Brittany Rules the Roost by Carlton Kristain

Author:Carlton Kristain [Kristain, Carlton]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: LSF Publications
Published: 2014-01-16T00:00:00+00:00

Over

I fingered the returned ring - not an engagement ring, just one representing romantic love.

Miriam finished reading the 'Dear John' letter. "I'm sorry, Paul."

"So's Brittany," I snorted. "That was her last word."

"She's being truthful, I'm certain." My cousin took my hands in hers. "Brittany would never want to hurt you."

I smiled wryly. "Perhaps not, but still..."

She smiled back. "I could see this coming for the past couple months, it wasn't that unexpected."

"I suppose not." I sighed. "She wanted to get engaged; if I'd agreed..."

"Do you believe that was really it?" Miriam inquired. "Reading her letter, I don't think so."

"What do you think?" I asked pointedly, standing up abruptly.

"That she cares for you deeply and always will, but the passion isn't there any more." She shrugged. "Pushing the marriage issue, that was her way of finding out how you felt."

"I still want us to be together," I insisted.

"Then you'd be engaged, wouldn't you?" Her finger twirled her dirty-blonde hair. "Your refusal was based on instinct, Paul; down deep you knew that the relationship was fading."

I stubbornly shook my head. "I'll always want Brittie."

Miriam nodded. "As a close friend, you will - but romantically, not any more."

My arms crossed. "That stuff about being friends, that's bullshit. You girls always say that when you dump a guy, it doesn't happen."

"Occasionally," she countered. "This could be one of those times - but you'll need some recovery time first."

I'd often felt that my cousin knew me better than I knew myself, and I desperately needed reassurance. "I don't know if I can recover, Miriam. There's so much I'll miss about Brittany - her smile, her sweetness, her playfulness, even her..."

Her eyebrows arched. "Blistering your behind when you needed it?" I nodded wordlessly. "None of those things require man-woman love, do they?"

Abruptly I realized that what I was missing involved mostly personal closeness rather than romantic or directly sexual attraction. But if the romance was lost...

"Miriam, will I ever again find anyone who'll truly love me?"

"You've got to believe she's out there somewhere." She rose. "You had Brittany for a girlfriend, that should give you confidence for when Miss Right shows up." I'd always been shy, but I had attracted a wonderful woman. Could I do so again?

Doubts assailed me. "I'm not sure..."

"Do I need to convince you by putting my wooden spoon to your bare buns?" Miriam stepped forward, then patted my cheek. "No, not now - but I will eventually, if you insist on wallowing in self-pity."

Ten days later my cousin proved as good as her word. Afterwards, teary-eyed and sore-bottomed, I thanked her. "I truly needed that."

She grinned. "My pleasure."

I chewed my lip. "If I do meet the right woman, will she...?"

Miriam shrugged. "She'd better..."

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