[Hearts of Palomino 01.0] Love Is Eternal

by Emily Sharp

  “No, actually I'm going to order a pizza.” He chuckled, heading into the kitchen. He came back a minute later, handing us each a long neck. Then he walked over and sat on a chair.

  “Veronica, Julie, now that you are both here, I wanted to ask you something,” he said.

  “Sure,” I said.

  “Cathy wants to stop by and apologize to both of you. Now, if either of you isn't comfortable with that, no hard feelings here. I don't want to force a situation.”

  I turned to Veronica. We had already talked about this, but if she changed her mind, I would support her.

  “And trust me,” he said, “she is a changed woman. And to both of you, I won’t let anything like that happen again.”

  Veronica spoke up before I had a chance to. “Craig, that’s fine. I have no problem with that and would be happy to hear her out.”

  “Thank you, thank you both. Let me call her I’ll be back in a moment.”

  I waited until Dad had walked out, then turned toward Veronica. “You’re brave,” I said. “Thank you for doing this.”

  “No more running. I have to face things good and bad,” she said, smiling at me.

  I leaned in and gave her a kiss.

  “If you’re good all day, I might just have a surprise for you tonight,” I said.

  “Really? Like what?”

  I winked as Dad walked back into the room.

  “She’s on her way over. When she gets here, I'm going to let her talk to you guys alone.”

  “That’s fine,” I said.

  Dad went over and threw another log on the fire. “So, I hear someone is actually getting their own store?”

  Veronica smiled. “Yes, the one I work at. The manager is taking a store down in New Mexico, and starting next week, you’re looking at the boss.”

  I smiled, so happy her dream had come true. I had sat down and talked to Mark. I expected him to get angry but instead, he seemed compassionate. He told me to think about it over the summer.

  “So, Veronica, are you taking me out in your car tomorrow?” Dad asked.

  “Yeah, then we’re taking your truck out,” she said.

  The doorbell rang and Dad stood up.

  “Love you both,” he said, then left the room. I took Veronica’s hand in mine, and a minute later Cathy came in the room. She was wearing her usual outfit, but she didn't walk in with her nose in the air like she had the last time we saw her. She went over and took a seat.

  “Ladies, thank you for this chance to speak to you both,” she said.

  “Of course,” I said.

  “No problem,” Veronica said.

  She wrung her hands in her lap. “Veronica, that day when you called me a bitch, it offended me. But it wasn't because the statement was untrue, it was calling out a fact,” she said. “I have come to realize a lot of things since that day. Things about myself and others. I guess what I'm getting at is I treated both of you like trash that day. And why? That’s the question, isn’t it?”

  I noticed Veronica lean forward a little. At first I thought it might be in anger but it was curiosity.

  “Silly as this sounds, Veronica, I was jealous of you.”

  “Jealous?”

  “Yes, you were carefree, walking around like you lived here. And you should by all means. I can’t do that, I can’t let my guard down.”

  “I get that,” Veronica said. “It’s something I’ve spent years working on.”

  Cathy looked at both of us, her eyes welling up. “I said those horrible things about you two. They were nasty and spiteful, and over the last few months, to use what Veronica said, I was a bitch. I'm not perfect, and I'm working on it. I grew up wealthy, and it became who I was.”

  It was quiet for a few moments.

  “Craig talked to me quite a bit, and one day, he asked me who I was. And you know what? I told him what I had done in life, what I had, and whom I knew. But I realized that I didn't know who I was. And that is scary.”

  I didn't like Cathy when I first met her, but what she was admitting, took a lot of courage. And at the moment I began to have a little respect for her.

  “The months since Thanksgiving, I realized I don't like who I was. I'm working on that. Look, I understand we are not going be best friends. But, I ask for your forgiveness, both of you, and especially yours, Veronica.”

  I inhaled sharply, and my heart went out to her. She seemed genuine and the tears in her eyes were real.

  “Thank you, ladies,” she said, standing and grabbing her purse.

  “Cathy, I am fine and I know that…” I started to say as Veronica stood up and walked over to her.

  “Cathy, thank you for that,” she said. “And you know what? No hard feelings. I'm sorry as well.”

  “Thank you,” Cathy said, a mixed look of relief and surprise on her face as she extended her hand.

  “No handshakes,” Veronica said, putting her arms around Cathy.

  I heard a noise behind me as I stood to go to Cathy. Turning my head, Dad stood by the hallway, his own eyes watery.

  With a smile on my face and a tear in my own eye, I went up and hugged Cathy, assuring her all was well.

  Later after eating pizza, we sat around in the living room. I was returning from the kitchen with more beers when I stopped and watched the others for a few moments. Dad was telling a story with Cathy rolling her eyes and Veronica laughing. It was a family that had come back together, and it was perfect.

  ***

  That night I peeked my head out the bathroom door and listened for a moment. Hearing Dad snore, I turned off the light and crept over to my bedroom. Opening the door, Veronica was by the window, wearing the football jacket and looking out the window like I had asked her.

  “Hey there, heard you like cheerleaders,” I whispered.

  I was wearing my old cheerleader uniform, the short blue skirt riding high. She turned around and a smile crept over her face.

  “Want to score with a cheerleader?” I said, taking her hand and leading her to my bed.

