Lullaby of Love by Lucy Lacefield Read Free Book Online Page A

time.”
    A click comes on the phone and Kate’s voice joins in from another line. “Don’t worry about Mom, Dane. She knows they’re like mosquitoes to sugar around you, and all of them as shallow as their empty Prada bags they prance around with. And you know what coach says—the worst thing for a runner’s legs is a girl.”
    Shifting from my comfortable position, my face feels warm, and I rub my hand across my forehead and down my closed eyes and mouth, to rest on my chest. Kate’s right about the girls, but even then not being out here she has no idea how hard it really is on us guys, to keep any moral sense about us.
    “Kate!” mom breaks in, and jars any further thoughts for the three of us. This is the part of the conversation I could live without.
    “Yeah, well, it’s getting late and I’ve got to get up early,” I cue them.
    “Sure honey. We miss you and we love you. I’m sending a couple of things along with Coach Malloy. We’re all so proud,” her voice begins to shake a little.
    “Don’t cry, Mom. I love you both.”
    “See ya soon, Dane,” Kate chimes in before hanging up to go to mom I’m sure.
    “See ya, Kate.”
    “Love you son.”   I can hear Kate near her.
    “Love you Mom. See ya soon.”
    I’m beat.
    The apartment’s quiet. I heard the front door slam shut while I was on the phone.
    I decide it’s worth it to go to the kitchen and heat something up. My stomach’s been growling since before I left practice.

 
     
     
     
8
     
     
    shay
    I’m not letting myself admit that I took a little extra time getting ready this morning, or that I was restless sleeping last night. I’ll chalk it up to the fact that this is the first day back after spring break.
    It’s 6:55 and there are other people already here tying up a few last minute things before their first students arrive.
    I look around my room—everything ready to go. It’ll stay this organized for about one more hour, before the undergraduates are unleashed upon it. Oh well, we’re halfway through the semester, by now some of them are beginning to understand this is the last haul to pass the course and become a little more serious about their effort, and that proves to give me somewhat of a break commanding them.
    I look at the time on my watch; three minutes have passed. If I’m going to do this I better get going to the front door. I take a slow breath in, not to relieving. I can feel I’m slightly trembling just inhaling.
    “Okay, now or never,” I say softly into the air.
    I leave the door unlocked, walking out of my room—with a back thought—stepping back in to grab my satchel. How obvious would I be standing there looking aloof at the bench—no bag. I grab it and rush down the corridor to the stairwell to get to the front door.
    As I’m getting nearer the entrance I find myself going a little faster not to miss him right at the stroke of seven—if he did happen to come. And then I begin to realize how much I’ve been fantasizing about something that is more of an anomaly than a real possibility and the feeling of disappointment starts to set in. But I make myself a promise to follow through no matter what, urging my footsteps to keep going and get outside. The bench can’t be seen from just standing at the doors. I’ll have to actually walk down the steps that are overcome on both sides with giant, decades old shrubbery, to even get a look.
    Oh my God!
    Now what?
    His back is to me—he hasn’t seen me yet—I could fast go back inside!
    Too late.
     
     
    dane
    I begin to count the empty buses as they go past to collect students. I’m sure the coffee is getting cold by now. I can’t throw it away, it’s my only excuse to be sitting here on this bench— an offering —an excuse.
    What’ve I got to lose—it won’t be the first time I’ve looked ridiculous in front of a girl. I’ll just tell her that I thought the least I could do was replace her coffee and see how she’s doing—any