Love Lost and Found Page 3

  He didn’t even try to come into the room that night, too busy patting himself on the back for thwarting my plans.

  The next morning he was beating on the door. He had to go to work and he needed his uniform. I got out the bed, opened the door, then jumped back in the bed and covered my head.

  Travis headed to the closet to get his uniform and tripped over my suitcase. “What is this?”

  I threw the covers off my head, leaned up and looked in the direction his voice came from. “A suitcase.” I returned to my previous position.

  “You going somewhere?” Travis asked.

  I didn’t even bother to move this time. “I think you can figure that one out for yourself,” I replied, voice cold as ice.

  “You can’t leave unless I give you permission. I’m your sponsor, remember?” Travis said, humor lining his voice.

  I didn’t bother to reply. I knew what he’d said was true but I also knew a way around it. I just had to wait until his Commanding Officer, the CO, was available before I could call him.

  Travis dressed and left for work.

  Around nine o’clock, I got out of bed, showered and dressed. I made sure I had everything I wanted to take with me, and then called his CO. I explained what had happened the night before and told him I wanted out. The CO called Travis in the office and had the MPs hold him there. His CO came and got me from our base apartment, took me by the bank so I could get some money, and put me on a military hop (military transport plane) out of there. Within six hours, I was back in my hometown.

  My parents’ phone had been ringing off the hook for almost three hours when I walked in the door. “What the hell is going on?” my father asked.

  I shrugged my shoulders and simply stated, “I left him for good.”

  I refused to go into details and my parents knew me well enough to let it go because I wasn’t going to tell until I was ready.

  I started looking for a job and a place to stay. I refused to move back into my parents’ house. After finding both, I began my life again. I got wild. I started drinking slightly more than sociably and started partying all the time. I worked and went back to school to get a different trade because I didn’t like the one I was currently in.

  Travis didn’t have my phone number so he couldn’t contact me. I guess my parents finally got tired of Travis calling them so my father gave him my phone number. I answered the phone about six weeks after I’d moved back and guess who it was. He informed me he was coming home on leave and he wanted to talk.

  I went to a lawyer friend of mine and filed for divorce. The day he got home, the sheriff knocked on his door and handed Travis his divorce papers. I wasn’t trying to get anything from him so he didn’t contest it. He did however, playing on my feelings for him, stop by my house the day before the hearing and fuck me silly. I didn’t complain because I hadn’t been with anyone since I’d left him and was in dire need of a stress reliever. When we went to the hearing, he made sure to bring that up and I didn’t even try to deny it. I told the judge, lawyers, even Travis I was still very much in love with him and figured I always would be but I couldn’t be with him anymore. At that confession, Travis dropped his head but never made a sound.

  Divorce finalized, we went our separate ways not to see each other again for over ten years.

  Chapter Five

  I moved away from my hometown, never staying in one place for more than two years. I had no kids and had no trouble getting a job so I decided I wanted to see as much of the world as I could before I took the time to settle down.

  At age thirty-three, I found out I was pregnant and was devastated. I still wasn’t ready to settle down but God knows best. I settled, in all places, where Travis and I began our lives as a married couple. My son was born and his father and I decided we would make a go of it. We’d been dating for little over six months when I’d found out I was pregnant so it really wasn’t much of a change. Things were rough, having to adjust to a baby, living with a man again—which hadn’t happened since Travis—and having to stay in one place. I’d made up my mind I wouldn’t roam, dragging a child behind me. My child deserved better than that.

  Anyhow, things were great until I received a call from my mom saying my father was dying and she wanted, no needed, me to come home to help out. God knows I didn’t want to go. I’d promised myself I would never live in my hometown again but when God says go, you go. I’d found a place to stay and a new job. His father decided he didn’t want to move with us. Our relationship really wasn’t doing all that great anyhow so I didn’t mind. My son was actually happy to be around my family so I overlooked my own feelings and dealt with it.

