Taking the Fall Read Online Free PDF Page B

was frozen in place; the tears ran down her face as if she was standing outside in a monsoon. She began to rock back and forth, trying to soothe herself from the inside out. When nothing seemed to help and the pain just got more agonizing, she slipped down into a lying position as she pushed her lips together hard to stop the excruciating moan from escaping.
    Who knows if it was minutes, hours, or even days that she lay there, but then finally, after her body was spent from the physical despair, she moved a shaking hand to inside her pillowcase and removed the well-worn photograph that never strayed from where she slept. She looked down at the multi-creased 4x6 that was years old. And the memory flooded back. It was from the night before New Year’s Eve three years earlier, a snowy and cold night. The restaurant had its usually overzealous Christmas decorations inside and out. The bright Christmas lights reflected off the snow, creating a prism effect around the windows and door.

    Hunter was getting ready to return to school in Connecticut. Molly’s mother insisted that he stop in at the restaurant before heading off so she could stock him with food; homemade meals that he could heat in his dorm microwave. When he arrived, the restaurant was fairly busy, so Florence had told Hunter to head into the kitchen and Greg would get him all set up. When he entered, he found not Greg in the kitchen but Molly.
    Stumbling over her words, she pointed to where his care package was and watched intently as he moved. He looked very James Dean-ish; with jeans and a white t-shirt under an open leather jacket. His well-worn black boots clunked across the cement floor and just the faintest sound of fabric brushing against itself could be heard as he moved across the space. He lifted the box and turned to where Molly was standing and seemed like he was about to say something.
    But then Molly’s mom walked in.
    “Molly, where is Greg? Oh, doesn’t matter. Hunter, I see you found your things.”
    “Yes, Florence, this is all too kind of you. I will have to keep them under lock and key to ensure my dorm mates don’t eat them all on me.”
    Florence laughed aloud but told him if that were the case, she would be happy to send some more to him.
    Hunter was just about to head out the door when Florence called him back.
    “Oh Hunter, will you get in a picture with Molly. I have this new camera, and I’m determined to get a picture of everyone. Somehow, you two have been the only two who I haven’t captured.”
    “Sure thing.” Hunter placed the box down again and stood next to Molly. He leaned in close, causing her to get a wonderful whiff of his cologne. And in the second before Lorraine clicked the camera, Hunter placed his arm around Molly, letting his powerful hand rest on her hip. The particular sweater she wore that night was shorter than she usually wore, but for some reason or another, she had picked it for that night. Because of that, she felt exactly how warm his hand was. She could have sworn he squeezed his fingers when he too was surprised by the skin-to-skin contact. But then Florence said smile, and that moment of wonder and beauty was caught on a brand new 35mm camera.
    Florence then headed out of the kitchen leaving the two alone once again.
    “Molly, would you mind carrying that bag out for me?” Hunter asked as he picked up the heavy box once more and made his way to the swing door that led to the restaurant.
    Molly didn’t answer, just grabbed the bag and followed him. He held the door for her to precede him as well as the one heading to the outside. They walked in silence to his car across the street. Hunter placed the box and bag in the trunk, slammed it shut, and looked at Molly.
    There was an awkward silence between them, which had Molly further wrapping her too thin sweater around herself. Hunter stood in front of her, extremely close, looking down toward her and she could feel her body reacting. She could again