Love Blitz

Chapter Two

"Jillian, I know you wanna help all these people around here, but we gotta find you a man."

Jillian Peters laughed at her little sister as she continued preparing Sunday dinner for her parents. It was a ritual that she carried out countless times in the three years since her father suffered a devastating stroke. It was her way of helping her mom who had become his primary caregiver.

Her job as the only doctor in her small town made it tough for her to always be there throughout the day. But, she assisted her mother in other ways when she could. She laughed at her little sister's comment, but she knew that she was right. It had been years since she'd been on a bona fide date, and she worked hard to convince herself that she didn't care.

"Ashley, cool it, okay?" Jillian laughed in response. "Besides, have you seen the roster of eligible bachelors around here? It isn't exactly the stuff dreams are made of."

"Nobody will ever be as good as your old flame, Malik. That jerk has made it tough for anybody to come after him. Even after all these years."

"That isn't fair!" Jillian quickly answered. "My being single has nothing to do with him! I can't believe you'd say that!"

"Yeah, whatever you say. Better yet, whatever you say to keep yourself comforted at night. But, you and I both know you've been hoping that jerk comes back after all these years and he doesn't even deserve you."

Ashley wasn't backing down. She'd watched her sister turn down one date after another in recent years and she was tired of it. She promised her mother that she would mind her own business, but as yet another holiday season peaked just over the horizon, she couldn't take it anymore. She didn't want her beautiful sister to die an old maid when there were countless men just dying to make her happy.

Jillian did her best to conceal her shaking hands from her sister. Ashley had struck a nerve. A nerve that she'd been trying to ignore for nearly 10 years, but one that was nagging at her both day and night. She hadn't gotten over Malik Cooper no matter how many times she tried to convince herself otherwise.

When he started acting shady the closer the time came for the NFL draft, Jillian new what everyone else was in denial about. His new handlers had encouraged him to cut ties with her because she'd be dead weight for a hot, new eligible bachelor on the scene. He'd have women throwing themselves at him and an angry girlfriend would only distract him from his primary mission – winning football games.

Her mother didn't want to believe that the nice young man who had spent countless Sunday's in her living room playing board games and watching movies with her family could be so cruel to her oldest daughter. She told Jillian to give him time to get settled and surely he'd come around. But, Jillian new he never would. She knew him better than anybody and she knew that even if he felt a little badly about turning on her, his selfish goals would always come first. He was young and foolish and easily misled.

She had, in fact, hoped that the older he got the more he'd realize his mistake and come running back into her arms. Ready to start the family they'd always talked about in college. But ten years later, the moment hadn't arrived. He completely stopped calling her, responding to her calls, emails, texts, letters. Just nothing. He went totally silent and it took years for her to just get over that part of his transformation. She couldn't believe a man who'd professed his love for her more times than she could count, in both private and public venues, could so easily flip on her.

She never ran into him during holidays or at get-togethers with old friends from high school and college. That made it even tougher. The only time she got to see him was when he was on television or in gossip rags when he was featured next to stories about his latest female conquest. He'd been seen out about with more women in the past 10 years than she could even count. A far cry from the man who she'd dated for nearly seven years from her sophomore year of high school to the end of college.

"Ashley, please, just leave this alone. I'm not burning some candle for Malik Cooper and I don't need a man. I know that one will come along when the time is right. I guess...the time just hasn't been right. But, I know that it will happen. You act as if I'm 41 years old and not 31! I've got plenty of time to be locked down with a house full of kids!"

"Jillian, I just want the best for you," Ashley responded. "You have so much going for yourself and you're beautiful, thoughtful and kind. I just want you to find someone who loves you and will give you as much as you give to everyone else. Then, I want karma to take care of that snake, Malik. Nobody deserves to get away with what he did to you."

Jillian laughed, "He's not a snake, Ashley. He just made some bad choices. That's all. I appreciate everything you've said and to be honest, for the most part, you're right. I promise I'll keep a more open mind the next time I'm asked out on a date."

Ashley went over and hugged her big sister. She only wanted her to be happy and she knew that there was a great guy out there waiting to find her.

"That's what I wanna hear! Karma will deal with that snake, I mean, weasel, Malik. You just mark my words," Ashley responded.

Jillian chuckled and shook her head, "Whatever you say, Ashley. Let's go check on mom and dad."