Free Where Yesterday Lives by Karen Kingsbury

you,” he said during one of his last phone calls. “But I won’t ask you to wait for me. Life goes on. I understand that.”
    Three years passed and circumstances caused both Jane and Troy to grow somewhat wise and worldly. At the end of that time, Troy finally called.
    “Told you I’d call.”
    Jane grinned madly on the other end. Life had not been kind to her since she’d last seen Troy but in an instant he infused hope into her heart. They were nineteen and twenty now and Jane believed they were plenty old enough. “Are you a grown-up now, Troy Hudson?”
    “I was hoping you might want to go to dinner Friday night and see for yourself.”
    They picked up where they left off and this time Troy had no aversion to being serious. They dated for the next three years and were married at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in the spring of 1991.
    Troy knew her like no one in her immediate family ever had. Except Ellen. But that had been when they were little girls. Before their father had let Jane down in a way that none of the others knew anything about. As time passed, Jane built her world around Troy. In the process, she willingly became something of a stranger to her family
    “Ellen’s only interested in herself and everyone else has changed. None of us get along,” she complained to Troy. “I’d rather spend time with you and our friends than sit around a table listening to one of Aaron’s temper tantrums or hearing the latest great news about Ellen.”
    Troy watched her silently for a moment. “You’re jealous of her.”
    Jane looked at him, incredulous. “Of Ellen?”
    Troy nodded thoughtfully.
    “I’m not jealous, Troy, I’m disgusted. Everyone thinks she’s got her life so together but what they don’t see is how selfish she is. All she thinks about is herself.”
    For the next two years Jane talked constantly about moving away from Michigan, out west.
    “Just think, Troy, we could be done with winters and ice storms and snow-covered driveways.”
    Jane’s enthusiasm was contagious and Troy, who was a high-level sales representative, began sending out resumes. Eventually he received a considerable offer to work as a senior sales representative for a stereo distributor based in Cottonwood, Arizona.
    The other Barretts cried and hugged them both as they packed up their things and headed west. But Jane remained untouched by the event.
    “I’m going to miss your dad’s barbecues,” Troy said idly as they drove across country
    “Hmm.” Jane was staring out her window.
    “They sure seemed sad to see you go.”
    “That’s how people are supposed to act when someone moves away.”
    Troy took his eyes off the road and for an instant turned to face her. “That’s not a very nice thing to say, Jane. Your family wasn’t putting on an act when we left. They’re really sad. They love you a lot.”
    She huffed slightly and her eyes met his. “I’ve known my place in my family for years now, Troy I appreciate what you’re saying, but believe me, they aren’t going to miss me when I’m gone. We’re doing the best thing by moving away.”
    His forehead creased, and she saw the concern reflected in his blue eyes. “As long as you’re not running away from something.”
    “I’m not,” she lied.
    Over the years, Jane and Troy built a home for themselves in central Arizona. They camped among the pine trees on Mingus Mountain and climbed rocks overlooking the Verde Valley. They hiked Sedona’s North Fork Trail and picked wildblackberries along the Verde River. They swam in Oak Creek and marveled over the breathtaking red rocks that brought tourists from all over the world.
    Over the next few years they raised a family and when the children were old enough Troy taught them how to avoid rattlesnakes. They found a local Christian church and Jane headed up the women’s group. On summer nights, when Troy wasn’t traveling, the two of them would sit on their back porch and watch dazzling sunsets as