A Sneak Preview

A Sneak Preview into Part Three ~ The Story of Harold Morton

This is still a work in progress...

Harold returned to his hotel room, flustered and frustrated by Temptation #1.  He thought over his first meeting with Lonnie.  She wore a turtleneck, knit cardigan and baggy khaki pants and, in a very flat voice, she addressed him as Mr. Morton.  In the last month, Harold came to know Lonnie as a task master anally driving his schedule on time, ensuring travel arrangements were intact and bookstore managers had promotion materials.  She seemed to be a rule follower.  Harold would not have pegged her as the spontaneous back of the taxi seductress type. 

He needed to hear the reassuring voice of his wife, Evelyn, so he phoned her immediately.  When Evelyn answered the phone, she sounded out of breath and Harold asked her how she was feeling.  “I’m feeling like crap.  I can’t get rid of the smell of sick patients.  Your clothes are still on the floor from the last time you were home.  I don’t remember when?  Do you?”  Harold wanted to be close to her, to reassure Evelyn that everything would be alright.  He knew it was bad timing, but he asked her to fly to the next city on his book tour so they could reunite.  “I’ll see what I can do to trade shifts with some of the other nurses and get a few days off” was Evelyn’s response.

Harold was the only man Evelyn had ever been with.  She truly missed him; his warm sense of humor and his gentle voice.  She was not one to openly express her emotions though and her longing during his absence translated into fits of frustration each time they talked on the phone.  

Evelyn had always been Harold’s rock.  When his grandfather passed away, Evelyn looked in on Harold every day.   Harold was devastated by losing his grandfather; a man who had been more of a father to him than his own.  Harold went into a depression that almost cost him his freshman year of college causing him to struggle as a first year Chemistry major.  Evelyn comforted Harold bringing him food from the dining hall when Harold refused to get out of bed.  She tried in vain to get him out the door each day to attend his classes.  She encouraged him to bounce back when he began to fail Organic Chemistry.  She made him swallow his pride and she helped him pay for private tutoring in an attempt to save his grade; his parents could afford tutoring, but Harold was too embarrassed to ask their assistance.  

When the private tutoring could not lift him above a “C” average, Harold felt defeated knowing that he needed to maintain a “B” average to remain in the Chemistry program. 

Harold was considering dropping out of college when Evelyn suggested another option: majoring in English.  Harold would never consider this major if not for Evelyn.  She buttered Harold up, telling him how great his English papers were in high school.  When Harold in his insecurity did not believe her and resisted, she scheduled an appointment with his counselor to switch his major for him.  She set Harold on the path that led to his current success.  

Harold would not forsake Evelyn for Temptation #1.  Evelyn alone possessed his loyalty...

To Be Continued...