"Meant To Be" Excerpt

This is an excerpt of one of my short stories in the LOVE Anthology from Whiskey Creek Press due out January 2006. The title is "Meant to Be."

“Go away.” The voice drifted over to Max in the dark. He stopped in the doorway and softly sighed.
“I can’t Lynn. You need someone here.”
“I don’t need anyone anymore.”
“If you don’t take your medicine…” he began.
“Spare me.” The words came out dripping with anger and sarcasm. “Peddle your caring crap to someone else. Just because you feel guilt doesn’t mean I have to care.”
Max heard her move in the darkness. She skirted the window to avoid the moonlight.
“It’s done.” He reminded her as he walked farther into the room. “Please, Lynn. Let it go.”
“Don’t worry, Max. I’m not going to harm myself. You don’t need to baby-sit. I can take care of myself.”
“Can you?” he asked softly. “Jerry wasn’t the one for you. I only want to help.”
“Help?” she echoed in disbelief. “How can you help? Can you give me my face back? My life back? What can you give me, Max?”
“I can help.” He moved closer to her and smelled the soft scent of her skin. His stomach clenched. How could he make her understand? “Lynn, please. Come here.” He stretched his hand out and touched her arm gently.
He heard the cry before she buried her face into his white, cotton shirt. Her body shook with the force of her sobs. His arms came around her and cradled her soft body next to his. Max wanted to gather her to him. So close she wouldn’t ever hurt again, but he couldn’t. His brother had seen to that. The selfish bastard.
Max’s jaws clenched as he thought of his brother with Tammy on the honeymoon that should have been Lynn’s.
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copyright 2005 Crystal Inman