Shattered: A Salvation Society Novel by Bella Emy (pdf to ebook reader .TXT) 📕

later than I need to? Plus, it’s Friday, I’m ready to get my party on.”

I giggle at her comment. I know she’s not going anywhere but home. It’s Friday, and every Friday after work, she goes home to relax in front of the TV, while her husband plays on the computer. Saturdays are her days for going out. I know her schedule inside and out, much like she knows mine.

I clear my throat. “Yeah, where you going?” I pull her chain.

She scoffs. “You know damn well I’ll be parking my ass right in front of my TV and pigging out on lo mein and wonton while Michael plays his online games.”

I knew it…

After a moment, she asks, “So, what’s up? Want to come over and join me?”

It would be nice. But with my flight leaving in the morning, I need to make sure I’ve got everything packed and ready to go.

I buckle up my seat belt and get ready to make the drive home. Thankfully, I only live fifteen minutes from here. “I would. But I still gotta finish packing for tomorrow morning. Flight leaves at six.”

“Ick. That’s too early for my liking on a Saturday morning.”

I frown. “I know. But I’m excited. I haven’t been back home or seen Erin and Kennedy in so long.”

“Hell yeah, girl. Enjoy yourself.”

Remembering why I had called her in the first place, I say, “So, I opened the card you guys got me and it had a nice little message from Elmers…”

“Yeah? Why am I sensing a but somewhere?” she asks, then honks her horn. “Watch it, douche bag. Sorry, I’ve got road rage and very little patience for fuckers who like to cut me off at the last minute. You were saying?”

I chuckle. Jo’s always been known to act on impulse, having very little filter, and I love it. “Anyway, yeah… there was a check in there… for five grand.”

“Five thousand dollars?!” she shouts.

“Uh- huh.”

“Shiiit. Maybe I should quit, too.” She laughs.

“Jo! I didn’t quit… I left… ugh, it’s no better. But that’s beside the point. Do you think I should bring it back to him?”

“What?! Hell no! That’s a gift, and if anyone deserves that little bonus, it’s you,” she answers. “Why would you even ask that?”

I shrug even though I know she can’t see me and pull out of the parking lot. “Because it’s so much money. I feel wrong taking it. But would it be like a slap in the face to give it back? I mean, I’m not unappreciative or anything like that. Quite the contrary; I’m very thankful, but still. I guess I just wanted your opinion.”

She sucks her teeth. “No way, Lexi. You can call and thank him or even send Elmers a thank you note, but you keep that money. What did he write in the card to you?”

“He said it was for all my years of dedication and a little something to get me started on my new adventure.” I take a deep breath. “I don’t know. It still feels somewhat wrong to me. It’s a lot of money.”

“It’s not like he’s going to miss it. Elmers has enough money coming out of his ass. Trust me, it’s fine.”

I ponder her words. Maybe she’s right. I mean, I know he’s got plenty of money. The company brings in millions every year. This is just chump change to someone like him. I remember that’s what it was like for us growing up. My family was loaded until my parents divorced and Mom and I moved out east.

“Lexi, do you hear me?” she asks after a few moments of me not saying anything.

“Yes, I’m sorry, Jo. Okay.”

“Okay, what?”

“Okay, I’ll keep it,” I say.

“Good. Now go take your ass home, finish packing, and then enjoy your mini vacation before your new life begins. Lexi, you’re going to be amazing and everything is going to be great. You’ll see. I’m so freaking proud of you.”

I smile. “Thanks, Jo. You’re the greatest. I love you.”

“Love you, too, bitch. Now go!”

I giggle and turn onto the main road. “Yes, ma’am!”

Chapter Two

I can’t wait to get off this fucking plane. Between the turbulence making me feel like I’m about to toss my cookies all over the place and the anxiety and nervousness of seeing my friends and my hometown again, I need to get off this damn thing. Unfortunately for me though, there’s still another two hours to go. Thank God it’s not a super long flight. I’ve been on flights longer than this, but it’s long enough to make me wish I had taken a bus or my own damn car and driven out to Cali.

I reach down into my bag sitting on the floor to find my romance novel, Destined, and try to pick up from the last chapter I had read. Maybe if I read and try to get my mind off how I’m feeling, it will make the remainder of this flight better.

Snores erupt from the heavyweight passenger sitting in my row. I’m thankful that the middle seat is empty. At least that gives us some space between us.

“Can I offer you something to drink? Tea? Coffee?” The flight attendant comes around yet again. The time before, she had been carrying our lunch trays—a disgusting version of ziti with beef. I pushed the food around with a fork until they came back around again to clean up the trays. I’d rather starve than eat whatever that was and let my stomach feel even sicker.

“Just some water, please,” I respond.

The blonde stewardess smiles and fills a see-through plastic cup with the liquid then hands it over to me. “Here you are.”

As I take the cup from her grasp, she makes her way to the next aisle, not bothering to wake the sleeping giant in my row.

I take a sip from the cup and the cool liquid coats the back of my throat. Damn, I hadn’t realized how thirsty I really was.

I take another sip, longer this time, and