Wings of Love

by Jeanette Skutinik

  “It’s Joey,” she started out slowly realizing that this was his sister she was talking to as well as her friend. “I….I”, she paused. “I think he isn’t being totally honest with me.”

  “What do you mean,” Amy placed her hand on hers with concern.

  “I think he is sleeping with another woman,” she blurted out followed by a flood of tears.

  “I am so sorry.” Amy got up and wrapped her arms around Angie, who was now sobbing uncontrollably. “Do you want to talk about it?”

  “I called his room late last night because I was missing him so much. Another woman answered the phone,” she continued in between sobs.

  “Did you actually talk to Joey?” Amy went in the living room and came back with a box of Kleenex.

  Angie nodded her head yes as she took a couple tissues and blew her nose. “At first he started out with some story about just having a few drinks and signing some autographs after the game. I just hung up on him because I couldn’t bear to hear anymore. After that he continued to call back apologizing over and over again.”

  “Oh boy,” Amy’s heart sank as she heard the last part of what she said. If there was one thing Amy knew about her brother, he would never apologize for something he hadn’t done. “I am so, so sorry. Is there anything I can do for you?”

  “Not really, I just wanted to tell you myself,” Angie’s chest heaved from crying so hard. “I know I deserve better than that.”

  “I think you do too,” Amy said sadly. “I‘d still like to be friends, if you feel comfortable with that.”

  “I was hoping you would say that.” Angie rose up from the chair as tears started to fall again. “I sure could use one right now.”

  ***

  Amy had the TV on but she hadn’t watched it at all. Her mind was on the conversation she had earlier with Angie. Joey was due home tonight from his hockey game in Toronto and he was going to catch some hell from her.

  Amy sat there wondering what she would do if she were in Angie’s shoes. She would definitely be heartbroken if Adam had done that to her. Would she never want to see his face again? Would she be able to forgive him? Most importantly would she ever trust him again? Angie had some harsh questions that she was forced to answer through no fault of her own.

  The door knob turned as it swung open slowly. Joey walked into the house carrying his hockey gear. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the look on Amy’s face.

  “Well, well, well,” she taunted him. “If it isn’t Mister lover boy himself in the flesh? What the hell is wrong with you?”

  “Hey, you don’t need to talk to me that way,” Joey defended himself. “You’re not my mother.”

  “Would you like me to call Mom and get her opinion on the matter?” Amy dared him.

  “Okay, I screwed up,” Joey admitted. “There’s nothing I can do about it now, she has made that crystal clear. I tried to apologize and she won’t accept that.”

  “Do you really love her?” Amy asked him needing to know herself in Angie’s defense.

  “I love her more than any woman I’ve ever met.” Joey answered her sincerely.

  “Then why did you sleep with someone else, if you love her so much?” Amy was trying really hard to understand his actions.

  “Because I’m an arrogant ass,” Joey finally admitted to himself. “And I’m also a selfish son-of-a-bitch.”

  “Well that’s the first step,” Amy tried to calm down. “To admit you were wrong and why.”

  Joey sat down on the couch and placed his head in his hands. “I seriously thought about marrying Angie, that’s how much I love her. But now I went and ruined it all.”

  “Is that what you do on the ice, walk away from a fight?”

  “I would never walk away from a fight,” Joey looked up in shock that she would insinuate such a thing.

  “Then if you really love her and want her back,” Amy suggested. “You better be ready to fight the fight of your life.”

  “She’ll never take me back,” Joey shook his head. “And you know what? I don’t blame her.” He ran his hands through his hair messing it up. “I guarantee you this, if she would by some miracle forgive me, I promise I would never do this to her again.

  ***

  Adam pulled his truck in the driveway, whistling as he walked up the steps. He checked the mail box that hung by the side of the door. He reached in and grabbed the mail and went into the house. Adam threw his keys on the hall table, thumbing through the mail. There was an electric bill, some letters for Bob and a letter from The New York College.

