SHOOT: A Novel Read Online Free

interruptions. I had gone to bed early, but didn’t
actually get any shuteye until late at night. My mother stepped into the
kitchen to clean up now that breakfast was over, but she didn’t bother me at
all.  

 
    “Let me help you,”
I said, moving to stand up but she shook her head.

 
    “It’s okay. Just
sit and enjoy your tea,” she responded warmly without looking back at me.

 
      It was the norm for my mom to take charge of
everything related to breakfast, the cleanup included. We had all come to think
of it as her domain for some reason, but it just worked. The noise of dishes,
water running, and scrubbing was like white noise to my ears as I enjoyed the sun
shining through the big, open windows of the kitchen. It was a beautiful warm
day.

 
    That sense of
peace wouldn’t last long as Zoey came running down the stairs with something
clutched in her hand. Making all sorts of cooing noises, she plopped down on
the chair right next to me and stared at me with wide eyes. She was clearly up
to something so I tried to get a good look at whatever she was holding, but she
put her hand behind her back.

 
    Then she turned to
look at whatever it was she was holding before asking, “Who is Sawn-Jah My-Er?”

 
    It took a moment
for me to figure out what she just asked, but the moment I did, the blood
drained from my face. How could I have fallen asleep with the card clutched in my
hand, but have forgotten to put it away in the morning? In a flash, I tried to pry
the card out of her little hand, but she put up a good fight, giggling loudly
and taunting me.

 
    “Give it to me!” I
warned her hoping that somehow, magically, my mom wouldn’t pay us any mind. Zoey
stood up and wiggled away, I lunging behind her. That was when mom saw what was
going on so she walked over immediately in an attempt to break up the commotion
between the us.

 
    I gulped as I
watched her take the card from Zoey. She looked at it before reading aloud, “Sonja
Meier – Model Scout – Shoot High Fashion Modeling Agency – New York City.”

 
    There was a very
pregnant pause in the kitchen as my pulse stood still and my throat went dry. She
stared at the card, but it was impossible for me to figure out what was running
through her mind. Zoey was smart enough to pick up on the mood of the room and
she quietly walked out, heading up the stairs to leave me alone with mom.  

 
    It felt like ages
before she finally looked up. “Where did this card come from, Chloe?” Her honey
brown eyes were piercing into my emerald green ones. I tried my best to stay
composed. I wasn’t afraid of her, but I had absolutely no idea how this
conversation would go. No matter how good our relationship was there was no
denying it was a nerve-wracking situation. My mother and I almost always got
along, but there was a constant elephant in the room. That elephant being me
wanting to leave Iowa. She always wanted me to stay and continue the family
farm.  

 
    “Um,” I finally said
in a timid whisper. It was time to just tell her the truth.

 
      “I got it yesterday.”

 
      I knew my mother wanted the whole story so I
launched into it, telling her about the woman who looked out of place, how she
approached the stand, and repeating the conversation I had with Sonja.

 
    “I see,” she said
when I was finished, pulling out a chair and taking a seat. She rubbed her
hands on her apron after placing the card on the table. She looked down at it then
met my gaze again, “And what do you think of it all?”

 
    I was very aware
of my heart racing against my chest and I was sure it beat right out of my ribs.
This was the moment to be completely honest with her. The opportunity to tell
her how I felt had practically been forced into my hands by none other than my
little sister.

 
    “It’s
unbelievable,” I finally said, the awe and excitement in my voice was
completely obvious. I did my best to ignore the discontent in my