�Road To Nowhere� Chapter 19: Spent My Life Waiting

Courtney didn�t hesitate to speed down the road to Dan�s house. She made it there with fifteen minutes to spare. She turned off the motor and sat. Of course Dan waited until exactly thirty minutes after the call to even show his face outside. He walked calmly up to Courtney�s car and got in the passenger side.

�Been waiting long?� Dan asked her.

�Not at all,� Courtney lied. �So what did you want to talk about?�

�Us,� Dan said emphasizing the word.

Courtney stayed silent not wanting to ruin her chances again. Dan cleared his throat before speaking again.

�Courtney, I�ve done so much thinking about this. And I just want you to know that I want it too badly to just give up now,� Dan avoided Courtney�s eyes.

�I don�t know what I want, but I know that I want to figure it out with you,� Courtney replied as a tear slipped down her cheek.

No one knew how much the tear had seen. It had been there when Courtney first kissed Dan and it had been there through the second kiss too. It had stayed with Courtney through all her struggles and regrets. And now it was finally letting go.

�I�ll spend my life waiting for you,� Dan said, his voice breaking in the emotion.

�Really?� Courtney asked touched by his words.

�Really,� Dan confirmed his statement.

�I�ll hurry up and figure it out then,� Courtney replied.

�Take all the time you need,� Dan told her.

Courtney�s emotions took over. She leaned close to Dan and kissed his lips. Lightly at first but then growing into a deep, passionate kiss. Courtney�s tears flowed steadily now. She would never know how just a simple kiss could make her care so much.

�Dan?� she asked not wanting to break the kiss.

�Yes?� Dan replied.

�I want this to work,� Courtney said sincerely.

�So do I,� Dan agreed. �So do I.�

* * * *

�Life is good, life is great, life is unbelievable. Life is hard, life is cruel, life is so beautiful,� Courtney sang along to the LFO song on the radio.

�So true,� she thought. �So, so true.�

She parked her car in the garage and smiled to herself as she relived the kiss in her mind. Humming, she walked into the kitchen to find something to eat. She was startled to find her father sitting at the dining room table as if waiting for her. The table was set for three and a beautiful meal sat in the center.

�What the�� Courtney said as her father stood up. �Why are there three place settings?�

�Courtney, please sit down. Cynthia and I have some news for you,� her father motioned to a chair opposite the other two.

Courtney sat down looking around for any sign of Cynthia. �Where is she?� she asked.

�She�s in the kitchen preparing the main course,� her father said.

The two sat in awkward silence until Cynthia appeared. Her excitement was bubbling over in everything she did. Something was going on. Courtney was bursting with questions, but didn�t have a chance to ask any of them. Cynthia dished up the food and everyone was content with that.

When her father�s plate was relatively clear, he cleared his throat. �Oh no, here it comes,� Courtney thought to herself. �A lecture or an announcement. Either way I don�t want to hear it.�

�Courtney,� he began.

�Father,� she replied stalling for time and trying to think of a way to get out of this conversation.

�We have something to tell you,� he went on.

�I figured as much,� she said still stalling.

�Do you want to hear this or not?� her father asked annoyed.

She bit her lip and formed the words he wanted to hear, �Yes, go on.�

Cynthia grasped his hand and they exchanged excited smiles. Courtney forced herself to look happy too. Whatever it was, she was not going to like. She could feel it.

�You know that Cynthia and I have just met, but that doesn�t stop the feelings we share for each other,� her dad went on, while Courtney tried to tune him out.

�And?� Courtney said abruptly ruining their good moods.

�And, we have decided to get married,� her father finished with a flourish.

�When? Where? What were you thinking? Why?� Courtney�s questions hung in the air unanswered.

�Well we don�t know yet,� her father admitted.

�So why does this affect me?� Courtney demanded upset.

�Well we�re going to have to move. Cynthia just got offered a huge promotion, but it�s in Orlando. So we�ll be moving there with her,� he said unaware of his upset daughter�s reaction.

Courtney was in hysterics. She sat there sobbing into her dinner. Just as everything in her life was falling into place, just as Dan was forgiving her, just as everything was perfect, her father was taking it all away. And shoving it back into her face telling her that she could never have the perfect life. She was angry and upset, but faced the difficult task of telling Dan. She wasn�t about to face him; she was having a hard enough time facing her father and Cynthia.

�I need to be excused,� Courtney choked out as she ran up the stairs. She collapsed onto her bed in a sobbing heap.

There was a light knock on the door. �Courtney?� she heard Cynthia ask.

�Go away! Just go away! Leave me the hell alone!� Courtney screamed at the door. She threw pillows and stuffed animals at it until she heard Cynthia�s footsteps down the stairs. She resumed her sobbing.

�Oh Dan, how do I tell you this?� she asked the ceiling. �How am I supposed to ruin the perfect atmosphere? How?�

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