Read Online My So Called Life (Love Not Included Series Book 3) by J.D. Hollyfield - Free Book Online Page A

vision. As everyone looked perplexed at the hostility, I just assumed it was another case of the old crazies. But the muttering under her breath about an executioner led me to believe she wasn’t my biggest fan.
    “Kissy! Kissy!” I hear Pippa’s perky voice calling for my attention. I turn to see her holding up what looks like a stack of chocolate chip cookies. “Look, Kissy! Cookies!”
    “Wow, sweetie, that’s great. Be careful though. You don’t want to eat too many and get a belly ache.” I take a tissue from my bag and try to clean off the excess chocolate around her mouth. Judging from the cookie smudges she’s sporting, she may already have a dozen cookies in her little belly.
    “But gwamma says I can have as many as I want,” she argues.
    I hate to disagree with that old hag, but I’ve been in Pippa’s shoes. While eating a dozen cookies sounds good in the heat of the sugar rush, the stomach and possible bathroom repercussions definitely aren’t worth it.
    Just as I am about to suggest we put the rest down, I hear the snarling of my new best friend from beside me.
    “Now, lookie here, you slaughterer!” she barks, waving her cane dangerously in my direction. “You don’t come in here thinking you can tell everyone what to do.” She gets too close for comfort, and I’m pretty sure she’s going to poke me in the eye or whack me straight across the head. “Telling my grandbaby what she can and can’t have. You are no one to this family!”
    Her raised voice is beginning to draw stares from the other mourners. I hear whispering.
    Ian comes up next to me, trying to shield me from her cane along with her nasty words. “Georgia, how are you doing today?”
    I’m reminded that she’s just lost her grandson. “I wasn’t trying to interfere,” I explain to her patiently. “I was just suggesting to Pippa not to eat so many cookies.”
    “Ha! Sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong. You’ve done nothing but destroy everything. You stay out of our business, you hear me!” She takes another swing at me with her cane. And another. And another . . .
    I am not proud of what I do next, but by all that’s holy, this crazy lady needs to put her goddamn cane down. In the midst of swing number twenty-seven, my reflexes kick in and I catch the cane mid-swipe. Without thinking better of it, I grab and pull.
    In my head the scenario ended with her simply letting go. In reality, she of course goes with her cane. And instead of me relieving her of her weapon, she comes at me, along with the cane.
    Taking us both to the floor.
    Where she totally smacks me in the side.
    Thankfully before this senile whack job breaks a hip, she is pried off me by Henry and an unfamiliar woman. Ian helps me to my feet.
    “Holy shit, what is wrong with that lady?” I rub my side, trying to catch my breath.
    “It must be the stress. I’ve never seen her so violent. Are you okay?” Ian pats me down for injuries.
    “I’m fine.” I smooth my dress, hoping Pippa didn’t witness the nastiness. Things must already be confusing enough for her.
    As I glance around for her, a woman I don’t know speaks to Ian, “Has Pippa seen her parents? So beautiful. They look so peaceful. Like they’re sleeping. Everyone is saying so.” She dabs at her eyes with a tissue and motions toward the cluster of people milling around the pair of caskets at the front of the room.
    At the same time I spot a wide-eyed Pippa a few feet away. Her head turns toward the caskets and she squeals. “Mommy! Daddy!”
    Before I can stop her, she takes off, weaving through the mourners. The room erupts, commotion everywhere. The horror unfolds in slow motion. Pairs of hands try to grab the little speed demon, but she slips through, racing through legs toward the two caskets where she thinks her mommy and daddy are sleeping.
    She’s almost there when I spot Ian and realize he’s no longer at my side. There he is, sweeping Pippa into his arms in the nick