Looking For Ward 3/29/07

To: whoskins@lycos.com
From: owenphilps@hotmail.com
Date: March 29 2007
Subject: Re: Hi

Hello Ward.

You probably thought I wasn’t going to e-mail back. I just have no idea what I should say to you.

How about this? Where are you and why did you leave? Do you have any idea what this is doing to Chloe? I understand that you had some stuff to work through before you were ready to tie the knot, but man, why all the mystery?

After I realized you were gone I tried to get inside your head and figure out what exactly you would tell me to do, if you were going to tell me to do something. I figured you’d want me to protect your privacy and Chloe at the same time, so that’s what I tried to do. It wasn’t easy, and I can’t say that I succeeded on either front. In fact, I pretty much failed.

Chloe now knows everything I knew about your past, and she’s even met your parents. Also, I told her the story of how you saved my life, which I thought she knew already. She wrote you this letter that explained all the reasons why it was over between the two of you. I don’t think she ever thought you would read it, but she had to write it to make herself feel better. You broke her heart – whether that was your intention or not.

Now, I don’t know. I did what I could to convince her to keep an open mind and perhaps give you another chance. But of course, there is that one thing that she doesn’t know about, that thing I promised I would never tell her. Although I wish I had never sworn to you that I wouldn’t. So I’m begging you now, tell her yourself.

Because I think she still loves you. Because she deserves the truth, and she deserves to be happy. That’s not to say she hasn’t had major doubts about marrying you. Yet, if you hadn’t ever left I’m confident she never would have thought twice about committing her life to yours. So whatever doubts she has, it’s up to you to alleviate them and make her trust you again. It’ll be difficult but not impossible, and the first thing you need to do is come home, and explain everything.

Ward – come home now. Drop whatever it is you’re doing and just come home. I have a feeling that the longer you wait, the surer you are of losing her. So if you don’t want to lose her for good, make up your mind to do the right thing. And keep this in mind – if you don’t, I will.

Your Friend,
Owen

To: owenphilps@yahoo.com
From: whoskins@lycos.com
Date: March 29 2007
Subject: Re: Hi

Owen, what happened while I was gone? Since when do you worry about Chloe? You sounded sort of protective. Is something going on that I need to know about? (Just kidding – I know you’d never do anything like that.)

I get that it was uncool of me to disappear so soon before the wedding. But you know me well enough to realize that I wouldn’t have if it wasn’t totally necessary. I have my reasons. You know how Janey can be. She threatened me, man. I had to make a decision fast.

I do appreciate you looking after Chloe, but now what? She probably hates me for all the lies I’ve told. Once she hears the rest of it I’m sure things between us will be OVER. I don’t know what to do. I can’t tell you what to do either. I guess you just need to ask yourself: who are you more worried about, me or Chloe?


LAUREL OSTERKAMP
author of FOLLOWING MY TOES
www.laurelosterkamp.com

COPYRIGHT LAUREL OSTERKAMP 2007. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.