C.O.T.V.H. (Book 1): Creation Read Online Free

bed, her eyes scanning around the room as if searching for just the right words. A deep, uncomfortable quiet hung over them. Outside a car with its stereo’s bass booming went down the street, their next-door neighbor's dog barked loudly. Julia licked her dry lips before speaking. “Jake, baby, you know I love your dad. Don’t you?”
    “ Yeah I know,” Jake nodded. "But why can’t you two just get along?” he asked, frustration filling his voice. “Why can’t things just be like they used to be?”
    Julia sighed, her eyes filled with sadness. “I know, Jakey. Believe me, I wish the same thing too. But things are very hard right now and grownups don’t always get along. That’s just the way it is.”
    “ I know, Mom, but Dad’s doing the best he can! It’s not his fault all this happened. Why do you have to be so hard on him?”
    She sighed again, pulling at the matching dark blue scrunchie holding her ponytail. “I’m just frustrated. Your dad is frustrated, plus this miserable heat . . . sometimes it’s all too much for us. You hold it in as long as you can but sometimes it just boils over and you explode. Today was just one of those days.”
    Jake knew she loved his dad. He never doubted that, but the anger that came out in her scared him. He had a feeling that sometimes it scared her too. “I know you have to go, Mom, but can I ask you one more thing?”
    She ruffled his messy brown hair with her fingers. “You can ask me anything? I’ll always make time for you.”
    “ Okay,” he said, though he knew she wouldn’t want to answer this one. Anytime he ever asked about his grandfather, her father, she would shut down completely, always making excuses to change the subject. Jake had a feeling he hadn’t exactly qualified for father of the year. “Mom . . ." he started slowly. "Why does Dad hate Grandpa so much? If he can help us, why not let him?”
    The smile she had instantly disappeared. She cleared her throat nervously, “I really wish you hadn’t heard all that. You really need to stop listening in on our conversations.”
    “ I’m sorry, Mom, but it’s not exactly hard! These walls are paper thin, and you two weren’t being very quiet either.”
    For a brief second she looked away, unable to meet his eyes. “Yeah, I guess we weren’t, were we? But some things are better left between grownups. Understand?”
    “ I guess so,” Jake said, fiddling with the black tape holding together his headphones. “But you said I could ask you anything.”
    “ Fair enough,” she nodded, but still didn’t make eye contact. “Jake, your grandpa isn’t a very nice man. Even when I was a little girl, I had a hard time getting along with him. Especially after my mother and brothers . . . well, I won’t get into that right now. But the fact is he’s never made any effort to get along with anyone, especially your dad. He hated John the minute he laid eyes on him and from that moment on he made things very hard for both of us.”
    “ But Dad said he would try to take me away. Why would he do that if he’s never even met me?” Jake asked, genuinely perplexed. “He can’t be that bad.”
    Julia looked down at her watch. “Damn, I’m going to be late. Look, we’ll talk about this tomorrow. Okay? I promise.”
    Jake knew she was just avoiding the subject, but he didn’t want her to get into trouble at work, so he nodded that he understood.
    “ You’re a smart boy, Jake," she smiled. "Sometimes I honestly forget that you’re only ten."
    Jake managed to fake a smile for her, which she instantly saw through. She placed a hand on his shoulder then said, "Jakey, honey, listen . . . I want you to know, that whatever happens, I love you more than anything in the entire world. More than life itself. Don’t ever forget that,” She placed another kiss on his forehead. “Behave for your dad and don’t stay up all night watching TV. I’ll see you first thing in the morning,” She blew him a kiss as