Free Until Today by Pam Fluttert Page A

dad has calmed down. Everything’s fine.”
    Nodding, I watch him walk away, then glance at Amy. She’s still staring at me, as if she can read my mind and heart.
    Without another word, Amy turns and follows her husband, leaving me to drown in guilt and shame.

Chapter Ten

    Breakfast the next morning is silent. Mom had to leave early and Sarah gives me an obvious cold shoulder. Dad and I glare across the table every once in awhile, but refuse to say anything after our argument last night. I still smart from being told once again how selfish and ungrateful I have been.
    My whole family is crazy. Nothing makes sense anymore.
    Sarah can do no wrong in Dad’s eyes, yet all she seems to want to do is sit in front of the television and disappear into some fantasy land. Jared, the champion in my Dad’s eyes, is following in good old David Thompson’s footsteps – lining the walls with trophies and attending university to become a lawyer and join the law firm.
    Mom is there whenever Dad needs something, otherwise he doesn’t really say a whole lot to her – at least not when I’m around. He’s too wrapped up in the sports section of the newspaper, or hanging out with Princess Sarah. When he’s not home, he’s wining and dining some new client.
    Where do I fit in? I ask myself this question as I leave the house to walk to the hospital. It’s not the first time I’ve wondered.
    A horn beeps behind me. I wave at Scott while he signals to pull over beside the curb.
    â€œHey, everybody settled after last night?” Scott asks through the open window.
    â€œI guess so. Sarah’s sucking up the extra attention like a sponge.” I roll my eyes.
    Scott chuckles. “Yeah, she’s always been good at that.”
    â€œNo kidding.” I look away for a moment, trying to contain my annoyance with Sarah. “Thanks for your help last night. I guess I kind of panicked.”
    â€œNo problem. What are friends for?”
    I turn and stare at Scott, noticing him in a different way. He has a beautiful smile, with small dimples that curl up with the corners of his mouth. When we were younger, he was embarrassed about his dimples. I had forgotten about them until now. I guess it’s like a work of art. If you stare at it every day, you stop noticing the small details and eventually forget to appreciate the beauty behind it.
    Raising my eyes from his dimples, I know what I’ll see; brown eyes, alive and dancing with light. He’s the only guy I’ve ever met who could not only smile with his lips, but with his eyes as well.
    Scott’s cell phone rings and breaks the spell. I shake my head, trying to focus my thoughts again. Scott watches me with a strange look.
    He picks up his phone. “Hello?” He holds his finger up, motioning for me to wait. “Okay, Steph. I’ll be there in five minutes.” Scott hits the “End” button and throws the phone on the passenger seat beside him, still not looking away from me.
    â€œI have to pick up Steph. She feels bad she wasn’t around last night.”
    â€œYeah, right,” I say under my breath. I didn’t mean to say that out loud.
    Scott’s eyebrows lift. “Hey, don’t worry about it,” he says. “It’s between you two. Keep me out of it! You guys will work it out – you always do.”
    â€œSure,” I say. We always worked it out when it was just me in the picture. Now Steph has somebody else to occupy her time. She doesn’t need me anymore.
    â€œI have to go. Steph’s waiting, and she’ll shoot me if I’m late.”
    â€œOkay, thanks again for last night. See you.”
    Scott pulls away and disappears around the next corner. He really does seem different lately. He’s been blowing hot and cold. Sometimes he seems to be avoiding me, but other times he is the Scott he used to be, only more intense. Sighing, I enter the