Decisions I made のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 131 - チャプター 140

For several seconds, no one spoke.The only sound was the wind moving through the oak trees in Frank and Pamela's front yard.Ron looked older than Lela remembered.His neatly pressed shirts were gone, replaced by a wrinkled polo and jeans. His eyes were bloodshot, and there was a heaviness in his face that hadn't been there just a week ago.Lela folded her arms across her chest."You said you owed me an explanation.""I do.""Then explain."Ron glanced at Jack before looking back at Lela."I'd rather speak to you alone."Jack immediately started to step back.Before he could, Lela reached for his hand."No."Both men looked at her."Anything you have to say can be said in front of Jack."Jack looked at her, surprised by the certainty in her voice.She squeezed his hand."I'm done keeping things from him."Ron nodded slowly."I understand."He took a deep breath."The first thing I need to say is..."He looked directly into Lela's eyes."I'm sorry."She didn't respond."I should've an

Sunday morning arrived with a gentle rain.The kind that tapped softly against the windows without ever becoming a storm.Lela woke before Jack.She lay quietly for a few minutes, listening to the steady rhythm of the rain.It had been one week.Just one week.Seven days earlier they had been wandering through the gardens at Hershey.Jack had proposed.She had told him "not yet."Now, somehow, they had survived one of the hardest weeks either of them could remember.She rolled over.Jack was still asleep, one arm tucked beneath his head.For the first time in days, he looked peaceful.She smiled."I love you," she whispered quietly.His eyes opened."I was wondering how long you'd stare at me."She laughed."I thought you were asleep.""I was."He smiled."Until someone started whispering."She buried her face in the pillow."You weren't supposed to hear that.""I'm glad I did."By midmorning, the rain had stopped.The two of them spent the morning getting Frank and Pamela's house rea

Sunday morning was painfully quiet.Lela woke up three different times during the night, each time instinctively reaching for her phone.Nothing.No text.No missed call.No "I'm sorry."She knew Jack was stubborn.She also knew he was hurting.Unfortunately...So was she.She finally climbed out of bed around eight and walked downstairs.Pamela was already making breakfast.She looked up with a warm smile that faded the moment she saw Lela's face."You didn't sleep."Lela forced a small smile."I slept."Pamela raised an eyebrow."You rested.""I don't think you actually slept."Lela sat at the kitchen island and wrapped both hands around a mug of coffee."I don't even know why we're fighting."Pamela placed a plate of toast in front of her."Sometimes people aren't fighting about one thing.""What do you mean?""They're fighting about everything they've been carrying."Lela stared into her coffee."I know he's under a lot of pressure.""But I feel like I'm losing him."Pamela reache

The next morning, Lela woke before her alarm.For the first time in over a week, she didn't feel the knot in her stomach that had greeted her every morning since opening the termination letter.Instead, she felt... hopeful.Not because she suddenly had all the answers.She didn't.But because she knew she wasn't facing the unknown alone.She smiled as she looked at the silver compass necklace resting on her nightstand.Her father's words echoed in her mind."Whenever you feel lost... remember you'll always find your way home."She slipped the necklace around her neck before heading downstairs.The smell of coffee greeted her in the kitchen.Frank was already sitting at the table reading the newspaper while Pamela packed away leftovers from the night before.Frank lowered the paper."Morning, kiddo.""Morning."Pamela immediately noticed the necklace."You put it on."Lela smiled."I think it's going to stay there."Frank grinned proudly."It looks better on you than it did in the disp

Thursday felt longer than any day Lela could remember.She had been told she would hear something "by tomorrow afternoon."Unfortunately, afternoon seemed impossibly far away.By 7:00 a.m., she had already checked her phone four times to make sure it wasn't accidentally on silent.It wasn't.By 8:30, she'd reorganized her résumé folder.Again.By 9:15, she'd watered every flower around the house, even though Pamela had watered them the evening before.At 9:40, Frank looked out the kitchen window and chuckled."Lela."She looked up from trimming a rose bush that didn't need trimming."Yeah?""You've been outside fifteen times this morning.""I have not."Frank looked at Pamela."She's keeping count now."Pamela smiled over the rim of her coffee cup."She's nervous.""I'm not nervous."Frank raised an eyebrow."You just pruned the same bush twice."Lela looked down at the rose bush."I did?""You sure did."She sighed dramatically and walked back toward the porch."Okay...""Maybe I'm a