ALMOST HEAVEN

Chapter 12

Three Weeks Previously

When Laurel woke up on a Sunday morning at Clyde's house, Clyde was already awake and in the kitchen making breakfast. It was early for Clyde who hadn't gotten home until 2:30 the night before.

"You're up early, love. Everything all right?" Laurel asked as she walked into the kitchen, pulling on a robe over her short nightgown.

Clyde looked up from the skillet in front of him and smiled at her. "Everything's fine. How's my Mountain Laurel this morning?"

Laurel walked over and put her arms around his waist. She laid her head against his back. "I'm good, Clyde." She kissed him softly and hugged him. "I love you."

"I love you, too. Get yourself some coffee and have a seat at the table. This is almost ready."

"Can I help?"

"Nope, just have a seat."

Soon he was sitting at the table opposite of her. They ate in companionable silence. Suddenly, when they were almost done, Clyde blurted out, "Laurel, I've got something important that I need to talk to you about." He looked nervous.

Laurel reached across the table to take his hand. "Are you all right, Clyde? Is something wrong?"

"No, no, I'm fine. It's just something I need to tell you."

"Ok, then tell me."

"Um, it's a bit of a long story. How about we finish breakfast and then we can go sit in the living room and talk?"

"That's fine but I confess, I don't have much of an appetite anymore. You're worrying me, Clyde."

"I don't mean to worry you. But this is something that needs to be said."

"And now I'm really worried," Laurel said.

Clyde sighed. "Let's go into the living room. You want some more coffee?"

Laurel shook her head. Clyde nodded and headed into the living room. They sat on the sofa, Laurel facing Clyde with her legs crossed under her.

"I have to tell you this before you move in because, oh, because of so many reasons. Number one reason is I love you and I don't want any secrets between us."

"What are some of the other reasons?"

"You could possibly change your mind about me."

"That's not going to happen, Clyde Logan." Laurel put her hand on his knee. "I love you too much."

"But you might not want to be with me anymore."

"You're scaring the hell out of me, Clyde. You need to just tell me."

"A little over five years ago, Jimmy, Mellie, me, and Joe Bang robbed Charlotte Motor Speedway. We got off with over three million dollars."

Laurel looked at him in shock. "And you think that would make me stop loving you? That it would make me not want to be with you? Are you out of your mind, Clyde Logan? Are you?" Laurel's voice had been steadily rising.

Suddenly she was standing up and yelling down at him. "What the hell do you think of me? You think I'm so shallow I'm going to run the other way because you did something illegal? Do you not realize how much I love you? Damn it, Clyde."

She stomped away from him and headed to the bedroom. Clyde sat in stunned silence. She hadn't given a damn about him breaking the law, she didn't care about the money. She hadn't even asked him a question about it. He started to smile but then he heard her coming back and she still sounded mad just by the way she was walking.