Three Loving Words by DC Renee Read Free Book Online Page B

is.  I don’t want to hear it.  I’ve already told you that I wasn’t the best sister, but I am your sister and I love you.  You’re not happy.  Why are you doing this?  You used to have a healthy glow about you.  It was a determined streak.  But now, you look defeated.”
    “Yeah, well, that’s what happens when you’re stuck at home, avoiding your husband while listening to him have sex with other women at least once a week.  I have nothing to do.  I clean here and there, but a maid comes twice a week.  I’ve tried cooking a few times, but I’m cooking for myself.  It’s not like I’m going to make that asshole dinner.”
    “I don’t get why he’s such a jerk,” Nora mused.  I wasn’t one hundred percent sure either, but I knew he blamed me for being married.  But it was not as if I cramped his style all that much, so what was the big deal?  I hadn’t told anyone, not even Nora, what happened on our wedding night.  I didn’t want to think about it, let alone talk about it.  But even if I had the courage to speak to Nora, I knew she’d drag me out of there, by my hair if she had to, and I couldn’t let that happen.  Gerry would put the debt back on Dad, and then supposedly, I would be in debt too, thanks to this sham marriage.
    “That’s just Enzo, I guess.”  I didn’t really know the guy.  I’d lived with him for months now, and I didn’t know him, so it truly was just a guess.
    “Why do you have to be stuck?”
    “Huh?”
    “Why are you sitting at home doing nothing instead of living your life?  Why aren’t you in school?”
    “How can I afford it?”
    “Um … last time I checked, your new father-in-law can afford to send you to school.”
    “No way, no how.  I am not taking any money from them!  It’s bad enough that I am using them for living and food, but that’s where it ends.”  The vehemence in my voice had my sister putting her hands palms out in mock surrender.
    “All right, all right. I just thought you might as well take advantage of the situation at hand.  But fine, I get it. How about loans? Financial aid?”
    “No one is going to give me financial aid when I’m married to Enzo.”
    “Okay, so get a job.”
    “What could I do with a high school education and no experience?”
    “I’ll help.  We’ll find you a job.  Besides, you can get personal loans if you just show some income.  You can go to community college to save money and then work your ass off to get academic scholarships.  If you do that, you can use the money you earn for yourself.”
    I had actually thought about these things several times, but it felt useless when I was by myself in my room.  With Nora pushing me, it was starting to become something tangible, something I might actually be able to do.
    We talked for a while longer, and it had ended up being one of the best days in a long time.  And she did help me find a job.  A friend of a friend’s dad was looking for an administrative assistant.  It wasn’t great pay and it was a little far from home, but I wasn’t picky.  I took the job faster than he had a chance to offer it.
    The first day of work had actually been great.  I had allowed myself to use some of Gerry’s money to buy some new clothes.  I didn’t like doing it, but I only had a few items that would pass as business casual and I wanted to keep this job.  Everything I got had been on sale and I knew the amount I spent would probably have been laughable to Gerry. I reasoned it was okay, even though deep down, I hated spending their money.
    Everyone had welcomed me and there was even a sweet lady in her sixties who had moved from the South.  She called me “honey” and “darlin’” all day and took me under her wing.  I hadn’t done much work that day as I spent most of the time trying to get acquainted with the company and the people. So all in all, it was good.
    I had actually been singing to myself all the way home, the tune still carrying