“She’s here doing her make-up and hair right now—or maybe she might be in church doing all that. I’m not sure, but since the church is right in between us, do you want to meet me there in an hour?” He was smiling down at me, kissing me before I got to respond to his suggestion.
His kiss revived me. It was what I needed to snap me out of my trance. To come back to him.
In a flash, he left with a winning, happy smile. I was smiling, too, as I dressed up to meet him in an hour’s time.
Twenty minutes later, someone was ringing the doorbell.
Was I surprised to see that Edith’s mother, Margaret, was standing outside the door? No. In fact, I had expected it, but not from the mother, from her daughter.
“I’m sure you know why I’m here,” she stated coldly.
I did. I wasn’t going to act dumb and stupid, either. “Of course I do.”
“My daughter—my only daughter—is heart broken right now. She’s pouring her heart out, still not giving up on trying to convince the guy that promised to marry her not to cancel their wedding in an hour’s time.” She eyed me with those eagle-like, sharp eyes cutting through me. “Even as a child, I wasn’t very fond of you. With our differences aside, I’m here to let you see and hear the big picture.” She paused, looking teary-eyed.
“The truth is, my daughter is terminally ill. We found out the day after her graduation that she had a little over a year to live. Her bucket list consisted of a lot of things—one of them was to marry Greyson Edwards. Since he was helping her out with her list, he didn’t hold back in making her wishes come true—including this marriage.” Her eyes were red with moisture. “So if you have any heart at all, you’re going to walk away. Give my daughter the last bit of happiness she’s asking for.”
After she left, I was still standing there with my hand gripping the door handle, feeling like the earth had been pulled out from under my feet.
I had big decisions to make… decisions that could alter someone’s life; Edith’s, Grey’s, and mine.
I held the lucky charm bracelet in my hand, feeling the depth of what I was about to do.
“I love you. I’ve regretted the times that I haven’t told you, but I’ve loved you all along.”
There was no room for tears—that could be done later—there were big decisions to be made and I hoped that I would be making the right one.
* * *
There’s a time in life where you need to be selfish.
A time where you need to make a sacrifice.
A time where you find yourself at a crossroads, knowing that whichever path you choose someone will end up hurting.
I’mstuckin that predicament.
Am I selfish enough not to care?
Or am I selfless enough to sacrifice my own happiness, hurting the only man that has loved me, body and soul?
Pieces of Us
* * *
Book Two
Pieces Of Us
(Pieces Duet: Book 2)
Copyright © 2014 by Pamela Ann
All rights reserved.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without a written permission from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.