Romance: Love Left Behind - A Mystery Romance: (Romance, Mystery, Mystery Romance, Romantic Suspense) Read Free Page A

Starla had the privilege of participating in many activities that Lisa couldn’t do, which always weighed heavily on the older sister’s heart.  When her parents had lost their jobs and were forced to rely on government assistance, it was Starla who went out and found a full-time job.  Every day she balanced school, work, and care for her sister.  Sometimes, Ben was surprised to see Starla walking towards him with a smile on her face, confused about how this girl who had everything in the world going against her but was still happy.
    That’s why he wanted to whisk her away to the big city – away from the long hours at the diner with ungrateful customers, away from Lisa and heart disease and the inevitable stench of death that always hung around their house, away from all of the pain and heartbreak that Starla had dealt with in that small town existence.  Ben wanted to show her bright lights and movie stars, wanted to hold her hand while they sat on the Ferris wheel in the Toys ‘R Us in Times Square.  He wanted to wake up every morning to that cute button nose and the soft sound of her snoring.
    “Lisa will be fine with your parents,” he said half-heartedly, not really believing his own words.
    A soft, wheedling sigh escaped from Starla’s lips.  “We can’t afford her medicine unless I’m working.”
    “Do you just not want to go with me?  Is that what it is?”  His voice rose.  He was aware that he was becoming irrational and didn’t really care.  “Every time I ask you to come with me, you have an excuse.  I love you, Starla.  I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
    “Don’t make this about you.”
    “It is about me!”
    “No, it isn’t!  It isn’t about you!”  Starla’s vocal volume rose to match Ben’s, as she shouted, “There’s more to life than going to college and being rich, Ben!  My sister is dying and I want to spend as much time as I can with her.  I work so hard.”  Her voice caught in her throat for a minute.  She rarely got this angry, rarely felt the need to scream.  Tears welled up in her eyes and she wiped them away with the back of her hand, leaving a dark-brown streak of dirt across her cheek.  “I work so hard and it still isn’t enough.  Not for you, not for my parents.  So I’m going to stay here and support the only person who knows how hard I work, and that’s my sister.”
    Their anger rolled over them like clouds, dampening what had been such a wonderful night.  Above them, the glow of the stars seemed to dim, washing them in a deep blackness.  Starla closed her eyes, trying to eradicate them of any stray tears that might have slipped out.  She felt crying was a waste of time, a sign of weakness.  People could call her many things but weak was not one of them.
    Next to her there was a shuffle on the grass, some movement, as Ben stood up and wiped debris off from his pants.  His dark purple tie was skewed off to one side.
    “If you want to come with me,” he muttered, “you need to tell me now.  Otherwise, I’m walking away, Star.  If you say no, I’m going inside and that’s it.  You and I are done.  I’m leaving this town no matter what.”
    “Don’t say that.”
    “Starla, I’m dead serious.  You need to tell me right now that you’re coming with me or this relationship is over.”
    Pain intensified in his gut when the girl in front of him stayed quiet, her head held in her hands.  She wouldn’t even look up at him.  Ben took a few deep breaths, trying to steady himself, trying to give her time to agree with him.  God, he was so in love that he thought she might actually do it.  He heard her hiccup softly as she tried to hold back her sadness, and then nothing.
    Defeat.  It hurt like nothing he had felt before.  “Fine,” he said.  “Fine.”  He turned on his heel and opened the back door to the house.  With one final look back at the only girl he had ever loved, he shut the door on his first