Page 49 of Pity Parade

“Wrong,” I tell her. “You have a choice to make, and that choice has nothing to do with me.”

“I either follow my husband and watch my career tank, or I stay in Chicago and watch my marriage tank? That doesn’t seem like much of a choice, Heath.” She’s mad at me now.

“Look, Shel, I told you before I left that I have enough money. And being that you make the same amount I do, you also have enough.”

“Enough for what?” she demands heatedly. “I have two kids to send to college. I have two weddings to pay for.”

“You have enough to send two hundred kids to college and pay for the same number of extravagant weddings,” I tell her. “Right now, you have to decide what’s more important to you. Your work or your family.”

When Shelby and Allan had their kids, they felt strongly one of them needed to stay home with them. Shelby claimed that being that she made more money, it made sense for Allan to stay home. He did so happily. But it would seem he may no longer be content.

“You want me to just drop our project and run after my family?”

“That’s not what I said, Shel. I said that you need to decide what’s important to you.”

“And if I choose my family and we lose our skyscraper?”

“Then I would say you’d made the right choice.” I repeat the words from the woman selling me my new land, “You can’t take it with you, Shel. But I’m pretty sure love is forever.”

“This from the man who won’t let himself fall in love,” she hisses.

I try to keep my voice on an even keel while responding, “This from the man who has already married the love of his life and actually looks forward to the day he’s reunited with her.”

When she finally answers, she says, “I guess I’m going to the Bahamas.”

“It’s the right choice.” I follow that up with, “Your priorities should never be things over people.”

“I think you need to listen to those words yourself, Heath.”

I’m not about to open my life to her dissection, so I simply say, “Have a nice trip, Shel. Let me know how it goes.”

It looks like this summer isn’t turning out like either Shelby or I expected. I decided to spend the summer in Elk Lake in hopes of reliving a wonderful memory from my childhood, but that’s not what’s happening. Instead, I’m finding myself drawn to a woman I can’t have and I’m buying land I have no idea what to do with.

I’m starting to worry about what tomorrow will bring.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

TRINA

The whole time Daniel and I shared a picnic lunch on the pier, I expected Heath to show up. He didn’t. Then we went on another walk on the beach and still there was no sign of Heath. We even sat out on Daniel’s deck and nothing. I’ve gone from Heath being everywhere I go to him disappearing. And while I should be relieved, I find his absence makes me more nervous than his presence.

Over burgers and milk shakes later in the day, I ask Daniel, “Where do you see yourself in ten years?”

He doesn’t even think before answering, “Married with a family, house on the North Shore, and a month of paid vacation. How about you?”

While I want the same things, I tell him, “I’d like to be doing something that makes a difference. You know, like you must feel every day.”

“You’re going to go to medical school?” he jokes.

“Hardly. I hate the sight of blood.” I consider telling him the story of when I got a nosebleed and then passed out cold when I saw all the blood. I hit my head on the kitchen counter and had to spend two nights in the hospital with a concussion. Instead, I say, “I just want to do something that will leave the world a better place.”

He picks up a fry from his plate. “It’s a good feeling. But don’t you think you’ve already helped people by finding them someone to share their life with?”

“Only nine of the couples who met on my show are still together,” I tell him. “Only three are married, and only one has had children.”

“Yeah, but that’s still a lot of people.”

“How many lives have you saved?” I ask.

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