text: Amani Grace If Only I Dedicate this book to my love one Grace. 
   
   
     
   
  My name is grace i live with my mom and her husband brad and my half sister mona. They got married about 4 years ago and after a year into marriage my mom got pregnant and gave birth to my sister mona. At first i wasnt happy about any of this, but who cares no one of course. But my question is What happens when all your dreams are taking away from you. what happens when you wake up and your all alone no is there to help you......well this is my story lets start from the beginning when all hell broke lose. 
                 CHAPTER 1 
      Police and ambulance sirens were all around me i didnt know what was going on. Hello someone help please help.... ma'am you are going to be ok we are here to help you said a police officer. when i woke up I was at the hospital. Hi dear said a nurse how are you feeling. Whats going on i asked how did i get here. Well dear you were in a car crash. Was i alone i ask no you were with your mom. i tried to sit up were is she? I'm sorry to tell you this but she didn't make it. I started fading away before i know it i was at home in my bed. I got up and ran to my mothers room, but she wasnt there. I heard a voice down stairs so i ran to the living room only to find my step father and other people that i guess my mom knew. When they realize that i was in the room they came to me and ask me how i was feeling ( I was just in a car crash and i just lost my mother how do you think i felt.) Im ok i said and then walked away. I saw mona my baby sister   walking around in the kitchen I walk over to her and picked her up (of course she was only 3 so she really didnt have any idea what was going on.) hi Gracie (she was the only one i would let call me that) yes i answered...when is mommy coming home. I explain to her that mommy went to heaven and that we would see her soon.  
  Days went by then months and things still wasnt   back to normal. summer was almost over and school was to start back next week. Grace GRACE get your lazy butt out of bed called brad. Im in the shower i yelled well get out and get down here!! he yelled back. Fine!! I turned the running water off grabbed my towel and got dress. On my way down stairs I peeked my head in mona's room she wasnt there so she most of been down stairs. Before I could get down stair brad came to the stairs and yelled at me again. why do i have to make you breakfast i asked him because i said so he replied. Of course because you said so I said under my breath and before I knew it i felt a hard sting on my cheek I fell to the floor. 
  This wasnt the first time that he hit me it was just the first time he hit me in front of mona. I turned to look at her and she burst into tears. Before I could get up to comfort her he already had her in his arms. Sweetie dont cry grace wasnt being a good girl so she had to get punish. I stood up and took her away from him. Are you ok she asked in her adorable litle voice that made me smile. Yes sweetie im ok. Can I help you make breakfast she asked yes you may I told he. After breakfast Mrs. richardson from next door came over to pick mona up for their day out, and brad went to work so I was alone in the house. Time to clean up I looked around since brad doesnt clean up behind his self and mona is only three there is alot to do. I started with the laundry then the bathroom, brads room, monas room then the living room and the kitchen. After that its time to start cooking roast beef and potatoes ummm my favorite. By the time the house was clean and dinner was cooked I only had an hour to rest before brad came home. I decided to go up stairs and relax. Grace get down here we need to talk. I turned over looked at the clock 4.30 on the dot he is never late. GRACE GET DOWN HERE. I climbed out of bed and ran down stairs this better be important. What!! I asked still sleepy. He turned and looked at me...my job cut my hours so you are gonna need to find a job and help around the house. Fine! Where do you suppose I look at I asked. The store down the block is hiring so start walking down there and get the job he said. As I walked down to the store I wondered why was the store hiring they dont get much people in the store. At least if I get the job im only 2 mins away. When I entered the shop I could see a guy who look like he couldn’t be older than 18 or 19 he had dark brown wavy hair that he had in a tight pony tail he was really cute. He looked right at me, hi my name is Aaron, how may I help you. I couldn’t help but smile my name is grace I heard this place was hiring. Oh ok well  if you wait one minute I will go get the manager. He then walked away but returned a minute later with this older looking guy he looks like he could be brads age. Hi he said so I hear you’re looking for a job. Yes I am I told him. Well can you work a cashier and stock the counters. Yes I can I told him. Ok well you can have the job I need you to fill out these papers and then you can start tomorrow. After filling out the papers I walk back home all I could think about was how cute the guy was. He probably doesn’t even find me attractive. When I walked inside I could see mona’s bag on the floor. Mona I called, she leaped down stairs yes she said. Hi sweetie how was your day? I said. It was great im hungry she said. I looked at her and asked daddy didn’t feed you. No she said he went out and left me here he said you would be back soon. WHAT!!! He lefted you home alone by yourself. I could see that I scared her….im sorry im not mad at you im mad at daddy I said while picking her up and walking to the kitchen. I made her a plate washed her up and put her to bed. On my way down stairs the door opened and there was brad. I gave him a evil look and said how could you have left mona here alone. I had to go out he said, I could smell  the alcohol on his breath. You got to be kidding me was yu drinking!! You lefted your daughter home alone to go drink. It happened so fast I didn’t even see him come up to me and hit me. I put my hand over my face as I saw him coming to give me another hit this time it was harder. He began to kick me and punch me and yelled this will teach you never to question me again. Daddy mona called daddy what going on. I looked up to see mona coming down the steps I tried to sit up fast but it hurted. It was dark but I could see her reaching the bottom of the step. Brad turned on the light and went to pick her up. Why is mona on the floor she asked. She fell honey he said. I looked at her and tried to hold back  the tears my body was killing me. Oh is she ok. She asked. Well are you? brad asked knowing that I wasn’t ok. Yes I managed to get out im ok. Come on sweetie let me put you back to bed. Ok she said. As they walked up the stairs I tried to get up… it wasn’t easy I climbed up stairs and walk to the bathroom I looked in the mirror and saw that my eye was a little swollen I lifted my shirt and could she marks where he kicked me at. I walked over to the bath tub ran the hot water took off my clothes and sat in the tub. All I could do was cry I closed my eyes and wondered did my mom have to go to this I also wondered how was I suppose to go to work like this tomorrow.  
