Read Online A Girl's Guide to Moving On by Debbie Macomber - Free Book Online Page A

to remain with his grandmother while I left again. We hugged and he settled down to a Disney movie while Leanne cooked his favorite dinner.
    My mother-in-law didn’t ask about my dinner with Jake, and I was relieved. She hadn’t shared her thoughts or given me advice. Leanne couldn’t, and I appreciated her position. I knew it was difficult for her to see Jake in this kind of emotional pain. At the same time she couldn’t bear for me to endure the soul-sucking degradation she’d suffered because she’d made the choice to stay in her marriage.
    It was times like these that I needed my mother, only my mother was dead. Karen, my oldest sister, lived in Spokane and Cassie was in the Seattle area. I’d reconnected with Cassie two years earlier, after nearly fourteen years of estrangement. She’d been trapped in an unbearably abusive marriage and had finally escaped. Not knowing if I’d be able to reach either of them, I got my phone and dialed Karen first.
    Karen’s life was busy with family responsibilities. Her kids, Lily and Buddy, were involved in a number of activities, so to catch her and have a decent conversation was almost impossible. Nevertheless, I felt I had to try. To my relief, she answered almost right away.
    “Nichole, what’s up?”
    “You in a rush?” I asked.
    “I’m always in a rush. What’s happening?”
    “Hold on. I’m going to see if I can catch Cassie.” I put her on hold and punched the key that would connect me with my middle sister.
    “Hey, Nichole,” Cassie answered.
    “Do you have a minute?” I asked.
    My voice must have revealed my mood because Cassie said, “Everything okay?”
    “Hold on. I’m going to connect with Karen.”
    With the click of a button I had both my sisters on the phone. “I’m having dinner with Jake tonight,” I said, thinking that would be explanation enough.
    “Why?” Cassie asked, point-blank. Having been through a divorce herself, she had a better understanding of what my feelings were, although our circumstances were vastly different.
    “Are you having second thoughts?” Karen asked. “The last I heard Jake had agreed to a settlement and all you had to do was sign the papers and the divorce was a done deal.”
    “Sean asked Leanne to convince me to meet with Jake.”
    “Your in-laws, right?” Cassie asked.
    “Yeah. Sean told her Jake is having a hard time and doesn’t want to lose his family.”
    “Tough,” Cassie cried. “He’s the one who couldn’t keep his zipper closed.”
    “Cassie,” Karen admonished. “Give Nichole a chance. Do you want a reconciliation?” she asked gently.
    That was the crux of the issue. “I don’t know. None of this has been easy.”
    “But you’ve made it on your own for over two years,” Cassie reminded me. “You proved you can do it. It’s just like Jake to decide he wants you back as soon as he realizes you’re strong enough to stand on your own two feet.”
    “Do you still love him?” Karen asked, diverting my attention away from Cassie’s comment.
    “I do,” I whispered. “I’ve always loved Jake, but I don’t know if I can ever trust him again.” I didn’t mention the rumors I’d heard.
    “You can’t trust him,” Cassie insisted. “It’s a pattern. Look at his father and that’s all you need to know. Like father like son.”
    “That’s unfair,” Karen cut in.
    “But Cassie’s right,” I said. “When I first told Jake I wanted out of the marriage he was incredulous. He didn’t think I was serious.”
    “But you showed him.” Cassie again.
    “Yes, I proved to him I was serious, but it took time. For the last year I think Jake’s been in denial. He seemed convinced I would eventually give in and change my mind. And to be truthful, I’ve wavered more than once.”
    “Of course you did,” Karen said soothingly. “You love your husband and you took your vows seriously.”
    “Unfortunately, Jake didn’t,” Cassie reminded me.
    “Divorce is so much harder