When There Is Nothing Left But Love

I quickly knelt down next to Gregory and pacified him, saying, “Silly boy, Mommy only left for a while. How could I have left you behind? Didn’t we agree that we’d stick together?”

However, Gregory could not be so easily appeased. He frowned in deep thought. After a moment, his eyes lit up. Extending his tiny pinky towards me he claimed, “We didn’t make a pinky promise last time, so it didn’t count. Now we have to!”

I put on an unsmiling face and hooked my pinky with Gregory’s. He cheered up considerably afterward.

Looking down at Gregory clad smartly in a tuxedo, I guessed that the three of them were heading out to dinner. In a friendly manner, I asked, “Are you going out to dinner tonight, Gregory?”

Before Gregory could reply, Ashton cut in with a low voice, “We’re going to meet my parents. You have to come too.”

We’re going to meet the Hall family? I thought, amused. I guess today isn’t a wasted trip after all.

I smiled cheerfully at Ashton, then replied, “Sure! Let me go back and change. Wait here for me.”

“It’s alright,” Ashton commanded, halting me in my tracks. “You can come as you are. There’s no need to be so formal.”

the van parked just

onto Gregory’s hand. At least I’ve saved some

supremely interested to meet the Hall family. They must be a callous bunch who attempted to wipe

Ashton sat in the front. We seemed to have come to a mutual understanding that the earlier matter with John would

to see me and naturally chattered on endlessly, filling me in with all the news from school that I’d missed in

van was idling at a traffic light, I suddenly thought of Audrey. Experimentally, I asked, “Gregory, you don’t really like to mix with the younger children at school, do you?

with my sister

firmness with which Gregory spoke made an amusing contrast with his still-babyish voice. A picture of Gregory and Audrey holding onto each

at him fondly, commending, “You’ve really grown up into a fine young

However, Ashton looked away from the mirror the instant

me with another look of utter contempt

had told Gregory about Audrey. It felt like he had

by as I was thus occupied in thought. It seemed as if we’d arrived at

while