Redemption Song Read Online Free PDF

life. But he couldn’t expect Granny Mae to kick the girl out right after losing her parents just because he didn’t want to put up with a crazed fan. He was stuck. Boy, his mom had really thought this one out thoroughly.
    “No, Granny. Not a problem.”
    Ben bounded back up to the car, having a conversation with none other than silent Ted. Granny Mae was right. The kid definitely never met a stranger. Surprisingly, Ted didn’t seem annoyed by the jabbering youngster. He actually seemed a bit amused.
    “Granny Mae, can we go already?” Ben spouted as if they had all been waiting to leave on something other than him. “I want to get home before Alaina leaves for work so I can introduce her to my new friend Ethan!”
    “Who’s Alaina?” Ethan asked, almost afraid to hear Ben’s answer.
    “That’s my sister. I can’t wait for you to meet her. She is going to llloooovvveee you.”
    Ethan let out an exasperated sigh and turned his head toward the side window, trying to figure out what on earth he could say to his mother to calm her down enough to let him come home from this nightmare.
    “I can’t wait, Bob.”
    “It’s Ben.”
    “Right.”
     
     
     
     

Chapter 4
    Ethan
     
    Stepping into Granny Mae’s house was like stepping back in time to Ethan’s childhood. Everything was exactly the same. The same old floral patterned couch and recliner set that had been there since before he could remember. The multi-colored alphabet magnets on the refrigerator door. The pictures of Ethan from back long before the days of world-wide tours, guest appearances on talk shows, and confinement in the deep South due to episodes of drunkenness.
    The carefree kid in the pictures smiled back at him innocently and Ethan suddenly felt a little confused. In the stillness of his younger self, Ethan noticed something that he hadn’t seen in a long time. The kid looked really happy—content. What had been so great back then? Even then Ethan had desired to be a big star. Why did the kid who had nothing look happier than the teen that had everything?
    “C’mon, Ethan!” Ben’s voice broke into his thoughts, bringing his focus back to the reality of his arrival. “I want to show you our room!”
    Our room?
    Ethan turned and found a guilty faced Granny Mae standing in the entryway.
    “Sorry about that, lil’ E, but there are only so many rooms. Ben’s got a bunk bed so it’s not like you’ll have to sleep on the same mattress. Not to mention, he’s asleep by eight almost every night. You probably won’t even notice he’s there.”
    Granny Mae turned to silent Ted and offered an apologetic smile. “I’m so sorry, Ted, but I’m afraid that all I can offer you is the couch.”
    “That will be perfectly fine,” Ted replied. “Thank you for your hospitality.” Ted slipped the large vinyl duffel bag off of his shoulder and made his way over to the floral excuse for his new bed.
    Ethan had no desire to share a room with Ben. He could take the couch and stick Ted in the room with the kid, but when he parted his lips to offer this suggestion, he closed them just as quickly. He was all out of fight. He just needed sleep, even if he had to get it in the same room as the ten-year-old. Now, if only he could get to the bed without being spotted by Ben’s sister. He needed a nap before he would be ready to deal with living under the same roof with some squealing girl who would probably faint when she found out she was sharing a house with Ethan Carter .
    When Ethan reached the doorway of his new bedroom, he found Ben perched on the top bunk, smiling ear to ear like the king of his own little mountain.
    “We missed my sister, but oh well. You can meet her later. Can you believe this?” Ben beamed. “We’re going to be roommates!”
    Ethan smirked. “It’s definitely unbelievable.”
    Ben’s smile grew even wider. Ethan had to admit; the kid was kind of cute in his own annoying little kid way. It was as if he glowed when he