Free Never Without Hope (Sacred Vows Book 1) by Michelle Sutton Page B

to my child. “A man I know. We’re close friends”
    “ I wondered why you looked sad. I thought maybe that was Dad.”
    “ No. Not this time.” I pulled into our driveway.
    Jimmy started to open the door before I had fully parked. I threw the SUV into park and groused, “How many times have I told you to wait until I park before you open the door?”
    “ Too many times.” Jimmy laughed and raced toward the back door. He set the pizzas down on the porch table and opened the door with the key in his pocket. My little guy was growing up so fast. Pretty soon he wouldn’t need me anymore. The thought sobered me. Maybe he wouldn’t want to have anything to do with me if he found out what I was really doing on my free time. Forcing that thought from my mind, I locked the SUV and held my arms against my chest to ward off the slight chill in the air.
    The scent of smoke from fireplaces drifted past. The fall season had begun. I remembered the times when James and I would lie down by the fire in the hearth and read our Bibles to each other and kiss. My heart pounded at the memory until the hurt within my soul swelled to overwhelming proportions.
    I wanted to yell at God, my husband, the world. Anyone who got in my way. Most of all, I wanted to run away from the pressure, the pain. It was getting out of control. My life. Everything.
    My cell phone rang again. The tone was my husband ’s. He must be working late. “Hey, Hope. How’s it going?”
    “ Fine, I guess.” I hiked my purse up on my shoulder as I stepped onto the porch.
    “ You have dinner ready, Babe?” His voice was soft, kind.
    “ I brought pizza home.” I cringed, knowing he hated that. Thought it was a waste of money. But I didn’t feel like arguing about money tonight.
    “ That’s fine. I’ll see you in a few minutes.” He hung up. Not reminding me how broke we always are, no nagging. I didn’t know what to think.
    I opened the back door. With a shrug I removed my jacket and hung it on the coat tree. “You leave me any pizza?”
    “ Sure.” Jimmy approached me with a broad smile. Somehow he’d packed away four slices already. My goodness. Must be another growth spurt.
    I grabbed a slice and plopped it on a paper plate, then headed over to the couch to finish sorting the whites that I ’d pulled from the dryer. After taking a bite, I set my pizza down and began folding socks. When I finished, I brought my husband’s underclothes to the dresser and opened his drawer. As I stuffed the bundle inside, I noticed an envelope. Curious, I pulled it out and looked at the return address.
    Charlotte Grey, London, Canada . The letter came from his ex-wife!
    The date stamp was March, the same month I ’d flown to L.A. Maybe that was why my husband wouldn’t answer his phone when I called from the airport and the plane. He always left it on. Always.
    The timing seemed too weird. Too coincidental. In fact, I realized the letter had arrived the same month that things had slowed down to a near-screeching halt for us in the bedroom. Mystified, I held the note with shaking hands.
    Wondering why he hadn’t told me about the letter, I dared to look inside. I noticed a folded sheet of paper and the back side of a picture.
    Though I normally respected the privacy of others, I just had to know …What did his ex have to say to him, and why did she write now? After fifteen long years, when their marriage had dissolved. And why had my husband hidden it in his drawer?  To pull it out later? What did he do with the picture?
    My chest tightened. Something was wrong. Very wrong.
    He’d never had kids with either of his ex-wives, so for her to contact him out of the blue made no sense.
    I pulled out the picture first. My mouth hung open.
    She ’d sent him a picture of herself in the buff. And she looked like a swimsuit model even though she was five years my senior. On a small sheet of pink paper she’d written a short note and signed her name.
     
    Sorry about how