Page 60 of Harvey

“I made that declaration because I am in love with you. I extend the invitation for you to accompany me because I would like my husband to be involved in areas of my life. I would like you to see where I go and what I do.

I would like to stand with the choir and see you in the pew. It’s not about showing you off like a piece of property. I want to spend time with you, Harvey, and it’s that simple.”

“I have things to do.” Snatching up his robe, he shrugged into it.

“Like what?”

His eyebrows lifted, and a cynical smile touched his lips. “Look at you behaving like a proper wife. I might have feelings for you, but I don’t answer. Am I clear?”

“Why are you doing this?”

She was doing it again, he thought, feeling the helpless feeling taking over. Instead of getting angry as she should have been, she was exercising patience, and he couldn’t stand it.

“I am doing this to show you who I am. Remember what I told you last night? I will hurt you, Kendra. It’s not a matter of if; it’s a matter of when. I am not good at this. I want you for some reason and cannot seem to be able to stay away from you.

But I am determined to have control of my life and will not allow it to be taken away from me. I am not religious, and I don’t believe in your God. My brother and parents tried getting me to attend services, and it worked, but I will not have another family member try that trick. Is that clear?”

“Crystal,” she mustered a smile as she turned to go to the bathroom. I will see you when I return if you are back by then.”

He watched in frustration as she went in and closed the door behind her. Shoving his hands into his robe pockets, he wandered to the window and stared at the gloomy morning.

He knew he was in love with her, and he could not deny it any longer; he just did not know how to tell her. He also knew that he had hurt her, and he could not seem to help himself. He was so determined to show that she did not control her that he was making it difficult for her and trying to push her away.

Only he didn’t want her to leave. He sucked in a breath as he thought about her leaving. In a few short weeks, she had started to mean so much to him that not being with her felt like it would tear him to pieces. He couldn’t bear it.

She was patient with him, but for how much longer? His parents had spent years trying to make him see that it was not just a show. They were not saying they loved him just because—they showed him as well, and he finally and slowly realized that what they were saying was the truth.

Striding to his closet, he picked out something to wear and took it to the bathroom next door to prepare for the day.

*****

“Kendra, are you coming home with us?” Julia asked as they walked from the chapel to the parking lot. They had all stayed behind to help with refreshments for the children, and now it was almost four in the afternoon.

When she came out of the bathroom, it was seen that her husband had left, and he had not gotten one phone call from him all day. She was hurting so much that she could barely stand it.

She had smiled, performed in the choir, and taught the children at children’s church, but the thought of returning to the manor and sitting with his family when he was not there was killing her. She couldn’t bear the sympathetic looks she would get from them.

“I promised some of the ladies I would stay behind and help organize the soup kitchen.” She told them with a smile. “I will grab something here.”

“Are you sure?” Julia stared at her thoughtfully, and Kendra felt the woman knew what was happening.

“I am sure.” Hugging her, she stepped back with a wave before returning to the chapel.

“I could kill him.” Julia slid in when her husband opened the door for her.

“I could just wrap my hands around his neck and strangle him.”

“I suppose we are talking about our wayward son.” Gregory slipped into the driver’s seat and pushed the button.

“Who else?” Jerking the seatbelt angrily, she snapped it shut. “He is shutting her out. I saw the tears in her eyes when she came downstairs, and that idiot son of ours stormed out of the house as if the devil himself was after him. I can only imagine she invited him to services, and he started giving her some nonsense about not believing in God.”

“You cannot belittle his beliefs, darling.” Her husband told her gently.

“What beliefs?” Throwing her hands up in the air, she turned to look at her husband. “What does he think? Yes, he was abandoned by those two teenagers who had no business having children, but we rescued him, and yes – Oh God, He was abused at that home.

If that damn woman were still alive, I would make it my endeavor to make her life a living hell for what she did to my baby! But she had to do me the disservice of dying of a heart attack.” Taking a deep breath, she ran out of steam. “She ruined him. And now that wonderful woman loves him, he is driving her away.”

Reaching a hand to cover hers, he squeezed gently. “You don’t know that.”

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