Ch. 17 - Never Ending Tale
“Chelsea was my best friend’s sister. She saw me in all my pain, and she rescued me…from myself,” Mr. Chapman said continuing his lengthy tale.
Lucy smiled, starting to realize this man’s difficulties and so forth. “Go on.”
Even Mr. Chapman was now at ease. He had talked to this woman, for so long…and about things he hadn’t told many other people. It was a relief and it gave him peace. He too, began to smile.
“First we were just friends, but we had so many things in common that everyone began to bet on when we would go out. When we finally did, there was practically a party going on around campus.
“We dated for a good year and a half…and after college got married. It was deep and serious. She knew absolutely everything about me, and was the joy of my life. But it wasn’t until less than a month ago that I found out her deep secrets…”
“Sam? Are you serious? This is the most expensive fine dining restaurant in town!”
Sam just smiled. “Good thing we’re dressed right then,” he said glancing down at his tuxedo. Laura just smiled as they headed into the fanciest meal of her life.
“This is amazing!” Laura said gazing at the room they had entered. There were several waterfalls in the corners of the room. There was a fine carpet, and waiters with such dignity. But what really surprised Laura was how much money Sam was pulling out of his wallet.
“Sam?”
“Yes, darling,” he said charmingly.
“Hehe…where did you get all that money?”
“Um…the bank?” he said a bit agitated.
“Sam?” Laura shrieked.
“Alright…it’s from my mom.”
“Huh?” Laura asked, following the waiter to their table.
“Yeah…she wanted so desperately for me to get you a present, because…she had to get to your house to knock some sense into your father, and she needed an excuse,” he said with a chuckle.
“Oh. So you’re getting romantic ideas…from…from your mother?” she asked a bit disgusted.
“No…no,” he said easing out the chair for Laura to sit on.
“Well then?”
“She just suggested I’d give you something…but I had this all planned weeks ago, I just didn’t have the money…until my mother provided.”
“Oh,” Laura said smirking.
“Yeah…speaking of, here you go,” Sam said, offering Laura a beautifully scarlet colored single rose, without thorns.
“Oh Sam, it’s beautiful,” she said marveling at the rose in it’s purity.
“Just like you,” Sam said, unable to take his eyes off of her.
Laura blushed. “You always know what to say. Thank-you.”
“My pleasure,” Sam said, still staring until Laura’s eyes met his. Their eyes locked for a good amount of time, examining every inch of emotion from those sparkling spheres. Their hands reached forward and clung to each other’s fingertips, unwilling to let go.
“Chelsea told me, literally right before we had to leave for the South…that…that…that there was something wrong with her. I didn’t understand. I was so worried about Laura in New York, but when I finally came to realize what had happened, It shocked me.”
Lucy leaned in for emphasis, “Go on.”
“She had been sick since before we had met…but had told no one, not even her parents. In high school…she had had a dear girlfriend of hers, who’s father was a doctor. One day while they were doing their homework, Chelsea had a breakdown. She was rushed to the hospital, but since her parents were out of town, they never knew. Chelsea had sworn to tell them, but she couldn’t bear they’re reactions. She had an incurable disease, more deadly than even the most fatal…an unknown disease.
She would be alright…if only she would take a few simple pills before every meal for the rest of her life. They would prolong her life, and take away pain. But what they didn’t tell us, was if she didn’t take her pills for a certain amount of time…she would die quite easily.”
Lucy gasped. “Have you told the children? Laura? Tessa?”
“I can’t bear to. It’s too overwhelming for even me.”
“I’m sure…but they have to know! How is she doing now?”
Gary wiped away a tear. “They say she has less than a month to live. When we came down here…we ran out of her medication. She hadn’t had pills for over a week…and so since I had just learned about it, I forgot to tell the children…and now…” Gary said, tearing up more now. “Now…I just don’t know what to do.”
“Obviously. So what are you going to do…I mean, in the future?”
“I don’t know. I’m trying to protect my children.”
“From the truth?”
“Well…”
“I’m sorry…but I can’t let you do that!”
“What are you gonna do?”
“I’m gonna wait for Sam to come home…and I’ll tell him, because it’s the right thing to do, and I know he’ll tell her,” she said shutting the Chapman front door behind her.
