Page 5 of Broken: Taylor

Chapter 2

The strong coffeedid little to sooth her already frazzled nerves. Allison Brennan’s hand shook as she lifted the cup to her lips. Her over active imagination had kept her up way too late. It was hard being a night owl in the normal world.

Most nights, she struggled to go to sleep before one in the morning, but last night, one a.m. had come and went. By the time she fell asleep, it was closer to three in the morning.

In her estimation, by mid afternoon she’d be useless and in dire need of a nap.

Sometimes in the middle of the night, she’d wake up freaked out. Every possible scenario of what could go wrong with her life or anyone who she loved would take over. And after tossing and turning for hours, she always gave up and got out of bed.

The early morning was a series of check up calls and lurking on social media to make sure everyone was all right.

Jaden, her twenty-two-year-old stepson, always answered the phone by the third ring. Used to her occasional early morning calls, Jaden’s groggy voice always assured her. He’d wave away her apologies for waking him and ensure he’d fall right back to sleep. Knowing him, he would.

Although Allison got married too young and was not prepared for it, she’d enjoyed helping to raise her ex-husband’s young son. Even after an amicable divorce, she’d ensured to be a constant in Jaden’s life.

After double-checkingher bank account balances, and ensuring no one had broken into the shop and stolen everything she owned, the doubt of something unforeseen or that she’d missed an ominous sign would continue to bother her until at least two cups of coffee were downed.

Unfortunately, the day ahead always ended up being a total waste. With lack of sleep came irritability and absence of focus.

This morning, she’d already called Jaden, checked the accounts, and every room in her grandmother’s old house.

After walking through the bottom floor of the house where her flower and gift shop was located, she trudged upstairs to the kitchen to pour another cup of coffee.

The warm cup between her palms soothed Allison as she went to stand by a window, which looked over Broad Street in downtown Laurel Creek, Montana.

Through the glass, she had a view of the entire street and on past to the outskirts of town, where the road disappeared from view.

Although it was nine o’clock in the morning, the center of town was strangely quiet.

The boutique across the way had not opened yet and next to it, the small pizzeria’s blinds were still down.

A car and a truck were parked in front of the coffee shop, the only place with the lighted “Open” sign.

Fresh air blew in through the window when she slid it open, the singing of birds filling the air. It would be a perfect time to meditate, read her devotional, or do the yoga exercises she was supposed to do on mornings like this.

Her shop didn’t open until ten, so she took advantage of the early rise to make her bed, put a load of laundry into the washer, and tidy up the bathroom.

An hour later, dressed in jeans and an off one shoulder pale peach top, Allison pulled her wavy hair up into a messy bun that allowed curls to escape and frame her face. She swiped a couple of coats of mascara on and did the same with a sheer coral lip-gloss.

Cup of coffee in hand, she went downstairs to open her shop noting a large truck had pulled up.

She opened the door just as the deliveryman walked up to the front porch with a large item on a hand truck.

“I’ve got your sign,” the heavyset bearded man mumbled and held up a clipboard.

Her new business sign had arrived.

“Can we unwrap it so I can see it please?” There was a strange bright orange colored corner poking out, but the rest was covered with cardboard and packing tape.

The more the man uncovered, the worse it got. The sign was horrendous.

“The Flower Pot” in bright neon green letters on an even brighter orange background was not exactly what the website had shown. It definitely did not fit the theme for her shop.

Obviously the computer had done an amazing job of making the colors look very different. Allison leaned back, shaded her eyes and looked at the sign.

She scrunched up her face. “That is the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen.”

The deliveryman was honest enough to nod. “It’ll definitely stand out.”