Chapter 5

© Copyright 2005 by Kimberly Jones

Sondra ran the vacuum in the living room as she sung along with the gospel CD in the radio. She was very happy that she took the day off to do some much needed cleaning. James volunteered to take the day off and help her, but she knew that if he did, she wouldn�t have gotten anything done. She paused with the vacuuming, as she tried to hit a note in the song that she knew she couldn�t reach. While her voice began to crack, she heard the doorbell.

Sondra looked at the clock with confusion. Knowing that no one knew that she was at home except for James, but he wouldn�t have left work early. She walked to the door and looked out the peephole, and her heart dropped at the site of her sister�s face. Her eyes were puffy and red. She quickly opened the door with her mouth shaped as an O. �What happened?� she asked as her mind began to race with all kinds of thoughts. She watched her sister shoulders tremble as the tears came down her face. Sondra shut the door behind her and took her into her arms until her sobs became silent hiccups. �What�s the matter?�

�Michael and I got into it,� she said as a tear came down her face once again.

�What happened?� she stood and grab a box of Kleenex from the table and handed her one.

Sharon wiped at her tear and blew her nose, �He called me into his office, and told me that Tracy called off the wedding because of me.�

�Because of you?� she asked with a confused expression. �But why?�

�Well, it turns out that�,� she took a deep breath as her tears tried to claim her eyes once more, �she thinks that he is in love with me.�

�Why would she think that?� she asked, hoping silently that it was true.

�I don�t know. I didn�t ask him. He started rambling about him being in love with me in high school and�and I couldn�t believe my ears,� she wiped her eyes. �I put two and two�together and�and figured out that he left town because of me.�

�And this got you so upset?�

�It�s not just that. He left me when I needed him the most. I pleaded with him to stay, but did he?� she stood and began to pace the room and Sondra could tell that she was fired up again. �No!�

�Sharon��

�I needed him, and he left me,� she said pointing to herself.

�Sharon, listen to me, you got to understand that you were with Darnell,� she said with her heart reaching out to Michael. She could only imagine how painful it was to see the person you love in the arms of another.

�Don�t you take his side. A true friend is always there for you, no matter what, and if he loved me the way he said he did, then he wouldn�t have left.�

Sondra looked at Sharon and couldn�t believe what she was hearing. She never knew how selfish her sister could be until that moment. She was only thinking about herself. She looked into her eyes, and saw the tears and the hurt in them, but she also saw something else. Something that made her realized that there was more to the story. �You�re not telling me something,� she said with suspicion. �What is it?�

�I told you everything.�

�I know you, Sharon, and getting mad because someone was in love with you is outrageous, and you know it.�

Sharon�s shoulders slumped as she sat in the nearest chair. She put her head in her hands as the sobs raked her body. Sondra stood immediately and walked to her sister, and took her in her arms once more.

�You�re right,� she said between sobs. �I don�t know what I�m going to do.�

Sondra just listened to her as she cried.

�I think I might be falling for him,� she cried harder.

�You do? When did this happen?�

�I don�t know. I think it was when I first saw him with Tracy,� she sniffed and blew her nose in the tissue. �But I�ve got to move on.�

�Why? Just tell him how you feel.�

�I can�t. He told me that he wasn�t in love with me anymore,� she said as she broke into another round of sobs.

�Shh, it�s okay,� Sondra said as she tried to comfort her. She didn�t know what to say for her sister, but she did the only thing she knew that would help. She closed her eyes and prayed.

~*~*~*~

Michael looked at the resume of the designers that he was planning to interview. He tried to concentrate, but found it very hard to do so. All he could see was Sharon�s angry face. He didn�t understand her anger. What happened to her was God�s will. God allowed everything to happen for a reason. He gave her a beautiful and intelligent daughter. It is true that God can turn trouble into a blessing, and that was what he had done for Sharon. Michael sighed, knowing that he wasn�t going to get any work done, he grabbed his briefcase and locked up for the day.

The entire drive home, he had his radio down and silently prayed for patience and strength because he knew there was a lot of work to be done concerning him, Sharon, and Constance. He only hoped that if things didn�t work out, they all could still be friends.

Opening his car door, and getting out, Michael approached his apartment door. The feeling of loneliness began to wear him down once he was in the quiet room. He sat on the cream colored sofa, and put his foot up while he turned on the television. He began to flip through the channels and the only thing that seemed to be on television was court shows.

He laid his head back as his eyes roamed the ceiling. After talking with Tracy, he began to feel a little better. She started to encourage him and told him that she would be praying for them. They talked and laughed for a while, but when he heard the tears in her voice, his heart seemed to break all over again. The only thing he knew to do was to apologize. She was so sweet and kind. He found himself at that moment praying that God would send her a man who deserved her. He didn�t know too many women who would be praying, for the person that they were going to marry, to be with another.

For minutes, he prayed for her, and then the phone rang. He looked at the phone across the table and his heart began to race. He began to wonder if it was Sharon. Would she be calling to apologize? He quickly snatched it up and placed it on his ear. �Hello,� he said with much excitement.

�Oh, Michael, I didn�t think that you would be home,� his mothers voice said through the receiver.