“Great. Now what?” Gary mumbled to himself.
Lucy smiled, starting to realize this man’s difficulties and so forth. “Go on.”
Even Mr. Chapman was now at ease. He had talked to this woman, for so long…and about things he hadn’t told many other people. It was a relief and it gave him peace. He too, began to smile.
“First we were just friends, but we had so many things in common that everyone began to bet on when we would go out. When we finally did, there was practically a party going on around campus.
“We dated for a good year and a half…and after college got married. It was deep and serious. She knew absolutely everything about me, and was the joy of my life. But it wasn’t until less than a month ago that I found out her deep secrets…”
“Sam? Are you serious? This is the most expensive fine dining restaurant in town!”
Sam just smiled. “Good thing we’re dressed right then,” he said glancing down at his tuxedo. Laura just smiled as they headed into the fanciest meal of her life.
“This is amazing!” Laura said gazing at the room they had entered. There were several waterfalls in the corners of the room. There was a fine carpet, and waiters with such dignity. But what really surprised Laura was how much money Sam was pulling out of his wallet.
“Sam?”
“Yes, darling,” he said charmingly.
“Hehe…where did you get all that money?”
“Um…the bank?” he said a bit agitated.
“Sam?” Laura shrieked.
“Alright…it’s from my mom.”
“Huh?” Laura asked, following the waiter to their table.
“Yeah…she wanted so desperately for me to get you a present, because…she had to get to your house to knock some sense into your father, and she needed an excuse,” he said with a chuckle.
“Oh. So you’re getting romantic ideas…from…from your mother?” she asked a bit disgusted.
“No…no,” he said easing out the chair for Laura to sit on.
“Well then?”
“She just suggested I’d give you something…but I had this all planned weeks ago, I just didn’t have the money…until my mother provided.”
“Oh,” Laura said smirking.
“Yeah…speaking of, here you go,” Sam said, offering Laura a beautifully scarlet colored single rose, without thorns.
“Oh Sam, it’s beautiful,” she said marveling at the rose in it’s purity.
“Just like you,” Sam said, unable to take his eyes off of her.
Laura blushed. “You always know what to say. Thank-you.”
“My pleasure,” Sam said, still staring until Laura’s eyes met his. Their eyes locked for a good amount of time, examining every inch of emotion from those sparkling spheres. Their hands reached forward and clung to each other’s fingertips, unwilling to let go.
“Chelsea told me, literally right before we had to leave for the South…that…that…that there was something wrong with her. I didn’t understand. I was so worried about Laura in New York, but when I finally came to realize what had happened, It shocked me.”
Lucy leaned in for emphasis, “Go on.”
“She had been sick since before we had met…but had told no one, not even her parents. In high school…she had had a dear girlfriend of hers, who’s father was a doctor. One day while they were doing their homework, Chelsea had a breakdown. She was rushed to the hospital, but since her parents were out of town, they never knew. Chelsea had sworn to tell them, but she couldn’t bear they’re reactions. She had an incurable disease, more deadly than even the most fatal…an unknown disease.
She would be alright…if only she would take a few simple pills before every meal for the rest of her life. They would prolong her life, and take away pain. But what they didn’t tell us, was if she didn’t take her pills for a certain amount of time…she would die quite easily.”
Lucy gasped. “Have you told the children? Laura? Tessa?”
“I can’t bear to. It’s too overwhelming for even me.”
“I’m sure…but they have to know! How is she doing now?”
Gary wiped away a tear. “They say she has less than a month to live. When we came down here…we ran out of her medication. She hadn’t had pills for over a week…and so since I had just learned about it, I forgot to tell the children…and now…” Gary said, tearing up more now. “Now…I just don’t know what to do.”
“Obviously. So what are you going to do…I mean, in the future?”
“I don’t know. I’m trying to protect my children.”
“From the truth?”
“Well…”
“I’m sorry…but I can’t let you do that!”
“What are you gonna do?”
“I’m gonna wait for Sam to come home…and I’ll tell him, because it’s the right thing to do, and I know he’ll tell her,” she said shutting the Chapman front door behind her.
“Great. Now what?” Gary mumbled to himself.
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