“Why can’t you tell me when she’s here?”
“It’s not that I can’t, just that I prefer not to,” Alan said. “Your mother is just as important to me as you are, but it’s no secret that she has a slight tendency to be jealous over the relationship you and I have, not to mention the time we spend away from her. I don’t want to make it seem like I’m rubbing it in.”
Lauren nodded. “Okay, I get that. So what’s up?”
Alan wavered a moment. “Nothing much. It’s just that…I’ve been meaning to tell you how proud I am of you, L. Proud of who you are and what you’re becoming. Proud of the decisions you’re making and the fact you remain capable of thinking for yourself amidst all of life’s…distractions. I’m proud to see you’re becoming a leader, not a follower…and that you’ve turned into quite the anti-millennial. You’re growing into the young woman I always wanted you to be. That’s it, nothing big. I don’t get the opportunity to talk to you as much as I used to, and I sense those opportunities slipping away more and more as you get older. And I just needed you to know.”
Lauren turned away and subtly rubbed at her eye. “Okay, that’s enough, you have to stop it. Jesus, Dad. I love you, but don’t make me cry in public. That’s not cool.”
“I’m sorry. I suppose I have a tendency to be overly sentimental.”
“Yeah. And you do it a lot.”
Alan nodded. “Point taken. I don’t want there to be any stones left unturned between you and me. I’ve heard so many stories about regret, where a person becomes separated or loses someone they care deeply about, and they dwell on the things they never said, never did, and wish they had. I don’t want to have any regrets with you. I’m just a dad trying to hold onto his daughter for as long as he can.”
Alan held out his right hand in a gesture Lauren easily recognized, and the two performed a secret handshake of sorts that had been shared between them for years. “I’ve always thought you and I were indivisible, L. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you if I had the means. If some opposing force tried to keep us apart, I’d stop at nothing to find you and get back to you. I mean that.”
Lauren shared his thoughtful gaze. “I believe you. You do scare me sometimes, but I like it when we have these little impromptu…heart-to-hearts. Thank you. For everything.”
“Ditto. And you’re welcome for everything.”
About the Author
C.A.Rudolph is a self-published novelist who lives and writes within the pastoral boundaries of Virginia’s northern Shenandoah Valley. He spends most of his limited spare time frolicking out-of-doors and planning adventures with his family. He is an avid backpacker, proud gun owner, and an amateur radio operator with a predisposition to splurge on his hobbies.
His first book, What’s Left of My World, published in December 2016, became an Amazon post-apocalyptic and dystopian best seller.
To be briefed on Mr. Rudolph and his books, his life, and future exploits, find him loitering outside the wire on social media (using the links below) or via his website at http://www.carudolph.com
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Contents
Author’s Note
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Epilogue
About the Author
Thank you!
The DD12
Divided We Stand Page 35
