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�Road To Nowhere� Chapter 22: Honestly, I Care Angela awoke in the middle of the night. She decided to check on Courtney. The poor girl seemed to be going through a lot that was unseen to the world. Angela made her way quietly down the hall. She found Courtney on the couch fast asleep. In the chair next to her was a sleeping Dan. �Danny,� she whispered. Dan�s eyes fluttered open. �Mmm,� he sat upright. �What am I doing in here?� Angela motioned toward Courtney. �Oh,� Dan sighed. �Poor Court.� �Dan, you must really care about this girl,� Angela sat next to her son. �Mama, I love her so much. She�s had such bad luck in life and she needs something constant in her life,� Dan looked his mother in the eyes. �So, what are you going to do to help her?� Angela questioned. �I dunno yet. I just want to keep her safe and protected. It�s not fair all the things she�s been through,� Dan looked away from his mother�s face. The tears welled up in his eyes. �Oh Mama, please help me think of something.� Angela hugged her son. It was so obvious that he cared about Courtney the way no one else had ever cared for her before. Angela wanted to help him more than anything but she knew that only he could help Courtney and ultimately himself. �Danny, I can't help you. This is one of those things that you have to figure out yourself,� Angela said. �And you will figure it out.� �Okay,� Dan replied. �Okay.� * * * * Courtney awoke the next morning to find Dan watching her sleep. She smiled at him thankful that he had been there to watch over her. He returned the smile telling her it was nothing. �Morning Dan,� she cooed at him. �Hey Court. Did you sleep well?� Dan asked. �Yup, sure did,� Courtney replied. �So what do you think about going to school today?� Dan asked unsure of how she would respond. �I don�t have anything to wear and I am not going back to my house right now,� Courtney said dejectedly. �Well how about if we search the house to find something halfway decent for you to wear?� Dan suggested. �Dan, anything that you give me to wear is already halfway decent. I could care less what I look like right now,� Courtney smiled at Dan�s thoughtfulness. �If you want to, the bathroom is down the hall on your right. You can take a shower to clear your thoughts,� Dan took her hand in his. �My mama has a hair dryer and a curling iron under the sink.� �Thanks Dan,� Courtney rested her head on his shoulder. �Thanks for being so nice to me.� �Oh Court, it�s nothing, it�s really nothing at all,� Dan brushed the hair from her face. �Now go make yourself beautiful.� He watched as Courtney walked down the hall. He loved to watch her. She enthralled him. His heart hurt for her but it was also filled with love for her. He was going to tell her today. He really was. * * * * Courtney wandered into the kitchen after her shower. She had a towel on her head and was wearing the clothes from the night before. Angela turned at the sound of footsteps. �Courtney, darling, what do you need?� Angela asked her sincerely. �Um, well, Dan said that he would find me something to wear and I just needed to dry my hair,� Courtney didn�t want to burden Angela. She had already done so much for her. �I think Danny is in his room and if you want I�ll help you with your hair,� Angela offered. �That would be great. Thank you for everything. I really appreciate it,� Courtney smiled. �No problem, Courtney. We�re here for you,� Angela hugged the girl. She felt the way that Courtney welcomed the loving gesture. �I�ll go see if Dan has clothes for me,� Courtney said as she walked to Dan�s room. �Knock knock,� she said into his open doorway. �Hey Court, come on in,� Dan said pulling a shirt over his head. Courtney stood just outside the door with her mouth open. �Damn, Dan looks good without a shirt,� she thought. �Courtney? Are you going to come in?� Dan asked her laughing uncomfortably. �What? Um, yeah,� Courtney entered the room. She sat on the end of his bed. Dan motioned to the clothes on his bed. �You can wear anything from there or if you want you can check out my closet.� �I want that shirt off your back, so I can see that six pack again,� Courtney thought. �Um, okay,� she said going through the clothes on his back. �He�s worn each and every item on this bed! He�s slept in this bed!� Courtney screamed in her thoughts. �She smells so good,� Dan�s thoughts said. �I love her so much.� They sat in excruciating silence. At that precise moment, neither had to say the words. They could feel them. Courtney�s eyes filled with tears. She knew what was coming. �Courtney, I love you,� Dan whispered. �I love you too,� Courtney said. �And I want to be with you forever,� Dan got down on his knee. �I want you to be my wife. I want to protect you and cherish you. Courtney, will you marry me?� * * * *
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