Title: In Spades (Mirrored #1)
Author: K. Pinson
Genre: New Adult Goodreads
Hosted by: Love Between the Sheets
Avalynn has been running from her past for a couple of years now....never very far but always extremely fast. With an alcoholic father, a void of a mother and a town full of gossip, she struggles to find her place in the world.The only thing that saved her on her path of self destruction is her beautiful little sister, her miracle. Desperately trying to save Abby from a life that Avalynn has been trying so hard to escape from, she plots to take Abby away.The plan going dangerously astray, leaving Avalynn beaten and broken in what once was the hallway mirror in her childhood home. Avalynn finally comes to in the hospital after nearly being beaten to death. Father-Dead, Mother-Missing, Abby-In foster care--Everything changing in the blink of an eye.
BUY LINKS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
22 years old. Lives in a small farm town. Work full times as a Manager for an assisted living program for mentally challenged adults. I love my job. :) Getting my degree in music therapy.
22 years old. Lives in a small farm town. Work full times as a Manager for an assisted living program for mentally challenged adults. I love my job. :) Getting my degree in music therapy.
EXCERPT
“Did you have a good day at school Abby girl?” I asked her in between bites of my ice-cream.
“Yea…I guess….” Abby didn’t look all that convinced and I immediately wonder what could be going on.
“Is there something the matter Abby? You’ve got to tell Mommy if you are having any issues so that I can fix them. I can’t read your mind sweetheart.” I reached out and grabbed her little hand, giving a little kiss to the top.
“I’m okay.”
She was relentless, so I left well enough alone. I would have to keep an eye on her and make sure everything was going good in school. I know that the doctor had told me when she was initially diagnosed with the autism that she would have mood swings and also be easily overwhelmed. I hoped that it wasn’t anything I’d done and not realized, but all I could do was ask Mrs. Anderson if there was anything going on and go from there.
I felt a warm body slide into the booth next to me, interrupting my thoughts. By the way my body was humming; I could already tell who it was. It was almost eerie how in tune my body was to his. Abby’s face lit up instantly and it was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. My heart instantly warmed and I looked over, not at all surprised to see my beautiful stranger. I couldn’t stop the ear to ear smile spreading across my face either.
“Hey beautiful.” He looked directly into my eyes and I felt myself swooning.
“Hi...” I said shyly back.
“I thinkkk he was talking to me Mommy.” Abby’s little voice piped up from her side of the booth.
“You’re right Ab, I was talking to you. You know you’re my number one girl. But you both are very beautiful. “
I could see a little blush spread across Abby’s face and knew I couldn’t deny that we were related if it ever came down to it. Daxton even had her wrapped around his finger and usually it was the other way around for Abby. I was happy that she liked him and they got along. I couldn’t imagine myself getting caught up in anybody that didn’t like children or didn’t understand my situation. I didn’t want to let him go. It was a relief I wouldn’t have to, at least not for reasoning that I could control.
I took a spoonful of ice-cream and held it out for Daxton to take a bite. I missed his mouth and some of it dribbled down his chin. I took my napkin and wiped it off but I couldn’t help but laugh. Abby laughed, too. Daxton smiled wide and went up to the counter to get his own ice-cream. Not wanting to take the chance of me spilling more all over him I’m guessing. I was enjoying doing it, loving the combination of my two favorite things; ice-cream and Daxton. My taste buds were tingling at the thought. The young high school girl taking Daxton’s order was getting all flustered by him. He had that effect on people, without even really doing anything. He came back to the table with a root beer float and three spoons.
“We already have our own ice-cream.” I told him.
“Well, mine’s better; now both of you take a bite.”
Abby didn’t hesitate in the slightest, as she had already finished hers a couple of minutes before. She grabbed a heaping pile on her spoon and slid it into her tiny mouth, making a mess all over her face. She looked adorable. Daxton picked up a spoon and gave me some also. It was delicious. It had been so long since I had a root beer float.
They were my mother’s favorite. The fizzy sensation popping in my mouth and the cold yet soothing vanilla ice-cream instantly brought a memory back to me. Never wanting to welcome the memories or bring them to the surface. I was forever pushing them deep down, hoping that it was all a bad dream. This was almost a welcomed memory. I could see my mom’s long blonde hair and deep hazel eyes looking down at me. I could feel the warmth in her smile and the smell of hazelnut which was only unique to her.
“I brought a treat home today Avabug.” My mom pulled a grocery bag out from behind her back and began to unload the contents on the counter.
“Let me see Mommy!” I wasn’t tall enough to see over the counter and couldn’t maneuver myself too well because my leg was broken in several places and placed in a bright pink cast, my favorite color.
