Surviving Sorrow And Despair Searching For Normalcy? Unconditional Friendship - Complicated Love

<p>It's a hot July summer day. Ryan Douglas is walking up and down the water's edge his shoes tied and hanging from his shoulders.</p><p></p><p>Sitting on the beach the gentle breeze off the lake brings back fond memories of his mother.</p><p></p><p>Ryan recognized that for him to move on with his life he had to reconcile the passing of his mother and a father who hated him.</p><p></p><p>Further down the beach stood Karen Wilson waves rolling in over her feet asking herself How far can I swim before I can swim no more? With no answer she stepped back and continued walking down the beach until she saw a familiar face.</p><p></p><p>Kids in school thought they were dumb because they were always sitting in the hallway or the library taking tests.</p><p></p><p>They were far from dumb and were actually extremely intelligent-two of the smartest kids in the state.</p><p></p><p>Because their fathers who were drunks and abusive made their mothers buy their clothes from secondhand stores they were called secondhand trash.</p><p></p><p>Ryan and Karen's friendship became strong through high school and college. Ryan said he would stay with Karen until she was ready to be on her own.</p><p></p><p>The night before Karen left for New York to become a famous lawyer and Ryan went to Chicago to work in an investment firm they consummated their love over and over until they fell asleep. Karen was devastated and took on a new personality.</p><p></p><p>Ryan became successful beyond his dreams and Karen became known as the Ice Queen of Mergers and Acquisitions.</p><p></p><p>The secret Karen kept from Ryan for thirteen years broke his heart and his trust and never healed until they both passed away within days with broken hearts.</p>