The Keepsake (Love at the Crossroads) by Pat Simmons Read Free Book Online

man, you needed to keep your pants zipped. As for forgiveness, God grants it instantly upon repentance.” She snapped her fingers, then patted her chest. “But for me…” She paused.  “It’s a process and it may be a very long one, but eventually I’ll get there.”
    “I don’t want a divorce,” he whispered, again trying to reach for her, but Desi cut her eyes at him again.
    “But you wanted a mistress, a slut, an adulteress. By the way, she got a gift from me, too, so you’ll be a free man soon so you can make the sex legal.”
    “That was a mistake and I broke it off. I won’t sign the papers, Desi. I don’t want to lose the best gift God gave me.”
    “It looks like you wanted an exchange.” Desi went off until she had worked up tears. “I already lost you the day you gave that slut something that didn’t belong to her—your desire, heart and stiff body part.”
    She scowled at him as if she would attack any minute. He had no defense. Michael looked around to see if they had an audience with her shouting. His assistant manager, Byron, had no shame in watching them through the store window. Great . He huffed.
    “Listen, I came here to let you know that I will agree to marriage counseling. But that is no guarantee that I will forgive you any sooner. Right now, I really don’t like you! I’ll text you the date and time that Pastor Reed will see us.” With that, she twirled around and got into her car.
    Michael stepped out of the way in time to save his foot as she zoomed off. He watched as his future disappeared from sight. Reluctantly, he headed back to the showroom.
    “She didn’t look too happy to see you,” Byron said slyly.
    Michael didn’t respond for fear that he would assault the man. He stalked to his office and slammed the door. “Jesus, only You know what the end of this is going to be. But, I could use a preview right about now.”

     
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER ~7~
     
     
    Desi drove away a hot mess. Her heart slammed against her chest wall, demanding to be set free. Her extremities began to tingle. She was beginning to hyperventilate.
    Chancing a glance in her rearview mirror, Michael stood rooted in the same spot where she left him. Seeing him face to face after so many weeks apart had her near stroke level and close to a full blown panic attack. His puppy dog expression almost broke her resolve that she no longer could stay in a marriage where trust was gone. “Whew.” She exhaled.
    Finally, Desi made it to the extended stay suites. She downed two aspirins for her pounding headache and climbed under the covers. The next morning, she woke drowsy even though she had slept more than twelve hours. After calling in sick, she collapsed back in her bed and hoped to dream away her problems.
    The day was half gone when she got up to eat and make the dreaded call to her pastor. With a time set, Desi had exactly four days to recover before she would face Michael again in Pastor Reed’s office. She texted him the date and time, then turned off her phone.
    “God, I need a Word from you, a hint or something as to how this is going to play out.” Closing her eyes, she bowed her head and waited for the Lord to speak to her heart or mind. Peeping through the blinds, Desi stared at nothing until she got bored. Reaching for her Bible, she flipped the pages until a passage she highlighted caught her attention.
    1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Charity suffers long, and is kind; charity envies not; charity vaunts not itself, is not puffed up.   Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeks not her own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil; Rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; Bears all things, believeth all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
    She stared at the words. “Jesus, I can’t bear this.”
    ***
    Desi made it through the rest of the work week despite the whispers from her coworkers about her marital status. Of course, it didn’t help that she no longer wore her