When Lightning Strikes

When Lightning Strikes: Chapter 30

“Gracie! Telephone!”

I was in the middle of arranging the bed sheets when Gwen called for me. I hurried down into the kitchen where Ruby’s mother stood, holding it out for me. When she had heard a bit about my situation (we had only given her enough facts for her to accept me staying here for a while), she was happy to have another girl under her roof, even if she worked most of the time.

Gwen’s fiery hair – the exact same shade as Ruby’s, was pulled up into a high ponytail. I could tell she was getting ready for her night shift at the bar, which was her second job. Although it was chilly, she was sporting a sleeveless, tight button-up top of vermilion. As usual, the first two buttons were popped open. Then there was her velvet black skirt, which reached halfway down her thighs and her fishnet stockings.

Ruby had always been annoyed at the way her mother dressed. “She thinks she’s still a teenager sometimes,” she had grumbled once.

“Who is it?” I asked Gwen quietly.

She smiled mysteriously in return. “I’m not spilling.”

Hesitantly, I took a hold of the phone and cradled it to my ear. I hoped it wasn’t my parents, as I had received a few missed calls from them about an hour ago. However, fate didn’t seem to be listening to me.

“Hello?”

A relieved sigh came from the other end. “Gracie, why aren’t you home yet? It’s nearly midnight. And why is my car parked here? I thought you took it somewhere.”

I cleared my throat. How was I going to say this?

“Sorry d-dad.” I stuttered on the word ‘dad’. “But I’m staying over at Ruby’s.”

A gruff ‘oh’ escaped my dad’s lips. “You could have told me.”

“Um dad?” I took a deep breath. “I don’t think I’m coming home anytime soon.”

There was silence. I could imagine his face turning a shade of red as the meaning of my words sunk in.

“What?”

My heart was beating wildly in my chest. Uh-oh.

“You’re running away from home?!”

I fiddled with the telephone cord. “Not exactly …”

“Gracie Mae, what are you thinking?!” he bellowed. I jumped, and as a reflex, held the phone away from my ear. “I never brought you up to be this rebellious! Come home this instant!”

I let out a frustrated sigh. Never in my life did I think I would become angry with my father. I rubbed my temple. “I’m staying here, dad. I need time away … from you.”

He sucked in a sharp breath. “Excuse me?”

I gulped, not meaning the way it sounded. Although he despised me, he was still my dad and I respected him. “I’m sorry. Look, I’m just not happy living with you and mom now. Ever since Aubrey’s funeral, there’s been too much tension and … dad?”

There was no response. I frowned and checked if he had hung up, but he hadn’t. Suddenly, I heard it.

Laboured breaths and wheezing was all I could make out from the other end of the line.

My body filled with dread. “Dad? Dad?!”

There was a feminine shriek – most likely my mother. “Ken! Ken!”

Now I was worried. My hands shook. “Mom?!”

I didn’t think she could hear, but she took a hold of the phone and frantically exclaimed, “I think your dad’s had a stroke! I’m going to hang up and call the ambulance, alright?”