�Y-yes, I decided to leave work a little early.�

�Oh, well, I was calling to ask you if you would like to come over for dinner. I�m cooking your favorite dish, roast beef and potatoes,� she said enthusiastically.

�Sure, I don�t have anything else to do,� he shrugged.

�Great! I�ll see you at 6:30. Talk to you later,� she said, as she was about to hang up.

�Uh, mom?�

�Yes, dear.�

�I need to tell you something about me and Tracy�� he paused as he thought about rather he should tell her now or in person, and decided on the latter. �I�ll just talk to you about it when I come over for dinner.�

�Is there anything wrong,� she asked with concern.

�It�s nothing to worry about.�

�Okay, I�ll see you tonight.�

~*~*~*~

The next morning, Sharon got up and cooked breakfast, as Constance got ready for school. Not really feeling up to going to work, she reluctantly got dressed and drove Constance to school. Constance continued to talk the whole way, and Sharon gladly accepted the change in thought as she laughed along with her daughter and answered questions.

After dropping Constance off and kissing her goodbye, Sharon waited until her daughter was safely behind closed doors before she closed her eyes and prayed. She prayed that God will give her the strength to make it through the day, and that she would make it without shedding a tear. Driving to work and praying, her heart began to feel much lighter, and she became more at peace with the situation. Parking her car and taking a deep breath, she went into the building and sat at her desk.

As she began her day, she realized that she had no reason at all to be nervous at least until Michael came into the room. He was more quiet than usual. He said good morning and then went into his office. Sharon felt disappointed because he acted as if he didn�t want to have anything to do with her. She continued to work the rest of that morning. When she was about to go and get some lunch, he opened his door and he walked into the room fixing his tie, and he even looked a little nervous as he spoke about the new people who were to start working with them.

�I�I want to apologize for yesterday,� he said after a moment, �It was wrong of me to say the things I�ve said, and��

�No,� she interrupted and took a deep breath as she tried to continue. �I overreacted. Please forgive me. I don�t know what came over me.�

�How about, we call it even,� he replied with a smile.

�I�d like that,� she said smiling.

�Well, I better get back to work,� he said as he headed for his office, but then stopped when a thought went crossed his mind. �What are you doing for lunch?�

�I was planning on eating at my desk,� she said looking down at the papers in front of her.

�Why don�t we both get out of here and get some fresh air? What do you say?�

�I don�t know�I mean I�ve got a lot of work that needs to be done,� she said glancing at the stack of papers before her.

�Come on,� he said taking her hand and helping her up, �This work will be here when you get back.�

�I know but��

�No, buts. Now get your purse because we�re leaving.�

~*~*~*~

Sitting across from each other, Sharon looked around the restaurant. What am I doing here with him? How could I possibly be here knowing that he only thinks of me as his friend? She waited patiently for their food to arrive, talking to herself and praying silently.

�You�re awfully quiet,� Michael said reaching for his class of water.

�Yeah, well, I don�t have anything to say.�

�I can�t believe that. At least not the Sharon I knew back when.�

�Yes, well this girl changed since then.�

�Yes, she has,� Michael put his glass aside. �I don�t want bring up yesterday,� he said looking into her eyes, �but you said something that made me wonder about what you been through. Do you think you could tell me how hard it was when I left?�

�It�s not something that I really like to talk about,� she said looking away and taking a sip of water.

�I remember when we use to be able to tell each other almost anything,� he went on to say, �I know you and I both changed, but I would like it very much if we can at least try to trust each other like we use to.�

They both sat in silence as the waiter brought them their lunch. Both were focusing on their own thoughts. Sharon knew that if she at least wanted friendship with Michael that she should tell him, but sometimes, just thinking about the past, seemed to upset her.

�It was very hard for me,� she said after a moment, �Going to school and having a baby to look after. Connie�s father didn�t care if she had food to eat or clothes to wear. He was only focused on his next target,� she said with tears in her eyes. �I never thought that he was that type of guy. He just seemed so sweet and loving, that I almost thought that he was perfect. It hurt to see him holding another girl in his arms. Working part-time, going to school, graduating and then going to college, taking care of my daughter,� she sighed, �It all began to take its toll on me and so I became depressed, but God saw me through those ruff times. I graduated from High School and College, and here I am now working for a very well established Interior design firm and I�m living in an apartment with my daughter.�

�I knew it was hard for you, but I didn�t have any idea of what you went through, but it�s like you said, God saw you through it all,� he looked at her and gently touched her hand.

Sharon looked up into his eyes and saw something flash through them, and her breath caught at the possibility. Was it possible that there was a chance for them? She asked herself, and when his warm hand left hers, she allowed the moment to pass as they went on to talk about other things smiling and laughing along the way, and before they knew it, it was time for them to go back to work, both in silence on the way to the building with a lot on their minds. One was wondering if they should dare to hope for a future together, and the other was wondering at what she saw in Michael�s eyes. Silently, they both prayed about the things that were troubling their hearts.


HEY! and don't forget to e-mail Kimberly Jones if you have a comment! She would really like to hear from you.





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