  Adam tossed the rest on the table and was going to open it, but decided not to. He ran into the kitchen and dialed Amy’s number.

  “Hello?” Amy said.

  “Hi, are you busy right now?” Adam said anxious to share this news with her. “I received a letter from the college today and I couldn’t open it without you.

  “How exciting!”

  “I’ll be right over,” he said as he hung up the phone, grabbed his keys and ran out the door.

  Adam jumped into his truck and headed towards Amy’s house, with the letter in his pocket, making it there in record time. She deserved to hear the news first hand after all she had done to help him get this far.

  When Adam pulled up in front of her house Amy was sitting on the swing waiting for him. He raced up the steps and sat down next to her. He held the letter up in the air for her to see.

  “Are you ready?” Adam raised his eyebrows in question.

  “Yes, I am ready to congratulate you.” Amy was certain that he would have a positive response inside.

  He slid his finger under the edge of the envelope and opened it up then read it aloud. “Dear Mr. LaPointe, We are happy to inform you that you have been accepted to attend The New York College in the fall of 1977. “Amy can you believe it?” He threw his arms around her and gave her a kiss.

  “I am so happy for you Adam,” she had pride in her eyes. “I knew you could do it.”

  “Wait there is more,” Adam continued. “You have also been selected to begin practice with the New York Men’s Hockey Team.”

  “Now that’s my man,” Amy couldn’t possibly be any happier for Adam. “Does it say when?” Amy looked over his shoulder as they continued to read further.

  “Looks like sometime in August,” Adam looked up at Amy realizing that was only a couple months away. He knew by the look on her face she was thinking the same thing.

  “Well, we should go celebrate. My treat!” Amy said happily as she jumped out of the swing and grabbed his hand, pulling him up. “Let’s go get an ice cream at Dairy Queen.”

  “That sounds good to me.” Adam ran down the steps with her, walking hand in hand down the sidewalk towards Main Street, blending in with the scenery of the neighborhood.

  Tall oak trees lined the street which was a flurry of activity now that the weather was nicer. Kids played frozen tag as they walked past. Amy greeted the parents who sat on their front porches enjoying the evening, catching up with neighbors after being cooped up inside for so long. She laughed as Adam joined a game of kick the can by kicking it for the kids.

  Adam set the tray down on the round, red picnic table outside of the Dairy Queen. He handed Amy a spoon and her Peanut Buster Parfait. He tore the wrapper off of his spoon and started eating his Banana Split.

  “This is so good,” Amy said as she savored every bite.

  “Amy, you know I meant what I said,” Adam said as he ate a chunk of banana with some strawberry ice cream.

  “About what?” Amy questioned him nonchalantly as she relished another spoonful.

  “I could go to Ferris State instead,” Adam answered her. “You know to be closer.”

  “Adam, I think you should go.” She spoke from her heart. “This is what you planned all along. I think you’d be making a huge mistake if you didn’t. I love you so much Adam I want you to follow your dreams. I know you would want the same for me if it were the other way around.”<
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  “You’re right.” Adam knew he would do anything for Amy. He felt the excitement of the news rushing back, lifting his spirits.

  “Of course I am,” she teased him. “Now are we going to my place or yours?” She picked up the cherry from his banana split and feed it to him with a twinkle of mischievousness in her eyes.

  ***

  Amy looked proudly at Adam as he stood with his parents in front of their house to take a picture of him in his cap and gown. He had successfully passed his GED with a 3500 on his combined score!

  “Say cheese.” Amy snapped a picture with her new Polaroid camera.

  “Let me take one of the two of you together.” Mrs. LaPointe reached for the camera.

  Amy posed with Adam for a few pictures then she took some more of his family including some with his sisters.

  Adam’s father went up to him and shook his hand. “I’m proud of you son.” He slapped him on the back then cleared his throat. “I made a promise to you and I’m a man of my word.” He handed an envelope to Adam. “That should be enough to get you through a couple years of college.

