Page 57 - Demo

5 6 JAGGEDEDGE
for so many years of their lives. Try as they might, both real- ized that there are some things you cannot forget. Tears of joy welled up in her brown eyes like crystals.
“Don’t cry, he uttered. “It won’t be long before you will move from this place and leave this life behind. I can’t change the past, but I will always try to make your future special.”
She sat up to grab a pad to write on. “I am just so happy that I can’t stop crying. I prayed you would come back to me, and here you are. My prayers have been answered.”
Tom took the pad dropped it on the floor, turned out the light, and kissed her.
During the time Corin had promised him, Tom was not dis- turbed. He and Arnetta spent many a night in bliss. They enjoyed movies, plays, and dinners together and even had fun several times at an amusement park. They acted like children. Time seemed endless. Neither of them wanted their world together to stop. Tom left her side only a few times for several hours. Arnetta never questioned him nor wondered if he would return. Her hap- piness could not be described by words. Eventually, Tom had decided that he wanted her to move from the neighborhood she lived in to one of his choosing. While walking alone one day he rented an apartment and furnished it without her knowledge. As he continued walking, he discovered two of Corin’s men follow- ing him. He knew Corin was making make sure that he didn’t skip out. He also wondered if Corin planned for Arnetta’s death to atone for Tina’s. He could not shake that thought. The bust from the last mission came back to him like a bad dream, caus- ing him to be uncertain of what Corin’s men knew, although he was sure they knew about Arnetta. Tom wasn’t sure if they knew about the new apartment but now they knew about her. He real- ized he had to protect Arnetta or his future would vanish without her. Furthermore, he had only a few days to go but no plan.
When he arrived at Arnetta’s door they embraced. Her eter- nal smile always said more than welcome and she could see concern on his face, maybe even fear. Her smile faded slowly.