Page 2 of Covered in Coal

He rants and raves and my heart pounds in my ears as I grow angrier at his painful words—bastard child, just like your mother. Is he freakin’ kidding me? Damn, John Simon is a true son of a bitch. Always thinking of only himself and this godforsaken coal pit.

“So you’re rejecting me? Your own flesh and blood? And for what? Just to protect your image and your godforsaken coal company?”

Daddy palms the top of the desk and leans close, his face contorting with anger. “Listen to me, little girl. I’ve wrecked more havoc tothose who cross me for lesser sins. Don’t try me, Carolina.” The malevolent tone in his voice is terrifying. What has he done? To whom? I really don’t want to know this side of my daddy.

I fight back the tears as I stand strong on my own two feet and spew words that I can never take back. Words that should never be said to any father.

“Screw it!” I throw my hands in the air in defeat.“I don’t need you! I don’t need Colton! Nobody will ever have to know about your bastard grandkid! If the damn mines and your super-sized ego means that damn much to you, and you’re willing to lose your family, I’ll walk away, but I’ll never look back! I can’t believe you can cut your own flesh and blood down with such hurtful words! I knew you would be hurt, Daddy, disappointed even, but I never imagined you’d rejected me so coldly. I came to you because you’re all I have, but you want to push me away because I made a mistake? A mistake that would bring so much love and joy to our lives. You want no part of that?”

He stands to his full height and crosses his arms over his broad chest and shrugs carelessly. “You made your bed, little girl. I’m done with this conversation.”

“Forget it; I don’t care... I’m done. I don’t want any part of you or these damn mines!” Anger has consumed me. Before he can heave his rebuttal, I stomp out of his office and through the front door. I hurry to my car and speed out of the parking lot without turning back. He didn’t hide his shame, the rejection, and that cut through my very soul. He held no compassion for me, only contempt. I admitted I’d made a mistake, but my biggest mistake was confiding in him because I thought he could tell me how to handle the situation. He’s too humiliated by this mistake that could scar our family. Worried his good name may be smeared, he doesn’t want me or my baby. Well, I’m not gonna be around to be that constant reminder of shame to him. He’ll never tell anyone that I’m pregnant, so nobody needs to know. Not even Colton.

I drive home through reddened eyes and put my plan into action. Racing up the stairs, I grab a suitcase from the hall closet and start packing. Just as I pass by my desk, I catch a glimpse of a picture frame. The photo is of Daddy, Colton, and me at my graduation, taken just a few weeks ago.My two favorite guys, the loves of my life. How did I lose both of them in just a matter of hours? I toss the photo in my suitcase and zip it up.

I fall lifelessly onto my bed and fight back the burning that stings my eyes.I’m too strong to let this break me. I curl into my pillow, hugging it tight to my face, and allow the tears to break free. I can’t believe I’m even considering this. Once I leave there is no turning back, but Daddy doesn’t want us. Us? Weird... I just found out I’m pregnant, and suddenly I’m an us.

Burying my irrational thought deep in my mind, I pull myself from my bed and stomp into Daddy’s office to grab his stash of petty cash. I have a few thousand dollars in my checking account, but Daddy always keeps plenty of extra money in the house. Hell, he’ll never miss any of it. Gotta make sure I have enough to live on until I can find a job, wherever I’m going.

I carry my bags downstairs and take a deep breath, trying to catch my bearings. Stay strong, Carly, you can do this.

I can’t believe this is the path my life is taking. Just a few weeks ago I graduated high school and had my life mapped out with amazing plans for the road ahead. I would be spending my final summer here in this small town, country livin’ coalfield before heading off to Lexington, Kentucky to live in my newfound freedom as an adult.

I open the front door and step out onto the porch. I take one last look around at my surroundings. The front porch swing where I used to sit on Daddy’s lap, stealing sips of his coffee when I was just a little girl. The driveway where I skinned my knee learning to ride my bicycle without training wheels. The oak tree where Colton and I took my senior prom pictures.

Turning to look inside, I see the fireplace where the Christmas stockings used to hang and lights twinkling from the huge Douglas fir that homed the several presents Daddy would stuff under the tree for Savannah and me. A tear slides down my cheek as I realize by stepping off this porch, I’m stepping away from the only life I’ve ever known. Walking away from Daddy, away from Colton, and away from home. But I take that step and make my way to my car, tossing the bags in the trunk.

I slide into the driver seat and start the engine. “Big Girls Don’t Cry” by Fergie blasts through the speakers. I find strength in the lyrics and suck back every ounce of negative emotion that is gnawing at my heart. With a deep inhale, I take one last look at home before backing out of the driveway. Shifting the car into gear, I drive away; toward my future, my new life, and away from Williamstown, Kentucky, hoping to never look back.

