Mom grips my hand in her frail
hold. She’s pale and looks bad. I don’t like the wig she’s wearing. It makes
her look worse, not like herself. But I understand that she didn’t want to walk
into the prison bald-headed, which she’d be if she chose not to wear a wig.
My heart swells. But I refuse to
say goodbye. I’ll regret that later.
My mom died when I was in prison.
Cancer took hold of her, but I often wonder if her broken heart had something
to do with it. Sure, she still had two beautiful daughters and a longstanding
marriage, but she didn’t take my imprisonment lightly. I often wonder if it’s
because she doubted my innocence.
I lost out on a lot while I was in
prison for a murder I did not commit. That was the hardest part of it all. The
love of my life thought I killed her sister. Believes it to this day, I
imagine. And I’m not ready to convince her otherwise.
I’ll never forget the day of
release. I’ve had sunshine on my face, sure. It’s not like prison is always
indoors. But this sunshine was different. No bars, no wires, no guards stood
between me and that sun. That bright, vibrant sun. I had to shield my eyes as I
walked to the car. It’s not one of those stories where I get out and I have
nobody else and I’m walking along the road all by myself. Nothing like the
movies. My dad and two sisters are with me. My dad had a stint in prison
himself for drinking and driving. His third offense after my mom died. He never
drank when I was a kid, but his grief caused him grief, er, you know. But my
two sisters, Adrienne and Charlotte? I’m not sure I’d ever be walking along the
path of freedom if it hadn’t been for those two. Adrienne knew I was innocent
because she knew I came home after my fight with Lauren. And Charlotte
had no reason to doubt. But the prosecutors did. And the jurors did. And
Adrienne kept fighting for me anyway. I’m so grateful for everyone, including
the team of lawyers who continued fighting for me.
One of the worst things of being
sentenced is the knowledge that the guilty would walk free. I was innocent, and
yet there was a man out there—a man who used to be my friend—who could keep
killing. And not many people believed me. How could I protect those I loved if
I was behind bars?
But I’m free now. My first pledge
to myself is not to give it another thought. I was there for a reason. I hope I
changed people’s lives for the better. I think I did. Maybe I missed out on a
lot of things, but I also made a lot of gains and had experiences I’ll never
regret. I would never have had them otherwise. I am not the type of person to
grieve what has happened. I move on. What happened doesn’t change the core of
my being.
As Adrienne grips my hand and
smiles, I see the relief in her eyes. She’s found the love of her life now, and
he seems like a good guy. I’m glad I’ve had the chance to meet him and talk to
him. She’s experienced plenty of heartbreak of her own, and I’m grateful she’s
here for me. I’m grateful to be going home.
Even if home might ultimately
destroy me.
About the Author
Angela Smith is a Texas native who, years ago, was dubbed most likely to
write a novel during her senior year in high school. She always had her nose
stuck in a book, even hiding them behind her textbooks during school study
time. Her dream began at a young age when her sister started reciting ‘Brer
Rabbit’ after their mom read it to them so often. She told her mom she’d write
a story one day and never gave up on that dream even though her mom was never
able to see it come to fruition. By day, she works as a certified paralegal and
office manager at her local District Attorney’s office and spends her free time
with her husband, their pets, and their many hobbies. Although life in general
keeps her very busy, her passion for writing and getting the stories out of her
head tends to make her restless if she isn’t following what some people call
her destiny.
★ WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS: ★
Website → http://www.loveisamystery.com
Blog → www.loveisamystery.com/my-blog
Twitter → www.twitter.com/angelaswriter
Facebook → www.facebook.com/authorangelasmith
Goodreads → https://tinyurl.com/y48996ej
BookBub → https://tinyurl.com/yxr9ezxy
About the Book:
She’s in love with her sister’s killer...
Lauren has loved Luke since first grade.
They planned to marry—until he murdered her sister. The moment he was sentenced
to prison,
She almost destroys her life by
threatening his…
Prison stole his future with Lauren and
twelve years of Luke’s life, so the last thing he needs from her is a knife in
the back or a gun in his face. Lauren believes he killed her sister, and he has
no plans to pick up where they left off. Luke can’t afford to trust her, but he
wants nothing more than to convince her he’s worth fighting for.
Their daughter is in danger…
Luke is heartbroken when he learns they
had a child together. Now his daughter is in danger. Lauren trusted the wrong
person for far too long, but he hopes she’ll now trust him. Luke will risk
everything to keep them safe. And Lauren will risk everything if she lets him
into her heart.
★★★★★ORDER YOUR COPY★★★★★
Amazon → www.amzn.com/B07TZWHCC3
Barnes & Noble → https://tinyurl.com/y4j5n4yd
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