Page 1 of Redeeming Heart

Prologue

7 years ago

We were down one point and had five minutes left from winning the Hockey championship.

The whole season has been on our side with only one loss along the way and this was our last moment together as a team before we have to go our separate ways next year.

The ball was handed off to me and I went for a goal when I was intercepted by two players. There was nothing much I could do to hold them off as I was taken from both sides but the referee called the penalty and handed the possession back to my team.

Being the best shot (center), I was allowed to go for a penalty stroke as our opposing team was penalized with a third-party obstruction.

I physically felt the seconds ticking by when I stood in front of the goalie with my eyes focused on the goalkeeper who was blocking the path.

I went for a strike, watching the ball fly swiftly over the ground and went past the goalkeeper’s feet-knocking straight into the net scoring us a win.

I turned around facing my team watching them cheer before I was embraced by them.

From this moment everything seemed possible in my life and fear was just another word-not even the first day of junior high scared me but that moment only lasted for a few minutes.

The same world that was cheering just a few seconds ago became silent before the air was filled with screams as everyone watched in horror when my mother collapse next to the field.

I crossed the field instantly, but I was still too late to catch her.

My father held her in his arms pushing everyone away and covering her face. At first, I didn’t understand why he was shielding her until I saw blood trickling out of her nose.

My whole life took a turn and everything I ever desired vanished into thin air. The dreams I had stopped having meaning when all I wanted is for my mother to heal.

For four years, I witnessed my mother go through the toughest battles of her life.

Held her hair when she got ill from her therapy and medication.

I had to hold my tears while comforting her when she had to cut her hair and shave it all off. Cutting my own in the process to support her.

Her smile was the last thing I remembered before I selfishly fell asleep at her side unaware that it would be my last conversation with her the next morning the horrid truth came to me like a thief in the night slipping through closed doors and windows to rob me of my mother.

No matter how many times I pinched my eyes shut and begged for this to be a dream she didn’t come back to me.

CHAPTER ONE

Present-day

With eyes glued to the clock on the wall, I waited patiently to see if my father would show up. It’s been three years since we had a decent conversation—they mostly consist of him always lecturing me about my responsibilities and bad life choices, and telling me that I am a screw-up.

I’ve spent a decent amount of time at the sheriff’s office over time and I could imagine my father throwing a fit about tonight. He has been covering my ass for the last three years when my life spun out of control, but he never had a serious talk with me, and we haven’t spoken a word about our heartache, since mom passed away.

I shifted my gaze when the cell doors opened and a girl was pushed into the jail cell with me. Arms covered in tattoos from her forearms making their way up to her shoulders. She was wearing black shorts accompanied by black stockings, 3inch heels, and a very exposed top that was barely keeping her clothed from being ripped to shreds.

My gaze was fixed on her sleeve tattoos and images of Camille getting hers started replaying in the back of my mind. She didn’t cry or flinch when the tattoo artist did his magic on her forearms and it was almost as if she had no feeling left after what was done to her. All she cared about was hiding the past because people started to judge her and thought she was suicidal but the truth was much harsher.

I got my ink wings on my back to keep the memory of my mother. I had her write her name down on my back and got a tattoo in her handwriting with a pair of big angel wings on either side of her name.

Camille wasn’t so far off when she said that my mother was an angel in disguise.

Nothing could anger my mother. She was always patient and kind to everyone even when people mistreated her.

I dropped my head back against the cold wall behind me and gazed up at the ceiling wondering what she would say about me being detained by the sheriff of our town.

“What are you in for?” The girl asked, rubbing her forearms while making her way over to me and sitting down. “Underage drinking?” She added.

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