THE ART OF FALLING GRACEFULLY by SARAH BETH LEE (novel24 TXT) 📖

“Oh nothing much except a movie and a pizza.”

He climbed out of the car and picked up a sleeping Kelsey. He knew she would be out for hours if not the rest of the night. He followed Sydney up the walk to the front door. She unlocked the door and tossed the keys on the entry way table. She then walked down the hall to a bedroom and opened the door to a child’s room. He followed her in and laid Kelsey down on the bed. Sydney turned on a night light and they quietly walked out of the room leaving the door slightly ajar.

“Sydney do you have kids?”

Trent could see a brief flicker of pain flash in her eyes before she turned and walked to the living room. He followed her and listened as she talked softly as not to wake Kelsey.

“No I had a miscarriage and well I just never got over it so I didn’t try again for reasons that are too painful to think about.”

He nodded his head and cursed himself for bringing up yet another topic that brought her pain. She regained her composure and continued to talk in her feather soft voice, “That used to be my office but I rarely used it so I made it into a nursery before I even got pregnant. Then Andy came along and I just never redid it.”

“Hold on didn’t you just say you didn’t have kids?”

“Sorry, sometimes I start talking and I just ramble on and on. Anyways, Andy is my nephew he’s Brett and Taryn’s son. He just turned three and he stays her e a lot.”

“Wow you are an extraordinary lady. Andy’s a lucky kid.”

“I told you my goal in life is babysitting.”

Trent nodded his head as he sat down on the sectional sofa beside Sydney. She sat cross-legged on the seat and turned cattycornered to face him. He turned slightly to see her face. He wondered what a safe topic of conversation would be.

“Trent I am going to order the pizza what kind of pizza do you like?”

He really wasn’t picky he’d eat whatever she ordered as long as it had sauce and crest, “I’m easy surprise me.”

She looked at him skeptically and watched as she grabbed the cordless phone off the coffee table. She hit a number on speed dial and tapped her foot while she listened to the music while she was asked to wait. He heard her clear her throat and then begin to order.

“Hey Joey,” she listened to whatever Joey had to say on the other end of the line, “I’m good and you?” He watched her face as she listened to whoever Joey was. “I need a large pizza half with Canadian bacon and pineapple and the other half meat lovers.” She paused again and finally said thank you and hung up the phone.

“Ok the pizza will be here in twenty minutes so what would you like to do talk or watch a movie, both?”

He was watching the way the light seemed to attach to her and make her face light up. He began to wonder who Joey was. She stared at him and waited for an answer. He realized that she was still waiting for him to say something else.

“Whatever you want to do doesn’t matter to me. I was just kind of wondering how they will know where to deliver the pizza you never gave an address or phone number.”

Sydney laughed at the perplexed look Trent’s face, “Oh I have a thing with the pizza guy so he knows my voice.”

Trent raised his eyebrows at her and frowned, “That doesn’t sound the like the Sydney I remember.”

She grinned “You see the pizza guy is none other than Mr. Varner’s grandson and I used to babysit him.”

Trent laughed so hard he was shaking. He looked over at Sydney who was smirking in his general direction. He had never known what a funny girl Sydney Jordan was. He wondered yet again how he had never known how great she really was. He had always wanted to get to know her better and to maybe ask her out but she had always kept her distance and the signals she put off were don’t bother. He had no idea what he had done but he hoped he didn’t make the same mistake again.

Trent was about to say something when the phone rang and Sydney excused herself to take the call. He began to think back to high school and why exactly he had never asked Sydney out. He had noticed her that first summer at the ball park; he had spent most days there watching her play. He had wanted to ask her out but she had seemed so aloof that he had thought she was a snob but then he realized she was Marley’s best friend and it was against the girl code to date your friend’s ex. He wished he had had the guts to tell her that he and Marley had never dated. Marley’s parents had been friends with his parents and she had offered to show him around and introduce him to her friends. He had tried to be nice to her but he finally had to tell her that he only wanted to be friends.

