A Reason To Stay Read Online Free PDF Page B

middle of the room. Darren watched her, his hands folded into one another. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt someone else. He had no idea he was dating a serial killer of men’s hopes and dreams.
    “Right now, I can’t give you any more than we have. Hell, by now, I would’ve broken up with you altogether. For some reason, I just can’t. But I can’t give you more. Not now. I know that’s not fair, because you want more. Just give me some space to try and figure it out.” She refused to stop walking. If she averted her eyes from him, it would be easier. She didn’t expect him to go down that easily.
    He stood and moved in front of her, preventing her from completing her sprint on the imaginary gerbil wheel. His hands blanketed her shoulders. “Elise, I can go how fast or slow you need. I just want and need you to know I’m here to stay. And when you’re ready, I’m here waiting.”
    She took a deep breath before looking up at him. His sincerity saturated her. She buried her head into his chest in order to stop from seeing the anguish in his eyes. He didn’t deserve this messy girl and all her problems. He deserved someone like he described earlier. A girl who would love to see a man waiting with roses. Elise loved it, she just couldn’t depend on it. Her mother didn’t raise her to put the need of a man anywhere in her life. Men couldn’t be trusted. Just look at her daddy. He was the first man to leave her.
    Darren pulled back. “So, I guess you want me to go now?” His eyelids cradled a little more water than when he first started his declaration of his love to her.
    “I guess so. Just give me a little space, Darren.” She walked away, not knowing where to go. She was already home.
    He walked to the door and hung onto the knob, seemingly waiting for something. “I want to see you before you go, but if I don’t, be careful. Do you need a ride to the airport? I can switch my morning rounds with someone.”
    “I’ve got it covered. Thanks, anyway.” She didn’t know how to end whatever this was.
    He pulled the door open and turned back to look at her. “I’ll call you later.”
    He hung his head and walked out the door. She couldn’t move. What had she done? Why couldn’t she just be normal? If she could only go back and erase that day from her life. The one that seemed to cause all of her future issues with men. She sat down and closed her eyes. Did she have to go back there? She tried not to remember the last day she had seen her dad. But maybe if she thought about it again, she’d remember something that could release her from the torment of commitment.
    It was 1985 and she had just come home from school. She saw her daddy’s car in the driveway, which was very unusual for that time of day. She dropped her Strawberry Shortcake backpack by the front door and ran up the stairs as fast as she could. She could still hear the squeaks of the worn wood. The bedroom door was cracked and she peered inside. Her mother grabbed open the door and rushed out past her, running down the stairs.
    Elise went inside and sat on the edge of the bed. Her pigtails sprung up and down from her bouncing. A suitcase was opened and he was putting clothes inside it from the dresser drawers. “Daddy, where are you going?”
    “I’m going away, Elise.” He never stopped to look at her. A tear dropped onto the front of his blue shirt, staining it the color of wet ink.
    “Where are you going?” she persisted, now more nervous than before. He never traveled for work.
    “I have to go away for a long time. I can’t be here anymore.” His voice shook and remained low. He stood at the tall dresser, his back to Elise.
    “Are you coming back?” Worry trembled on her lip.
    He composed himself momentarily and started rushing in and out of the bathroom, throwing things into smaller bags. All the while ignoring the little girl who was beginning to cry, on the edge of his bed. He finally stopped and knelt down in front