Contemporary Romance
Date Published: 03-04-2022
Hendrix and Victoria live two different lives. He is a senior in college, who lives with his terminally ill father, and has no idea what he wants to be when he "grows up." She is a young wife and mother in a failing marriage, her two sons being the only reasons she is still devoted to her household. But after both learn of family secrets, not only does the shape of their daily lives change forever, but their worlds collide, sparking an unlikely interest in one another. With their lives at a free fall, their relationship is the hope, inspiration, and strength to help them persevere through it all. Although love is getting them through the bad times, what will happen to their relationship when they realize they are still at different stages in life?
Chapter 1
Hendrix
Him dying felt real this time.
When my dad finally caught his breath, after coughing incessantly, he forced me into a deep embrace.
“Goodbye, son,” he said.
“I’m going to class, dad,” I said, “not war.”
“Every day is war. A war with ourselves. A war for equality. A war with those grades.” In a swift motion, he snapped a picture of me. The flash forced my eyes closed.
“Come on, dad. A heads up would’ve been nice.”
“It’s the first day of the semester. You know the routine.”
My vision returned with white spots floating about. “See you after class.”
“I’ll be right here- unless the Lord has other plans.” He glanced at the driveway, which, for now, only had his car. “Or your sisters.”
“Maybe I shouldn’t leave. What if, you know, it happens?
“You know what I hate most about ‘what if’s?’ We get so caught up on what might happen or what could happen, we end up missing out on what’s happening. Go. Live today for today, not what could be. And I don’t want to hear no lip.”
I dropped into the driver’s seat of my White Honda Accord. “Love you, dad.”
“Oh, by the way, I found a place.” He pulled a folded brochure from his back pocket, handed it to me, and waited with a grin for me to read through it all. “It has palm trees.”
I glanced at the palm tree towering over our house. It made sense. And it was probably the responsible thing to do at that stage in his life, rather than putting up a façade that life was good.
“I should,” I said, starting my car, “uh…Get going.”
“I’ll be right here when you come back, Hendrix.” He winked. “Right here.”
About the Author
Lamar Neal is an author of three poetry collections and one novel. When he’s not writing, you will most likely find him at home, playing video games, online shopping, or trying to decide his next hairstyle.
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