  Mr. LaPointe continued with his words of wisdom for his son. “I love farming and I wouldn’t want to do anything else. I respect you, not only as my son, but as a man, to do what you think is right. A man has to stand up for what he believes in or he’s not a man at all.”

  “That means a lot coming from you,” Adam said as his voice quivered with emotion. “I love you dad.”

  “I love you too, son.” Mr. LaPointe nodded then clapped his hands together. “Now we better get a move on or you’re going to miss your commencements.”

  Amy walked side by side with Adam to the truck. She knew what his father said meant more to him than that money in the envelope ever would.

  All of them sat waiting for the commencement ceremony to begin. Amy loved his family dearly and endeared the fact that they treated her like she was a part of it. She could see why Adam was the man he was today. He had his mother’s warmth and loving nature as well as her quick wit. From his father he had inherited his sense of loyalty, dependability and protector of the ones he loved.

  Amy watched Adam as he made the procession across the stage when they announced his name. This was a new chapter in his life. She felt the tears as they rolled silently down her cheeks. Amy wasn’t certain if they were tears of joy for Adam or tears of sadness for her. Maybe they were a mixture of both.

  Chapter 11

  Amy kicked off her shoes as she came in the door after an exhausting day at work. Sandy had called in sick so they were short one register which meant longer lines and no breaks today. She plopped on the couch and put her aching feet up on the coffee table.

  Joey came downstairs, unshaven and looking like he hadn’t slept much lately. He turned on the TV and sat down on the couch next to Amy. She had never seen him look so miserable as these last couple of weeks.

  “Are you okay?” Amy finally decided she couldn’t ignore the fact that he had not been himself lately.

  “No I am not okay.” Joey had been suffering terribly since his break-up. “I’m can’t eat, I can’t sleep and the saddest part is I don’t care. That’s what I get for cheating on Angie.”

  Amy never saw Joey react to a break up like this. In fact, he had never taken a relationship seriously before. He usually loved them and left them. The girls chased him; he let them catch him and then broke their hearts by moving on to the next one. Never had a woman put him in his place before or broke his heart, let alone deflate his ego so much.

  “Amy, I don’t know what I’m going to do. She hangs up whenever I call. She won’t answer the door when I go to her house. I must have left a whole florist shop on her doorstep.” Joey continued blurting out what he had been keeping to himself. “I’m so desperate I even thought of going up to the hospital to see her.”

  “I wouldn’t do that if I was you,” Amy said. “It certainly would not help your situation.”

  “I know,” Joey shrugged his shoulders as he got up to change the channel on the TV. “I guess I should have realized how much I needed and loved her before I screwed it all up.”

  Amy stared at her brother while he was watching the baseball game on TV with no enthusiasm whatsoever. She had tried her best to remain neutral and mind her own business, but it was hard when two people she loved were both hurting so much. She could see that they both loved each other even if they didn’t. Amy didn’t say a word to Joey as she headed upstairs to her bedroom. She closed the door, grabbed her phone and sat on the bed to call Angie.

  “Angie, how are you doing?”

  “Still not back to my old self,” Angie said truthfully. “I guess I’ll eventually get over it.”

  “Would it make you feel any better if you knew Joey has been nothing but miserable since you left him?” Amy tested the waters to see if Angie was even open to talking about it.

  “Really?” Angie seemed surprised. “Yes, it does make me feel better. I thought he would have moved on by now. Thanks for letting me know.”

  “Hey, what are friends for?” Amy was glad to hear some relief in Angie’s voice. “I heard he’s been sending you flowers.”

  “I’ve never seen so many roses in my life,” said Angie. “I have to admit it, but I have enjoyed seeing him grapple with his conscience.”

  Amy pondered if she had already said too much but she decided to go with her heart.

  “Do you really love my brother?”

