“If you’ll just talk to me, Lance…” Now she was clearly crying, unable to conceal it anymore. “You’ll know that I really do love you. I could kill myself for what I did. And I really might if you truly don’t have any feelings left for me at all. I’ve had a lot of time to really think about what I want for the rest of my life. And I literally can’t live without you.”
After that, there was a few seconds of crying, followed by what sounded like, “I love you” before the call ended.
“Okay, Domino. Let’s walk!”
Domino jumped up and he looked from Lance to the door and back again. Lance unhooked the leash from Domino’s collar then un-looped it from the coffee table leg, then reconnected it to the collar. Domino cocked his head and watched, wondering if he was going on a walk or not, then concluded that he was and hoped this didn’t become a new routine. It was confusing. It would be quicker if Lance just put the leash on him from the beginning and left the coffee table out of the process.
Lance got up and positioned his crutches. He held Domino’s leash and told him to heel. They went outside and Lance carefully went down the porch steps and then started walking. Domino wanted to run but sensed that Lance wasn’t going to be able to run with him as he usually did. He suspected that he knew why too. It was those big new walking sticks that were slowing Lance down. Domino was sure of it. He wished he could tell Lance what he suspected so Lance could drop them and see if he was right.
As the pair made their way down the street, Lance felt a little badly for leaving Kim hanging. He pictured her sitting in her house, crying and wondering if Lance was going to call or not, or if he had even heard her voicemail yet - or did he hate her so much he wouldn’t even listen to her final plea before deleting it from his phone. He felt guilty, knowing that she was agonizing right now and that he had the power to end it.
And he was going to end it - as soon as he was done walking his dog. He just couldn’t manage two crutches, the leash, and a cell phone all at the same time. Besides, after what she had done, he figured that she deserved to wait a few more minutes to hear him say that he still loved her, and he forgave her.
***
After Lance returned from taking Domino on a much shorter walk than usual, he sent Kim a text message saying that they needed to talk, and asked her to come to his house. She arrived faster than he thought was possible. After an emotional embrace during which both of them cried, Lance told Kim he forgave her and asked her to marry him. Kim moved in with him and they were married one month later.
Lance continued to receive income from work he sub-contracted out to his former employer, but he also started a consulting firm in which he assessed and analyzed businesses and gave a comprehensive report on how to improve operations, make the employees like their jobs better and make a greater profit.
Tom and Lance never spoke again. After Lance got over the pain of his friend betraying him a second time, he found that he didn’t even miss having Tom in his life and he wondered how he had ever been so close to him. There was something missing inside of Tom. One day Lance realized what it was. Tom had never known love. It was sad to think that he probably never would either. Lance resolved to be much more selective when it came to the people he allowed into his personal life.
###
Dear Reader,
Thank you for reading this collection of stories. I hope you enjoyed at least some of the stories. If you did, please tell a friend who might also enjoy them. (You’ll probably just want to tell your weird friends. The normal ones will just end up thinking you’re weird for referring them to this book.)
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About the Author
“The author” – that being me, is just a regular working guy with a dream of one day being a full-time writer. Each book is an audition for the job, and you, dear readers, are the bosses.
While I’ve been developing my skills and learning the trade, I’ve managed to single-handedly raise two utterly amazing and talented children. But compared to making a book, and making it good enough that people will pay to read it, I can tell you it was much easier making the kids. So easy in fact, I’m sure I could do it blindfolded.
Damn. That could summon the wrong image. Okay, scratch that, and let’s just say that raising kids and writing books are both very difficult and take a lot of time and energy.
Other than writing and the kids (who are young adults now) I spend my time with our border collies, riding my motorcycle, playing Call of Duty, and mostly working on books by other authors when I’m not working on my own.
Other Books by Edward M Wolfe
Equal Signs
Reaching Kendra
In The End
Audiobooks narrated by Edward M Wolfe
Inheritance
Dr. Val’s Short Story Collection
Addictive Rimeshade
Finding Will Hennie
Undermind: Nine Stories Page 21
