Free Where My Heart Belongs by Tracie Peterson Page B

off?
    “I guess I’ll go to town.” Sunny picked up a piece of toast and a few slices of bacon and made a sandwich. “I’ll be back by afternoon.”
    Kathy said nothing, but Sunny hadn’t expected her to. Kathy’s anger caused Sunny a moment of frustration. Wasn’t this why she’d left in the first place?
    Nobody here ever understood me. Nobody ever saw anything outside of their own needs—their own interests .
    Sunny slid into her car and took a deep breath. She hadn’t intended to tell about her baby son. She supposed a part of her had told the story hoping Kathy would be shocked enough to stop taking her anger out on Sunny. Another part of her just wanted Kathy to understand that her choice to run away hadn’t given Sunny a life of beauty and luxury as her sister might think.
    She thinks I somehow missed out on the pain .
    The car roared to life and classical music filled the interior. Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” blared out as if to cheer her up. Sunny shut off the CD and threw the car into gear. There was no joy in her life right now and no sense in pretending there was. She took a bite of the toast sandwich and headed down the gravel road.
    The drive into downtown Slocum took less than ten minutes. The drive through town took less than two. Built as a support to area farmers, the town had once boasted a spur line on the Union Pacific, as well as the promise of a major highway system. When the highway failed to materialize and the railroad line was eventually shut down, the town of Slocum slowly settled into obscurity.
    Sunny noticed several empty businesses on Main Street. Where a bakery and café had once served as a gathering place for high school students, there were only boarded up windows and a sign that read Out of Business . The same was true of the old appliance store, veterinary clinic, and quilt shop.
    Parking in front of the small grocery store, Sunny decided to get something cold to drink. She felt as though the toast and bacon were still stuck in her throat and fervently wished she’d not gulped it down on the drive over.
    A bell rang on the door of the tiny store called Somner’s. When Sunny had been a girl, this store had been handy for those immediate needs, but they didn’t buy bulk purchases there. Her mother always drove to Hays for their monthly supplies. Somner’s was much as she remembered it. The produce section was just to the left, and to the right were two checkout lanes. Friday nights were always busy, Sunny remembered, and usually Mr. Somner had both lanes open. Today, though, the place was nearly empty, as usual.
    “Can I help you?” a man questioned.
    Sunny didn’t recognize the man, nor did he show any idea of knowing her. “I’m after something cold to drink.”
    The man nodded and pointed. “Back of the store. There’s a selection of soda in the refrigerated section.”
    Sunny smiled and made her way through the aisles. There was something comforting in the familiar store. She had just rounded the corner when someone let out a gasp. She looked up to see a tired-looking woman. The face was familiar, although aged.
    “Mrs. Stover?” Sunny knew it had to be her mother’s best friend. Mrs. Stover had taught grade school and Sunny had been in her third-grade class.
    “So you’re alive. I can’t believe you have the nerve to show your face in this town again, Amy Halbert.” She said the name in a tone of near disgust.
    Sunny was immediately taken aback. “I beg your pardon?”
    Mrs. Stover was a short woman. Sunny had at least a couple of inches on her, but at this moment Sunny had the distinct sensation that the woman was looking down at her. “I didn’t think you could be so heartless as to show up now. I suppose you heard that your father is dying and came back to offer him your attention. It would have been nice if you could have done that for your mother. Poor woman. Her heart broke in two the day you left. Worried herself to death over you—and for