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The grinding of the brakes jolted her back to the present and the smell of dirty socks and stale cigarette smoke.
“Is this the place, ma’am?” the driver asked.
She looked at the three-story house; pristine white paint glowed in the sun. “Yes,” she said.
“That’ll be five seventy-five,” he said and hung his open palm over his shoulder into the back seat. His knuckles bulged, and his fingers were crooked, and the skin cracked.
“I’m sorry, how much?” She held her breath for a moment, hoping she had enough for the fare.
“Five seventy-five,” he flipped the meter handle down and put the car in park. Turning, he looked over the seat with his grizzled chin and rheumy eyes. “You okay?”
“Yes, fine . . . sorry . . .” Annabelle stuffed her handkerchief back up the sleeve of her cardigan and opened her cracked vinyl pocketbook. She pulled out four crumpled ones, two quarters, and an assortment of dimes and pennies from her coin purse. She dropped the wadded bills in his palm and proceeded to count the coins. “Ninety, ninety-one, ninety-two . . .”
“It’s five seventy-five, lady,” he said. The radio squawked, but he didn’t answer.
“That makes five, forty-two,” she said. “Just a minute, I always have coins in the bottom of my bag. They fall out sometimes . . .” She found another thirty cents in change and dropped it in his palm. The money she’d placed there had already disappeared into his pocket.
“You’re three cents short,” he said, and she jumped at the growl in his voice. “Why’d you call a cab if you didn’t have the money? Geez, short and no tip besides . . .”
“I’m sorry, I’ll go up to the house and see if my cousin has some change.” Her eyes filled with tears and her throat constricted.
He snorted, wiping his nose on the back of his hand. The microphone squawked, so he picked it up and spoke. “I got that one. I’m in Riverside now.”
He had no idea how hard it had been to come here. She didn’t mean to cheat him, but it was all she had. A lone tear escaped down her wrinkled cheek. Annabelle lowered her head and pulled the threadbare hankie from her sleeve.
As she dabbed her eye she noticed two pennies on the floorboard. Reaching down she picked up the coins. “Here you go,” she said, a stiff smile on her face. “I found two more.”
“Good enough, I got to go, lady,” he said. “Got another fare a couple blocks from here.”
“Oh, okay. Well, thank you. If you’ll give me your name, I’ll send you the tip and the penny.” She opened the door. The sidewalk appeared a mile long to the porch.
“Forget it,” he said and revved the engine. “I suppose you want help with your bag now, too,” he spoke to the rear view mirror.
“No, I can . . . manage,” she said. She scooted the battered Pullman across the seat and stepped onto the walk. Bracing her hand on the rim of the door she pulled it onto the curb with a thud, then dragged it upright.
He leaned over the back of the seat, eager to close the door, but she beat him to it.
“Thanks,” she said, coughing from the exhaust fumes. She watched him zip around the corner, feeling her courage go with him.
Straightening her shoulders she faced the house and an uncertain welcome. It didn’t appear to have changed a bit since she’d last seen it. But she had. Oh, how Annabelle Hubbard had changed.
Read the reviews!
"Thank you for the autographed copy of your book [Feisty Family Values]! I started reading it last night and am HOOKED! I can’t wait to pick it up again tonight!"
– Sierra P. Scott, TV Host, “It’s ALL Good!”, KSCW Ch. 5 Sun. Nights at 7:30pm
“I just finished your book (Feisty Family Values) about a month ago. I loved it so much I’m getting ready to read it again. I also have that little “Feisty” button you gave me, clipped to the inside of my makeup case. Thanks so much!”
-Felicia, Wichita, KS
“Feisty Family Values” is quite a gripping story. Not too long to read in a weekend, and captivating enough you don’t want to put it down. Realistic people in realistic situations.”
-Kathy P., Pratt, KS
PURCHASE FEISTY FAMILY VALUES AT BARNESANDNOBLE.COM OR AMAZON!
A lifetime resident of the Midwest, B.D. Tharp graduated Magna Cum Laude from Wichita State University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications, Women/Minority Studies and Fine Arts. Her award winning women’s fiction novel, Feisty Family Values, is available in bookstores, Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com. Feisty Family Values was chosen one of the 150 Kansas Best Books, a finalist for the USA News Best Books of 2010, and winner of the J. Coffin Memorial Book Award for 2011. Additional publishing credits include magazine articles, essays, and short stories for the following publications: Women’s Focus Magazine, Active Aging, the Wichita Register Magazine, East Wichita News, Sheridan Edwards Review, A Waist Is A Terrible Thing To Mind Anthology, National Association of Women Writers Weekly and the Kansas Writers Association Newsletter. Accomplishments include: local, state, and national award winner for short stories, children’s stories, articles, playwriting, novels and prose.
Visit B.D. Tharp online at http://bdtharp.com.
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