Wounded Hearts

Chapter Twelve

That Wednesday Laura thanked God a million times over when the final bell rang and her last group of teenage migraines walked out of her classroom. She stood up from her desk and smoothed out her black knee length skirt and blue blouse. She quickly grabbed her teaching bag full of the latest group of essays sure to fry what few brain cells she had left still alive and walked out of the room.

She walked quickly to her car, happy to avoid being drawn into any conversations with the other teacher and headed toward home. As she walked in the door and dropped her bag on the floor she felt a yearning to see Ronan that was almost painful. For some reason she was suddenly certain that he needed her. She decided to ride to his house and surprise him. The essays could wait.

She arrived at his house nearly thirty minutes later and was disappointed to see that his truck wasn't home. She parked next to Abigail's car and walked up to the door. She barely had time to knock before the door flew open and Penelope was throwing her arms around her waist.

"I missed you!" she exclaimed happily. Laura laughed and patted her braided pigtails.

"I missed you too." she said.

"Let her come in the house, Penelope!" Abigail called out. Penelope grabbed Laura's hand and pulled her into the house. Laura saw Abigail standing at the stove stirring a pot of what smelled like chicken and dumplings.

"Hi Laura!' Abigail said happily.

"Hi." Laura replied. "You're making dinner?" Abigail nodded as she added a little bit of salt to the delicious smelling food.

"Yeah, I knew that Ronan would have a long day today so I wanted to make sure he had one less thing to worry about when he got home."

"Why would he have a long day today?" Laura asked feeling a tiny bit of jealousy. It was her job to take care or Ronan and know when he was going to need help… Why hadn't he come to her?

"Penelope, go to your room and get that picture you made for Laura." Abigail said and Penelope nodded and took off running down the hallway. Abigail turned back to Laura.

"Today is, was, or would have been Amelia's birthday." she whispered. Laura nodded and suddenly understood why Ronan had not told her.

"Where is Ronan?" she asked. Abigail sighed.

"He called me about a half hour ago and said he was done with work but he still had some things to do. He didn't tell me what those things were because he doesn't want me to worry but I know he's at the cemetery."

"I'll just go home. I was hoping to see him but I guess today isn't a good day." Laura said, suddenly feeling very awkward. Abigail tilted her head and stared hard at her.

"Why don't you go to the cemetery and be with him?" she said. Laura shook her head hard enough to send her blond hair whipping around her face.

"No. He won't want me there." she said matter of factly. Abigail sat the big spoon she'd been stirring dinner with on the counter, crossed her arms over her chest and smiled at Laura.

"Laura, he loves you. You should be there with him." Laura stared at Abigail in shock.

"Why would you say he loves me? He's never said anything…." her voice trailed off as she thought back to their long, slow passion filled kisses and remembered the look that she had often seen in his grey eyes as he'd stared at her.

"Ronan is the type of man that won't say anything unless he is absolutely one hundred percent sure of it and falling in love with you is something he never expected so he doesn't want to rush it. But trust me when I say that he loves you."