  Chapter 2 
  Beep beep beep…I got up and turn my alarm clock off. I was up all night putting ice on my face, so I didn’t get much sleep. I walked to my bathroom and looked in the mirror, the swelling went down a lot thank God, but it was still bruised. I start work at 9 am and it was 7:30. I walked over to mona’s room but she wasn’t in there I then went to brad’s door to see if he is in there but he wasn’t. I walked down stairs and they wasn’t there I guess he went to work and she went next door. I walked back up stairs turned the shower on and got in. After the shower I got dress went to the bathroom and put makeup on to cover the bruise. I then looked in the mirror, even though I looked like I was ok, I felt weak and beat up. I guess it was because I was weak and beat up. I walked down stairs fixed me some cereal and walked out the door. It only took me two minutes to get there.  When I walked in Aaron was already there, hi its grace  right, yes I said back. Ok well all you need to do today is ring people up. I will handle the heavy stuff he said. Ok I said with a smile. As the day was going by only about 20 people came to the store so me and Aaron spent most of the day talking. So what school do you go to he asked. Harris high school I answered and you I asked. Im out of school he answered. How old are you I asked. Im 19. Oh okay im 17 I said back. Ok. So what do you do for fun we said at the same time and laughed. Wow I thought to myself this is the first time I laughed in a long time since my mom died. I go out and hang with some friends he answered and you. Well I don’t really have time to have fun since my mom died I had to take on a lot of responsibilities. Oh wow im sorry to hear about your mom. Its ok I said back. So its just you and your dad…he asked. No its me my baby sister and my step dad. Oh ok. Yea. I looked at the time it was time to go. As I started packing my bag Aaron came up me and handed me a ripped piece of paper I looked at him and he said its my number….how about you call me sometime and we can hang out. Sure I said back it would be nice to get out of work. He smiled as I walked out the door. As I walk to my house all I could  think about is how nice it would be to have a normal life, one where my mom was still here and it was just us. The only sad thing about that is if brad was never in our life neither would mona and I love my little sister. When I walk in the house I could hear brad talking to someone. I walk up the stairs and saw a blonde hair lady about 5’4 she looked as if she couldn’t be no older than 24. When brad saw me he told me to come in the room. The young lady looked at me and said you must be grace I shook my head well I am lisa and its very nice to meet you. I didn’t say anything back I just stared at her then I looked at brad and he told me that him and lisa was going away to get married and that they would be back in 2 weeks. MARRIED MARRIED!!! I yelled (of course I didn’t mean to it just slipped out) The young lady jumped and brad looked like he wanted to hit me, but instead he remand clam and said yes lisa and I have been going together for a while now and I decided to marry her. (how come I didn’t know about this) I thought. The whole time that the lisa was talking to me all I could think about is my mom of course lisa wasn’t ugly but I still didn’t want anyone else to replace her. Brad then looked at me and said we will be leaving tonight. Ok was all I said and then went to my room, a few minutes later I heard a knock at the door before I could say come in lisa walk in the room. I looked at her and then turned my head. She begin to talk… I know you don’t know me and it must be strange having a young women you don’t know marry your dad. Before she could finish I turned to her and said he’s not my dad. Ok step dad. How old are you I asked her…25 she said to me. Don’t your family care about you dating an older guy. Well I don’t really have anyone left my mom and dad died in an air plane crash and all I have left is me my big house and money. (oh so this is why he wants her for the money). She then continued to talk…. Well now after the wedding I will have 2 children and a loving husband and yall can come and live with me. Wait what did she just say come live with her and that brad was loving oh she didn’t know what she was getting herself into. Brad has anger problems I told her you don’t wanna get on his bad side. I know she said he told me about how after his wife died he got angry and would drink a lot but he has changed. And when was this change I asked her (of course I didn’t tell her he beat me just last night.) before she could say anything brad came in the room ok babe lets go then he walked out lisa looked at me and said don’t worry about anything everything will be ok then she handed me a a package whats this I asked this is just something for you while we are gone just until we get back I looked in it and it was a lot of money all of this just for two weeks? We then walked down the stairs lisa got into the car and brad came up to me and said mona will be at my mother’s house while we are gone and then he grabbed my arm and said don’t ruin this and then let go got in the car and they drove off. I walked inside and went to my room and laid down so much to think about a new mom who wasn’t that far off of my age a new house. I can think about all of that later right now I had a lot of money, two weeks in the house by myself and a cute boy number in my pocket. So I took out the paper and called Aaron.  
