
Candace Meredith earned her Bachelor of Science degree in English Creative Writing from Frostburg State University in the spring of 2008. Her works of poetry, photography and fiction have appeared in literary journals Bittersweet, Backbone Mountain Review, Anthology 17, Greensilk Journal, Saltfront and The Broadkill Review. She currently works as a Freelance Editor for an online publishing company and has earned her Master of Science degree in Integrated Marketing and Communications (IMC) from West Virginia University.
Here is an excerpt from Candaceâs Book Losing You.
Chapter Five â Not My Daughter
âWhatâs complicated?â Kristi asks as Will enters the kitchen. âAnd where are the plates?â
âCabinet to the right,â he nods.
Kristi removes two porcelain plates from the cupboard and scoops eggs onto the plate. âI hope cheese is enough,â she says.
âThatâll be more than fine,â he sighs, âIâm sorry about breakfast.â
âItâs not a problem,â she says, âbut I still want to know what is complicated.â
âFlint,â he says, shoveling shards of glass into the garbage can, âFlintâs father is a deputy at the local police station.â
âIt doesnât mean he gets away with destruction of property,â she says.
âWell, he is,â says William.
âMy father might know someone,â Kristi offers.
âMy father was acquainted with the police chief. Thatâs why itâs complicated,â he explains and tosses the broom back into the closet and turns to the front door, âand now I have to replace another damn window.â
Kristi faces the window as she stuffs single bills into the drawer.
âCovering for Kim today?â
âOh, hello June,â she says, looking up from her task. âIâll have your earnings on Friday if thatâs okay.â
June, dressed in a floral sundress and hat, smiles happily, âI see someone bought my landscape.â
âSure did,â Kristi responds, âThat meadow was gorgeous.â
âPainted that meadow in Ireland,â she explains as she tosses her hand bag on the counter. âMy fatherâs Irish and my mother was from Wales.â
âI didnât know youâre European,â Kristi closes her drawer.
âWell, I guess Iâm not,â she says, âI was born in Pennsylvania then we transferred to the Appalachia when my father began business for the railroad,â she explains as the bell above the door chimes as it opens.
âWhere have you been?â Kristi sighs as Rick storms through the door.
âI was with a friend,â she says.
âI guess I should get going,â June picks up her purse and touches Kristiâs shoulder, âlet me know about lunch sometime.â
âIâll text you soon, June,â Kristi walks June to the door. Ignoring Rick, they hug briefly, Juneâs cherry red hair swirling in the breeze.
âYou do that dear,â she waves, walking away.
Not wasting time, Rick, who stands six feet tall, thin as a rail, wearing a blue button down polo and blue jeans, steps aside, runs his hand through his hair.
âWhat friend?â he stammers, âWhere the hell have you been Kristi?â Beads of sweat form on his receding hairline. Kristi sidesteps Rick, returning to her counter, and brushes her hair from her face.
âI was with a friend,â she says, grabbing some cleaning supplies
âWho?â He demands.
âA guy,â she responds, spraying chemicals on some paper towels.
âA guy?â He stutters, âDo you like this guy?â
âI think I do like him,â she says.
âWhat does that say about us then, Kristi,â he says, one hand on his hip, the other flying through the air.
âIt means that I still need a break.â
âWhat?â He narrows his eyes.
âLook, we had this conversation. I thought this conversation was over?â she says buffing the counter.
âMaybe for you, but not for me,â he sighs. âWhat exactly do you want?â
âI want space and separationâ¦â she says, scrubbing at a cloudy spot.
âAfter two years together?â
âYes.â
âWell, you donât love me or what?â
âYes, I do â¦â
âThen, what is it?â he slams his palms on the counter.
âLove just isnât enough,â she shrugs.
Continued in book . . .

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