Until the Sun Burns Out Read Online Free PDF Page A

him to see me and not be able to be with me whenever he wanted. And, honestly, I hated the way the custody was split. I lived with my mom during the week and stayed with Dad on the weekends. It was so much back and forth and it was confusing.” His eyes were glazed over as if he was a million miles away in his mind. It made my insides twist. “I couldn’t imagine doing that to you and your brother. I didn’t want you to have that kind of life.” He shrugged. “I thought this would be better. Your life will be stable. You’ll get to live in one house all school year, and then the summers will be like one long vacation. And when you’re here, I won’t have to share you. Besides, you and your brother always loved the beach.”
    I could see that he believed what he was saying. He thought this was what was best for us. But he was wrong. None of this was best for me. None of this was what I wanted.
    “I loved the beach when we went there as a family ,” I said. “But we don’t have a family anymore. You took that away.” Angrily, I whirled around.
    “Mina,” Dad called after me.
    My shoulders stiffened.
    “You can’t keep treating me with disrespect like this. I’m still your dad.”
    Peering over my shoulder, I laughed bitterly. “For only three months a year.”
    “That’s not true, Mina,” he said gently. “I’m your dad forever. Nothing can change that.”
    A lump formed in my throat. He had no idea how much I wanted that to be true.
    “I’m only a phone call away,” he added, and my heart hardened right back up.
    “You don’t get it,” I snapped. “I don’t want you to be a phone call away. I want you down the hallway. I want you in the same house so I can see you every day. Not just during the summer.” My lips quivered, moisture pricking at my eyes.
    “I want that too.”
    “No, you don’t.” Swallowing hard, I lifted my chin. “You’re the one who left.” Before he could respond, I raced down the hallway and slipped into my room. Once inside, I firmly closed the door. Leaning my head against the wall, I breathed out deeply warding off the tears.

FIVE
     
    The sandwich sat on the table between us like a peace offering.
    The early morning sun streamed in through the windows, painting yellow lines on the floor. I’d woken up early with the intention of getting out of the house before Dad got up. The last thing I wanted was a confrontation again today. I was tired of fighting. That’s why I planned to go for a walk and call Mom, beg her to let me come home. It may not have worked during our last conversation, but I knew eventually I could wear her down. I always could. She was a pushover. Dad used to tease her about it too. At the time I thought it was good- natured, but now I wondered if it was his way of putting her down, getting in a dig at her.
    However, I never got a chance to call Mom because Dad was already awake when I went into the kitchen.
    “I made it for you this morning, since we never got the chance to have it in the middle of the night,” Dad explained, pushing the plate nearer to me.
    I stood next to the table staring down at it, my mouth watering. It had been months since I’d had a chocolate and marshmallow sandwich. Mom refused to make them for me. She thought they were gross. It had always been something Dad made. A snack we enjoyed together. And even then I didn’t get it often. Only on special occasions.
    Reaching down, I picked it up. I may have been angry with Dad, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t eat the sandwich. Besides, it was already made. No sense wasting it. When I took a bite, chocolate oozed out and dripped down the side of my mouth. Darting out my tongue, I licked it off. The mixture of the sticky marshmallow crème and sweetness of the chocolate melted on my tongue.
    “Sit down a minute.” Dad waved his hand toward the chair across from me, and then I knew why he made the sandwich. It was a bribe.
    Well played. I was enjoying the snack too