Redeemed (Dirty Air Special Edition) by Lauren Asher EPUB & PDF – eBook Details Online
- Authors: Lauren Asher
- Language: English
- Genre: New Adult & College Romance
- Format: PDF / EPUB
- Size: 2 MB
- Price: Free
CHLOE
Present Day
“Hey, Mom. This is a surprise. Brooke isn’t coming home until
eight.” I open the door to my apartment.
She walks into the space, running her shaky hands down
her disheveled clothes. Her dark, greasy hair sticks to the sides of her head,
emphasizing the paleness of her skin. Everything about her resembles a
corpse. From her jutting collarbones to her hollow cheeks, it’s as if
someone vacuumed the life straight out from her.
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The way she stares at me sets me on edge. It’s the same look she had
every time the social worker tried to have us reconcile, only to have Mom
screw it up again. Most people have a devil and an angel on each of their
shoulders. My mom was stuck with two devils who support her preferred
vices—drugs and bad decisions.
“Sweetie. I’ve been meaning to call you.” Her sickly-sweet tone sends
goosebumps across my skin. She gazes at me with bulging blue eyes. “I
know we had plans for tonight, but I need to cancel. I’m not feeling well.”
More like she’s not feeling high. Crossing my arms, I lean against the
kitchen counter. I might as well make myself comfortable for another round
of disappointment. I thought it would be different this time between us. I
thought she would be different.
Stupid Chloe. When will you ever learn?
She rattles on, taking my silence as acceptance. “I’m in a tough spot.
See, I owe Ralph some money, and you know how he gets when I don’t pay
him.”
“Rough and handsy?”
Ralph is the reason my social worker revoked my mom’s custody. When
my mom’s boyfriend wasn’t heavy-handed with Mom, he was creepy with
me. The social worker pulled me out of the house and determined Mom
could try again in a few years if she worked on herself and ditched her
boyfriend. Mom decided Ralph being her usual drug supplier served a
greater benefit than the fat check she received from the government for
half-ass parenting. That is if someone could call leaving me to fend for
myself in a roach-infested apartment parenting.
She scoffs. “I wouldn’t ask you for money if I didn’t need it.”
“No, Mom. You would ask. That’s our problem. Every time I give you
money, you promise to pull yourself together.” And every time you say
you’ll get clean, I fall for it because I still can’t move past my stupid hopeful
mindset.
She tugs her cracking lip between her teeth. “I’m sorry. You know how I
am.”
“A liar?”
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