Running in Place (Mending Hearts)

Copyright © 2013 by L.B. Simmons

Paperback: ISBN-13: 978-1493539499; ISBN-10: 1493539493

All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission of the author except where permitted by law.

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarities to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author

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Glass —
Thompson Square

Only If For A Night
— Florence + The Machine

Cut
- Plumb

Hurricane
— Lisa Loeb

Heart of Stone —
Iko

Sexy Bitch
— David Guetta, Akon

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
— Miranda Lambert

Stuck Like Glue
— Sugarland

Heavy In Your Arms
— Florence + The Machine

Rush
— Ferras

No Lies
— Jason Reeves, feat. Colbie Caillat

Poison And Wine
— The Civil Wars

Ride
— Lana Del Rey

Comforting Sounds
— Birdy

Existentialism On Prom Night —
Straylight Run

Fix You
— Boyce Avenue, feat.Tyler Ward

Call Me Maybe
— Carly Rae Jepsen

22
— Taylor Swift

We Found Love
— Tyler Ward, feat. Jess Moskaluke

Summer is Over
— Jon McLaughlin

The District Sleeps Alone Tonight
— Birdy

I Almost Do
— Taylor Swift

Right Back Home
— Lifehouse, feat. Peter Frampton, Charles Jones

Back From The Dead
— Skylar Grey, Big Sean, Travis Barker

Dear Daddy,

I had a dream last night. It was a good dream. We were at the park you used to take me to when you were alive. Remember? The one with the pond and the ducks. The sun was shining bright, and it was warm just like it used to be. I was wearing your favorite dress — the blue one with the white flower on my tummy. You used to tell me I looked like a princess when I wore it. You were pushing me in the swing and we were laughing. I was happy. Really happy. But it didn’t last long.

Mommy woke me up again screaming and yelling downstairs. I heard some glass break and I was scared. Really scared, Daddy. I heard her coming up the stairs and I tried to make it to my secret hiding place, but I didn’t make it. She threw my door open so hard it made a hole in my wall. I tried to run back to my bed, but she yanked my arm back so hard it popped. I didn’t scream, though. I knew better after the last time. I just held my arm and cried while she yelled at me, saying things that didn’t make sense. She said that I stole you from her. She told me that I was the reason you died and that because of me, Trace left and is never coming home. I tried to tell her I didn’t mean to. But she wouldn’t listen.

 I cried and cried while she screamed at me and beat the wall with her hands until they bled. I tried to help her, but she just pushed me away and told me she hated me.

But that wasn’t the worst of it, Daddy. When she was leaving, she saw the very first book of letters that I wrote to you right after you died. I forgot to put them back up in the top of my closet where I hide all of my letters. I have so many of them, but that one was the most special. In the first book of my letters, I made sure to write you every single memory I had of us so that neither one of us would forget.

But they’re gone now.

She made me rip them up, one by one. I cried the whole time.

I’m so sorry, Daddy. I wanted to keep those memories forever, and I hope you don’t hate me too, now. But I still have some of them, in a place where she can’t get to them. I have them safely locked up in our dreams. I hope you still come to see me.

I miss you. So much.

I love you, Daddy.

Tatum