Read Online Imperfectly Real (A Series of Imperfections) by A.E. Woodward - Free Book Online
Authors: A.E. Woodward
Tags: Contemporary
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we turned a corner headed towards the small park close to our condo.
“Sure.” She smiled.
“What do you drink?” I asked.
“Anything with caffeine.”
I gave her a smirk, thinking to myself that that actually sounded a lot like a typical Emma answer, before promising her that I’d be right back.
I hustled into the shop and ordered two grande caramel macchiatos. I hummed a happy tune to myself as I handed her the cup and she took a tentative swig. “I forgot how happy-go-lucky you were.”
“What do you mean?” I asked as we continued down the sidewalk pushing the strollers, the kids babbling back and forth to each other in excitement.
“You were always so happy growing up. You know, that’s what I loved about you. That and how you made sure I was always taken care of. Do you remember when you yelled at Emma for ditching me to go play with soccer with Shane?”
“I actually do remember that,” I replied. It was funny thinking how such a small part of our lives had stuck with us. Somehow—for whatever reason—it had been important to us both, permanently etched into our precious memories.
“You seemed different to me after your dad died … but I guess I was wrong. You’re still the same guy I knew back then.”
I winced at the mention of my dad’s death. It had been the roughest time in my life. I was just a kid, still in high school. I practically lived at Emma’s for months. My mother drowned her sorrows with mimosas and I couldn’t stand her for it. The only thing that kept me going back to my house was Talon. He was just a kid, a preschooler at the time, and he needed me to take care of him, because God knew my mother couldn’t. I’d sneak him out of the house and put him to bed at Emma’s. She’d sneak us in through her daylight basement, so that Mrs. Sloan wouldn’t ask too many questions. All that really mattered was that Talon was taken care of, and we wouldn’t have to listen to Mom sob while she got drunk.
Elizabeth was right though—I had changed after dad died. I did my best to put on a front and give people what they expected from me, but I was never the same. He’d been the one to keep our family together, and without him I just became a reminder of all that was lost to my mother.
“Sorry,” she whispered, obviously sensing my emotions. “I shouldn’t have said that.”
“Don’t be, it’s the truth.” I forced a smile, to let her know that it was okay, just as we turned the corner to the park. Despite the sun shining, it was pretty barren with only a few couples, kids, and a handful of dogs running around.
We found a grassy and secluded spot in the park. The sun was shining and the last bit of warmth from the summer was still in the October air. I laid a blanket on the ground, and Elizabeth put out some toys out for the kids. Once we got them settled I lay back on the blanket and put my arms behind my head, letting the sun warm my face. I felt Elizabeth sit down next to me so I wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her close. She giggled and my heart thundered in my chest. I briefly thought that I could get used to this until I remembered that she was married. She wasn’t mine, and she probably never would be—and that was the cold hard truth.
I looked at her and really saw her for the first time. The night before had been clouded with primal need. She’d looked hot, and it had been about nothing more than numbing our loneliness. But looking at her then, sitting in the sun, she honestly took my breath away. She was the most beautiful girl I had ever laid eyes on. Period.
Growing up, I had always known that she was going to be a knockout, and she had turned out to be just that. It was something that Emma had always hated her for. Emma may have been confident in a lot of things, but when it came to her sister she was a totally self-conscious woman.
Elizabeth’s short blonde hair caught the sunlight just so, offsetting her slightly olive skin. Holding her
“Sure.” She smiled.
“What do you drink?” I asked.
“Anything with caffeine.”
I gave her a smirk, thinking to myself that that actually sounded a lot like a typical Emma answer, before promising her that I’d be right back.
I hustled into the shop and ordered two grande caramel macchiatos. I hummed a happy tune to myself as I handed her the cup and she took a tentative swig. “I forgot how happy-go-lucky you were.”
“What do you mean?” I asked as we continued down the sidewalk pushing the strollers, the kids babbling back and forth to each other in excitement.
“You were always so happy growing up. You know, that’s what I loved about you. That and how you made sure I was always taken care of. Do you remember when you yelled at Emma for ditching me to go play with soccer with Shane?”
“I actually do remember that,” I replied. It was funny thinking how such a small part of our lives had stuck with us. Somehow—for whatever reason—it had been important to us both, permanently etched into our precious memories.
“You seemed different to me after your dad died … but I guess I was wrong. You’re still the same guy I knew back then.”
I winced at the mention of my dad’s death. It had been the roughest time in my life. I was just a kid, still in high school. I practically lived at Emma’s for months. My mother drowned her sorrows with mimosas and I couldn’t stand her for it. The only thing that kept me going back to my house was Talon. He was just a kid, a preschooler at the time, and he needed me to take care of him, because God knew my mother couldn’t. I’d sneak him out of the house and put him to bed at Emma’s. She’d sneak us in through her daylight basement, so that Mrs. Sloan wouldn’t ask too many questions. All that really mattered was that Talon was taken care of, and we wouldn’t have to listen to Mom sob while she got drunk.
Elizabeth was right though—I had changed after dad died. I did my best to put on a front and give people what they expected from me, but I was never the same. He’d been the one to keep our family together, and without him I just became a reminder of all that was lost to my mother.
“Sorry,” she whispered, obviously sensing my emotions. “I shouldn’t have said that.”
“Don’t be, it’s the truth.” I forced a smile, to let her know that it was okay, just as we turned the corner to the park. Despite the sun shining, it was pretty barren with only a few couples, kids, and a handful of dogs running around.
We found a grassy and secluded spot in the park. The sun was shining and the last bit of warmth from the summer was still in the October air. I laid a blanket on the ground, and Elizabeth put out some toys out for the kids. Once we got them settled I lay back on the blanket and put my arms behind my head, letting the sun warm my face. I felt Elizabeth sit down next to me so I wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her close. She giggled and my heart thundered in my chest. I briefly thought that I could get used to this until I remembered that she was married. She wasn’t mine, and she probably never would be—and that was the cold hard truth.
I looked at her and really saw her for the first time. The night before had been clouded with primal need. She’d looked hot, and it had been about nothing more than numbing our loneliness. But looking at her then, sitting in the sun, she honestly took my breath away. She was the most beautiful girl I had ever laid eyes on. Period.
Growing up, I had always known that she was going to be a knockout, and she had turned out to be just that. It was something that Emma had always hated her for. Emma may have been confident in a lot of things, but when it came to her sister she was a totally self-conscious woman.
Elizabeth’s short blonde hair caught the sunlight just so, offsetting her slightly olive skin. Holding her
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