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    Tessa Speaks Her Truth
    Tessa Speaks Her Truth
    Tessa Speaks Her Truth
    Ebook85 pages1 hour

    Tessa Speaks Her Truth

    By Toni Faubion Truesdell

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    About this ebook

    Trapped in her seat, nine year old Tessa looked out at the snow covered peaks far below. She smiled, knowing this aerial view meant school had finally ended and she would now be able to spend the summer with her Dad in Alaska. It hadn't always been this way. She had once called Alaska home but now she spent her summers with her Dad and the remainder of the year with her Mom in Oregon.

    Little did she know, that this summer would be like none other. A shy boy from Unalakleet becomes a friend. A mysterious death, considered a closed case, is solved. Most importantly, Tessa learns to speak her truth without apology.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBookBaby
    Release dateOct 11, 2018
    ISBN9781543946574
    Tessa Speaks Her Truth

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      Book preview

      Tessa Speaks Her Truth - Toni Faubion Truesdell

      Author

      Chapter One

      Trapped in her seat, nine-year-year old Tessa looked out at the snow-covered peaks far below. She smiled, knowing this aerial view meant school had finally ended and she would now be able to spend the summer with her dad in Alaska.

      It hadn’t always been this way. She had once called Alaska home but now she spent her summers with her dad and the remainder of the year with her mom in Portland, Oregon. Closing her eyes, she felt that all too familiar feeling as her throat tightened and her eyes began to water.

      Why couldn’t it be like it used to be? she wondered.

      She had spent the first seven years of her life in Alaska—in the Matanuska Valley, to be exact. Those were happy times. Dad worked on the slope repairing oil rigs, two weeks on, two weeks off. When he was home, all was well. Mom and Dad were always hugging and kissing, dumb smoochy stuff like that. Dad would catch her watching and yell, Smooch attack! Grabbing Tessa, he would cover her with wet, furry kisses. Mom would join in and it would usually end with Tessa being tickled unmercifully.

      Wiping her eyes, she remembered her mother’s words: "You’re a big girl now, Tessa. Please remember, sweetie, that Dad and I will always love you, but things have changed.

      Crossing her arms tightly across her chest, Tessa had asked, "How come you and Dad will always love me but you won’t always love each other?"

      Mom had looked sad, tears welling in her eyes. Taking Tessa in her arms, she stroked her raven-black hair, saying, I’m sorry, Tessa. Some things don’t stay the same.

      The voice of the pilot brought her back to the present. We are now on descent to the Anchorage International Airport. Please bring your seat to its full and upright position and stow all trays in the seat back in front of you. The current temperature in Anchorage is 51 degrees, winds gusting to twenty miles per hour. We hope you’ve enjoyed flying Alaska Airlines. It has been a pleasure to serve you.

      Tessa wiggled in her window seat. She had needed to use the restroom for the last two hours but didn’t want to ask the two rather full-figured older women seated next to her to move. Oh well, I can wait, she fumed.

      Her ears popped as the Boeing 747 landed with a firm thud-thud on the runway. Pulling her small wheeled suitcase up the ramp, she caught a glimpse of her dad’s bearded face. As Tessa emerged from the long line of passengers, he smiled broadly and lifted her in his strong arms. Smooch attack, he teased.

      Tessa giggled as he pressed her to his chest. His denim shirt smelled of wood smoke from his shop and his skin of Irish Spring soap. She inhaled deeply, savoring the familiar scents that made her feel safe.

      Nearing her dad’s truck, she caught sight of Mili, her tail wagging wildly, first back and forth, then in full circles. It reminded Tessa of a propeller as it rotated broadly. With recognition came excitement as the Golden Lab bounded from the pickup. Dad watched the happy reunion as Tessa wrapped her arms around Mili’s thick neck and Mili bathed her in doggy kisses.

      I’ve missed you so much, Mili girl, so much, she repeated. It had been very difficult to leave her behind when she had moved to Portland with her mom.

      An apartment is no place for a dog, Mother had told her. It seemed an eternity until summer arrived and she could stroke the coarse blonde fur and look once again into Mili’s sweet brown eyes. The hour drive home found Mili between Dad and Tessa on the front seat, with Mili’s head resting contentedly in her lap.

      How is Ju Ju Bean? asked Tessa.

      That cat is as elusive as ever, Dad responded. I rarely catch a glimpse of her. If it weren’t for the empty feed dish, I wouldn’t know that she was still alive.

      Tessa remembered finding the tiny feral kitten—Not an inch from death, as her dad had said—just two summers ago. Three abandoned kittens had been found under their back deck. If it hadn’t been for Mili’s persistent whining and pacing, Tessa may never have found them that chilly evening in early June.

      The mother cat, a feral, was nowhere to be found. Two kittens lay lifeless but the third, a copper-colored female, clung to life, every breath a struggle. Dad had been reluctant to keep this ailing creature, but Tessa’s pleading blue eyes and many promises had finally convinced him. She kept her promises and slowly nursed the sickly kitten to perfect health.

      Their conversation remained animated, each wanting to catch up on past news. As excited as she was, Tessa found herself growing increasingly weary, her eyelids heavy. As they rounded the last corner down a long graveled road, she could see their modest but well-kept home still illuminated by the long hours of summer sunlight that Alaska was famous for. The clock read 10:15 p.m. Tessa wanted nothing more than to settle into her own bed, in her own bedroom, with Mili sleeping at her side.

      Chapter Two

      Tessa wasn’t sure which had awakened her first, the bright sunlight streaming through the window or Mili’s gentle nudging. Five-year-old Mili was ready to be let out but was too well mannered to make a fuss.

      Tessa’s eyes scanned the room. Everything was just as

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