Something Had to Give: Cheryl’s Side
Trish D
Author Bio
Trish D is a North Carolina native who spends her days writing a range of different short stories and novels. When not writing, she can usually be found with her nose in a book or hands behind the needle of a sewing machine. She’s been writing since she was a teen, but only just recently decided to take the plunge into the publishing world.
Description
If you are looking for a great summer read, look no further. Follow Cheryl’s journey through this crazy and unpredictable thing called life. Her story is one we can all relate to. She had big plans for herself, but life came at her fast. Will she be able to play the cards she dealt? Or will the pressures of life drive her to actions that will alter her life forever?
Cheryl began planning her life when she was just eight years old. At that age, she never considered that life would throw her curve balls that would make her change those plans. For Cheryl, it seems as though each time she has a minute to catch her breath, there is something else that comes along to disrupt her life. Even as a teen, Cheryl finds herself dealing a lot of devastating experiences that seem unfair, but she always manages to pull through. As a young adult, it becomes more difficult as she often finds herself without the support of her family friends.
Adulthood hits Cheryl like a freight train. She quickly discovers how decisions and actions from her past can affect her future. The transition from a carefree college student to an adult that’s tied down is not easy for Cheryl. Though she does her best to adjust and make the best of her new life, the pressures of being a mom and partner begin to weigh heavily on her. Cheryl tries hard to keep her control of her emotions, but when she finds herself as a single mom going to war with her ex, she reaches her breaking point. The plan Cheryl devises to fix her problems is so far fetched that she is not sure she can pull it off. However, when she discovers that her ex has moved on with no regard to the life he promised her, all bets are off. She has just given birth to her second child and finds herself caring for two children alone while he has started a new life without her. It’s the straw that breaks the camel’s back. For her something had to give, and it was him.
Book excerpt
“My name is Cheryl Atkins. I set my ex-boyfriend on fire and ran someone else over in my car. I am the rest area at exit 302 in a white Toyota. The police can come and get me.”
The operator was still talking when I hung up, but I wasn’t really feeling up to answering questions. I walked back to my car and sat there enjoying my last few minutes of being able to breath in fresh air. It didn’t take long before I heard sirens and the reality of what was about to happen hit me. Without thinking I started the car up and sped out the rest stop towards the highway. I was on the over pass to get on when I pulled over and stopped. I climbed over to the passenger side and squeezed my way out the door which put me right at the cement wall of the over pass. Looking down to the cars whizzing down the highway, I thought to myself. “Could I really do that? Could I jump?” I couldn’t really think of why jumping would be a better option than letting the police shoot me, but my mind kept telling me to do it. I was still looking down telling myself to just do it when two police cars arrived. Within seconds, two more were right behind them and I could hear multiple sirens headed my way. I knew it was going to happen so it didn’t bother me that so many were coming.
“Ma’am, I need you to back away from the wall and put your hands up.” The officer wasn’t shouting, but his voice was stern and rough. I turned to tell him that it wasn’t necessary and saw that there were six police officers outside their vehicles with guns pointed at me.
“Holy shit.”
That was the only thing that came to mind. It wasn’t television. It was real and it scared me to death. I figured I had two options. I could jump or run towards them forcing them to shoot. I didn’t know how many would shoot. At that point I didn’t want to risk being shot and living. I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. I wanted out of this mean world. I noticed that one of the officers was slowly inching closer and closer to me as he shouted out commands that I blocked out. My brain was telling my legs to just jump, but something kept me frozen in my spot.
“Ma’am, I need you on the ground with your hands up now!”
“Just shoot me.” I responded as I began to cry.
“We are not going to shoot, but we do need you on the ground now!”
The officer had no sympathy. He saw my tears. He had to know that I was sorry and scared, so why was he still yelling at me to get on the ground. It dawned on me that no one would care about my side of the story. Everyone would just see me as crazed murderer and that wasn’t fair. It would be me against the world and I had nothing left in me to fight. I was done.
“Tell everyone I’m sorry.”
Those were my last words before I closed my eyes and leaped. I thought I would be scared as I braced myself for hitting the ground and likely being run over, but I wasn’t. I felt like I was floating. Countless times, I had watched television and scoffed at people saying their lives flashed before their eyes. It always sounded so corny until it happened to me. I saw elementary days that were so fun and innocent, my days with Jacob by the creek, my days running track in high school, and all the magical moments I had shared with Derrick, Eric, and Jason. I would have given anything to go back and re-live anyone of those moments. I squeezed my eyes shut as tight as possible so that I wouldn’t miss a moment. It made me smile to think about seeing Jackie and my grandparents again. As flashes of Brandon and Amelia’s smiles popped up, I felt myself smile even harder. It was the perfect last memory.