Love Entwined Read Online Free

was killed during a routine traffic stop when a drunk driver slammed into him as he was issuing a ticket on the side of the interstate. The only memories of him came from stories that my mother shared with me before her own tragic death.
    I remember seeing a few pictures of him cradling me as a newborn. But, a weathered photo of him holding me just a few weeks before his death would forever remain engraved in my mind. I’d been sick, probably with one of those nagging ear infections I’d often suffered as a toddler. My cheeks were tear-stained, my eyes swollen and my nose chapped and reddened.
    Snuggled up on my dad’s bare chest, I wore flannel, pink-footed pajamas with my favorite, green checkered blanket resting against my back. If I closed my eyes tight enough, I could almost feel the back of his hand resting gently across my cheek and the smell of his rugged, woodsy aftershave. I couldn’t be sure if it was really my dad’s scent I was remembering, or just the way I always imagined he would have smelled.
    I’d do anything to have that photograph now, but after my mother was killed all our stuff just vanished. I was never able to collect my keepsakes such as my green checkered blanket, the box of photographs from my parents’ wedding or any other items left of my childhood.

    A basket filled to the brim with white rose petals was waiting for me as my mother and I entered the church antechamber. From inside the church, I could hear the faint hum of violins over the soft whispers of the guests. There was a nervous energy filling the room as the bridesmaids and groomsmen began to take their places.
    It was as if a sea of rosy pink had exploded around me. Even the men were dressed in white tuxedos with thick pink belts wrapped around their waists, a color reminding me of the medicine my mother had given me last week when I woke up complaining of an upset tummy.
    “You need to stand here right behind me, Ireland. I’m going to walk up the aisle first and then you’ll follow behind me just like we practiced last night, OK?”
    “OK,” I nodded, as I noticed a boy, about my age, standing alone in the corner playing with a Game Boy. He was wearing the same matching white tuxedo as the older men.
    I stepped out of my place in line and went over to him.
    “Are you the ring bearer? The boy who will be walking with me down the aisle?” I asked.
    He looked up briefly from the electronic game. “Yep, I guess that’s me,” he said, before lowering his head.
    “I’m Ireland. What’s your name?”
    “That’s a funny name,” he said without raising his head. “And, I’m James, but everyone calls me Bentley. It’s my middle name.”
    “Humph, well Bentley, you aren’t very nice.” I responded with a scowl. “I think my mommy is wrong. I think you probably do have cooties.”
    He looked up at me and I actually saw hurt in his brown eyes. They were the color of Hershey Kisses—my favorite candy. Maybe this boy wasn’t so bad after all. I was willing to give him another chance.
    “I’m named after the country,” I explained. “My daddy was Irish and my mommy loves telling me stories about my heritage. She’s even told me stories about giants living in Ireland once. Isn’t that cool,” I said. “What game are you playing?”
    “I’m playing Tetris and you sure do talk a lot.”
    “I’m sorry. I just want to get to know you better. My mommy told me that once Aunt Char and James get married we’ll be like family. She told me to be nice. So, I’m being nice,” I giggled. “Mommy plays that Tetris game on my big Nintendo that’s hooked up to the TV. She really likes that Zelda game, too. I really only like my Barbie game and the Chip ‘n Dales Rescue Rangers game. Have you played those before?”
    “No!” he shouted, causing me to grimace.
    “What’s wrong?” I asked.
    “You! You ask too many questions. I lost my concentration and lost my game. I was on level fourteen, too. That’s the highest