Nothing Lasts Forever Read Online Free PDF Page A

other end.” The silence on the phone went on for several moments as if someone hit the pause button on a music video. The phone clicked and Maggie was back. “That was him. He called to say he’ll be home soon.” She laughed. “I won’t count on it because I know he won’t be.”
     
    “That’s sad, Maggie. What are we going to do? Our men have pushed us in the background. How do I compete with modern medicine?”
     
    “Hm, good point, Abbs. How do I compete with real estate development?”
     
    The line went silent for a few moments before Maggie began to laugh. “Abby we are modern, independent and strong women. We know what we want. I’m not going to sit here and wait for him to pay attention to me. I am going to do some research tomorrow in Key West and if I’m not home when he calls, then maybe he’ll pay attention. There’s no more sitting here like a mild mannered woman. You shouldn’t either.”
     
    “Then I say we don’t. Let’s put them second like they put us second.”
     
    “Yes! You tell ‘em sista! We’re not going to do this any longer. Let’s celebrate.”
     
    Abby heard the bottle slosh as Maggie toasted herself. She missed her friend. “Maggie, you’re gonna wait on him tonight, aren’t you?”
     
    Maggie began to giggle. “Yes.”
     
    Abby hung up the phone with a smile. Maybe Maggie was right. She was on the biggest adventure of her life. She planned for this for a long time. The hospital was a dream come true. Every day she got to be with children whose only hope was one more pill or one more procedure to have a normal life. Her three hour position involved her to dress up as Pippi Longstocking, the crazy adventurer who burst on the scene and sang them songs to cheer them up for a little while. Some didn’t even know who Pippi was, but it didn’t take away from the fun and smiles on their faces afterward. Penny and Pete entertained them with dog and bird tricks that made them forget they wore monitors and carried needle pricks in their little arms on a daily basis.
     
    She was living her dream. It didn’t mean she had to sit around and wait for Jon. Yes, she wanted to share her journey with him, but he found something to keep him interested. Medicine. At least she hoped it was medicine and not the medical director with legs that ran from her waist and all the way down. Abby drank in the misty evening air. It felt like rain.
     
    Abby got up and secured Penny’s leash. It was time to explore. The two walked along Love Me Tender Blvd and turned left on to Don’t Be Cruel Lane towards the community pavilion. A small group mingled with others as a guitar strummed in the background. A solo singer sat in the front on a lawn chair while others gathered around to listen.
     
    It was Elvis. A very close look-a-like at the least. He reminded Abby of the picture her Mother always pointed to when they got a chance to scarf a magazine from someone’s trash when they were homeless. Her mom would sift through the pages, excited to see photo after photo of Elvis and read about his stardom. At night when they sat under the stars, her Mom would sing Elvis love songs to her. She would sit on her lap and stare at the stars as she listened to her Mother’s beautiful voice.
     
    Abby sat down at the picnic table in the first row and stretched her legs in front of her. Penny sat beside her on guard and let a few of the patrons pat her on the head. Abby placed both elbows on the table behind her as she leaned back to listen to the mystical and cooing sound of the love songs. The solo singer looked up and smiled. Handsome, no doubt, his crooning of the age old songs of Elvis had the older ladies sighing like drooling fans at a music concert.
     
    His sky blue eyes stared in to Abby’s as she let the music sooth her saddened soul. She closed her eyes then and let the sound of the slow music envelope her. It was a sad song about a one sided love affair. Abby wasn’t listening to the words