The excursion, p.34
The Excursion, page 34
And Jacob.
“Charly.” My mom lifts her hand and places it on top of mine. “Thank you for taking care of Jacob. I wish I’d done things differently.”
“Like I said, it’s over now. You don’t have to be sorry. You didn’t know about the cabin.”
“It’s not the cabin. It’s—it’s everything. Thank you for being his mom when I couldn’t. You’ve always been so strong.”
“I didn’t have a choice.”
“Yes, you did. You could have left him in that shelter. You could have taken the money Johnathan gave you and disappeared. Bought drugs.” She shudders. Her shoulders shake. “It’s what I would have done.”
“I know.”
“Oh”—she squeezes my hand—“this damn life. I tried, but I could never be who I wanted. I could never change. There’s always been two of me—the addict and the woman. Does that make sense?”
“Yes.”
“And the addict always won.”
“I know. Please, don’t apologize again.”
“I won’t, but I want you to forgive me. Promise me you’ll forgive me.”
“I already have. I’ve made my peace.”
“You deserve peace. Peace and serenity.”
“So do you, Mom. So do you.”
She closes her eyes.
Her hand slides off mine.
She falls asleep.
Jacob and I walk across the parking lot. The sun blazes down upon us, but it will soon be dark. Storm clouds to the west creep over the Rocky Mountains.
I begin to cry.
But I never cry.
Ever.
A few days later, my mother dies in her sleep, leaving Jacob and me on our own.
And that’s okay.
We’ve been here before.
THE END
Greetings Fearless Reader!
I hope you enjoyed reading The Excursion as much as I enjoyed writing it. If so, CLICK HERE to check out more thrillers available on my website along with future releases, FREE GIVEAWAYS, and other exciting opportunities.
Yours truly,
-T.O. Paine
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thank you!
Above all else, I want to thank you, fearless reader, for journeying into the mountains with Charly and Jacob. Readers like you make the world of fiction a wonderful place for us all. Otherwise, this book would be nothing more than a tree falling in the woods, not making a sound.
I also want to thank my editors, critique volunteers, and reviewers, especially my first reader, Kim. Without her, I’d be lost in the woods, surrounded by the silently falling trees.
GET AN EXCLUSIVE BONUS STORY
Dear fearless reader, there is always a FREE short story, novella, or full-length novel available on my website at:
https://topaine.com/free
ENTER TO WIN A GIVEAWAY
Several times a year, my publisher and I sponsor giveaways as a thank you for reading. Past giveaways included Kindle Paperwhites, Amazon Gift Cards, Headphones, my novels, and novels by other authors. Check out the current giveaway at:
https://topaine.com/giveaway
DID YOU ENJOY READING THE EXCURSION?
If so, I’d love to hear from you. Please send me an email at topaine@topaine.com and let me know your thoughts. If you’d like to hear about upcoming releases from me, follow me on Amazon, BookBub, or sign up for my newsletter at:
https://topaine.com
You can also connect with me on:
Facebook – https://facebook.com/topaineauthor
Instagram - https://instagram.com/t.o.paine
Twitter - https://twitter.com/topaine
A review on Amazon, Goodreads, and/or BookBub would mean the world to me. Reviews are the single most important factor in an author’s success and longevity. If you enjoyed this novel, please consider leaving a review, even if it is only a line or two. I would very much appreciate it.
ALSO BY T.O. PAINE
The Resentment
“A Wickedly Sharp Suspense Thriller”
The Teaching
“A thriller based on the author’s experience living in a cult.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
T.O. Paine holds a master’s degree in information systems, and when he is not writing, you can find him running or cycling through the mountains of Colorado, USA. He has run over thirty marathons, ridden over twenty 100-mile cycling events, and completed an IRONMAN.
T.O. resides with his wife, two children, and a Boston terrier who stares at himself in the mirror, questioning his existence.
T. O. Paine, The Excursion
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“Charly.” My mom lifts her hand and places it on top of mine. “Thank you for taking care of Jacob. I wish I’d done things differently.”
“Like I said, it’s over now. You don’t have to be sorry. You didn’t know about the cabin.”
“It’s not the cabin. It’s—it’s everything. Thank you for being his mom when I couldn’t. You’ve always been so strong.”
“I didn’t have a choice.”
“Yes, you did. You could have left him in that shelter. You could have taken the money Johnathan gave you and disappeared. Bought drugs.” She shudders. Her shoulders shake. “It’s what I would have done.”
“I know.”
“Oh”—she squeezes my hand—“this damn life. I tried, but I could never be who I wanted. I could never change. There’s always been two of me—the addict and the woman. Does that make sense?”
“Yes.”
“And the addict always won.”
“I know. Please, don’t apologize again.”
“I won’t, but I want you to forgive me. Promise me you’ll forgive me.”
“I already have. I’ve made my peace.”
“You deserve peace. Peace and serenity.”
“So do you, Mom. So do you.”
She closes her eyes.
Her hand slides off mine.
She falls asleep.
Jacob and I walk across the parking lot. The sun blazes down upon us, but it will soon be dark. Storm clouds to the west creep over the Rocky Mountains.
I begin to cry.
But I never cry.
Ever.
A few days later, my mother dies in her sleep, leaving Jacob and me on our own.
And that’s okay.
We’ve been here before.
THE END
Greetings Fearless Reader!
I hope you enjoyed reading The Excursion as much as I enjoyed writing it. If so, CLICK HERE to check out more thrillers available on my website along with future releases, FREE GIVEAWAYS, and other exciting opportunities.
Yours truly,
-T.O. Paine
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thank you!
Above all else, I want to thank you, fearless reader, for journeying into the mountains with Charly and Jacob. Readers like you make the world of fiction a wonderful place for us all. Otherwise, this book would be nothing more than a tree falling in the woods, not making a sound.
I also want to thank my editors, critique volunteers, and reviewers, especially my first reader, Kim. Without her, I’d be lost in the woods, surrounded by the silently falling trees.
GET AN EXCLUSIVE BONUS STORY
Dear fearless reader, there is always a FREE short story, novella, or full-length novel available on my website at:
https://topaine.com/free
ENTER TO WIN A GIVEAWAY
Several times a year, my publisher and I sponsor giveaways as a thank you for reading. Past giveaways included Kindle Paperwhites, Amazon Gift Cards, Headphones, my novels, and novels by other authors. Check out the current giveaway at:
https://topaine.com/giveaway
DID YOU ENJOY READING THE EXCURSION?
If so, I’d love to hear from you. Please send me an email at topaine@topaine.com and let me know your thoughts. If you’d like to hear about upcoming releases from me, follow me on Amazon, BookBub, or sign up for my newsletter at:
https://topaine.com
You can also connect with me on:
Facebook – https://facebook.com/topaineauthor
Instagram - https://instagram.com/t.o.paine
Twitter - https://twitter.com/topaine
A review on Amazon, Goodreads, and/or BookBub would mean the world to me. Reviews are the single most important factor in an author’s success and longevity. If you enjoyed this novel, please consider leaving a review, even if it is only a line or two. I would very much appreciate it.
ALSO BY T.O. PAINE
The Resentment
“A Wickedly Sharp Suspense Thriller”
The Teaching
“A thriller based on the author’s experience living in a cult.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
T.O. Paine holds a master’s degree in information systems, and when he is not writing, you can find him running or cycling through the mountains of Colorado, USA. He has run over thirty marathons, ridden over twenty 100-mile cycling events, and completed an IRONMAN.
T.O. resides with his wife, two children, and a Boston terrier who stares at himself in the mirror, questioning his existence.
T. O. Paine, The Excursion
