Next to Me Read Online Free PDF Page A

with his father, he always had the hope she would come around.
    “A double date would be a disaster and you know it,” he said as he got up to put his plate in the sink and put up the pancake mix.
    “I’ll get that, Zane, you made me breakfast.” Zane wanted to let him do it, but he knew it was really hard for him. His dad was independent and didn’t like being taken care of, but it was necessary. Since he didn’t have full use of his body back yet, it was easier for Zane just to do it, but he wanted to let him do things on his own.
    “Thanks, Dad, I’ll go finish getting ready!”
    When he came back into the kitchen Dustin had spilled a couple of things, but had everything put up and handed Zane his lunch out of the refrigerator.
    “You know, Son, all joking aside, I would like for us to go do more together. Even if we just go out to dinner, no dates. Okay?” he said, leaning on the doorframe.
    “I would like that, Dad, we’ll make it happen.” Zane headed out to his truck feeling good about the day.

    “Zane,” Whitney yelled at him. He was playing in the yard with a big stick and didn’t hear her at first. “Zane, come here. Hurry!”
    He looked up at her and came running over. “What’s wrong, what is it?”
    At eight years old Whitney didn’t know what alcohol was. All she knew was she couldn’t wake her mother up. She’d wanted her to play tea party and she was asleep on the couch, so she’d set everything up complete with two stuffed animals to sit in the chairs she and her mother weren’t occupying.
    She shook her and heard a rattling, looking behind her body to see there were two different pill bottles and they were open. Her mom had a glass bottle in her hand that she was curled up with like a teddy bear, and Whitney couldn’t wake her when she shook her.
    “I don’t know why she won’t get up, Zane. She loves to play tea party.” Zane had a look on his face. It wasn’t one she’d seen before and it actually scared her.
    “I don’t know, Whitney. You remember that number they tell you to call in school if you’re scared or if something doesn’t seem right?”
    “Nine-one-one?” Whitney asked.
    “Yes, I think we should probably call it for your mom.” Whitney’s eyes widened, but just as she went to get the phone her dad walked in. He smelled like peppermints and looked like he needed to shave.
    “Daddy, Mom doesn’t want to get up.”
    “What?” Her dad stumbled over and moved her mom around, slapping her on the face a couple of times. “Teresa, you lazy wench, get up and watch your kid.”
    Her mom didn’t move, and she started to become more afraid.
    “What a stupid bitch,” her dad said and he went to get the phone, dialing the three numbers. When he was done he came over and kneeled beside her. “Daddy has to go. He can’t be here with law enforcement. Daddy has some warrants. Zane here will take good care of you and Mommy will be fine.”
    “Wait, Dad.” Whitney started to cry. “Don’t leave.” Her dad didn’t say anything. He just left, and Whitney was left to wonder what the heck a warrant was. Zane held her hand while the ambulance drivers came in and poked her mother. After a few minutes Mrs. Grier came over and made them both go stand outside. Whitney clung to her as her mother was lifted onto a stretcher and taken away in an ambulance.
    Whitney woke up in her bathtub and looked around her. She had passed out taking a bath and the water had drained out, leaving her in an empty and extremely hard makeshift bed. Walter had made her feel amazing the night before, but it hadn’t stopped her from coming home and drinking until she couldn’t walk. There was clearly something wrong with her, after that motorcycle ride and an almost kiss goodnight. She felt almost like she used to on a first date before she had become such a mess.
    It was probably close to being around work time again if she could judge by the brighter than hell light coming through the