1/15/12

Fools In Love
By Linda M. Crate


“I can’t do this!” Her hands shook horribly, and she felt queasy inside. She stood up and ran out of his house. She felt bad, but she couldn’t help it. She just had flashes of Jeremiah leaving her at the altar.

Later that night, she sat on her couch, she knew that she had made the wrong decision. She wanted to marry Caleb so badly. Yet she had been so terrified that he would leave her at the altar like Jeremiah. That was not a chance that she had wanted to take. So she paced around her apartment, raking her hands through her thick black hair. Goodness knew that she was an idiot.

There was a knock at her door.

“Yes?” she remarked, tearfully. She knew that she had made the biggest mistake of her life, and she was sure that Caleb would hate her forever. There was a good chance that she was overreacting, but he might actually dislike her now. She would assume the worst just so she wouldn’t get her hopes up so they could be dashed. That would be enough to shatter her heart completely, she was certain.

“It’s me, Caleb. Marci told me why you overreacted. I’m really sorry, Nora, I didn’t know who Jeremiah was, let alone what he had done to you.”

Nora prized open the door. “I’m sorry, Caleb, I should have told you.”

“Will you marry me?”

“You still want me?”

He nodded.

“Yes, I’ll marry you,” she laughed, as tears fell down the bridge of her narrow nose. She couldn’t believe it, he still wanted her. Either he was crazy or he was in love. Possibly both.


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Linda Crate is a Pennsylvanian native born in Pittsburgh yet raised in the rural town of Conneautville. Her poetry has recently been featured in Magic Cat Press, Black-Listed Magazine, Bigger Stones, and Vintage Poetry. One of her short stories has been featured in Carnage Conservatory and she has an upcoming short story for publication in Dark Gothic Reconstructed Magazine in April 2012.