Discarded Love, Found Happiness

night was a celebration of Coleton Barron' s full recovery, the tech world' s

splash from the pool hit her dress, Coleton shoved me aside to pr

ng tears. He didn' t defend me when she claimed we were "just friends." His mother, Esther Cotto

his father' s cherished wooden box. He believed her, forcing me to drink the soup and

, why he would hurt me after everything I had done

I' m leaving. Don' t look for me. Goodbye." I turned off my

pte

he brightly lit backyard. I stood just outside the glass patio doors, holding a tray of fr

ack on his feet, and his friends were here to welcome him. I should have been happ

n," I heard Jaydan Ferguson, one of Coleton

s not a miracle, it' s Arminda. She' s the real

hey saw it. They saw everything I had do

Coleton. She' s a keeper. So, now that you'

could hear was the gentle lapping of water in the pool. I he

ugh. It was a sound I kne

casual. "She' s a great friend. The best

king a slow s

t' s

d the tray of towels suddenly felt a hundred pounds heavier. T

s voice laced with confusion. "Charly Mack ditched you t

mention of Charly' s name. "D

a wheelchair, so she took off. Arminda was the one changing your bandages, h

The scenes of the past three years fl

s world. He was confined to a wheelchair, his career on hold, his future uncertain. Charly Mack, h

much more. I pushed him when he wanted to give up. I held him when he cried in frustration. I celebrated eve

ence as a necessity. His friends treated me like one of the family. And I had let mysel

ic man he used to be. And I was just the physical therapi

forcing a smile onto my

k with unspoken words. Coleton wouldn' t meet

oice cut through t

on, dar

ed, delicate sway, was Charly Mack. She was dressed in a st

ide with disbelief and something else...

e said, her voice a soft purr.

remembered how she had abandoned him. But Cole

ook amazing,"

ture of innocence.

er fight in the pool. A stra

tiny shriek.

and flailed, accidentally knocking a large, hea

ok out!" Co

me hard to the side to get to her. He wrapped his arm

hard concrete edge of the pool with a sickening crac

into th

radling Charly in his arms, his face a mask of concern for her,

his chair, badly spraining my wrist to break his fall. He had held my hand, his e

in my mind, a bit

now. He didn' t

phone, lying on a nearby table, buzzed. I

job well. Here is a check for five million dollars. It'

in my head nothing compar

I' ll