Read Online The Life I Now Live by Marilyn Grey - Free Book Online Page B

told each other we had crushes and then he moved away. His parents got divorced and his mom took him to Wisconsin. We lost touch until he came back here for college. I walked into my first class in college and sat next to him. No other seats in the class. We didn’t recognize each other at first, but I saw his name on his paper and the rest is history. We’ve been together on and off for almost a decade. Now we’re off again.”
    “Yeah.”
    She laughed. “Profound response.”
    “I’m all out of deep today.”
    “Anyway, people change. The boy I fell in love with twenty years ago is not the man I want to spend my life with.”
    I liked her. Not in a romantic way. Refused to let my heart go there. But I liked her personality. Couldn’t understand why on earth a guy would choose anything over her, but to each his own. 
    “So,” she said. “I better get going. I have an audition to prepare for. Actually trying to make my way to New York.”
    “Broadway?”
    “Hoping.”
    “Thought you didn’t want that kind of life?”
    “Nothing else to do. I won’t let the fame get to my head.” She laughed. “Doubt they will accept me anyway.” She stuck out her hand. I shook. “Nice meeting you. What’s your name?”
    “Patrick.”
    She stood. Something mysterious and intriguing about her smile. “Goodbye then, Patrick.”
    I watched her skip down the street with one hand on her hat. Yes, skip. She crossed the street, stood on her toes, and waved to me. I waved back, laughed. Weird girl, I thought. Very weird. 
     
     

Ch. 13 | Heidi
     
    New Years Eve I opened my eyes in bed. Andy packed most of our essentials and told me to be ready to leave for another country by New Years Eve. So I was.
    Riley slept passed her normal time. I rolled over to wake Andy with a kiss before the baby would steal my attention, but he wasn’t there. He always woke up before me. Since the day I met him. He called me his little night owl and I called him my early birdie. We had so many cutesie names for each other. Enough to sicken the average person.
    I closed my eyes and listened for the shower. Didn’t hear a thing. Patrick. I needed to tell him the truth. He deserved to know. Except Andy didn’t want anyone knowing he was still alive, not even his parents. He believed some crazy gang was out to get him. I loved him, so I kept his secrets. At the very least I needed to tell Patrick that I loved him, but I would be moving away and he needed to move on.
    My stomach turned. I sat up. Nauseous at the idea of never speaking to Patrick again. His smile. The way he fought for me and waited for me. Not once did he try to kiss me, even when I desperately wanted him to. The way he respected me and loved me from a distance, no matter how much he wanted to be with me. Andy was the wall between us, and crazy as it sounded, Patrick stayed on the other side. He became my best friend. The best one I ever had. And as much as I wanted to believe in my marriage, my heart really resided in my best friends hands.
    But I needed to be faithful. Andy was a good guy too. I couldn’t break his heart.
    After checking on Riley, I went downstairs. No sign of Andy. I walked to the front door and saw a note on the table by the couch. Andy’s writing in scratches of blue ink.
     
    They are after me again. I don’t want you to get hurt. Burn this note and live without me again. It won’t be long. Just until they forget again. Next time I come back be ready to leave with me right away. Keep a bag packed in case. I will come back for you, bug. Don’t forget me. So sorry about this mess. 
     
    The first time he left I balled like a baby. Took me two days to get out of bed and eat again. This time I sighed, annoyed. What did he expect from me? From Riley? We needed stability, and although I didn’t need it to survive, I wanted romance. I wanted true love.
    Andy feared death. I feared living my life without love. Death didn’t scare me, but a life unlived