Chasing the Storm (Chasing the Storm, #1) - PUBLISHED

Chapter Three

Will anybody love me? Why doesn't anyone want me? What am I doing wrong?

God, would you please find me a family who will keep me? A mom who won't call me names when I forget to brush my hair... a dad who won't wake me up with a belt when I accidentally wet the bed... Someone who will hold me after nightmares and tell me that it's okay... God, please.

"I'm so done with that... that thing, George!"

I hide around the corner, my back against the wall as I occasionally peek into my foster parents' bedroom.

"I told you that fostering a child wasn't going to be easy, Susan," Mr. Hatchker replies. "You-"

"Oh, so now you're blaming me?"

“Wait, hold on… I think he’s listening.”

Hearing Mr. Hatchker’s heavy footsteps coming my way, I’m about to run, but the back of my shirt is grabbed and I’m forcefully pulled back and into the room.

“I’m sorry!” I shout, using all my might to push his hands away from me. “Please don’t hit me!”

“Don’t you dare raise your voice at my husband!” Mrs. Hatchker says between a shout and a scream. “Don’t hit him, George. He just needs a little time out.”

“No, please! Please no! Please!”

“Please… Please no… Please…”

My eyes fly open and, gripping the edges of the bed, I inhale deeply. I’m covered in cold sweat.

What was that? It felt so real… Except, I was a… a “he”? I was only a little kid… I couldn’t have been any older than five… Who were those people? Mr. and Mrs. Hatchker?

What was that? It was as if my mind was recalling a memory that I don’t even have.

I try to dismiss the dark feeling in the pit of my stomach as I move on with the start of my Friday… afternoon? I never sleep this late!

The clock above my closet tells me that it’s half past one. My parents have long since gone to work.

Before I do anything else, I do my morning routine. It consists of making my bed, brushing my teeth, changing into day clothes, doing my morning devotion, etc.

On my iPhone, I open the Heartlight app, select Devotionals and then hit “Today’s Verse”. I then open the verse of the day, which is…

No way.

“[Jesus said,] You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.”

♥ • ❤ • ♥

“Abigail, I’m going to Publix!” Mom shouts up the stairs. “Wanna come with?”

“Can I get a cookie if I do?”

“Sure, why not? Come on, we need to hurry. They’re closing in twenty minutes.”

♥ • ❤ • ♥

We turn into Winthrop Town Centre, home of our favorite Publix Shopping Center. We go here often when my mom shops with coupons on Wednesday nights. This has to be the earliest we’ve gone in the sale cycle.

We pass by lots of buildings, including a Five Guys – my father’s favorite restaurant – and a Moe’s on our left, which is my favorite. At least my Power Wagon is way healthier than the greasy fries and burgers. I especially love to hear them shout, “Welcome to Moe’s!”

As we turn right, I suddenly look up and see a name that I detest, and my heart leaps into my throat. We are facing a bank…

Chase.

“Who are you mad at?” my mom asks, looking at me in the rearview mirror.

“Nobody… It’s nothing.”

“Hm.”

The parking lot is emptier than usual, because it’s near closing time, so we’re able to get a parking space near the doors.

I don’t like being in parking lots at night. Especially not empty ones.

It’s so late that some of the Publix employees are standing at the automatic doors, about ready to lock up.

“Take your own shopping cart, Abigail,” Mom says, walking faster than I am, and I’ve been told that I’m a pretty fast walker. “I’ll give you half of the shopping list. You can go get a cookie first, since the bakery tends to close first.”

“Yay! Okay!” I reply.

She carefully rips half of our list and gives it to me, then hands me all of the coupons that go with it.

I hurry over to the bakery area, but in my mad dash, do something incredibly embarrassing for me. I’m sixteen for goodness’ sake, and I’m so eager to get a cookie that I bump my shopping cart into a flower display, knocking them off the wooden table. Some of the dirt falls out of the flower pots, and some of the flower pots crack.

I immediately freeze, considering fast-walking away in hopes no one saw and will know it was me, but I know that’s not the right thing to do.                

Groaning, I close my eyes tightly, wishing I could just disappear.

Did I really just do that? Rapture now!

I look around to see if anyone witnessed the beginning of one of the most embarrassing moments of my life, but no one is around…

Or so I thought.

I’m even more embarrassed when someone rushes over to the crime scene, hurrying into action. He gets down with a dust pan and broom and puts them aside, first picking up the flowers.

“I’m so sorry,” I say quietly. “I feel so spastic right now!”

“It’s all right, Miss. You don’t have to worry; I’ve got this.”

“No, it’s my mess,” I reply, my heart racing. In the process of bending down, my elbow bumps into one of the flower pots that hadn’t cracked… until now. It falls a foot to the tile floor, making a loud splitting sound. The Publix employee looks up at me, and that’s when I get the shock of my life. I’m further embarrassed when I see who it is.

“Are you like this everywhere you go, ABC, or do I make you nervous?”

“My name is Abigail,” I say firmly, reluctantly crouching down to help, despite my strong feelings against him. It would be wrong for me to just leave him here to clean up my mess and I know it.

“Yeah, and you didn’t answer my question, Abigail.”

After taking a deep, calming breath, I say exasperatedly, “Really, Chase? I didn’t even know you work here.”

“I wouldn’t be working here if I’d known you shop here.”

“Yup, at least once a week.”

“Oh, joy.”

When we’re finished cleaning, I leave without another word and head to the bakery. Sadly, I find that they’re closed. The lights are off and no one is behind the counter.

“Abigail, you won’t believe this, but I just saw Chase Jones!” my mother exclaims, coming up beside me. “He’s even cuter than I remember.”

“Ugh.”

♥ • ❤ • ♥

I lay down on my bed and pick up the remote, turning on the TV. Listening to it on a low volume soothes me.

I groan when a certain commercial comes onto the screen, and I immediately shut the TV off. Falling asleep after hearing his name… Not a good idea. To continue watching it would be asking for nightmares!

It was a Chase Sapphire commercial.