Leaving Yesterday Read Online Free PDF Page B

there, this is no help at all. If he ever calls again, you’ve got to get those details.”
    “I know, okay? I made a mistake, I get that.”
    Caroline walked into the kitchen and took her seat. She looked at Rick and smiled. “Isn’t it great that Kurt is coming home?”
    He cast a disapproving look at me, then squatted directly in front of her and tucked her hair behind her ears. “I hope he does, honey. I sure hope he does.”
    I just prayed my son would call again soon. With the answers that we all wanted to hear.

Six
    I set my alarm extra early and got up to exercise. This was something I’d done routinely before Nick’s death, but afterward I couldn’t summon the strength to even care. The resulting fifteen-pound weight gain and increasing flab had always bothered me, but only the prospect of my son’s return energized me enough to get serious about turning things around. Suddenly, it seemed very important to get back to my former self, the person Kurt would remember.
    I had a lot of ground to make up, so this called for serious action. I looked through my assortment of exercise DVDs and pulled out the one I remembered being the most challenging. I was certain I could still do it, and I didn’t have time to waste on the easier ones.
    A few seconds later, the screen came to life with bone-thin women in tight spandex moving in directions my body simply couldn’t follow. Ten minutes into it, a heart attack seemed imminent, and the hard part hadn’t even started yet. I pushed the eject button and decided maybe to go for a quick walk around the neighborhood.
    I lived on a cul-de-sac of a dozen homes. Well-kept but small lawns fronted two- story family houses, most with garages full of bicycles and hockey gear, and T-ball stands. It was a family neighborhood. As close to Mayberry as you could find in Southern California, at least I’d always thought so. Happy families, happy lives. These days, I felt a bit like the odd woman out, but I still loved this place.
    I headed out into the beautiful shades of an orange sunrise, looked toward the sky, and prayed aloud as I walked. “O, Father, thank you that Kurt is in rehab. I know that’s where he is. I know that you’ve been watching over him all this time. Forgive me for any doubts I had, please give him the strength to get through whatever it is he needs to get through, and please bring my son back home.” The cool morning was invigorating, the sunrise beautiful. This had been a terrific idea.
    I got home and showered before the time I normally even got out of bed, and to tell the truth, it felt great. I remembered now just how much better I had felt when I was exercising regularly. Today was the first day of a new habit; I was declaring it right now.

    By Monday, not only had I lost three pounds, but I noticed I definitely had more patience with Caroline’s slow-to-rise morning routine. She apparently noticed this, too, because she said, “Did you get another call from Kurt?”
    “What would make you ask that?”
    “You’re just acting so happy, I thought you must be hiding something.”
    I reached out and hugged her. “I wouldn’t hide good news like that, you know it.”
    Just then the phone rang and Caroline and I raced toward it. I beat her out by a nose and grabbed up the handset. “Hello.”
    Caroline jumped up and down in front of me, mouthing the words, “Is it him? Is it him?”
    I turned my back so I could give my full attention to the phone.
    “Alisa, it’s Marsha. I was wondering if you want to get together for dinner tomorrow night. I thought I’d call Carleigh, Tasha, and Sarah, too.” Marsha and gang had made a point of being supportive since Rick and I had separated. Normally, nothing would please me more than the thought of an evening out with my friends. This morning, I forced myself to focus on the mundane conversation, trying not to let my disappointment spill over onto Marsha. “Dinner? Sure, sounds great.”
    Caroline had come