Perris, California

Informationen zum Autor Rachel Stark grew up in Perris, California. She received her bachelor's degree in creative writing from University of California, Riverside, and her master's degree in creative writing at University of California, Davis. She currently resides in southern Colorado where she writes, runs mountain trails, and teaches yoga. Klappentext "In this unforgettable debut novel, twenty-seven-year-old Tessa, pregnant with her third child and living in a trailer on her mother-in-law's property, encounters the woman she used to love-leading Tessa to question the very foundations of the life she's built. Abandoned by first her father and then her mother, as a girl Tessa is left to live with her abusive stepfather and stepbrother. She survives by finding reserves of strength in herself, and by the surprising, transformative love of another teenage girl, Mel, who sees through Tessa's tough exterior to the vulnerable, scarred, loving woman inside. When she suddenly loses Mel, too, Tessa stumbles into a saving grace of a different kind with Henry and his mama, Angie, becoming a mother and finding herself in a familial existence that somehow carries her into adulthood-until the day she runs into Mel, who has just returned to Perris after years away"-- Leseprobe PROLOGUE 1992 Angie It was sometime in the middle of the night when Angie woke to a sharp pain in her chest. She put a hand there. She was waiting to see if it would pass when she heard a tapping on her bedroom window. She moved her hand from her chest and shook Buck's shoulder. The tapping got louder. Buck, Angie whispered. Buck, wake up. There was the sound of something snapping underfoot outside, and Buck was on his feet. He picked up the flashlight on his night- stand and took his rifle out from under the bed. He and Angie went to the window. He had the light and rifle in hand and ready when he gave the nod to Angie, signaling her to pull back the curtain. Tessa, Henry's girl, was standing there squinting into the light. The side of her face was blown out so bad that the skin was pulledtaut across the bridge of her nose and the eye on that side was shiny-wet and pinched shut. Jesus, Angie breathed. She and Buck ran outside to her. The poor thing was leaning up against the house to keep from falling over. She didn't have shoes on, and her feet were torn up and bleed- ing. She was bent and holding one arm in close with the other. Buck stayed froze to the earth a yard away from the girl while Angie walked to her. Tessa was taking in quick, shallow breaths. Her open eye was big and showing all its white. Angie had seen that same look once before in her neighbor's colt when it was pinned down and straining against four grown men; its leg was broken in three places after a bad jump, and there wasn't no coming back from that. Angie walked up to Tessa slow and steady like she'd done with the horse before she put a bullet between its eyes. Easy, baby, she said. Tessa let a sharp exhale out her nose. It's alright now, honey. You're alright. She looked busted up even worse up close. Worse than any of her boys or Buck had ever been after any schoolyard scrap or bar fight. Angie didn't let her face show the sick she was starting to feel. Honey, would it be alright if I have Buck carry you inside so I can help you? Tessa made no move or change in expression. Angie slowly reached her hand out and touched the side of Tessa's face that wasn't broke. No one's gonna hurt you here. You're safe now. I promise. Tessa gave a small nod, and Buck came over. When he lifted Tessa, she let out something between a groan and a gurgle. Easy with her, Buck, Angie said. She had Buck lay her down on the sofa at an angle so the girl would be propped up enough for Angie to get a good look at her. Where you hurting ...

Autorentext
Rachel Stark grew up in Perris, California. She received her bachelor’s degree in creative writing from University of California, Riverside, and her master’s degree in creative writing at University of California, Davis. She currently resides in southern Colorado where she writes, runs mountain trails, and teaches yoga.

Klappentext

"In this unforgettable debut novel, twenty-seven-year-old Tessa, pregnant with her third child and living in a trailer on her mother-in-law's property, encounters the woman she used to love-leading Tessa to question the very foundations of the life she's built. Abandoned by first her father and then her mother, as a girl Tessa is left to live with her abusive stepfather and stepbrother. She survives by finding reserves of strength in herself, and by the surprising, transformative love of another teenage girl, Mel, who sees through Tessa's tough exterior to the vulnerable, scarred, loving woman inside. When she suddenly loses Mel, too, Tessa stumbles into a saving grace of a different kind with Henry and his mama, Angie, becoming a mother and finding herself in a familial existence that somehow carries her into adulthood-until the day she runs into Mel, who has just returned to Perris after years away"--

Leseprobe
PROLOGUE
**
1992

Angie
**
It was sometime in the middle of the night when Angie woke to a sharp pain in her chest. She put a hand there. She was waiting to see if it would pass when she heard a tapping on her bedroom window. She moved her hand from her chest and shook Buck s shoulder. The tapping got louder. Buck, Angie whispered. Buck,
wake up.
There was the sound of something snapping underfoot outside, and Buck was on his feet. He picked up the flashlight on his night- stand and took his rifle out from under the bed. He and Angie went to the window. He had the light and rifle in hand and ready when he gave the nod to Angie, signaling her to pull back the curtain.
Tessa, Henry s girl, was standing there squinting into the light. The side of her face was blown out so bad that the skin was pulledtaut across the bridge of her nose and the eye on that side was shiny-wet and pinched shut.
Jesus, Angie breathed. She and Buck ran outside to her. The poor thing was leaning up against the house to keep from falling over. She didn t have shoes on, and her feet were torn up and bleed- ing. She was bent and holding one arm in close with the other. Buck stayed froze to the earth a yard away from the girl while Angie walked to her. Tessa was taking in quick, shallow breaths. Her open eye was big and showing all its white. Angie had seen that same look once before in her neighbor s colt when it was pinned down and straining against four grown men; its leg was broken in three places after a bad jump, and there wasn t no coming back from that. Angie walked up to Tessa slow and steady like she d done with the horse before she put a bullet between its eyes.
Easy, baby, she said. Tessa let a sharp exhale out her nose. It s alright now, honey. You re alright. She looked busted up even worse up close. Worse than any of her boys or Buck had ever been after any schoolyard scrap or bar fight. Angie didn t let her face show the sick she was starting to feel. Honey, would it be alright if I have Buck carry you inside so I can help you?
Tessa made no move or change in expression. Angie slowly reached her hand out and touched the side of Tessa s face that wasn t broke. No one s gonna hurt you here. You re safe now. I promise.
Tessa gave a small nod, and Buck came over. When he lifted Tessa, she let out something between a groan and a gurgle. Easy with her, Buck, Angie said.
She had Buck lay her down on the sofa at an angle so the girl would be propped up enough for Angie to get a good look at her. Where you hurting most, honey? Angie said. Tessa didn t speak.

Maybe with the side of her face like that, she couldn t. I m gonna look you over a bit, okay? That way I can help. Angie got down on her knees and closer to the girl. Tessa had her right arm tucked …