Don't Ask My Neighbor by Kristofer Clarke

Author:Kristofer Clarke [Clarke, Kristofer]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9780985152833
Amazon: 0985152834
Publisher: Second Twin Publishing
Published: 2013-03-29T04:00:00+00:00

Eighteen

_________

And This Is What She Did

Ryle

HER NAME WAS GARI NICOLE. WE cherished that little girl, worshipped the ground her little feet walked on. I was a proud, happy, proud father. I had a family I knew I could provide for, and I knew no matter what, my little girl would always love me. Little Gari Nicole made Sam smile, but that didn’t last too long. Whatever it was that was missing from her life, I couldn’t provide. Still, I loved her until she gave me reasons not to; until the secret she carried became too overwhelming for her.

I stood in a meeting one afternoon when I received a message on my cell phone asking me to come straight home after work.

We need to talk.

I didn’t expect anything good to come from such a conversation, but fearing the worst, I hoped for the best. The message was from Samantha. I hadn’t spoken to her since I left for work that morning. That’s how the second worst day of my life began. In retrospect, meeting Samantha Wells in church, on that Sunday morning, was the first worst day of my life.

I tried calling Sam after receiving her message, but she could not be reached. As soon as I could, I rushed for the elevators, made my way down to the garage and rushed home. I drove with the music at ear-piercing level, attempting to drown any negative thought that found its way inside my head. When I entered the house and walked through the foyer, Sam was sitting on the couch in silence. Gari slept soundly in her arms. I greeted them, kissing Sam on her lips and Gari on her forehead. Sam’s eyes were red, as if she had been busy wiping tears from them all day. She didn’t respond to my affection.

After asking her if she was okay, I kissed Sam on her lips. She rose from the couch, handed Gari over to me, and walked toward the window. I stood for a moment and watched Sam as she stood there, staring into nowhere, and at nothing particular. I laid Gari on the couch very gently, trying not to wake her, and then walked over to Sam. I wrapped my arms around her waist and squeezed her tightly, hoping my hug provided whatever reassurance she needed. When she turned to face me, her eyes were damp with tears. I could see her searching for words, as if she had convinced herself that no matter what words she used, it wasn’t going to be easy.

“I love you,” Sam said, as she turned away from me again.

She gazed toward the floor and folded her arms across her chest. My mind raced as I thought about the possible disclosure that was sure to follow. Those three words, I love you, were nothing but a prelude to an eventual heart-wrenching admission, as if they would soften the blows that would come from her words.

“I know that,” I responded, and held Sam’s hand, entangling my fingers with hers.

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