It seemed like my mom always tried to make up for daddy doing wrong. Daddy wasn’t always bad. He did try to teach me how to ride a bike and when I couldn’t get the hang of it and fell down on the pavement scraping my knee and crying, he got mad. I knew I should have just sucked it up and been a big girl, but I couldn’t help it. It had really hurt. He walked away without so much as helping me up and stormed into the house. Embarrassed of what the neighbors would think of a crying little girl that was ten years old and still didn’t know how to ride a bike. He was always ashamed of me. I didn’t blame him.
Later that night, right after dinner, mom asked me how the bike riding had gone. Dad immediately got red in the face and threw his plate to the ground. He stormed towards me and pushed me with all of his might onto the floor, knocking the wind out of me and causing my leg to snap in a direction that I never knew was possible. He stumbled away not even caring to check on me as I wailed out in pain.
My mom picked me up and drove me to the emergency room, crying the entire drive. She told them that I had fallen down the stairs and even laughed a little with the doctor that came in to check me out. I was a clumsy child after all. They reset the fractures and placed my leg into a cast. I was able to go home by morning.
Mommy made sure to give me a lot of love and affection while we were away from daddy. When we returned home that morning she went back to her usual quiet self. Dad left the house around Six PM to head to the bar with his friends. He had the same routine every night when my mom came home from work. I don’t even know why he bothered to wait until then. I fended for myself all day anyway. I mostly hid in my room, reading or coloring. I loved when he was gone even though I knew that wasn’t very nice of me. Mom pulled root beer soda and vanilla ice cream out of the bag that she held behind her back. I wasn’t picky when it came to ice cream, I would take what I could get. I knew this was mommy’s favorite treat though, so I tried to act extra excited.
“Yummy mommy, pour me a big glass pleaseee.” I stuck my bottom lip out and gave her my best puppy dog expression.
Her eyes lit up and her dimples peaked on the surface of her sunken in skin. For a minute, she almost looked healthy. I could tell that it was in making me happy when she felt the most alive. My mom reminded me of a walking and breathing zombie. Being alive but not really living, just going through the motions. The love that my dad and she had shared died long before and I didn’t think there was any chance of them getting it back. I know she only stuck around because she was afraid of him and afraid of leaving me behind. Knowing that she could never just run away with me, he would find her and the end result wouldn’t be pretty.
She poured us both a large glass and put both a spoon and a straw in each, just the way I liked it. She lifted me up into the stool that sat at the island counter top we had in our kitchen and perched herself in the stool beside me. We enjoyed our treat and each other’s company. It was completely silent with the exception of a random slurping noise or a gulp, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way. I remember that was one memory when my mom was truly happy. She smiled over at me and it was a beautiful sight.
“Is it any good babe?” Daxton asked me, snapping me out of my day dream.
“It’s perfect. Thank you.” I said to him and I truly meant it.
Giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway
“Did you have a good day at school Abby girl?” I asked her in between bites of my ice-cream.
“Yea…I guess….” Abby didn’t look all that convinced and I immediately wonder what could be going on.
“Is there something the matter Abby? You’ve got to tell Mommy if you are having any issues so that I can fix them. I can’t read your mind sweetheart.” I reached out and grabbed her little hand, giving a little kiss to the top.
“I’m okay.”
She was relentless, so I left well enough alone. I would have to keep an eye on her and make sure everything was going good in school. I know that the doctor had told me when she was initially diagnosed with the autism that she would have mood swings and also be easily overwhelmed. I hoped that it wasn’t anything I’d done and not realized, but all I could do was ask Mrs. Anderson if there was anything going on and go from there.
I felt a warm body slide into the booth next to me, interrupting my thoughts. By the way my body was humming; I could already tell who it was. It was almost eerie how in tune my body was to his. Abby’s face lit up instantly and it was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. My heart instantly warmed and I looked over, not at all surprised to see my beautiful stranger. I couldn’t stop the ear to ear smile spreading across my face either.
“Hey beautiful.” He looked directly into my eyes and I felt myself swooning.
“Hi...” I said shyly back.
“I thinkkk he was talking to me Mommy.” Abby’s little voice piped up from her side of the booth.
“You’re right Ab, I was talking to you. You know you’re my number one girl. But you both are very beautiful. “
I could see a little blush spread across Abby’s face and knew I couldn’t deny that we were related if it ever came down to it. Daxton even had her wrapped around his finger and usually it was the other way around for Abby. I was happy that she liked him and they got along. I couldn’t imagine myself getting caught up in anybody that didn’t like children or didn’t understand my situation. I didn’t want to let him go. It was a relief I wouldn’t have to, at least not for reasoning that I could control.
