Love Will Find a Way by Barri Bryan Read Free Book Online

voice lifted in surprise. “Do you think this is easy for me?"
    "Not for you,” Thad grunted, “for him."
    "Maybe, but that's the way it is going to be."
    When it became apparent that Emily didn't intend to give an inch, Robert had been forced to capitulate once again. After that, things had moved along at a much faster pace. And now, she was a single person, a separate entity from the man who had been her husband for almost twenty-five years.
    Emily pulled her mind back to the present. Larry's graduation exercises were tomorrow evening. After that, she would begin to look for a job. Last week she had, with a great deal of reluctance, resigned her volunteer position at the library.
    Emily was vacuuming the living room when the telephone rang. She switched off the machine and reached for the phone. “Yes?"
    A feminine voice on the other end said, “One moment please."
    Emily tapped her foot and waited impatiently.
    A loud click was followed by Robert's voice coming over the wire. “I hope I didn't call at a bad time."
    All her times had been bad lately. Emily snapped, “What do you want?"
    "I will be in your area this afternoon, showing some property. I'd like to come by and pick up the rest of my things. I'll be there between two and two-thirty."
    "Robert, for heaven's sake...” The court had decreed he remove his personal property from her premises as soon as possible. “There's no hurry. You can do it later."
    He replied, “I'll be in the neighborhood. Why should I make an extra trip later?” Before she could offer further objections, he hung up.
    Emily was folding laundry when the doorbell rang. She took her time getting to the door. Swinging it open, she saw Robert standing on the other side. He demanded, “What took you so long?"
    "I was busy.” She stepped back. “Some of the boxes are in the garage, some are in your ... the study.” After a quick breath, she recovered some of her self-control. “There are several boxes. I hope your car will hold them all."
    He came out of the heat and into the cool of the dim room. “I'll get the things from the garage first."
    She had once believed that his man would love her until the end of time. “There's fishing tackle and a box of tools in the shed in the back.” It was time she let go of the myth of happy ever after.
    "I have no place to put them.” How cool and distant he sounded. “If it's all right, I'll leave them for a while."
    "It's all right. You can get them later.” She wondered where he was living. Had he moved in with Susan? He was not her concern. Not her concern, but he was her heartache. Squaring her shoulders, she walked toward the kitchen. I will get over this, she assured herself, I must, because I have no choice.
    Emily made iced tea while Robert loaded boxes, first from the garage and then from the study. “Would you like a glass of tea?” she asked as he carried the last box through the living room. She knew she should let him go, but she couldn't bring herself to do that. After today, it might be weeks, even months, before she saw him again.
    "Let me get this last box stowed in my car and I'll be back."
    Emily poured tea into two frosty glasses and sat at the kitchen table. Play it cool, she told herself. It's over. Let him go. But it couldn't hurt, she reasoned, to say a last silent good-bye.
    Robert stood in the doorway, staring at her. “You didn't have to go to all this trouble."
    "It's no trouble.” She nodded toward a chair. “Sit down and drink your tea."
    He dropped into a chair and wiped his hand across his brow. There was an awkward silence before Robert blurted out, “Do you have an extra ticket to Larry's graduation?"
    "You don't have a ticket? I'm sure Larry put one in the announcement he sent you."
    His hand gripped his ice tea glass. “I need two tickets."
    She shot him a puzzled glance before understanding sharpened her gaze. “You're bringing Susan with you?"
    With a defiant toss of his head Robert said, “If I