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“I radioed the others, but I could already hear them shouting out to us, their booted feet pounding on the hard dirt, and figured they must have heard the blast. Drowning out the sounds around us I worked to focus on Luke, because his breathing was wheezy and I knew right then he didn’t have much time. He grabbed my hand with his last bit of strength and said to me in a barely audible whisper, ‘Promise you will tell my wife and son I love them very much. Take care of them. Keep them safe,’ he sputtered, and then he was gone, just as the others approached.
My arms were wrapped around Summer tight, too tight and I was afraid I’d hurt her. “I’m sorry baby, I didn’t mean to squeeze you so hard.”
Raising her head, her crystal green eyes sparkled with continuous tears and she looked deep into my own with so much sorrow, but also an abundance of love and I knew I couldn’t have gotten any luckier than the day she walked into my life.
“I’m so sorry honey, for Luke, his family, and for you, as well as the other guys. I love you,” she said as she placed her smooth palm on the side of my face.
Closing my eyes, I turned my head, pushing my cheek further into her touch, hoping the feel of her and her love may just mend my broken heart. She had the power to do that, I knew it.
“What happened to Luke’s wife and son?”
My eyes popped open at her question, realizing the story wasn’t quite over.
Summer
His tears and story ripped my heart apart.
My big, strong man trembled in my embrace as he talked about a loss that clearly tortured his soul. It was gut-wrenching and yet I needed him to finish. I believe he needed to as well. So I asked again.
“Tell me, what about Luke’s family?”
With a deep breath, he explained to me that after being in the hospital healing first, being medically discharged from the military, that he finally set out to visit his mother's grave and then he headed to see Luke’s widow and baby boy as he promised.
Agony lined every fleck of shimmering blue in his eyes explaining how the visit with them went. The pain in his voice when he told me how Luke’s wife broke down in his arms and the thought of his son never knowing the amazing man Luke was, had more tears running down both our faces.
“She has my number and I told her if she needs anything at all to call me. Her husband was a good friend and until the day I die I will check on them and be there for them if they should ever need anything at all.”
Gyth is the most honorable, kind, and beautiful man I know, with a heart of gold.
“I wish it turned out differently and your friend was alive and well, but I am so glad that you didn’t die that day and you are here with me. Because now that I have you, I can’t imagine my life without you in it.”
Somewhere during our talk I had rolled to Gyth’s side and curled around him, my arm and leg thrown over his body. I hugged him close, breathing in his musky scent that drove me wild, along with those silly peppermint candies he ate all the time, making his breath smell so good.
Here I had morning breath and he must have sucked on one of those candies already because his breath smelled sweet and clean.
I did have one more question I was curious about. “So you and Braxton had planned to get out and start your business then?”
He was silent for a minute and then told me that they may have talked about it from time to time, but he hadn’t had any plans to leave when he did, but he had no choice. And Braxton wasn’t sure, but he decided to not resign when Gyth got hurt.
“I’m pretty sure even though he doesn’t say it’s because of me, that part of him did it for me and the other piece of him missed Alley. His sister has always been his world, and now he has a whole freaking amazing family.”
The way his voice dipped low and thoughtful brought up another question. I didn’t know if it was the right time to ask, but I really wanted to know. I fidgeted in his embrace and my guy immediately called me on it.
“Ask me,” was all he said.
“How do you know I want to ask you something?”
“Because I know you, Sunshine, so ask.”
Hesitating a second, I finally caved and blurted out, “Do you want a family and kids?” I held my breath waiting for his response.
Taking his finger, he lifted my chin so we were looking at one another and replied, “I do, if it’s with you.”
I wanted that too, but I was still nervous about my seizures and lupus. But was it possible to have it all?
“What about all my illnesses?”
“Baby, we will get through that and we can still have it all. Together.” Reading my racing thoughts, he smiled down at me, and then he said, “I promise.”
