SEPARATED: CONCLUSION TO UN-RELATED Read Online Free PDF Page A

hell, Nancy?” Joe yelled. “You keep her away from Tyler! She said she was still a good girl…see to it she stays that way!” Joe shouted after Kellan slammed the door shut.
     
    “What was that all about?” I asked Kellan in the car.
    “What?” he said, like nothing happened.
    “How did you get Nancy to defy Joe like that?”
    “Let’s just say that Nancy and I have an understanding, and leave it at that.”
    “You told me no more secrets. Now, what’s going on?” I asked.
    “Abby, she abused us…both, for years. She knows I can put her away for stealing our money…gambling it away, child endangerment, neglect, abuse…whatever you want to call it. She knows I’m almost a lawyer now, too. She’s scared. She won’t give you any problems. She hasn’t, has she?” he looked over at me, with a look that said he was certain she hadn’t.
    “No, she’s been fine. She leaves me alone,” I said, still confused.
    “She’s going to continue to leave you alone, too. I can promise you that.”
    “I still don’t understand…”
    “I told you, she’s scared. She gambles away all of the money the state gives her for you. She’s afraid of going to jail.”
    “What about Joe? He didn’t seem worried.”
    “Joe lives in denial. He does what Nancy tells him to do. Don’t worry, Abby. They won’t do anything to you. I promise.”
    I scooted over to him and hugged his arm. “I was afraid they were going to keep us apart.”
    “Yeah, right. Something tells me, there’s no way they were going to stop you from being with me. In fact, I’d like to see them try,” he grinned.
    “You’re feeling better now, aren’t you?” I asked, noticing his beautiful smile was back.
    “Yeah, much.” He put his arm around me and said, “Thanks to you.”
     
    I had my Kellan back and I was thrilled. He was back to himself, and he was happy. I was elated and loved every second with him. He had been right about Nancy. She never said another word to me and whenever Joe mentioned anything about myself, Kellan or Tyler, she shut him up. It was fine with me, because they didn’t question where I was or what I was doing. They still assumed I was with Tyler most of the time, and I just let them think it. Nancy’s threat from a couple years earlier still concerned me at times, but I realized she wasn’t about to risk going to jail by crossing Kellan, and that also meant that she wasn’t going to turn him in for sleeping with me…not that we were sleeping together.
                 
    It was his last night home. He was leaving the next afternoon to go back to school. I promised myself that I wasn’t going to make him miserable this time. We spent the day together walking along the beach. Later that afternoon, we cleaned up the apartment and got him packed for his flight out the next day. I was surprisingly calm and he didn’t fail to mention it.
    “Are you getting tired of me already, Abby?” he asked and leaned down to kiss me.
    “What does that mean?”
    “I don’t know. I guess I was just expecting tears today. I’m glad you’re not crying, but I am surprised.”
    “I’m trying not to think about it.”
    “I’ll be back as soon as I can. You know that, right?”
    “Yes. I think that’s why it’s easier this time. I know you love me and I know you’ll be back for me.”
    “I do…and I will.” I seemed to be handling his imminent departure better than he was this time. He wouldn’t let me go and finally said, “I don’t want to go. I want to stay here…with you.”
    “I wish you could. Don’t make me cry…yet, please. I just want another wonderful night together, okay?”
    “Yeah, okay.” He pulled away and grabbed one of his bags to throw in the car and we walked out the door.
    We had dinner out and I spilled spaghetti sauce on my dress, so Kellan drove me home so I could change.
    “They’re gone for the weekend. Why don’t you stay here tonight? Please?” I asked, never dreaming