  Amy heard Angie as she exhaled deeply then the phone was silent for a few minutes. “Yes, as much as I hate to admit it, I still do love Joey.”

  “You have to promise me not to ever tell him we had this conversation. The only reason I am going to tell you this is because anyone who would still love my knuckleheaded brother after what he’s done deserves to know the truth.”

  “Yes, I promise. But what are you talking about?”

  “Joey does love you Angie. He told me so himself. I have never seen him act like this or feel so sorry before in my life.” Amy laid it all out on the table for Angie now it was up to her to decide what she wanted to do.

  “I don’t know what to say,” her voice quivered.

  “It doesn’t excuse his actions,” Amy clearly said. “But he told me if you ever forgave him he would never do this again. And I do believe him when he said that.”

  “This is a lot to think about,” Angie said as she tried to take it all in. “I appreciate the fact that you cared enough about me to let me know. I really don’t know what I am going to do. It will take more than flowers to mend my broken heart.”

  “I understand Angie. If you ever need a shoulder to lean on you know I am here for you,” Amy reassured her.

  “Thanks Amy,” Angie ended the conversation.

  Amy hung up the phone and sat there staring into space. She realized a love like Adam and hers was not something to be taken for granted. In a blink of an eye, in a single instance it could be gone. She picked up the phone and dialed his number.

  “Hello?” Adam answered out of breath.

  “I love you Adam and I always will no matter what.” Amy’s voice sounded shaky as tears filled her eyes.

  “Are you okay?” he asked. “I just got home from work, but I could run over right away if something is wrong.”

  “No, everything couldn’t be more right.” Amy said with all her heart. “But I’d really love to see you tonight.”

  ***

  Adam woke up the next morning holding Amy in his arms, feeling the rhythm of her breathing in time with his own. He looked at this softhearted woman who was so warm and gentle, wondering how she could be all of the things that he wanted. He just felt so content laying here next to her.

  He felt her softly caress his arm letting him know she was awake. Neither felt a need to leave the comfort of each others’ arms.

  “Morning my lovely snuggle buggle,” he nestled up to her closer and kissed her on the cheek.

  “Snuggle buggle?” A
my rolled over to face him laughing at his endearment. She gave him a peck on the cheek. “What do you have going on today?”

  “I told dad I’d give him a hand fertilizing the soy beans this morning,” he said as he leaned on his elbow staring down at her face. “What about you?”

  “I actually have a Saturday off.” Amy looked up into his gray eyes which sparkled in the morning sunlight.

  “Do you want to come out to the farm with me?”

  She ran her finger through his dark curls and smiled warmly up at him. “I’d love too.”

  Adam drove down the highway with his arm around Amy while steering with the other. The fields on both side of the road were bursting with the abundance of corn and soybeans which where the most common crops in this area.

  “With all the rain we’ve had over the last few months, dad is expecting a bumper crop this year.” Adam explained to Amy as he turned down the dirt road towards his mom and dad’s place.

  “That’s good news,” Amy said as she seen the farmhouse come into view. “Especially after last year’s drought.”

  Adam led her into the house, the wooden screen door slamming behind them as they walked into the kitchen.

  “Morning,” Adam greeted his father as he walked over to the coffee pot, pouring himself and Amy each a cup.

  “Thanks for giving me a hand today,” Mr. LaPointe said as he finished up the last of his bacon and eggs. “You two want something to eat?”

  “No, we ate before we came over.” He handed Amy her coffee as he sat down. “Amy made pancakes and sausage.”

  “Well good morning,” Mrs. LaPointe entered the kitchen carrying some pails and a straw hat. “Amy, would you like to help me pick some blackberries while the men work in the field?”

  “Sure,” Amy smiled as she accepted a pail from his mother. “But I better warn you, more will end up in my mouth than in the bucket.”

  “Wouldn’t have it any other way,” chuckled Mrs. LaPointe. “Girls let’s get going before the sun gets too hot.”