Chapter 1

Carly

Seven Years Later

Time is a thief.

Days turn to weeks, and weeks turn to months, and before long years have flown by. One, three, five, seven. You learn to live with the gaping hole in your heart, and when you look back on all that’s been lost, you realize it’s so much more than you could ever measure. Stolen moments of time and precious memories erased from existence.

That stark realization is suffocating as I drive through the night to make it home to see Daddy before his withered body gives up the fight. I never expected time to erase our bond like it has, but there’s nothing but heartache in the past and an all-consuming grief that I don’t know how to process.

Grief is strange. It comes in waves with unexpected emotions that leave my lungs stuttering for air. I could have lessened this heartache, but I was too stubborn to come home when Savannah told me Daddy was sick. In my mind, Daddy was strong, invincible, bigger than life. When my phone rang in the middle of the night and the desperate whimpers of Savannah’s cries broke through the white noise of the call, I realized just how much time I’d lost that I could never get back. Now it’s a race against time to make it to Kentucky before he gives up the fight. He’s strong enough to fight, damn it. But will he fight for one more day so we can make amends?

John Simon is a well-respected man. CEO of Simon Energy, he is a pillar in the coalfield communities. From charitable donations and school scholarship programs named in his honor, he is the face of Williamstown, Kentucky. But he wasn’t always the rich, successful man that he is today.

Daddy started working in the coal mines shortly after he graduated high school. In Eastern Kentucky, it’s what most men do to support their families; they work in the coal mines. Daddy worked his way up fast, from a general laborer to shift foreman and every job in between in just a few years. He knew every job at the mines, inside and out. He worked his ass off, working every extra shift he could, saving every extra dime he made in hopes that one day he could buy his own coal mines. At age twenty-five, he made that dream happen.

By chance, he came across a small mine that had fifty plus years of coal left to cut. The owner had fallen on hard times due to making bad investments and couldn’t afford to continue operations. Daddy bought the mines for a steal. He had literally stumbled upon black gold. Simon Energy started out as one small mines, but Daddy built his empire up to five coal mines around the tristate area. He has operated his coal empire for the last thirty-three years through blood, sweat, and sheer determination for success. Ol’ man done pretty good for himself if ya ask me. Poor Kentucky coal miner to a self-made millionaire on the Fortune 1000.

But it’s because of the damn mines that Daddy is dying. Continuous exposure to the harsh toxins and chemicals of the mines has poisoned his lungs with cancer. The doctor has only given Daddy a few days, at best. The cancer has become extremely aggressive in its final stage. Apparently, they have known for about the last eighteen months, but he refused to let Savannah call me. He told her that when I walked away, it was for good. Best for the family and the company. How endearing. Should have known that even on his deathbed, Daddy would still be a stubborn old ass.

It’s been seven years since I’ve been home, since my life changed dramatically. When I left Kentucky, my intentions were to never look back. Yet, here I am, traveling home to say my goodbyes to my dying father. I’m not sure what state of mind he is in from all the medication he’s on. I just pray that we can make peace with our animosity.

I crank up the stereo as loud as I can, just trying to stay awake. The drive from South Carolina to Kentucky is long and nerve-wracking, the early morning traffic increasing as day breaks.

I look out over the Blue Ridge Mountains and think back to simpler times. I remember traveling this very road as a kid when we would go to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina each year for vacation. Just Daddy, Savannah, and me. Daddy owns a huge beach house just feet from the water. Each morning Savannah and I would wake up to watch the sunrise and the dolphins swimming in the ocean. Daddy would sit with us in the sand and build sandcastles, toss Frisbee, then take us for ice cream up on the boardwalk. I smile at the sweet memories, but I can’t help but wonder how many times he came to Myrtle Beach in the last seven years? Did he think maybe I was here, or did he even care? He didn’t care. I shake the heart-wrenching thoughts from my mind and try to focus on the drive, a grave silence filling the air around me.

Hours later, I arrive at the hospital. I park and turn off the ignition. I check my phone for any notifications from Savannah, my only connection to my old life, then exhale. I stare blankly at the gray wall of the parking garage. When I get out of this car and go into the hospital, I’ll come face to face with my daddy after being estranged for seven years. He didn’t want me to know he is dying; will he turn me away? Each second I sit here wondering what the next minute may hold is another minute of my daddy’s life ticking away into death’s hands. “Dear God, please, please give me this time…”

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