Page 47 of Unraveled

“Audrey, honey, how are you?”

“Fine, Mom. How are you?”

“Oh, the usual,” she said.

Audrey fought the urge to roll her eyes. It had been the same for the last thirty years. While her father went to work in his accounting firm, her mother stayed home and took care of the house. She came from the South, born of a generation who thought it was a woman’s job to look after the house and family.

Audrey's sister was the same way. She’d been married to her high school sweetheart for nearly ten years, and they had the requisite house in the suburbs, two kids, and a dog. Audrey was proud of what she’d accomplished, but she’d be lying if part of her said she wasn’t at least a little envious of her sister.

Her parents weren’t happy about Audrey's divorce, but then they never really liked Scott to begin with. Her mother didn’t ask about it, and Audrey didn’t bother to offer any information. It was over, in the past, and that was all that mattered.

“I have something to tell you,” Audrey began slowly. “I wanted you to hear it from me before you found out from someone else.”

“Oh? What’s that?”

She heard the wary curiosity in her mother’s tone. “There was a shooting downtown near one of the coffee shops yesterday, and I was there.”

“That’s terrible!” Her mother clucked a sympathetic sound. “What’s this world coming to?”

“I don’t know,” Audrey said. “It’s pretty bad. Anyway, I was standing right outside, and I was kind of… hit.”

“Hit?” her mother asked. “By what?”

“Um… the bullet.”

On the other end of the line, her mother sucked in a breath, and Audrey could practically see her eyes widen in shock. “Oh my God! Are you okay?”

“Well…” Audrey laughed. “I wouldn’t exactly be calling if I wasn’t.”

“You know what I mean,” her mother scolded. “Do you want us to come down?”

Audrey picked at a thread on the blanket. “No, that’s okay. I appreciate the offer though.”

“Are you sure? Daddy can take some time off, and⁠—”

“It’s fine.” Audrey cut her off. “Really. I’m staying with a friend, so I’m perfectly safe.”

“If you say so…” Her mother trailed off.

“I am. I just wanted to let you know.”

“All right,” her mother acquiesced, sounding not at all happy about it.

“So tell me what else is going on.” Audrey changed the subject and listened as her mother prattled on about her nephew’s football team for a few minutes.

“Anyway, they’re already starting practices to get ready for the fall.”

“Isn’t it a little early?” Don’t get her wrong. Audrey was born and raised in Florida, and she loved football as much as the next girl, but seriously. The kid was only six.

“You know how it is,” her mother said.

Unfortunately, Audrey did.

A few minutes later, after getting all caught up on the drama, she hung up with her mom, then made her way downstairs to the kitchen. She smiled at John where he sat at the table, flipping through the morning paper. Carter had told her to make herself at home, so she headed for the fridge and pulled out a jug of orange juice.

“Glasses are to the right of the stove. Need some help?”

“No, thanks. I think I’ve got it.” She shot John a smile, and he turned his attention back to his paper. With one hand, she managed to unscrew the cap and awkwardly sloshed it into the glass.