Read Online Open Eyes (Open Skies) by Marysol James - Free Book Online

on your mind. Tell me, OK?”
    “OK.” Phil sighed. “You remember when we were talking about Tammy and Rob a while ago, and I was joking that I wished I were ten years younger?”
    “Sure.”
    “You said that I still had love to give, and I said that my romantic days were over.”
    “Right. And I said that was crap.”
    “You did. And I said that it was too bad I’d never had a really healthy or loving relationship in my life – not ever.”
    “OK, yeah. I remember all of this. So, what’s all this got to do with what’s going on with you now?”
    “Ummm.”
    “Wait. Are you blushing? ”
    “Maybe.”
    Her black eyes were almost popping out of her head. “Oh, my God. Are you telling me that you’ve – you’ve found someone? Someone you’re interested in? Like, romantically?”
    “Yeah. Yeah, I have. An amazing woman.”
    “But that’s great!”
    “Yeah.”
    “So, I don’t get the issue.”
    “Well, I haven’t said anything to her about how I feel.”
    “That doesn’t sound like you.”
    “I know. But it’s – it’s complicated.”
    “Come on, Phil. You know that alcoholics make things complicated when they don’t have to be. Are you just creating drama for the hell of it?”
    Phil shook his head. “No. Things with me are clear. But Vicky…”
    “What?”
    “I don’t know, Kimana. Something. She’s been hurt. Badly, I think. I just feel like – like she’s not ready to hear how I feel. Not yet.”
    “And when you think she is ready?”
    “Then I’ll make my move. No words, no preamble, no messing around. I’ll just kiss her, kiss her like I mean it.”
    **
    “Now. You are going to tell me all about Phil. Everything. Leave no detail out. I’ll know if you do.”
    Vicky laughed.
    “Come on, now,” Opal said, spooning green beans and potatoes with gravy on to Vicky’s plate. “Spill.”
    “Oh, come on, Opal. What makes you think there’s even anything to spill?”
    “Because I can tell that you like him.”
    “Opal. I am still married, may I remind you.”
    “Yeah. To a wife-beating, child-abusing dickhead. I’d say you’re free and clear.”
    “Oh, I don’t know about that.” Vicky took a sip of her wine. “I’m pretty sure any guy I was interested in would be unimpressed about me kidnapping my kid and running over state lines.”
    “She’s your kid and you saved her.” Opal frowned, her light gray eyes troubled. “I don’t understand any of this: the bastard was hurting both of you, and what? You were supposed to stay there and take it?”
    “No. I was supposed to get a lawyer and go through the court system and wait. Do things the legal way.”
    “Oh, sure. With all that money of your own that you had, right?” Opal snorted.
    “Well, yeah. That was part of the problem, but only part.”
    “What was the rest?”
    Vicky toyed with the turkey on her plate. “I – I did lots of research in to abusive situations and how to leave them.” She stopped.
    “Yeah? And?”
    Vicky sighed. “And I found out that the most dangerous time for a woman and her children is right after she’s left the abusive situation. When she’s moved outside of his control – out of the house, away from him.”
    “What?”
    “Yeah. If a guy is going to lose it – like, really lose it, and kill the wife and kids – it happens when he feels like he has nothing at all left to get taken away from him. When she’s left him and started a new life, and when he can’t see the kids alone and unsupervised, or even at all, in some very dangerous cases.”
    Opal stared at Vicky. “Wait. You mean to tell me that you really thought he’d kill you and Sonia if you left him and went to a shelter? Or your Mom’s? If he knew where you both were?”
    “I did. He always said he would, and I believed him.” Her eyes were hard. “No way was I going to put us all at risk like that. Sonia and I couldn’t stay, that much was clear. But he also couldn’t know where we were, and I