  ***

  “Craig, are you sure you know what you are doing?” Cathy said. Veronica and I were in the backseat of her car, and Dad was behind the wheel.

  “Yes, now stop worrying!” Dad said as we rolled along the highway. Looking in the rear-view mirror, he gave us a grin, then punched the accelerator.

  Cathy yelled, grabbing the dashboard, causing us all to laugh as we shot off, the speedometer going high.

  “See, I'm a pro!” Dad said and we laughed.

  Then came the sound of sirens from behind us and Dad groaned.

  “Aww, damn,” Dad said, starting to slow down.

  “Hey, Craig?” Veronica said.

  “Yeah?” Dad said as he pulled over onto the shoulder.

  “Undo those top two buttons on your shirt.”

  ***

  A few days later Veronica and I drove back to my apartment. The last few days had gone well. Cathy had even promised to come to my graduation.

  I looked over as Veronica drove, a smile on her face matching the smile on mine. Love is a funny thing, it can bring people together. People with different backgrounds and views. But like the mountains to our east, it truly was eternal.

  Epilogue

  “Julie Summers,” the announcer said. My day had finally come, I was graduating. All the hard work had finally paid off. I felt so proud as I walked across the stage, the excitement rushing through me as I received my degree.

  “That’s my girl! You did it!” Veronica called out. I smiled, posing for my picture. Then I headed off the stage with my diploma in hand. Working my way through the people, I smiled at my family waiting for me. Dad stood there with Cathy, who was busy chatting away with Veronica. Next to Veronica was Travis, wearing his cowboy hat and for the first time in a long time he wore something else.

  A smile.

  ***

  The following week Veronica and I were at a local park walking hand in hand. Summer was coming on in a hurry, an
d the temperature was already in the mid-eighties. The sky was blue, and a few white clouds hung around. The sun was out and it was time to start working on a tan again.

  Travis had come with us and was walking ahead of us through the green grass.

  “I love you,” Veronica said, pulling me in and kissing me.

  “I love you too,” I said, returning her kiss.

  We started to walk again, and we both laughed as kids ran by chasing each other, a puppy following close behind with a tiny bark and tail wagging.

  “I can’t believe we move in tomorrow,” Veronica said. We had rented a house together just two blocks away from where she lived now.

  “I know, I'm so excited,” I said.

  “I still get scared at times, but I’m glad I can talk to you about anything.”

  I stopped walking and looked up at her.

  “I'm happy you know you can. We have something special, something that will never be broken.”

  “I know. And it never will be.”

  “Oh, take a look,” I said, looking over to the side. Travis was walking on his hands, the kids nearby laughing and pointing. “I'm glad he’s getting back to his normal self, though he’s still got a long way to go.”

  “He does, but you know he has us both here to watch out for him, and he knows that.”

  “You know, when I first met Alice,” I said, taking Veronica’s hand in mine as we began to walk again, “I promised her I would make sure to keep an eye on him. I worry about not being near him, as funny as that may sound.”

  “No, I get it. And I have thought about it as well to be honest.” Then her face lit up.

  “What?” I said. I knew that look and knew it could be anything.

  “Roommate material?” she said, looking over at him.

  He lay out on the grass, the small puppy licking his face as he laughed.

  “Oh, most definitely.”

  ***

  “That’s it, honey, set her on down there,” Dad said as I lowered the couch.

  “OK, listen up, we are not going through this again!” I said, shaking my head. We were moving into our new house, Dad and Cathy having shown up the night before. Both mine and Veronica’s stuff was in the back of Dad’s and Travis trucks.

  “My poor baby,” Veronica said, wrapping her arms around me. Giving me a kiss, I laughed as she ticked my side and pushed me away. “I got this end,” she said, leaning over to grab one end of the couch. “Craig, you old man, you. You can pick up that pretty girlfriend of yours but you can’t get a couch?”

  Cathy laughed. “She’s got a point, Craig.”

  “Travis, do you mind?” Dad said.

  “Got it,” he said.

  Travis moved over to the truck bed and grabbed the end that Veronica swung around. She turned to me, a wicked grin on her face.

  “What?” I said.

  She turned to Travis. “All right, cowboy, we’re going to pick this baby up on three!”

  “Oh, God, what I have I got myself into?” I groaned as they both laughed.

  ***

  That night in our new home, we slept together as lovers do. Words did not need to be spoken as our lips and hands expressed our desires and our innermost thoughts. And as she fell asleep against my chest, I looked over at the lamp that was still on and reached to turn it off.

  But pausing for a moment, I looked at the framed photo that sat beneath it. It was of two lovers, their tongues sticking out, that had made a promise to each other. An eternal promise that we both were going to keep. Turning the light out, I fell asleep, my dreams having come true.

  Author's Note

  An audiobook version of Love is Eternal is available here.

  A continuation of this story is now available. Love is Family can be found here.

  If you would be so kind to take a minute and leave feedback on Amazon, it not only helps me as an author, but also gives me an idea if people want to hear more about Julie and Veronica.

  If you would like to receive my newsletter with information on upcoming books and giveaways, you may sign up at the link below.

  Emily Sharp Newsletter

  http://eepurl.com/c8bFi5

  Thank you!

  Emily