Sure there were bruises, scars and several dents in the walls.
But rape?
No, I just couldn’t see it.
The week started off in the typical fashion – dealing with kids who meant the world to me.
I’d just come around the corner aiming to turn off the lights to the library, when my hands automatically flew to my face.
“Eww!” I really didn’t need to see that much tongue action at this time of day. “Ok, blech. What are y’all doing back here?” I said to the two teenage students I’d almost run into at the corner of the non-fiction and periodicals sections.
The girl tried pulling away, her eyes tilted to the side looking at me in horror while the boy held on to her, his hormones overriding the fact that I was standing there with my hands on my hips. “Hey kid!”
His lips parted from hers with a big smack.
The boy just looked over at me languidly, taking his sweet time. “Oh Ms. Gallagher, you act like you've never seen this.”
If he only knew how long it had been since I’d so much as kissed anyone.
“Tyler Smith, could you act just a little bit contrite?” I grumbled at him.
“Con-what?”
“Never mind,” I said with a flick of my hand. “Why are you here? Don’t you have some practice or something to go to?”
“It’s nice and quiet in here.”
“Yes, of course it’s nice and quiet in here – it’s a library.” I glanced at the girl, her eyes downcast. “And Stacy, really?” I wrinkled my nose. “Your mama would just kill you.”
“Sorry Ms. Gallagher.”
“Ok, out with you,” I said with a hint of a giggle in my voice, shooing them away like I would chickens, my fingers wriggling in front of me, “Go, go, go.”
They shuffled away. Stacy’s eyes were still glued to her feet and she almost ran into a wall plastered with a poster of Yoda holding a book, the word “Read” in big red letters above his head.
“Watch where you’re going there! Do you know how hard it was to get that Yoda poster? And, could y’all please spread the word to not use the library as Lover’s Lane? It’s downright ruining the academic vibe of this room.”
Tyler turned around and saluted me.
Loose Gates: A Novel Description:
Loose Gates is the story of one woman’s transformational journey across continents to unlock long-held family secrets.
Janie Gallagher’s brother, Jimmy, has been accused of committing a crime against one of her students, and Janie has reason to doubt his innocence. How could two people who once were so close, turn so belligerent towards each other? Can they ever heal the past?
When Jimmy disappears, Janie’s uneventful life in her small Texas town is turned upside down as she is forced to find him. At first she is terrified, but as she makes her way out into the world, she finds a deep well of strength. During her adventures in the sweltering jungles of Belize, the fast-life in Paris, exotic Cairo, and a stunning Alpine ski village, Janie crosses paths with men and women who are also at important crossroads in their lives.
Traversing the globe, Janie not only learns the truth about Jimmy, she also finds the joy of makeshift family, and her world blossoms in ways she never could have imagined.
Read What Amazon Readers Have To Say About Loose Gates:
“This was a really fun read that touched my heart with its personal connections … The backdrop of different exotic locations created a visual and cultural richness which ultimately is a story of love on many levels.”
“I carried my kindle with me everywhere, just in case I had a few minutes to join the journey of this intriguing young lady.”“Couldn’t wait to see what happened next. I really cared about the main character and rooted for her the whole way.”
“Dayan uses vivid imagery that sweeps you up into Janie’s adventures. I was mesmerized by detailed descriptions of Paris and the jungle.”
