His face went slack, like he’d been slapped.
He clutched his mouth, struggling to process
- it. “Then why wouldn’t you let me buy that
guitar?”
It all clicked.
I finally understood what he almost said at the
reunion.
“Did you think we were made of money? Your
dad was sick, and we spent everything on
hospital bills! What money can we save with
that!?”
L
Tom looked lost.
He mumbled, “No, It was Sarah who told me that you emailed the record label and stopped me from succeeding. Because you did not want me to succeed or to have any money…”
If I was sad before, I was now disgusted.
“We were together for years, and you let one
person’s lies erase everything? What do you
have to say for yourself?”
I sighed. “My husband and son are waiting for
- me. I have to go.”
Tom grabbed my arm. “Ashley, do you still
love me?”
<
I shook my head.
“That love died a long time ago. Now I love
my husband and my son.”
I didn’t know why he was asking.
He always said we should move on.
And I did.
*
Chapter Five
Only a month later, Sarah’s dad, John
Jenkins, got busted for tax evasion, using
cheap materials to build homes, and bribing
officials.
く
I was shocked.
Sarah, the queen bee, was now just a mess
on TV.
Her assets were frozen, and she couldn’t even
go home.
Her dad was going to prison for a very long
time.
And all those people who bought houses with
their life savings? They got ripped off.
“That’s awful,” I said. “No conscience.”
Tony, who was sitting next to me, pouted.
“Hey, I have a conscience!”
I laughed.
Tony believed in making the best products.
His company did great because he gave the
customer what they wanted.
“I had a phone call” I said.
I picked up, and it was Tom.
“You see the news? Ashley, I was the one
who reported him.”
I frowned. “Why are you telling me this?”
“Just wanted you to know.”
He sounded weak. “Ashley, can I see you?”
I said, “I thought you knew I wanted to have
nothing to do with you…”
He coughed. “I went to the doctor the other
day. Stage four lung cancer. Can you see
me?”
My head swam.
I was silent for a long time, then whispered,
“Bring your medical records to my hospital. I’ll
meet you there.”
That afternoon, Tom walked into my office.
He’d lost a lot of weight.
He put his records on my desk.
I looked them over, my brow furrowed. “You
need to get admitted right away Do what the
く
I helped him fill out the forms.
Once he was settled, Tom, tears in his eyes,
said, “Ashley, I knew you’d help me. You still
care, don’t you?”
“I know I was wrong before. I made a mistake.
I wasn’t good enough for you. Now I know I
don’t regret us being together in a past life.”
“Ashley, I messed up. Can you forgive me?
Can we get back together?
“We can have kids. You always wanted kids.”
I frowned.
“Tom, you need to understand: we broke up
when we got our second chance.”
