The Truth About Love by Emma Nichols Read Free Book Online

lived.  Now I merely needed to come up with gas money.
    While he was out in the driveway talking to the strange men, I was racking my brain.  If I’m anything, I’m a problem solver, able to fix nearly anything.  Given enough time, I could reason it out.
    In my closet, I found the solution.  My mother had sent our Christmas package early.  Very early.  September early.  She was driving down to her Florida home for the winter.  Apparently they didn’t have post offices there because she felt the need to ship her package before leaving New York.  At the time, I thought her foolish.  Now, I knew she was instead brilliant.  
    Opening the box, I found what I had hoped for: envelopes.  With but a moment of guilt, I ripped them open, hoping for Visa gift cards.  Instead, I found cash.  Soon, I had a hundred bucks.  I was rich…in hope.
    Within fifteen minutes, the bags in the bedroom were packed; the toiletries, too.  I was trying to concentrate on getting everything else together.  There was so much to think about, so much to consider, so much Kylie would need.  It was so difficult to gather with just the one hand.  Taking a break, I went out to the garage to wait and watch.
    It was nearly 6:30 in the evening by the time the first police car arrived.  Seconds later, a second one appeared. The officers were quick to separate us, which wasn’t a challenge since we had no desire to be anywhere near each other.  Shane was on one side of the driveway, while I had been told to remain on the other.  Even with the distance, I could hear him talking beside his truck .
    “She’s crazy!” He exclaimed loudly.  “She made me crazy!  The last five years of my life have been miserable.”
    He went on and on about what a horrible person I am.  He refused to let me leave with our daughter or take my vehicle because even though it was paid for by both of us and my vehicle had been traded in on it, he liked to consider it his since it was in his name.  
    Suddenly, I was assaulted with memories of the day we had purchased it.  He told me then I was good and stuck; he owned me.  At the time, I thought he was joking.  I thought he meant it in the most loving way.  Now I realized he had been more honest in that moment than he had been through maybe the bulk of our marriage.  Control.  He thought he had it over me.  I shook my head sadly.
    The young Asian police officer came to speak to me.  He seemed far too intelligent to be an officer.  He had to be doing time to make it to detective.  Already he had picked up on Shane’s incredibly erratic behavior and questioned me about it.  
    “Can we go in the house to talk?” Officer Kim asked.
    Before they had arrived, Shane had reminded me the officers weren’t to be allowed inside.  “This is my house, not yours.  I bought it before we were married.  They can’t come in.”  Given the considerable damage he had done to the residence, he could have it.  I never wanted this house without him.  
    Of course, now, with the officer asking if we could talk inside offering me a witness to the destruction, and the other officer distracting Shane out in the driveway, I was inclined to lead him through the place.  While Shane could certainly object, there was nothing he could really do to prevent it.
    “Sure.”  I glanced quickly over my shoulder as he followed be through the door.  
    As I walked him through , I was able to describe in vivid details exactly what had happened.  When we returned to the great room once more, he asked his questions. “So, is he on anything?”
    Inhaling deeply, I considered carefully before speaking.  “Technically, nothing illegal.  He’s abusing prescription drugs.”  
    He pulled out a notepad and pen from his front pocket.  “Do you know which ones?”
    Through the years I had watched Shane more closely than he had imagined.  In the back of my mind, I had always worried there would come a day when I’d have to call