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Excerpt from GRACE IN THE DESERT by MaryAnn Diorio


Maggie planted her foot squarely on the accelerator and pushed down as hard as she could. Ahead of her lay an open stretch of the 15 Freeway in southern California, inviting the speed limit of 70 miles per hour—and then some.

As she pressed her foot hard on the floorboard, all the rage churning within her pressed down with it. She tightened her fists around the steering wheel. How dare Matt just up and leave, with no concern for their two little boys he'd left behind for her to raise by herself? He'd given her no warning. No reason.
No rhyme. He'd just packed his bags and left.

And of all times to leave. Right before Christmas. Her pleas and protests had made no difference. Not even their sons' wrenching cries had moved Matt's hardened heart.

She swallowed the bile that rose to her throat. How could he do this to her? To them? To himself? She'd never forgive him. No, never!

Her mind replayed the tormenting history. Sure, there'd been signs. Plenty of them, as she now looked back. Matt had complained that things at work were looking grim. His boss had threatened him with a pink slip if he didn't up his monthly quota. Then there was
their growing debt.

Not that they'd been extravagant in their spending, but raising two boys on a single salary—and that salary based on commission—wasn't the easiest thing to do.

Her stomach clenched. Was there something else going on she didn't know about?

A siren sounded in the distance behind her. Maggie glanced in her rearview mirror and saw a flashing red light fast approaching. She hoped against hope the police car was after someone else. But, as the only other driver on the road and flying at twenty miles above the speed limit, she had no choice but to stop.

She slowed down and pulled over to the side of the desolate highway. The Mojave Desert in winter looked bleaker than ever. Patches of snow dotted the rugged landscape, sending a chill through her already frozen heart. Gray clouds hovered above her, threatening a storm.

Maggie rolled down her window as the police officer approached. His graying head and slight paunch reminded her of her father.

The policeman wore a name tag that read "Officer Lopez".

He leaned toward her open window. "Do you realize you were driving at ninety miles an hour, twenty miles an hour over the speed limit?" His voice was firm, but with a kind edge to it.

Maggie felt a bit of tension release. No use lying. "Yes, sir. I know."

"Do you realize you could get yourself killed driving that fast?"

If only he knew that's what she wanted. To die. Were it not for her boys—little Matt and Jeffrey—she'd have ended it all before now.

She swallowed hard and nodded in answer to the officer's question.

He removed a pen from his jacket pocket and
prepared to write her a ticket.

Maggie pleaded. "Can you give me a break? Just this once?"

Holding his pen in mid-air, he gave her a questioning look.

"My husband just left me with two kids to raise and no job."

How many times had the officer heard that same sob story? But this time, would he believe it was true?

He hesitated and then put his pen back in his jacket pocket. "I'm just going to give you a warning this time. But if it happens again, you'll end up getting far more than a warning."

Maggie's eyes misted. "Thanks."

The officer hesitated. "Mind my asking where you're going in such a hurry?"

Dare she tell him the truth? What would it hurt? She'd
never see him again.

"Actually, I'm running away."

He placed his thumbs in his belt. "From what?"

She lowered her eyes. "From myself, I guess."

The officer's countenance softened. "Well, could you at least run away at the speed limit?"

Maggie raised her gaze and smiled in spite of herself. "Thanks."

The officer tipped his hat at her and then returned to his car.

Maggie rolled up her window and pushed the gearshift back into drive. She glanced in her rearview mirror.

The police officer was waiting for her to leave first.
Slowly, she pulled her car back onto the road. The officer followed her and remained behind her.
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