The Perfect Marriage by Kimberla Lawson Roby Read Free Book Online Page A

for Dixon to say something else, but he didn’t. The mere thought of them being on the phone after all this time
     was beyond awkward, so Derrek didn’t say anything, either.
    “D,” Dixon finally said. “I really am sorry about everything. I’m sorry about all the lies I told over the years, I’m sorry
     about never paying you the way I promised, and I’m especially sorry about that five thousand dollars. To be honest, I had
     no justification for borrowing that kind of money from you and not paying it back, but D, I was pretty angry and hurt back
     then. You never knew this, but right after I borrowed the money, I found out I had prostate cancer. The doctor caught it early,
     but I was so upset that I felt like it was only right for me to enjoy the one vacation I’d always wanted to go on. And while
     I know it was wrong, I was so angry about my illness, I actually resented you for asking for your money back. I was thinking
     like a crazy man, and the way I saw it was that you and your family had the rest of your lives ahead of you, but I might get
     cancer again and die in a second.”
    Derrek was speechless.
    “But I hope you believe me when I say I wasn’t myself. I was acting on a level of insanity, but if I had it to do over again…”
    “And how long have you been sick this time?”
    “A couple of months…but when my doctor discovered it, I was already at stage four.”
    Derrek swallowed hard, tears rolling down his cheeks. “Man, why didn’t you leave a message all those other times you called?”
    “I didn’t think you would call me back, so I just kept hoping that eventually you would pick up and I could talk to you directly.
     But today I realized it was probably best that I leave a message because now I know for sure I’m not going to get better.”
    “Dixon, I’m so sorry to hear this.”
    “It’s life, D.”
    “I know but this is a very hard pill to swallow.”
    “You can say that again, but there is something I need to know.”
    “What is it?”
    “Can you somehow find it in your heart to forgive me?”
    Tears flowed heavily from Derrek’s eyes. “I forgive you completely.”
    “Thank you. I really needed to hear that, and if I can ask you just one final favor, will you come see me?”
    “Of course. What hospital are you in?”
    “The one we were born in.” He slightly chuckled. “Can you believe that?”
    “Wow.”
    “Can you come this evening?”
    “I’ll be there as soon as Denise and Mac get home.”
    “I can’t wait to see all of you. I’d better go now, though.”
    “I love you, Dixon.”
    “I love you, D. I always will no matter what.”
    Derrek set the phone down, sobbing like never before. “Dear…God…What have I done? Please…please…please…I’m begging you…Please
     don’t take my brother. Not now.”
    Derrek cried for a few minutes, wiped his face with his hands, and then went into the bathroom. He turned on the faucet, ran
     a small towel under it, and washed his face with cold water. Then he stood, gazing into the mirror at bloodshot eyes, and
     tears welled up in them again. He’d done a terrible thing. Three years ago, he’d written off his brother because of money,
     and now he didn’t know whether Dixon had three months to live. What if they never got a chance to spend any real time together?
     Derrek was devastated, and just as he wiped his face again, Denise walked into the bathroom. He wanted to tell her what was going
     on, but instead, he grabbed her in his arms, squeezing her as tightly as he could, and prayed for God to heal his brother.

Chapter 7
    E ven though Derrek worked at a hospital, it was tough having to walk inside this one because being there had nothing to do
     with business. He was there to see his terminally ill brother, and he could hardly fathom the whole idea of it. An hour had
     passed since Derrek had spoken to Dixon, but he was still very heartbroken, confused, and numb. He was filled with loads of
     regret,