A Past Refrain by Brenda Barrett

Author:Brenda Barrett
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: african american romanceafrican american christian fictionafrican american womens fictionreligious and inspirational fictionmulticultural romance
Publisher: Brenda Barrett

*****

" That is one of my favorite songs," Jayce said beside her.

Abigail opened her eyes, startled. She hadn't realized that he had come into the house or that he was sitting close to her on the carpet.

"I got that," she said huskily, "it is the only song on the CD." She looked him over. He was in khaki pants and was wearing a blue shirt. He looked fit and handsome and so familiar that for a moment she felt lightheaded with thankfulness that he was still in her life. Her mother's admonition to forget him had not quite worked out, had it? And by no stretch of the imagination was he a monster. Not now or then.

"You look spooked," Jayce said slowly. "Is everything okay?"

"I am fine." She nodded and looked into the box. "Just unpacking your records…had a little break, that's all." She had gotten sucked into the memories that she had tried for years to bury.

For years she had tried to forget that night. She had escaped to Kingston but not from that beating. She was hospitalized when she had started vomiting blood. For weeks, she had been at the mercy of nurses and doctors. She was bleeding internally from blunt force trauma. Her father had almost killed her, and all in the name of punishment.

"This is the last of the boxes," Jayce said, pointing to the one beside him.

"It says Haley." Abigail looked at the side of the box.

"It does?" Jayce groaned. "Darn Melody and her efficiency. She must have looked in there and labeled it for me. She helped me pack up my apartment after I got shot."

"You still keep stuff from Haley?" Abigail asked softly.

"Yes. I am sorry you had to see this." Jayce picked up the box again.

"No, wait!" Abigail said. "I want to see what's in there."

"No, you don't," Jayce said. "I am going to have a bonfire with this."

"You don't have to do that, Jayce," Abigail said, half-smiling. "It's not a bad thing that you still have keepsakes from a high school relationship. I think it's cute how loyal you still are to Haley's memory."

Jayce set down the box and frowned at Abigail. "Abby, what I felt for Haley wasn't cute. I heard what you said at the Natural Life Festival. How you had to change and that changing and letting go of the past is the only way to move on. Well, I think it is high time I do that as well. I like you, I seriously do, and parading Haley around at every opportunity is not right. It feels wrong and juvenile. How you can find it cute is beyond me."

"Did you ever find out where she is now?" Abigail asked hoarsely. She was filled with mixed emotions. She wanted to yell, I am Haley, but she couldn't; she knew she couldn't.

Jayce frowned. "I tried looking for her at first when I came back to Jamaica from college. My dad's business was just getting off the ground and I

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