Day of Atonement Read Online Free Page B

everybody out.” She spoke proudly as though such an action was the key to conflict resolution. “Your daddy, that tramp, and your granddad all got it good. If your grandmother had been livin’ that night, I would have cussed her out, too.”
    â€œMama, Granddad had Alzheimer’s. Don’t you think it was a bit extreme to go off on him?”
    â€œWhatever. He didn’t have it then, at least not full-fledged. He kept saying ‘Maggie bad,’ so I guess that was the woman’s name. Trust me, your grandfather knew what was going on.”
    Troy sighed with disbelief. Only his mother…
    â€œYour grandparents got on my nerves for the way they indulged Reed. I know he was grown and they could not control what he did, but they didn’t have to condone it either. If you and Natalie were havin’ problems and you stayed with me, I wouldn’t let you bring other women into this house.”
    â€œI don’t see why you have put up with that man all these years.”
    â€œThat man is your father,” she’d said defensively. “You really ought to give him a chance. I may not be into Jesus like you, Natalie, and now your dad, but I do know somewhere the Bible talks about forgiveness. I don’t think the Good Lord meant for you to exclude your father.”
    Troy was not sure if it was his mom, Jesus, or simple curiosity about the new leaf his dad had supposedly turned over that compelled him to agree to be under the same roof with that man, but he was obliged to go to Houston. Now, if for no other reason, than to help find Elana’s killer.
    As much as Troy disliked his father, he was also thankful because he showed Troy how not to treat his wife. Troy could never see himself hitting or cheating on Natalie, despite the fact that she was severely working his nerves right now. “C’mon, Nat! If we miss this flight, we may not be able to get another.”
    â€œI’m almost ready!” she yelled down the stairs.
    â€œZooooom,” Nate sang as he ran back and forth from the kitchen to the living room with a model airplane Corrine had gotten him back in the summer. Troy knew he should probably tell him to stop running, but the boy was occupied, which beat him asking a hundred questions about flying like he had done earlier.
    Nate was excited. Though he had flown before, this was the first flight he was old enough to actually be aware of what was happening. For a three-year-old, he was pretty smart and inquisitive. They were supposed to have left several hours ago, but a huge snowstorm across the country had delayed their flight. They were fortunate to get the delay seeing how many others had been cancelled. Their 5 p.m. flight was rescheduled to 7:43 p.m. and it was already 6:15 and they were not at the airport yet! This was the last travel weekend before Christmas and that was not good! “Natalie!”
    â€œOh, hold your horses,” she said, waddling down the stairs.
    Despite being shaped like a letter “P” from the waist down, Troy was still very much attracted to his wife, who had once done some modeling. Her long dark hair was pulled into a ponytail and, even without makeup, her light-honey-colored skin was flawless. Well… almost. There was one or two slight creases he’d noticed had formed around her jaw line. She had not complained about them and he was not crazy enough to bring them to her attention. He still remembered the look of death he’d gotten last month when he pointed out a single strand of gray hair in her head. “I can’t believe you changed clothes again. That’s what was taking you so long?”
    â€œI want to be comfortable in case we get stranded.”
    Troy liked the maternity jeans and green flannel shirt she had on earlier. It made her look sexy pregnant, like a Hollywood actress. He bit the inside of his lip to prevent from telling her that the red maternity sweat suit she was