On the Way to Heaven (BWWM Romance) Read Online Free Page B

I gotta take care of the girls.”
         “Sounds like excuses to me.”
         “What?” He dropped the suitcase in the
middle of the small bedroom.
         Trina sashayed inside and took in the
surroundings. “Whoa.” She glanced at the made-up bed, neat dresser, clean
carpet, and sparkly mirror. “Am I in the same house?”
         “I wanted to clean your room for you,” he
said. “Guess I wanted to make a good impression. Didn’t want you to think I’m a
complete slob.”
         Trina touched the bedspread. “Thanks.” She
stood by the dresser. “I appreciate you doing this.”
         He nodded. “What did you mean just now,
about how it sounded like I was making an excuse?”
         “You ever think about how hard it is for
single mothers?” She crossed her arms. “Many of them work multiple jobs, go to
school, and still raise their kids without complaining.”
           “Just because people don’t hear them complain
doesn’t mean they don’t complain.” He
approached her. “My life has been very difficult lately. It’s been hard to
adjust, with my wife’s passing.”
         “I’m sorry.” She touched his arm, and then
moved her hand when he looked at it. “The girls told me she died last year.”
         “Last May.” He dug the tip of his beige,
suede boot into the navy blue carpet. “She had breast cancer.”
         “I’m so sorry, Neil.”
         “It’s not your fault.” He formed a feeble
smile. “She wasn’t the kind to go to the doctor, so when she wasn’t feeling
right, I had to force her to go. By then, it was too late. If she’d gone
sooner—”
         “I’m sorry.” She touched his arm again. “I
didn’t mean to be critical, it’s just that I think your house represents how
sad the situation is.”
         “What do you mean?”
         “You’re not living, Neil. Even your
daughters say you’re just here for them. Why would they think that?”
         “I guess because it’s true.” A tear
gathered in his right eye. “You know what it’s like to miss a loved one?”
         “No.” She clasped her hands. “I’d have to
have one to know what it’s like to lose one.”
         “What?”
         “Never mind.”
         “It’s hard to lose a spouse.” Neil walked
around. “It’s a different loss I can’t explain. We were married for eleven
years, and we’d been dating since school. We were high school sweethearts.”
         Trina held her clasped hands to her face.
“That’s so romantic.”
         “Everyone around here envied us, because we
were like, the love story of Allocco. While other couples drifted apart, we
stayed together. We had our share of problems.” He walked over to the bed. “But
we loved each other very much. We thought we’d always be together.” That tear
finally fell. “Funny how life is, huh? If it wasn’t for the girls, I could see
no sense in going on.”
         “You don’t mean that.” She flicked her
hand. “Believe me, you don’t wanna die. It’s not like they make it look in the
movies.”
         He chuckled. “Huh?”
         “In the movies, they act like you die and
go to Heaven. You gotta work at that like everything else. Don’t think dying
would make your problems go away. Do you believe in the afterlife?”
         “Not really.”
         “You don’t?” She put her hands on her hips.
“Well, there is an afterlife, Neil. Even death doesn’t stop the pain you feel.”
She pointed to the ceiling. “Up there, you’ll still have to deal with what
you’re afraid to deal with now.”
         He moved closer to her. “And what am I
afraid to deal with now?”
         “Your wife’s death.”
         “I am dealing with it.”
         “No you’re not. You’re trying to ignore it.
One look at your home told me that you are the type who ignores things instead
of dealing with them.”
         He