in Beverly Hills, and he asked if she would mind him keeping a key. Looking at the key in her hand, she felt quite certain if she accepted it, it would make her completely his. Was that what she wanted? At the thought of it, her heart began to pound harder. If she were completely honest with herself, she wanted nothing more.
Several weeks had passed, and the condo was decorated so beautifully that it looked just like the cover of a magazine. The main living area was mostly decorated in white tones. Her furniture was oversized and so comfortable that she often fell asleep on the sofa while watching TV. All the wood in the room was stained in variations of warm honeyed tones.The decorator selected much of the art work and lighting, but Chelsea picked the accessories. Surprisingly, the condo felt more like home than she could have ever expected. Her last apartment felt like an extension of dorm life. Having her own things, well, hers for the time being, she felt comfortable and secure. Every time she walked through the door, the warmth of it seemed to envelope her. Since being home at her parents’ house, she had not known such a feeling in years.
The first week after they arrived home from Vegas, she received a check for two months of expenses. The amount John called fair boggled Chelsea’s mind. When she deposited the ten thousand dollar check, she was still determined to spend only the amount needed. In her heart, she knew that was the right thing to do. Having no idea what to do with the remaining money, she decided she would allow it to accumulate and simply give it back to John when their contract ended. Soon, credit cards arrived with her name on them. As she shopped for furnishings for the condo, she tried to determine if it was an item she would leave or take. If it was something she wanted to take when she moved out, she paid for the item with her own funds. If it was something she felt comfortable leaving behind, she used John’s credit cards. The entire experience was surreal, causing her to constantly wonder if she were living out some fabulous dream.
On occasion, she wondered if John would find another girl to take her place when she left. She had to presume he would. At times, she would look around the condo she had made comfortable for herself and wonder if another would move in right away and make it her home. The thought of it caused her chest to feel tight and her heart to fill with deep sadness. When such questions surfaced, as they had done often over the past few days, she tried to push them away, reminding herself not to live for what would be, rather what was.
John stopped by a couple of times to check on her progress. They had gone out to dinner on a few occasions, but there were several days she did not hear from him at all. Those days were terribly disappointing, and she found herself feeling a bit rejected. Each time that kind of feeling surfaced, she had to remind herself that she agreed to no strings or commitments. The times she considered calling him, she realized itwould be inappropriate for her to do so. She felt a little trapped and sometimes in over her head. Nighttime was the loneliest. Many nights, she would sit alone watching TV, wondering what he was doing. Images of him with other women often swirled around in her mind. She would be a fool to believe she was the only one. No matter where they went, he drew such attention from the opposite sex that it made her feel certain there were others. Who could blame them? He was the most fascinating man she had ever met.
Finals were over, so she had more free time than she was accustomed to. To kill time, she had taken up running, partially because she knew John ran each morning. The longer she ran, the more she found it helped to clear her head and alleviate the anxiety of waiting. In the past two days, John had not called or stopped by, so she was beginning to wonder if the honeymoon was over and he had become bored with her. That was why
Several weeks had passed, and the condo was decorated so beautifully that it looked just like the cover of a magazine. The main living area was mostly decorated in white tones. Her furniture was oversized and so comfortable that she often fell asleep on the sofa while watching TV. All the wood in the room was stained in variations of warm honeyed tones.The decorator selected much of the art work and lighting, but Chelsea picked the accessories. Surprisingly, the condo felt more like home than she could have ever expected. Her last apartment felt like an extension of dorm life. Having her own things, well, hers for the time being, she felt comfortable and secure. Every time she walked through the door, the warmth of it seemed to envelope her. Since being home at her parents’ house, she had not known such a feeling in years.
The first week after they arrived home from Vegas, she received a check for two months of expenses. The amount John called fair boggled Chelsea’s mind. When she deposited the ten thousand dollar check, she was still determined to spend only the amount needed. In her heart, she knew that was the right thing to do. Having no idea what to do with the remaining money, she decided she would allow it to accumulate and simply give it back to John when their contract ended. Soon, credit cards arrived with her name on them. As she shopped for furnishings for the condo, she tried to determine if it was an item she would leave or take. If it was something she wanted to take when she moved out, she paid for the item with her own funds. If it was something she felt comfortable leaving behind, she used John’s credit cards. The entire experience was surreal, causing her to constantly wonder if she were living out some fabulous dream.
On occasion, she wondered if John would find another girl to take her place when she left. She had to presume he would. At times, she would look around the condo she had made comfortable for herself and wonder if another would move in right away and make it her home. The thought of it caused her chest to feel tight and her heart to fill with deep sadness. When such questions surfaced, as they had done often over the past few days, she tried to push them away, reminding herself not to live for what would be, rather what was.
John stopped by a couple of times to check on her progress. They had gone out to dinner on a few occasions, but there were several days she did not hear from him at all. Those days were terribly disappointing, and she found herself feeling a bit rejected. Each time that kind of feeling surfaced, she had to remind herself that she agreed to no strings or commitments. The times she considered calling him, she realized itwould be inappropriate for her to do so. She felt a little trapped and sometimes in over her head. Nighttime was the loneliest. Many nights, she would sit alone watching TV, wondering what he was doing. Images of him with other women often swirled around in her mind. She would be a fool to believe she was the only one. No matter where they went, he drew such attention from the opposite sex that it made her feel certain there were others. Who could blame them? He was the most fascinating man she had ever met.
Finals were over, so she had more free time than she was accustomed to. To kill time, she had taken up running, partially because she knew John ran each morning. The longer she ran, the more she found it helped to clear her head and alleviate the anxiety of waiting. In the past two days, John had not called or stopped by, so she was beginning to wonder if the honeymoon was over and he had become bored with her. That was why
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