If You Ever Get Lonely

chapter 1

              I sit alone in the dark and I wonder what went wrong. Mike and I had been together for 5 years but we knew each other for a lifetime. We had grown up right next door to each other born in the same hospital only days apart it had seemed like we were always meant to be together. This morning I woke up in a great mood it was a perfect day in June clear blue skies as far as the eye could see, birds were singing, it was 70 degrees with a soft breeze instead of the usual 80. It seemed as if nothing could ruin the day I was happy I was in love, nothing could bring me down. Nothing except maybe the words that Mike spoke to me.

                 I sit on my front porch swing waiting for Mike to show up, we had wedding planning to do. I smiled as I looked down at the diamond on my finger. We had a long day ahead of us, food had to be tasted, flowers had to be arranged, the area by the lake had to be checked out. With the wedding only a week away we still had plenty of last minute things to do. Finally I saw that familiar old beat up Chevy pull into my drive Mike was late but let's be honest here Mike was always late. The truck stopped but Mike didn't get out I wondered what was wrong he always got out to open the door for me he'd never just sit there and wait for me to get in.

               Slowly I approach the truck knowing something has to be wrong but figuring it was probably about Mike's dad. Bill was unreliable and mean and Mike hadn't seen much of the old man since his parent's divorced when we were teenagers. I knew how important it was to Mike that his dad be at our wedding if Bill wasn't coming it would put a damper on the whole thing. I walked up to the truck with a smile on my face seeing Mike always made me smile I couldn't wait until his face was the first thing I saw every morning and the last thing I saw every night. As I got close to the truck I realized Mike was sitting there crying he saw me coming so he got out and I went to him and threw my arms around him. No matter what was wrong we could get through it together, we could get through anything together.

              Mike held me for what seemed like forever. I could feel his tears falling into my hair. 20 years I've known this man and I have never seen him cry like this. Not when his dog of 12 years died, Not even when his daddy left. Slowly he let go of me and backed away I tried to hold on but he gently removed himself from my arms. Looking defeated and drained Mike spoke for the first time since pulling into my driveway. "Summer I'm sorry I want to marry you I do, but the truth is I can't. I'm sorry just know I love you with all my heart".  he's joking, right? I mean he has to be joking we're happy, we're in love, aren't we? "Summer are you listening to me? we're not getting married not next week, not next year, never, I'm sorry I have to go" . Mike got into his truck and drove away. I'm not sure how long I stood there just staring down the driveway it felt like an eternity yet it didn't feel long enough. I stood there until the perfect day turned overcast and gray and the rain started poring on my head. I stood there in the rain til I heard mama calling from the porch "Summer what are you doing out there, are you trying to catch your death?" don't you have to be alive for that sort of thing to happen. my life had just pulled out of my driveway. I turned and walked into the house as my world crumbled all around me.