Dark Days: The Long Road Home ✪ free preview

Chapter 1.1

FAIR WARNING – I'm pulling this story once I've finished editing it. (I will give you plenty of notice) Call it an experiment in motivation to get it ready for Kindle. SO PLEASE comment, let me know what you like, don't like, if there's plot holes, if you're confused, if the characters irritate you, etc. I'm looking for honesty that will help me improve the story before I publish it. I appreciate all constructive criticism.

      * * * *  

    Chapter One

"I want my mommy," the small, dark haired boy wearing blue cotton overalls whimpered.

So do I, sweetie, Gemma thought as she squeezed CJ's hand, her throat aching with suppressed emotion. So do I.

She scooped him up into her arms, swallowing hard as he wrapped himself tightly around her.

CJ hadn't once looked at the settling mound of earth before them. Even on the day of the funeral – almost two weeks ago – he'd averted his gaze; instead he chose to stare at the three marble angels that overlooked the older parts of the cemetery, their weathered wings rising gracefully over a sea of marble and stone.

Squinting against the glare of the sun, Gemma's own gaze was drawn towards the green, leafy trees that framed the cemetery grounds, and the lone oak tree that towered above the others.

As a teenager she'd believed the stately old oak was bigger because it was infused with the strength of her father who was buried nearby.

It hadn't been long after that she'd buried her mother.

Neither Gemma or CJ had any idea that in a few short months this wouldn't be the first loved one that they – or the rest of the country – would be burying.

Gemma was still reeling from the news she'd received at the reading of the will; even from the grave her gregarious, strong-willed friend was causing trouble, opening a whole new world of hurt.

"A promise is a promise," Gemma said softly, her voice breaking.

She just hadn't realized it would involve him.

Damn you, Caroline, Gemma thought as a fresh wave of anger hit her.

Caroline had been desperate for a child, and Gemma was the first person to encourage her when she decided she wasn't going to wait any longer.

But Gemma always assumed she’d used a sperm bank; that was what Caroline had implied.

The birth certificate that was now in her possession said different.

Caroline had waited until the very end to ask Gemma to find CJ's father, and Gemma had promised she would do everything in her power to do so.

And now Gemma understood why Caroline hadn’t actually told her who CJ's father was. She'd stupidly assumed it was because she didn't know the man.

Setting young CJ on his feet, Gemma knelt down beside him and studied his face. It had been right there in front of her all along – she just hadn’t seen it. CJ had his father’s eyes, and Gemma imagined that if she had a photograph of Christopher at this age the similarities would be striking.

She could see the shades of the man CJ would become. Already he had the echo of his father's face; the strong square jaw line that he would grow into; the same dark hair and quirky smile.

“Let’s get you back to Grandma, CJ.” Gemma took the boy's warm hand in hers.

Not only that, CJ didn’t stand for Christopher James as she’d been led to believe, but for Christopher Junior. He had his father’s name; a tradition that went back several generations.

For someone who wanted to bring up a child on her own – without input from the father – Caroline sure had a strange way of doing things. It was just like her to spring something like this on her. Caroline had always been sentimental. Well – whatever her reasons, it didn’t change the fact Gemma had made a promise, even if ill-informed. Caroline was six feet under and she would never know her reasoning, or what the hell she’d been thinking.

Gemma had been puzzled when she was bequeathed CJ's birth certificate – until her eyes came to the name typed after father, and she immediately understood. It was the name of the man she once thought she'd spend the rest of her life with. She also knew what Caroline wasn’t saying; that if Christopher didn’t want to bring up his son then it would fall to her as CJ's godmother. Caroline's mother was getting far too old to be bringing up a boisterous four-year-old.

Hidden inside the folds of the birth certificate was a train ticket.

A watery smile broke across Gemma's face; Caroline knew she'd put this particular meeting off as long as she could, but now – with a train ticket bearing tomorrow's date – Caroline had taken matters into her own hands. And deep down, Gemma knew that the sooner she got this over with, the better.