The Power of Love -PART 1: A LOVE STORY FROM THE PAST- CHAPTER 1

PART 1: CHAPTER 11

SHE SAT ON THE CHAIR WITH HER ARMS WRAPPED AROUND HER LEGS. HER LONG, CURLY BROWN HAIR COVERED HER SHOULDERS AND THE TOP HALF OF HER BACK. HER MASCARA SMEARED HER CHEEKS AS THE TEARS ESCAPED HER EYES. RIGHT NOW, AMY'S ANGEL IS HEARTBROKE AND CAN'T SEEM TO PEICE IT BACK TOGETHER.2

IT'S THE UNCERTAINTY, HOLLOW-HEARTED, AND THE WILD PART OF A MAN, AT HIS YOUNG AGE, THAT DECIDES FOR THEM THAT THEY CAN'T LOVE THE WAY ANOTHER HEART DOES, THAT IS TEARING HER APART. IT'S THAT FEELING IN HER HEART THAT'S TELLING HER SHE CAN'T LOVE ANYONE ELSE BECAUSE THIS YOUNG BOY SHE LOOKS AT AS A MAN WITH NO WRONG IS PUTTING HER ON HOLD WHILE HE HAS HIS FUN, PARTYING WITH OTHER GIRLS.3

"MAMA, WHY CAN'T HE SEE THE WAY I FEEL? I KNOW IT'S REAL, MOM, I KNOW! I WANT HIM TO LOVE ME LIKE I DO HIM!"4

SHE CUPPED HER HANDS OVER HER FACE THE WAY AMY USED TO WHEN SORROW FILLED HER HEART AND SOUL.5

AMY WALKED OVER, SAT ON THE ARM OF THE CHAIR, AND RAN HER AGING HANDS THROUGH MACKENZIE'S HAIR.6

"MACKENZIE, DARLING, I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL. I WAS YOUR AGE ONCE AND LOVED SOMEONE SO MUCH THAT I THOUGHT HELD THE MOON, BUT NOW I'M SHARING MY WORLD WITH A MAN WHO CHANGED EVERYTHING, NO MATTER MY FLAWS."7

"THAT'S HOW I AM, MAMA," SHE CRIED, "I LOVE HIM, EVEN THOUGH HE'S WRONG. I LOVE HIM, EVEN THOUGH HE CAN'T FIND IT IN HIS HEART TO LOVE ME BACK! I FEEL THERE IS HOPE TO HELP HIM LEARN HOW TO LOVE, BUT I CAN'T FIND THE ANSWERS, AND IT HURTS ME SO MUCH!"8

AMY WRAPPED HER ARMS AROUND MACKENZIE AND HELD HER THE WAY SHE WANTED HER MOM TO HOLD HER WHEN SHE WAS HEARTBROKE FOR THE FIRST TIME. MACKENZIE'S WORDS AND LOVING HEART REMIND AMY SO MUCH OF HERSELF WHEN SHE WAS YOUNG. MACKENZIE'S YEARNING TO LOVE AND STAY IN LOVE WAS ONCE HER DREAM THAT SHE NEVER THOUGHT SHE'D ACCOMPLISH.9

"AS A YOUNG GIRL I WAS OPEN TO FALL IN LOVE ONCE, AND THEN FALL INTO ONE AS STRONG, BUT STRONGER, THE SECOND TIME. AND DURING THAT SECOND LOVE, I WAS OPEN TO LOVE THROUGH THE STORIES AND LIES, THOUGH IT WAS HARD, BUT HAD BROUGHT US CLOSER THAN EVER."10

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN?" SHE ASKED.11

"IF YOUR SCHEDULE IS OPEN LATER, I'LL TELL YOU. BUT LET ME WARN YOU, IT'S A TOPIC, THAT ONCE I START, I CAN'T STOP."12

"OKAY."13

"I HAVE TO FIX DINNER. IF YOU WANT TO HELP, YOU CAN, I COULD USE THE COMPANY. IF NOT, THAT'S FINE, TOO, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE SAFE AND SOUND, TRYING TO DISCOVER WHAT IN THE WORLD GOES ON IN A MAN'S MIND."14

MACKENZIE LOOKED UP AT HER WITH CONFUSION IN HER EYES. "I LOVE YOU, MAMA."15

"I LOVE YOU, TOO, AND DON'T YOU EVER FORGET IT. DON'T YOU EVER DOUBT MY LOVE EITHER. DON'T YOU EVER QUESTION IT. LETS GO FIX DINNER."16

THIS WAS THE QUIETEST AMY HAS EVER SEEN HER. SHE USUALLY POPS OFF WITH A FUNNY JOKE, AND WHILE MAKING DINNER, A FOOD FIGHT ALWAYS EMERGES, BUT NOT TONIGHT. HER BABY IS GROWING UP AND IS TOO DOWN TO EVEN TRY TO SMILE. SHE'S TOO HURT TO ASK FOR A KISS OR EVEN A HUG. SHE'S TOO HURT TO SAY GOOD EVENING TO HER DADDY. SHE'S ALWAYS BEEN DADDY'S LITTLE GIRL.17

"WHAT'S WRONG WITH MACKENZIE?" JUSTIN ASKED AMY LATER THAT EVENING.18

AMY FOLDED THE BLANKETS BACK TO THE FOOT OF THE BED, AND THEN SLIPPED ON HER NIGHT GOWN.19

"DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN I TOLD YOU THAT I'D SOON HAVE TO HAVE THAT TALK WITH HER?"20

"YEAH."21

"WELL THIS IS THE TIME."22

HE CAME OVER AND TOOK HER INTO HIS ARMS. THOUGH HE'S SLOWLY AGING WITH HER, HE'S STILL IN AS GREAT OF SHAPE AS BEFORE AND STILL HAS HIS SENTAMENTAL HEART.23

"DO YOU WANT TO TALK TO HER ALONE?" HE ASKED?24

"THAT'D BE BEST," SHE SAID. "I DON'T THINK IT'D BE A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE A MAN IN THE ROOM."25

"HAPPY TEARS, OKAY?"26

SHE SMILED, "I'LL TRY. I HURT WHEN SHE HURTS."27

"ME, TOO."28

"I BETTER GET OUT THERE. I'LL BE BACK IN ABOUT TWO TO THREE HOURS."29

"I'LL BE WAITING."30

"I LOVE YOU."31

"I LOVE YOU, TOO."32

SHE KISSED HIS LIPS, AND THEN MET MACKENZIE IN THE KITCHEN. MACKENZIE HAD HOT TEA AND DIM LIGHTS. HER ANGEL KNOWS HER WELL...