Read Online Fractured Affections (The Affections Series Book 1) by Elizabeth Wills - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Elizabeth Wills
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never tell me? I would have never interfered, just like I haven’t for eleven years.”
Tell him what exactly? There was nothing to tell when Striker was still in the picture. What did he think happened? “Striker, I don’t understand your question.”
Striker rubs his hands up and down his face, and his muscles tense with frustration. He jumps from his stool and begins to pace the kitchen with his hands on his hips and stares down to the floor.
“Come on, Rea!” He extends his hands out and looks me dead in the eye. “You know what I’m asking here. Don’t pull some shit, like you don’t understand. Why didn’t you just tell me?”
I stare at him, feeling confused. I try to think back to before he left me. Nothing happened between Dalton and me. My stomach drops as I realize that he thinks I was with Dalton while I was with him. How could he ever think that? I was desperately in love with him. That would have never been possible. I look up to him and my bottom lip begins to tremble.
“I understand the question, what I don’t understand is why you are asking it. How could you think that I would do that to you when we were together? It wasn’t possible. Even after you left my heart clung to you. I was a shell, just trying to get by. Dalton was there when I needed him most, just like he always was. This unexpected conversation is not going to lead us anywhere good. So can we skip working out the past, and just get to the part where we learn to be friends?”
My words quiver but I don’t shed a tear. I promised myself that I would hold it together when I was in front of him, no more breakdowns. Striker is standing there staring at nothing, with a puzzled look. I know he is battling some thoughts in his head.
Striker finally clears his throat and speaks. “Um, I just need a minute to work some things out in my head. Excuse me.”
I watch as he turns and heads to the office. My thoughts are jumbled as I sit and stare down the empty hall Striker turned out of. How was there ever any confusion between us? How I felt about him? I had loved him since we were young, for years before we were together. I had never thought of another boy that way. My stomach clenches as I realize, he didn’t ever understand how strong my love was for him. He always did that. He always doubted that anyone could ever love him completely.
He always told me that after his parent’s death, he felt like an intruder in other people’s lives, not really having a life of his own. His aunt never treated him the same as Dalton. She was a tough woman to please, still is. I always thought that was part of what made our bond stronger, the lack of a loving family.
We were each other’s family, but how can I change the outcome? I think of my kids and Dalton. Without Dalton, I wouldn’t have the life I live now. How do you regret any decisions that were made, when good things came from those choices?
My life is here with my family. I can’t change that, wouldn’t want to. It took me a long time to get to this point. It took years of fighting and crying to find happiness within my home. Dalton has been my sole support system, even when I couldn’t get out of bed every day. He was there every morning, making sure I got to school. He would sit and watch me until I forced myself to eat. He helped me survive one of the toughest times of my life. I learned that there is so much more to love than what I had so far in life.
Dalton knew I loved Striker with ever part of my being, but Dalton was selfless in his love for me. He only saw me and my needs and pushed his to the side. Sadness takes over as I remember those days and my vision blurs. I fight with everything I have not to let tears spill over, but I lose that battle and they run freely down my cheeks.
The weeks that followed, after Striker left, were hard. I barely remember much from that time. I was unrecognizable between the amount of weight that I lost and the lack of care I took for
Tell him what exactly? There was nothing to tell when Striker was still in the picture. What did he think happened? “Striker, I don’t understand your question.”
Striker rubs his hands up and down his face, and his muscles tense with frustration. He jumps from his stool and begins to pace the kitchen with his hands on his hips and stares down to the floor.
“Come on, Rea!” He extends his hands out and looks me dead in the eye. “You know what I’m asking here. Don’t pull some shit, like you don’t understand. Why didn’t you just tell me?”
I stare at him, feeling confused. I try to think back to before he left me. Nothing happened between Dalton and me. My stomach drops as I realize that he thinks I was with Dalton while I was with him. How could he ever think that? I was desperately in love with him. That would have never been possible. I look up to him and my bottom lip begins to tremble.
“I understand the question, what I don’t understand is why you are asking it. How could you think that I would do that to you when we were together? It wasn’t possible. Even after you left my heart clung to you. I was a shell, just trying to get by. Dalton was there when I needed him most, just like he always was. This unexpected conversation is not going to lead us anywhere good. So can we skip working out the past, and just get to the part where we learn to be friends?”
My words quiver but I don’t shed a tear. I promised myself that I would hold it together when I was in front of him, no more breakdowns. Striker is standing there staring at nothing, with a puzzled look. I know he is battling some thoughts in his head.
Striker finally clears his throat and speaks. “Um, I just need a minute to work some things out in my head. Excuse me.”
I watch as he turns and heads to the office. My thoughts are jumbled as I sit and stare down the empty hall Striker turned out of. How was there ever any confusion between us? How I felt about him? I had loved him since we were young, for years before we were together. I had never thought of another boy that way. My stomach clenches as I realize, he didn’t ever understand how strong my love was for him. He always did that. He always doubted that anyone could ever love him completely.
He always told me that after his parent’s death, he felt like an intruder in other people’s lives, not really having a life of his own. His aunt never treated him the same as Dalton. She was a tough woman to please, still is. I always thought that was part of what made our bond stronger, the lack of a loving family.
We were each other’s family, but how can I change the outcome? I think of my kids and Dalton. Without Dalton, I wouldn’t have the life I live now. How do you regret any decisions that were made, when good things came from those choices?
My life is here with my family. I can’t change that, wouldn’t want to. It took me a long time to get to this point. It took years of fighting and crying to find happiness within my home. Dalton has been my sole support system, even when I couldn’t get out of bed every day. He was there every morning, making sure I got to school. He would sit and watch me until I forced myself to eat. He helped me survive one of the toughest times of my life. I learned that there is so much more to love than what I had so far in life.
Dalton knew I loved Striker with ever part of my being, but Dalton was selfless in his love for me. He only saw me and my needs and pushed his to the side. Sadness takes over as I remember those days and my vision blurs. I fight with everything I have not to let tears spill over, but I lose that battle and they run freely down my cheeks.
The weeks that followed, after Striker left, were hard. I barely remember much from that time. I was unrecognizable between the amount of weight that I lost and the lack of care I took for
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