  Chapter 3 
  Hello Aaron this is grace, hi grace how are you he says back, I am ok how about we hang out tonight I ask. Sure that sounds great pick you up at 7:30. Ok I say back and hang up the phone. I look at the clock and it is already 5:30 where did the time go, I go to the bathroom and shower and do my hair I look at the time again and its already 6:15 then I go to my room to try and find something to wear I haven’t really been the type of girl to dress up so I just pick a pair of shorts and a gray tee I knew we weren’t going somewhere fancy so it really wouldn’t matter what I wear. I go to the bathroom and take on final look at myself, I guess I look alright hair is in a tight pony tail my tee and shorts fit my body just right. My bruise isn’t there anymore thank God. I turn off the light and go down stairs its only 6:30 so I turn on the tv and watch my favorite show revenge. Just when the show is getting good there is a knock at the door I looked at the time and its 7:14 he’s a little early I go to the door and answer it. There stands Aaron with a hand full of flowers wow this wasn’t what I expected he looks at me and say you look nice and then hands the flowers to me I invite him in and go to the kitchen and put the flowers in a vase and off we go. So where are we going I ask Aaron as we drive off. Ill let that be your choice we can go to the movies or skating or bowling or anywhere else you want to he says. Ok lets go bowling. When we got to the bowling place it was a little bit pack but we got our shoes and a table. Ok so are you ready to lose Aaron says. I look at him and laugh aren’t you suppose to let the girl win I say to him. Says who Aaron says with a laugh, what he doesn’t know is my mom was a bowling campaigning and so am I it’s the only reason I picked this game. Ok I tell him it’s on. Lady’s first he says ok as I go up to the line I role my pink ball as hard as I could STRIKE! I turn to Aaron your turn I say with a laugh. That was just a lucky strike now watch a master. He goes up to the line and rolls the ball and gets a strike. This was really gonna be a quick game. He turns to me and laughs and say beat that. We go on and on though the game taking and laughing and now it was our last roll he had 210 points and I had 211 this was a tight game I took my last roll and it was a strike of course and he didn’t I guess he let me win when we finished he asked me where did I want to eat I told him it didn’t matter so he took me to a Chinese food store I got my favorite general tso chicken and fried rice and he order the same. We then drove to a nearby park and we ate and talked some more. I told him about brad and the wedding and he told me that brad was selfish not to take us but I told him I didn’t really care and he asked did me and brad get along well ( of course I wasn’t going to tell him the truth) somewhat I mind my own I say with my head down. Aaron picks my head up and looks at me it must be hard to lose someone you love and have to grow up so fast. Yea I guess it is but I deal with it. Aaron looks at the time and then says I think I should take you home. When we reach my house we say our fair wells. I go in the house and think about how nice Aaron was how he cared about me how he didn’t push his self up on me and didn’t steal a kiss on the first date if this was even a date. I go and take a shower and get ready for bed, as I climb into bed I look at my phone and it’s a message from Aaron… thank you for a lovely evening I had a lot of fun I know you have a lot on your plate and I wouldn’t want to be a bother its just something about you I just cant keep you off my mind well anyways I hope im not being to forward by saying I hope we can have another date soon. Ps: sweet dreams. A tear fell down my face it was a happy tear I crawled under the cover and fell asleep with Aaron on my mind. 
  Dear readers: I promise to be back soon thank you for everyone who has read my book so far. Please comment thank you! 
   
   
   Publication Date: October 23rd 2011 https://www.bookrix.com/-amani19