Inanimate Read Online Free PDF Page B

in her
ears she heard nothing of the dozens of conversations going on
around her. Nor did she hear the beeping of the train doors closing
behind her; she heard nothing but the music. Having committed the
short route home to memory long ago, she did not require the
assistance of the train’s automated announcer. Despite the southern
weather being normally mild that time of year there was a chill on
this day. The wind picked up, blowing dust and leaves around in
mini cyclones all over the neighborhood. The house being a fifteen
minute walk from the station was like a challenge to her. She
planned to make it in ten, cutting a third of the time from her
journey in order to avoid as much dust being blown into her face as
possible. Risking safety for speed, Beth jaywalked across small
roads with nothing more than a quick glance for moving dangers.
Only a few blocks away was a driver in a solid black SUV. With a
few beers for lunch and some heavy metal in the CD player the
driver was paying just as little attention to the road as Beth was.
The two were on a fateful collision course, which would prove to be
an extremely one-sided event. If recent surveys are to be believed,
the average American vehicle weighs over 4000 pounds, whereas the
average American woman weighs 166 pounds. Unfortunately no-one
showed these numbers to Beth who weighed in at a paltry 126 pounds.
At over thirty times her weight the SUV hardly felt a thing, Beth
on the other hand was not as lucky.

CHAPTER 5

    The hospital was a different experience
for Connor. He knew people went there when they were sick or hurt
but he had never actually been in one. If he was being honest with
himself he liked it. He liked how quiet it was, only a PA system
calling Doctors to rooms and the hum of the pop machine to listen
to. It seemed like a peaceful place to him.
    “ Good news Mr. Williams” said a
portly, balding doctor.
    Miss Gray is going to be fine. We had to
insert a steel rod in her arm to keep the bone in place but it
should heal in six to eight weeks. Her leg on the other hand, will
heal a lot faster than that, she’ll be up and walking in no
time.”
    The news was a welcome relief for
Andy.
    “ Thank you doctor” he said as the doctor
headed off to see about his other patients.
    Andy’s medical insurance plan from work was
generous so he wouldn’t be out of pocket from the incident and more
importantly, Beth wasn’t badly hurt, so he was pretty optimistic
overall. However no-one could have foreseen the events that would
unfold after this.
    It all started two days after Beth arrived
home. Andy took a little time off work and brought everything to
her in bed. After a week her leg healed up and she regained
mobility. She couldn’t wait to get up and about again. The first
two weeks were mind numbing for her, nothing to do but lay in bed
watching daytime drivel on television, being waited on like the
temporary invalid she was. For a woman so proud and strong, this
was hell. Because her arm was far from healing Beth was unable to
return to work. When she informed Sally, her boss, she would not be
available for another couple of months she had no choice but to
replace her.
    “ A busy salon could not afford to
be understaffed” she said.
    Beth was hurt, she felt let
down, yea rs
of loyal service unrewarded; she was not even able to give services
from home due to her arm being sore all the time. As the days
turned to weeks she sat at home self-medicating. Alone most of the
time while Andy had to work and Connor had school; she began to
convince herself she wasn’t worth anything. Being cut from her job
she was so good at for so long brought up feelings she had
suppressed from years ago. Issues of abandonment stemming from her
own father leaving her as a child started to creep out from her
subconscious. With Andy out working, earning money to pay the
bills, she started to feel like she was being abandoned again. Left
alone in the house all day with nothing but