Trent could hear Sydney talking as she paced the floor by the fireplace. He let his mind drift from one random thought to another. He just couldn’t figure out how he was going to handle this attraction to Sydney. He wasn’t even sure what all these mixed up emotions were but he liked it. He was excited and nervous all at the same time he felt like a coke waiting to explode. He had never felt this way before; no one had ever made him feel like this, not even Megan. Meg had been his friend and eventually his wife but love had never played into the equation. They had started dating in high school but it had never been more than a casual relationship and they had decided they were better at friendship. Meg had become his best friend next to Ryan. Meg had started dating college guys and running with a fast crowd and he tried to warn her. He told her that she was in way over her head but she had been too hot tempered to listen. She had left for school that fall and sworn never to speak to Trent again.

The next summer when Meg came home from school she was pregnant. She was so devastated with on one to turn to. She had seemed so fragile, scared and completely alone that Trent had to help. He had married her and accepted her unborn baby as his own. Trent had never told anyone ---only he and Meg had known the truth. Even now after her death he would never tell another living soul because despite the circumstances of her birth Kelsey was his daughter.

He heard Sydney ending her phone call as the door bell chimed. He jumped off the couch and went to the door. He reached for his wallet as Sydney slipped past him to answer the door. He saw a tall skinny kid around seventeen and he knew it must be Joey. Trent reached around Sydney and handed the guy a twenty dollar bill.

“Joey do not take is money.”

Joey looked from Sydney to Trent unsure of whose money to take.

“Come on Syd I owe Mr. Varner for the TP so let me pay for the pizza and tip the young Mr. Varner.”

Joey started to laugh as he looked at Trent. He had heard the stories about the Halloween his grandfather’s house was toilet papered it was a running joke in the family.

“That was you? No way1”

Sydney nodded her head, “Joey meet the one and only infamous Trent Isaac.”

Joey shook Trent’s hand, “Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise, tell your grandfather I said hi.”

Joey stuck the money in his pocket and said goodnight. Trent carried the pizza to the living room while Sydney grabbed cokes, plates and napkins from the kitchen. He grabbed the remote and turned on the television. He knew he was in way over his head and he wasn’t sure what to do. He had married Megan but he had never loved or longed for her like a husband should long for and love his wife. He had never shared his intimate secrets or his dreams for the future with Meg. He had never been more than her friend and he had endured a loveless marriage for Kelsey’s sake. He had been out of the game for so long he had forgotten how to play. He couldn’t go through the motions only to find out that Sydney didn’t feel the same. He ached for Sydney and he was almost a hundred percent positive that Sydney thought of him as nothing more than a friend who happened to be a guy. Trent was a smart guy and he knew he should just stay away from her, but his heart wasn’t listening to his head. Life, why did it have to be so complicated?


As the sun rose the birds were singing in the tree outside. The sweet smell of summer flowers and fresh cut grass drifted through Sydney’s open window. She lazily pulled herself out of bed. As she passed her full length mirror she saw that she was smiling. She, Sydney Erin Jordan was actually smiling. She realized that she might actually be happy, what a new concept. She couldn’t remember how long it had been since she had a good night sleep. How long had it been since she woke up feeling rested and alive four or five years?

Sydney’s thoughts immediately turned to Trent. He was responsible for her happiness and overall good humor. She had a wonderful time with Trent and even though they hadn’t done anything special it had been so nice just being with him. They ate pizza and watched old movies, laughing and talking for hours. Sydney had found out that they had more in common than she had realized. The more time she spent with Trent the more she wanted to get to know him better.

She found herself wondering what Trent was doing, had he enjoyed himself, more to the point had he enjoyed being with her. He hadn’t hesitated to stay but was he only being polite? She couldn’t imagine Trent every being insensitive or hurtful. He had probably stayed to keep from hurting her feelings by refusing.

Sydney began her morning ritual aerobics, in and out of the shower, threw on her clothes and applied a touch of make-up. She had her toast and coffee while reading the morning paper. She had become so predictable but she found