Love Without Boundaries

Chapter Forty-Four

Chapter Forty-Four

            Robert got up early the next morning, the sooner he could leave the better. He got ready and took his bags to his car. He walked into to Nora’s room and sat on her bed.

            “Hey Nora wake up.” He said as he shook her out of her sleep. She groaned and turned over to face him.

            “Robert it’s too early, what do you want?” she said sleepily.

            “I know but I’m going to leave here in a little bit and I wanted to tell you bye.” Nora sat up in her bed.

            “I thought you were leaving later on in the day?”

            “I was, but I changed my mind. I really need to get out of here. Sorry I’m just telling you this, but I promise I will be back for spring break. That should be around the time you find out what you’re having right?” Robert asked, Nora hadn’t looked up at him. He knew she was crying and didn’t want him to see. She just nodded her head. He pulled her into his arms and hugged her. He was going to miss her; at least he didn’t have to worry about anyone bothering her now. “Bye little sis, I’ll call you when I get in.” Robert released her and walked out of her room. He walked to the kitchen, where he knew his mom would be. He found her sitting at the table having a cup of coffee and reading the newspaper. “Morning mom, I just wanted to tell you I’m heading back already.” She got up and poured him a cup of coffee. Robert took it and sat down at the table with her.

            “You really not are going to stay until Monday?”

“No mom, I’m sorry. I just want to get Preston’s things packed and taken out of the apartment. I don’t know when he is going back. The sooner I get it out the better.”

            “Ok, but just promise me, that you will call me if something is ever bothering you?” Robert nodded; he finished his cup of coffee and got up to hug his mom and tell good bye.

            “I’ll be back for spring break unless something comes up. Bye mom I love you.” Tanya hugged her son; she didn’t want him to go. She knew he was just leaving to get away from here, to be away from Preston. He might think he has everyone fooled by showing he doesn’t care, but everyone knew he was dying on the inside. Robert walked out to his car and got in to head over to Vera’s. When he pulled up he found her waiting outside for him.

            “You’re acting like I was going to leave without you.” Robert said as he helped her with her bags.

            “With you sometimes you never know, besides I didn’t want you to wake anyone up when you rang the doorbell.” Robert closed his trunk and got in the car.

            “Well here we go such a long drive back. You want to stop and get anything to eat before we get on the road?”

            “Nope I’m good, let’s just go.” Robert nodded and started the car.

            Preston woke up early next morning; he was ready to go home. He hated being stuck in this hospital room. It just reminded him of what he had to do to Robert. Preston was holding the stuff monkey Robert had left behind. He wanted to throw it away; he hated how it looked at him with its little judging eyes. But it was the last thing he will ever get from Robert.

            “Aaahh,” Preston screamed out, and started to cry again. It wasn’t fair he thought, why do people always have to ruin everything that is good in one’s life? He wished he could just take it all back and tell Robert. He felt like his life has no purpose without him in it, but if he told him then Robert’s uncle would hurt him. Then he still wouldn’t be in his life and he would only have himself to blame for it. No matter what he did he was going to be heartbroken in the end. He heard a knock at the door, “Come in.” Ann Marie walked into the room with a bag in her hand.

            “I brought you some clothes you could wear when they release you.” She handed the bag to Preston; he opened it and pulled out sweat pants, t-shirt and a hoodie.

            “Thanks, I think I will change in to them right now. These hospital gowns aren’t very comfortable.” Ann Marie laughed, but he could tell it was forced. He knew she still felt bad about what happened to him.

            “You know that I don’t hate you for what you did, you can stop beating yourself up about it. You didn’t know that was going to happen, no one did.”

            “I know, but it will always be in the back of my mind. Can I ask you a question?”

            “Yeah sure.” Preston said as he started to get dressed.

            “Why hasn’t Robert been here, since I saw him leave yesterday? I would have thought he be here since you are getting released today.” Preston slipped on the hoodie and looked her, he wondered if he could tell her the true about the reason he really broke up with Robert.  But he didn’t know if she would keep his secret or would she tell Robert?

            “We broke up.” Preston sat on the bed and started putting on his shoes.

            “What, but why?” Ann Marie said as she sat next to him on the bed.

            “I will tell you why, but you have to promise me you will never tell anyone the truth. It is very important Robert never finds out the real reason I broke up with him.” Ann Marie nodded her head. “Robert’s dad came to see me and he told me to broke up with him and if I didn’t he was going to do something very bad to Robert. He didn’t really give me a choice and yesterday when he came I broke up with him. But I did it in the most terrible way; I told him I was getting back with Grant. I told him that I didn’t love him anymore and my heart just broke when I saw the look on his face. I have never felt so horrible in my life before. I could just see the hurt and anger in his face.” Preston tried to hold the tears back, but couldn’t it hurt too much for him to keep them in. Ann Marie put her arms around him and held him while he cried. She could now see that they really loved each other and it wasn’t fair they had to be kept apart. She felt bad because she was blinded by her anger to see they were truly meant to be together. She might as well blame herself too.

            “I’m so sorry Preston, if there is anything I can do, just tell me and I will do it.” Preston moved from her arms and wiped his eyes.

            “You know anyone that could get rid of a bad person, because all they do is ruin peoples happiness?” Ann Marie gave him a small smiled.

            “No I don’t, but with some help I bet we could find someone.” Preston gave her a half-hearted smiled.

            “But where would we get the money, we would probably get caught anyway. I guess I’m just going to have to except the fact we can’t be together. Its fate’s cruel way of letting us have happiness, then just taking it away for no real reason.”

            “That’s true, don’t worry I will always be here when you need someone to talk to and I won’t tell anyone the real reason you broke up with Robert. Who knows maybe things will work out for the two of you?”

            “I could only hope it does.” Preston said as he got up from the bed and looked out the window. “I’m just worried about how hard it’s going to be when I go back to school in a week. I know I’m bound to run into him and I don’t think I can stand the look he is going to give me.”

            “I know it’s going to be hard, but I don’t think he will hate you, he is just hurt. Give him time and he will get over it soon.”

            “That’s what everyone says and they make it seem so easy at times. I guess I will just have to wait it out and see.” Ann Marie nodded her head. They talked some more until Preston’s parents and Xavier came in to get them. Preston was going home, but he still couldn’t feel happy. Only one thing could make him happy right now and there was no way he was going to get him back. Not with someone keeping them apart.