I took a spoonful of ice-cream and held it out for Daxton to take a bite. I missed his mouth and some of it dribbled down his chin. I took my napkin and wiped it off but I couldn’t help but laugh. Abby laughed, too. Daxton smiled wide and went up to the counter to get his own ice-cream. Not wanting to take the chance of me spilling more all over him I’m guessing. I was enjoying doing it, loving the combination of my two favorite things; ice-cream and Daxton. My taste buds were tingling at the thought. The young high school girl taking Daxton’s order was getting all flustered by him. He had that effect on people, without even really doing anything. He came back to the table with a root beer float and three spoons.
“We already have our own ice-cream.” I told him.
“Well, mine’s better; now both of you take a bite.”
Abby didn’t hesitate in the slightest, as she had already finished hers a couple of minutes before. She grabbed a heaping pile on her spoon and slid it into her tiny mouth, making a mess all over her face. She looked adorable. Daxton picked up a spoon and gave me some also. It was delicious. It had been so long since I had a root beer float.
They were my mother’s favorite. The fizzy sensation popping in my mouth and the cold yet soothing vanilla ice-cream instantly brought a memory back to me. Never wanting to welcome the memories or bring them to the surface. I was forever pushing them deep down, hoping that it was all a bad dream. This was almost a welcomed memory. I could see my mom’s long blonde hair and deep hazel eyes looking down at me. I could feel the warmth in her smile and the smell of hazelnut which was only unique to her.
“I brought a treat home today Avabug.” My mom pulled a grocery bag out from behind her back and began to unload the contents on the counter.
“Let me see Mommy!” I wasn’t tall enough to see over the counter and couldn’t maneuver myself too well because my leg was broken in several places and placed in a bright pink cast, my favorite color.
It seemed like my mom always tried to make up for daddy doing wrong. Daddy wasn’t always bad. He did try to teach me how to ride a bike and when I couldn’t get the hang of it and fell down on the pavement scraping my knee and crying, he got mad. I knew I should have just sucked it up and been a big girl, but I couldn’t help it. It had really hurt. He walked away without so much as helping me up and stormed into the house. Embarrassed of what the neighbors would think of a crying little girl that was ten years old and still didn’t know how to ride a bike. He was always ashamed of me. I didn’t blame him.
Later that night, right after dinner, mom asked me how the bike riding had gone. Dad immediately got red in the face and threw his plate to the ground. He stormed towards me and pushed me with all of his might onto the floor, knocking the wind out of me and causing my leg to snap in a direction that I never knew was possible. He stumbled away not even caring to check on me as I wailed out in pain.
My mom picked me up and drove me to the emergency room, crying the entire drive. She told them that I had fallen down the stairs and even laughed a little with the doctor that came in to check me out. I was a clumsy child after all. They reset the fractures and placed my leg into a cast. I was able to go home by morning.
Mommy made sure to give me a lot of love and affection while we were away from daddy. When we returned home that morning she went back to her usual quiet self. Dad left the house around Six PM to head to the bar with his friends. He had the same routine every night when my mom came home from work. I don’t even know why he bothered to wait until then. I fended for myself all day anyway. I mostly hid in my room, reading or coloring. I loved when he was gone even though I knew that wasn’t very nice of me. Mom pulled root beer soda and vanilla ice cream out of the bag that she held behind her back. I wasn’t picky when it came to ice cream, I would take what I could get. I knew this was mommy’s favorite treat though, so I tried to act extra excited.
“Yummy mommy, pour me a big glass pleaseee.” I stuck my bottom lip out and gave her my best puppy dog expression.
Her eyes lit up and her dimples peaked on the surface of her sunken in skin. For a minute, she almost looked healthy. I could tell that it was in making me happy when she felt the most alive. My mom reminded me of a walking and breathing zombie. Being alive but not really living, just going through the motions. The love that my dad and she had shared died long before and I didn’t think there was any chance of them getting it back. I know she only stuck around because she was afraid of him and afraid of leaving me behind. Knowing that she could never just run away with me, he would find her and the end result wouldn’t be pretty.
She poured us both a large glass and put both a spoon and a straw in each, just the way I liked it. She lifted me up into the stool that sat at the island counter top we had in our kitchen and perched herself in the stool beside me. We enjoyed our treat and each other’s company. It was completely silent with the exception of a random slurping noise or a gulp, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way. I remember that was one memory when my mom was truly happy. She smiled over at me and it was a beautiful sight.
“Is it any good babe?” Daxton asked me, snapping me out of my day dream.
“It’s perfect. Thank you.” I said to him and I truly meant it.
Giveaway
Thank you all for participating in my tour!!! <3
ReplyDelete