Asher: A Second Chance Novel Read Online Free PDF Page A

wiped her hands on her apron. Turning towards her son she said, “We weren’t going to change the way we do things around here, remember?”
    “I’m just worried about you wearing yourself out. Don’t you need rest or something?”
    She smiled. “We have a full staff if I do. I’m only making breakfast sweetheart, not running a marathon. I love making breakfast for my boys on Sunday morning.”
    He raised an eyebrow. “One of your ‘boys’ seems to be MIA a lot lately. What’s going on with Dad?”
    She sighed. “He’s having a hard time with this, Asher. We just have to be patient and supportive.”
    Asher had noticed his father drinking a lot more over the past week. He also noticed that he was barely around. It was really pissing him off. His mother was going to work every day and if Asher was at football practice or a game or with Mia, she was left alone until all hours of the night. He would hear his father come in late at night and stagger up the stairs. She didn’t need to be alone all the time and she sure as hell didn’t need to have to sleep with a drunk every night. “You’re the one we need to be supporting, Mom. He should be here for you.”
    She put her hand on the side of his face. “He’s here as much as he can be,” she said.
    “What do you mean? He has barely been here all week.”
    She smiled. “I mean emotionally, Asher. He just needs some time to adjust. Now, do you want one waffle or two?” He didn’t want to argue with her. He resolved to talk to his father when he caught up with him instead.
    “One,” he said. He wasn’t hungry, but she wasn’t going to be happy unless he let her do something for him. He sat down at the table and as she made the waffle she asked him, “So how is Mia?”
    He looked up at her, shocked. He hadn’t told her that he and Mia had been spending time together. Since that Friday night ‘date’ at the park in the week since they had spent as much time together as they could manage. They had been discreet about it at first, having lunch together at school and picnics in the park. He had taken her to the county fair one town over on Saturday night and they had a great time riding the rides and playing games. She had taken home a small menagerie of stuffed animals. But as far as he knew Travis was the only one in either family who knew about it. His mother was smiling at him. “She’s good,” he finally said. “Um. How did you know?”
    She laughed. “I’m a Mom. I know everything.”
    “Oh.”
    She brought his waffle over and slipped it onto his plate. She handed him the butter and syrup and sat down next to him. “She’s a very pretty girl.” Asher was spreading butter on his waffle. He felt his face go flush. “How does Travis feel about you two dating?”
    “He’s coming around,” Asher said. Travis had been supportive but at the same time Asher could tell he was still working on adjusting to the changes in their relationship.
    “How do you feel about it?” He asked.
    “Does she make you happy?” His mother asked him.
    “Yeah. I mean it’s only been two weeks, but yeah. She makes me want to smile all the damn time.”
    Lily smiled broader and said, “Don’t cuss. But as far as being happy, keep doing that. From the first moment I held you in my arms; it’s all I ever wanted for you.”
    He swallowed a huge lump in his throat and said, “The way that you and Dad feel about the Halloways. I wasn’t sure.”
    “You know after all of these years I have never really figured out what it is any of us have against each other. Some people just rub you the wrong way, for no particular reason and I guess that’s what it is with us and them. But I have always liked Travis and he has always been welcome here. I see Mia at church every week and she is always sweet and polite. And now I hear she makes my son happy. What more could I ask for?”
    “Thanks, Mom.”
    She laughed and stood up. “Thank you.” she said. “Thank you for