Chapter One
“This is the last box,” I said as I walked by the den where Kyle was watching television.
“You’re really going to just throw away the last twenty years?” he asked sarcastically, barely taking his attention away from the program.
“I’ve tried, Kyle. I can’t make things work without your help. I need more than what I’m getting here.”
“You’ll be back,” he said matter-of-factly. “You won’t be able to make it on your own.”
I put the house key on the table in the hall and walked out the door. If I had any reservations about my decision, they went away right then.
Kyle was my college sweetheart and we had married soon after I graduated. Just over a year after the wedding, Kayla came along. I couldn’t have been happier at that time. I had a great career, a beautiful daughter, and a caring husband After Kayla went away to college, Kyle seemed to give up on our marriage. We lived more like roommates than husband and wife. I had tried to make things work, but it seemed so one-sided. Frustration had led me to this place. A place that I never thought I would go.
I should have been sad as I loaded my belongings into the back of my SUV, but I wasn’t. I was actually relieved. The last few years of my life had been less than fulfilling. Everything had become almost robotic. Every morning I went to my office and performed the same mundane tasks. There wasn’t even any excitement at home anymore, and that was what I craved.
I was a little nervous, but the roar of the engine soothed me as I carefully drove out of my familiar suburban neighborhood and onto the interstate. Traffic was light and the four-hour trip seemed to go by quickly. I was pulling into the parking lot of my new apartment almost before I realized it.
Midtown Apartments were not completely unfamiliar to me. I had spent a week there getting everything set up for the move. All I had to do now was unpack the few boxes of my personal things and I would be set.
The voice behind me made me jump and I dropped the boxes that I had just picked up.
“Do you need a hand?”
I glanced over my shoulder at the young man. He was a little over six feet tall and had thick black hair. His dark eyes blended in with his dark olive complexion. I thought I might have seen him when I was here before, but wasn’t sure.
“I can get it, but thanks anyway,” I politely declined his offer.
“Let me help,” he persisted. “I promise I don’t bite.”
He was standing with his hands on his hips and flashing a huge toothy smile. I couldn’t help but giggle at the sight.
“Okay,” I gave in and handed him a stack of boxes. “I’m on the second floor.”
“I’m Neil,” he said as we walked up the stairs.
“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Rebecca. I would shake your hand, but I’d probably drop the boxes,” I joked.
“That’s okay. We can be formal later.”
I set the boxes down outside of apartment 206 and unlocked the door. I could smell Neil’s cologne as he walked past me to get inside. It was a manly scent, but not too harsh. I took a deep breath and enjoyed it a few seconds before picking up the stack of boxes and taking them inside.
Two more trips emptied out my SUV. Everything that I owned was neatly stacked in my new living room.
“I would offer you a drink, but the kitchen is empty,” I bashfully told Neil.
“That’s okay,” he grinned. “I’ll take a rain check.”
“At least have a seat and rest a minute,” I gestured to the sofa.
“I really have to go,” Neil said apologetically. “I’m meeting some people in a little while for drinks. You can join us if you like.”
“I think I’ll pass. I need to get unpacked.”
“If you change your mind, I live in 210. I’ll be leaving about eight.”
I watched Neil leave before collapsing on the sofa. His scent lingered for several minutes and I enjoyed it as I worked up the energy to attack the stack of boxes.
Once I finally crawled into bed, I
“This is the last box,” I said as I walked by the den where Kyle was watching television.
“You’re really going to just throw away the last twenty years?” he asked sarcastically, barely taking his attention away from the program.
“I’ve tried, Kyle. I can’t make things work without your help. I need more than what I’m getting here.”
“You’ll be back,” he said matter-of-factly. “You won’t be able to make it on your own.”
I put the house key on the table in the hall and walked out the door. If I had any reservations about my decision, they went away right then.
Kyle was my college sweetheart and we had married soon after I graduated. Just over a year after the wedding, Kayla came along. I couldn’t have been happier at that time. I had a great career, a beautiful daughter, and a caring husband After Kayla went away to college, Kyle seemed to give up on our marriage. We lived more like roommates than husband and wife. I had tried to make things work, but it seemed so one-sided. Frustration had led me to this place. A place that I never thought I would go.
I should have been sad as I loaded my belongings into the back of my SUV, but I wasn’t. I was actually relieved. The last few years of my life had been less than fulfilling. Everything had become almost robotic. Every morning I went to my office and performed the same mundane tasks. There wasn’t even any excitement at home anymore, and that was what I craved.
I was a little nervous, but the roar of the engine soothed me as I carefully drove out of my familiar suburban neighborhood and onto the interstate. Traffic was light and the four-hour trip seemed to go by quickly. I was pulling into the parking lot of my new apartment almost before I realized it.
Midtown Apartments were not completely unfamiliar to me. I had spent a week there getting everything set up for the move. All I had to do now was unpack the few boxes of my personal things and I would be set.
The voice behind me made me jump and I dropped the boxes that I had just picked up.
“Do you need a hand?”
I glanced over my shoulder at the young man. He was a little over six feet tall and had thick black hair. His dark eyes blended in with his dark olive complexion. I thought I might have seen him when I was here before, but wasn’t sure.
“I can get it, but thanks anyway,” I politely declined his offer.
“Let me help,” he persisted. “I promise I don’t bite.”
He was standing with his hands on his hips and flashing a huge toothy smile. I couldn’t help but giggle at the sight.
“Okay,” I gave in and handed him a stack of boxes. “I’m on the second floor.”
“I’m Neil,” he said as we walked up the stairs.
“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Rebecca. I would shake your hand, but I’d probably drop the boxes,” I joked.
“That’s okay. We can be formal later.”
I set the boxes down outside of apartment 206 and unlocked the door. I could smell Neil’s cologne as he walked past me to get inside. It was a manly scent, but not too harsh. I took a deep breath and enjoyed it a few seconds before picking up the stack of boxes and taking them inside.
Two more trips emptied out my SUV. Everything that I owned was neatly stacked in my new living room.
“I would offer you a drink, but the kitchen is empty,” I bashfully told Neil.
“That’s okay,” he grinned. “I’ll take a rain check.”
“At least have a seat and rest a minute,” I gestured to the sofa.
“I really have to go,” Neil said apologetically. “I’m meeting some people in a little while for drinks. You can join us if you like.”
“I think I’ll pass. I need to get unpacked.”
“If you change your mind, I live in 210. I’ll be leaving about eight.”
I watched Neil leave before collapsing on the sofa. His scent lingered for several minutes and I enjoyed it as I worked up the energy to attack the stack of boxes.
Once I finally crawled into bed, I
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