SHORT FICTION: A Once Spirited Teen
A ONCE SPIRITED TEEN
Ed loved her the first time he met her. An instinctive and overwhelming awareness that "She is the one. I’m going to marry her."
But they were young. He was shy. They went to separate colleges. And it was 16 years before they met again, both older and more worn down, but he didn’t care. Because she gave him a chance.
She was his life. His one true love.
He was happy to become a dad to her daughter because that was HER child.
Truly was an extension of Barbara. He had to accept her daughter to have Barbara in his life, and it was a deal he was willing to make.
For four years he lived a happy life.
He was married with a beautiful wife that he loved more than anything.
Then she was gone.
Murdered by Truly. Shot dead in the house he’d bought for her with the gun he’d bought so she could feel safe from her unstable and dangerous ex-husband. And it was her daughter–the girl she’d loved more than ANYTHING (even him!)–that did it.
And he didn’t know why.
Whatever story Truly gave, Ed didn’t believe it. Didn’t trust it. Because Barbara was the kindest, gentlest, most wonderful person ever. A truly loving mom.
And Truly cold-bloodedly shot her dead.
And all the excuses and reasons were weak. Untrustworthy. Manipulations he could not believe.
But he would smile at her in court. Mouth words of love and trust. Do or say anything to get her released from prison.
Because in the gaping maw of his broken heart, he was desperate for blood.
/END
~Harper Kingsley
https://paypal.me/harperkingsley.
https://patreon.com/harperkingsley.
https://www.youtube.com/c/HarperKingsley.
https://amazon.com/shop/harperkingsley0.
https://www.harperkingsley.net/blog.
https://kimichee.com.
https://harperkingsley.bsky.social.
https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/HarperKingsley.
