Free Sapphire Universe by Devon Herrera

take his hand in mine and try to put all of my gratitude into my gaze when I say, “I am now.”  I point to the Subway and he follows me in.  We order some sandwiches and sit down at one of the booths.
    “Thank you for that.  Ricky is…an old boyfriend that never could take a hint.”  I say as an explanation.  Connor looks thoughtful and takes a bite of his sandwich before speaking.
    “I could tell you had a past with him.  Is that all it was?  Just a bad breakup?”  I can’t bring myself to lie to him so I just shake my head.  His eyes widen and he leans forward.  “Do you want to tell me about it?”  I look down at my sandwich and hear Connor sigh.  “Okay Princess, whenever you’re ready.”  Tears prick my eyes at his thoughtfulness and I speak with my head down, afraid of his reaction. 
    “Connor, I’m really sorry about yesterday…”  I trail off and he silences me with a finger on my lips.
    “It's okay Nina.  I was being a jackass as usual.  You’re allowed to spend time away from me.  I just took it personally because I’ve been having so much fun with you.  I promise not be so demanding anymore.”  He hesitates for a second and then smiles widely before speaking again.  “Friends?”  He sticks his hand out across the table and for once I find myself wishing he would ask me for more, but I push those feelings back where they belong.  I meet him halfway and shake his hand.
    “Friends.”
     
     
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    CHAPTER 5
     
    The following week everything is great.  Connor and I are just friends and that’s okay.  We eat dinner together every night.  He never pushes me to talk about my past, but is always more than willing to share his.  I know it’s not fair of me, but I really enjoy all the stories about his family.  It reminds me of all the good times I had before that fateful day and it brings me a new sense of peace. 
    Apparently , Connor was some sort of miracle child.  His mother and father had met at the University of Wyoming and fell in love instantly.  They married six months later and when they graduated, they moved to Michigan.  After several miscarriages, Connor’s mother was told she wasn‘t able to have children.
    “She went into some sort of depression I guess.  My father was so worried about her that he decided to take her on a trip to Italy to get her away from everything.  While they were there they met this woman who was selling herbs at a marketplace and she struck up a conversation with my mother.  My mom ended up sharing her condition and the woman gave her a tonic that she said would make her dreams come true.”  Connor looks as though he’s far away.  I can tell that he loved his mother and my heart warms at his story.  “My mother said that it just tasted like a sweet red wine so she figured it was all a scam, but was grateful for the woman’s kindness.  When they got back to the states they found out that she was pregnant with me and the rest is history.”  I am so enthralled by his story that I don’t even realize how close I have gotten to him.  I notice my hand on his thigh and bring it up to tuck my hair behind my ear.  Connor smiles at me but doesn’t comment and just continues his story.
    “When I went to college my parents decided that it was time to retire and move somewhere more quiet.  They came out here and a few years later my mother was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer.  She died in a matter of months.”  I have tears in my eyes and I don’t even try to wipe them away when they roll down my cheeks.  “You would have liked her.  She was spunky like you.  Anyway, my father found out he had abdominal cancer not long after that.  He was in the early stages so they were able to treat it and he is going to probably out live us all.  That doesn’t mean it wasn’t hard on him, but he would never admit to that.  Lester Wright is the most stubborn man alive.”  I smile at the