p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;"Chapter 2: Bless the Broken Road/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;"Eli pulled into the driveway of his parent's house with caution. It had stopped raining by now and they pulled all of his stuff out of the car. After unpacking Bullfrog and CeCe had come home from work and were a bit surprised to find Claire there sitting at the kitchen table drinking a soda with him. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;""Well, bust my buttons here we go again. Remind me to call the doctor and get stocked up on your medication." Bullfrog said in his serious tone, clearly not believing that Claire would say yes for the umpteenth time. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;""I'm so happy to see you Claire. Are you staying tonight? I ordered a pizza on this mobile app thing. These things are so fun." CeCe said playing around with her phone some more. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;""If it was alright with you I was hoping that I could spend the night."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;""If memory serves me correctly your mother doesn't know and Adam is covering for you two." Bullfrog spouted off from memory thinking that he would get a phone call any minute now./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;""You are always welcome in our house." CeCe said as the doorbell rang. The pizza had arrived and everyone seemed to eat in silence. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;""I'm sorry but I just have to say it. No matter what he does, no matter what happens, it's always been Eli. I would do anything for him. I think sometimes our relationship is as bipolar as he is, but I really love your son and this time I'm not leaving him. Not ever." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;""We know." Bullfrog said putting his drink down. "We knew it was a matter of time. You two always seem to find yourself together again. We were the same way for the first 6 years of marriage and we were a lot older than you kids were." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;"After they ate Eli and Claire excused themselves to go upstairs to Eli's room. He turned on the tv and put on one of his famous horror movies. He had to find a way to tell Claire that he wasn't ready to take someone's virginity and he had to figure that one out fast. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;""Claire can we talk a minute?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;""What's wrong?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;""Please do not take this the wrong way, okay? I'm just nervous and scared as you are and stuff."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;""Spit it out Eli." She put her hands on her hips and I knew I was going to be in trouble. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;""I don't know if I am ready to take someone's virginity. That's like a huge monumental step right there because I'm responsible for your purity and it's a gift that no guy is worthy of. I'm not worthy of it. I don't want to hurt you either." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;""I'm scared too. Maybe we should wait a while? Though I did like what we did do, did you?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;""You can do that to me all day and night." Eli said propping his hands behind his head and laying back on the bed smirking./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;"Eli pulled into the driveway of his parent's house with caution. It had stopped raining by now and they pulled all of his stuff out of the car. After unpacking Bullfrog and CeCe had come home from work and were a bit surprised to find Claire there sitting at the kitchen table drinking a soda with him. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;""Well, bust my buttons here we go again. Remind me to call the doctor and get stocked up on your medication." Bullfrog said in his serious tone, clearly not believing that Claire would say yes for the umpteenth time. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;""I'm so happy to see you Claire. Are you staying tonight? I ordered a pizza on this mobile app thing. These things are so fun." CeCe said playing around with her phone some more. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;""If it was alright with you I was hoping that I could spend the night."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;""If memory serves me correctly your mother doesn't know and Adam is covering for you two." Bullfrog spouted off from memory thinking that he would get a phone call any minute now./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;""You are always welcome in our house." CeCe said as the doorbell rang. The pizza had arrived and everyone seemed to eat in silence. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;""I'm sorry but I just have to say it. No matter what he does, no matter what happens, it's always been Eli. I would do anything for him. I think sometimes our relationship is as bipolar as he is, but I really love your son and this time I'm not leaving him. Not ever." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;""We know." Bullfrog said putting his drink down. "We knew it was a matter of time. You two always seem to find yourself together again. We were the same way for the first 6 years of marriage and we were a lot older than you kids were." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;"After they ate Eli and Claire excused themselves to go upstairs to Eli's room. He turned on the tv and put on one of his famous horror movies. He had to find a way to tell Claire that he wasn't ready to take someone's virginity and he had to figure that one out fast. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;""Claire can we talk a minute?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;""What's wrong?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;""Please do not take this the wrong way, okay? I'm just nervous and scared as you are and stuff."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;""Spit it out Eli." She put her hands on her hips and I knew I was going to be in trouble. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;""I don't know if I am ready to take someone's virginity. That's like a huge monumental step right there because I'm responsible for your purity and it's a gift that no guy is worthy of. I'm not worthy of it. I don't want to hurt you either." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;""I'm scared too. Maybe we should wait a while? Though I did like what we did do, did you?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 32px;"span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 29.333335876464844px; font-family: 'American Typewriter', serif;""You can do that to me all day and night." Eli said propping his hands behind his head and laying back on the bed smirking./span/p