're in trouble—"
"No, no way! It's okay, Aunt Audrey." She turned toward the fire, staring at the flames.
Audrey wrapped her arm around Gabby's shoulder and squeezed her. "There I go scaring you again. Sorry, Gabby. Go ahead and ask me your hypothetical question."
"Well, I figure you've guessed that the girl is pregnant. My friend suggested she get an abortion, but most of us said that wouldn't be possible without her parent's consent. That's the law, right?"
"Depends on which state you live in, and laws change. Currently, in our state, she can go to the clinic without her parents. It's amazing, but young girls can make medical decisions on their own. My neighbor's thirteen-year-old daughter had to sign the admission papers when she was being admitted to the psychiatric hospital."
A wave of relief washed over Gabby as she leaned her head against her aunt's shoulder. Her decision wasn't made, but she knew she had options now.
 Recognized |
CHARACTERS:
GABBY - Natasha and Becky's friend
BOBBY - Gabby's father ( a chauvinistic drunk)
AUDREY - Bobby's younger sister (on the edge of financial disaster)
JACKSON - Sheriff and Audrey's current boyfriend
Pays
one point
and 2 member cents. GABBY - Natasha and Becky's friend
BOBBY - Gabby's father ( a chauvinistic drunk)
AUDREY - Bobby's younger sister (on the edge of financial disaster)
JACKSON - Sheriff and Audrey's current boyfriend
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