  My father actually held on for about a year. Once he’d passed and I’d made sure my mom would be okay, I was ready to leave again. My mom knew it and was holding on for dear life. I was home one day doing nothing in particular when my mother called and asked me to come over. I didn’t want to because I knew she had something she wanted me to do but went anyway.

  I arrived and guess who was sitting in the living room? Travis Williams.

  All those years gone and I still felt it. My mind began to swim and I was swamped with feelings good and bad but, unfortunately for my heart, the good won out hands down. I put on my poker face, still had that, and said, “Hello, Mr. Williams.”

  Travis’ eyebrow arched at my formality but he didn’t acknowledge it. He said ‘Hi’ and we sat and talked for a while. My mother had set me up. She knew I still had feelings for Travis and knew no matter how much I denied it, if given the chance I’d be right back with him. She always did know more than I thought she should.

  We talked for a while longer and I got up to go outside. I shook so bad if I’d had a glass of milk in my hand, it would be butter by now. He followed me outside. Why?

  “Why are you acting so cold?” Travis asked, walking up behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist.

  I began to shake harder. Why did he have to come back? I’d finally put that part of my life on the back burner. I had been through a number of relationships that were doomed from the start because everyone I met I’d compared to Travis and knew they wouldn’t measure up even before giving them a chance.

  I know a lot of women would say I’d lost my damn mind. How could I still love a man who cheated on me repeatedly?

  Well, I’ll tell you. We were friends before we were lovers and I wanted my friend back! I was now single, by choice, and Travis was about to throw my well fought for control right out the window. The tighter he squeezed me, the louder the window sliding open over my heart was in my ears.

  I really hated him at that moment. He knew he could to get me and he knew how to do it. I wanted to slap him and hug him at the same time. Why did this man still have that effect over me after all these years? Again, we were friends before we were lovers and I wanted my friend back.

  I turned in his arms and just stared. He began to get a little nervous so he removed his arms. I backed up, not trusting my voice at that moment, and turned to head to my car.

  He caught my wrist before I’d taken three steps. “I fucked up, okay? I thought there was something better for me out there and I had to see. It took another failed marriage, and a hell of a lot of dealing with scandalous females for me to realize I had what I was looking or all the while. Priscilla, look at me. Please,” Travis begged.

  I couldn’t. I knew if I did, I was lost. I had to be strong. Had to walk away. I couldn’t go back but I knew I would because the friendship we’d once had was worth more than gold.

  Travis stood holding his breath, waiting. He never let go of my wrist and I could feel his palms begin to sweat.

  I knew I had to make a decision. ‘What’s it gonna be, Priscilla?’ I asked myself. Take another chance with the man you have always, and will always, love, or walk away to loneliness?

  Was there really a choice?

  I sighed deeply and slowly turned. Travis had a look of apprehension on his face that said everything
I was feeling.

  “I can’t promise you everything, but I can promise to try,” I said.

  “That’s all I can ask for, Priscilla,” Travis said as he drew me in his arms and kissed me.

  That was a year ago. Travis and I managed to find the love and friendship we’d once had and bring it back into our lives. We’d both grown enough to know what we wanted and through a lot of talking, we found we went through similar situations when we split. I am more in love with him now than I ever was before and for the first time in our long history, neither of us fear the unknown.

  I have to go now. I am about to walk down the aisle. Yes, Travis and I are getting married again. We decided on a small ceremony with only family and close friends in attendance. We’re doing this more for ourselves than anyone else anyway and really, all we need is the preacher. But hey, why not?

  If you ever find yourself in a situation like mine, remember, love is a fragile thing. We find it then lose it. We have it then let it go. But sometimes, it comes back.

  The End

  www.facebook.com/midredtrent

  Author Bio:

  Mildred Trent

  I am a work from home mother of one 11-year-old, going on 30, son. When I am not working (customer service from home) I have my ereader glued to my hands and my face buried as far in the pages as possible. I love paranormal and interracial romances they are not only sensual, sexual and exciting, but funny too.

  Red Rose Publishing

  Beta’s Challenge- Seeley Creek Werewolves Book One

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two