Half Truths. Tracy Ann Rodriguez
Chapter One Anthony
Unfortunately, I was unable to leave work at two as I had planned. I had much more paperwork in the office than I expected. Its a regular Thursday afternoon but with all this traffic it seems like a holiday! If I pull over for food ill get stuck in the five clock traffic rush. I worked straight through lunch so I could leave as early as possible. Now I can hear my stomach growling. I decide to wait until I get further out maybe in the next town. It took the traffic a while to get flowing at a normal speed. So I decided to hold off until I arrive. That way we could just go to dinner. I've been on the road for an hour and forty-five minutes now. I have a good forty-five minutes to go and ill be there. I can see a Valero gas station on the access road so I decided to pull over. So I can stretch out my legs and grab a drink to hold me off until I arrive. I park at a gas pump I have half a tank might as well fill up. I head for the restroom then grab a Gatorade and payout. As I fill up I can feel my phone vibrating in my pocket. As I reach for my phone it stops vibrating. I hung up the gas pump and closed my tank. I pulled out my phone and called her back. I think a part of me already knew she would do this! What I'm forty-five minutes away! This is the second time she has done this! You knew I was on my way why would you say yes! I'm pissed off at this point I didn't bother to hear her explanation I just ended the call instead. She knew since last week that I was coming to visit. Now all of a sudden she gets called into to go to work. I sat there for a few minutes waiting for her to call back or text but nothing. Instead of heading straight back home, I decided to go get a bite to eat that way if she changed her mind and called back I could just head that way. I had a few fast-food restaurants to choose from. I decided on Sonic. I wasn't in the mood to get down anywhere. I placed my order and as I wait I check my phone for a miss call or text but nothing. I can't believe she pulled this shit on me! I've been wanting to talk to her face to face about our situation and she has been avoiding it! After I ate I decided to just head back home. I was lost in my thoughts the whole way back. I know something isn't right she keeps avoiding me. I was looking forward to this weekend I wanted to get it out of her once and for all. I was about an hour away from home when the GPS advised me there was an accident up ahead and the delay would be forty-two minutes. Great now its stop and go from this point on. I put some music on to clear my head but it didn't stop all the thoughts I had running in my mind. Traffic was at a standstill when the music cut off and the text message I received was read. You have one new message from Julian: What you up to? I texted back “heading home. What about you?” You have one new message from Julian: “The same bro just got off of work. You have any plans this weekend?” I checked the time eight thirteen pm and he is just now getting home I thought. I replied with a simple "No". I've been stuck in traffic for an hour and 18 minutes now. I have so much on my mind that I haven't bothered to realize it. I knew something was up when he didn't text back! It is close to ten pm now and she hasn't called or texted. I'm going back and forth with my self debating if I should call her or not. As much as I want to I'm still pretty pissed off! I press the call button to dial out and before I could press her name my screen shows an incoming call from Julian. He didn't bother to say hello he jumped right to it If mom, Issa or nick ask I was with you on Thursday say we went to go check out the game. Since you asked me to lie for you where were you? Come on Anthony you know where I was! I know what I said and I meant it the last time we talked about it. I just need a little more time to straighten things out. Is it really worth it Julian? I wouldn't be calling you if it wasn't would I! Normally I wouldn't say anything because it's his business but lately, he's been putting me in the middle of it. I don't agree with my brother's choices. But I made the mistake of covering up for him once and now I'm just as guilty for allowing it to carry on. We talked about it the last time he came to visit. I didn't think much of it though. He was in a phase and that he would let it go. But that was over seven months ago. I just hope he has really thought it all threw. It was around eleven- twenty-three pm when I pulled into my apartment complex. I sat there in my car staring at my phone why hasn't she bothered to call or text me I wondered? I decided I was tired of this game so I called her but no answer all I got was her voicemail. I didn't bother to get my bags down I wasn't in the mood for anything! I had just spent several useless hours on the road I was exhausted! I put my phone on silent and decided to call it a night. Since I had no reason to be up early. I decide to sleep in.
Well that was a good sleep as I laid in bed I wonder what I would do today. I had a few things to take care of. So I decided to get them out of the way now that I had the time to do so. I reached for my iPhone on my nightstand next to my bed. As I swiped to the side to unlock my phone. My notification bar showed several missed calls and several messages. I sat up I knew immediately something wasn't right.
A text message from Issa- Answer your phone!!!!!!!!
Issa_ CALL ME ASAP 5:36 am
Nick- Call Me 4:46 am
Mom- Call me back 6:48 am
Nick- Answer your phone bro 6:59 am
After reading my text messages I didn't want to waste any more time by listing to my voicemail's. I called my mom but no answer. So I called my little brother Nick. He didn't bother to say hello! About time where have you been we've been trying to get a hold of you all morning. I pulled the phone away from my ear to see the time ten thirty-eight! Nick didn't wait for a response. It's Julian bro. Julian? what about Julian? I immediately thought of what Julian and I talked about the last time he came to visit me. It's not good bro Gabbi, Mom, Issa, and dad are with him at the hospital. I'm here at the house with Avery waiting on mom to call me to see what the Dr. has to say. My little brother Nick has always been a jokester one to pull your leg but right now I can tell by the worriedness in his voice that this is no joke and that he isn't bull shitting. What happen to him? I ask. I'm not really sure right now all I know is that he was in a car accident last night around midnight and… hold on don't hang up moms on the other line. I was at the edge of my bed instead of waiting I decided to get dressed. I began to look for my clothes and my shoes. Anthony you there? yeah, what did mom say? My little brother was silent I knew right away it wasn't good. Nick, what did she say? For you to come home Julian's in a coma! I couldn't believe what I was hearing I just spoke to my little brother last night! I rushed to put my boots on then I realized there was no point I'm a good five hours away from home. As much as I want to rush to be by my little brother's side I need to focus and do things right. I took a seat on my bed and gathered my thoughts. Let mom know I will be on the next flight out! As soon as I hung up with Nick I begin to book my flight the next flight to Dallas Texas which was at eleven sixteen am It's ten fifty-three am. Even if I left now I wouldn't make it! The next flight to Dallas would be at five twenty in the afternoon and would arrive at six in the evening. If I left now or an hour from now I would still arrive before five pm. After a few minutes of thinking it through, I decided to drive home. I called Nick and told him I would be in town by four that all the flights were leaving way too late. After I hung up with nick. I started to pack and remembered I already had a bag packed in the trunk. I grabbed a few items I would need like my phone charger my tablet and sunglasses. I locked up my place and has I reversed from the parking lot I realized for the first time in two years I was heading home.
Alyna
As I feed Kayden I check my phone for the time... four thirteen am. I use to be able to pull all-nighters but I'm halfway in my twenties and a mom so four-thirty in the morning is way too late to be awake. As I wait on Kayden to finish eating I lay my head back on the rocking chair and close my eyes. I can't believe I'm feeling so drained out lately. It must be lack of sleep and change of schedule with this little man. I open my eyes to check on him to see if he is done and he is out. I move extremely slow trying my best not to make any noise to wake him. I begin to place him in his crib removing my arm away from his head very slowly so I don't wake him. I'm free. I move slowly and quietly hoping he doesn't hear me. I set my alarm for his next feeding and I crawl back into bed. But sleep doesn't come easy I find myself wide awake thinking. then i start to slowly fall asleep.
I ended up waking up before the alarm went off to use the restroom. I checked my phone eight forty-five. Well i thought i set the alarm before i fell asleep. It looks like we overslept. We both must have been drained because Kayden didn't wake for his feeding. According to the books and nurses, you sleep