One Sentence Broke My Love For Him

Synopsis

I grew up in the Goodman residence. For twenty years, I ate with Charles Goodman every day, and we tore around the backyard together. When he hit a wrong note on the piano, I made fun of him. When I turned in a crummy essay, he helped me rewrite it. I always figured that some things between us didn't need to be spelled out. Then one day, I pushed open the living room door and found a girl I had never seen before sitting on the couch. She had a fresh face and carried herself well. When she saw me, she tilted her head and asked Charles's mother, Helen Goodman, "Who is this?" Helen didn't bother to look my way. "She's the housekeeper's kid. Don't mind her." Charles finally looked up and gave me a quick glance. I stood there for a couple of seconds. Then I smiled. It was the same proper, polite smile my mom had worn while taking care of this family for twenty years. That was when it hit me. People were born into different lives, and there was no changing it.