by Ashley Munoz
I knew there was no use in arguing with her, “Okay, Mom, have your look and let's move on. I promise you, though, the second I know that I am having a baby, you will know right away.”
She smiled, and we continued to talk about her treatments and her overall health. Her health hadn’t really improved, but she looked happier than she had in years.
I finished my call with Mom as I finished the bacon and started on the eggs and toast. Just as I said goodbye, Theo came upstairs. He wore these cute glasses that sat on the bridge of his nose, and every morning, he read the paper while he drank his coffee. He came up to where I was standing in the kitchen and kissed me on the forehead, then walked to the cupboard to get his cup for his coffee. I plated him some breakfast and took it to where he sat every morning.
We usually didn’t talk much, and I liked that about him; we both enjoyed our silence in the morning. While he ate, I packed the kids’ lunches. There were only five more days left of school before summer break, and I could hardly contain my excitement. We had big plans to travel this summer to go see Yellowstone National Park. I had my own plans to take the kids to the pool, play as much soccer as possible, and of course, sleepovers out on the trampoline.
I went back to warming up breakfast, checking the clock and saw it was nearing seven thirty. I was about to head upstairs to wake everyone up when I heard a few thumps on the stairs. I smiled as I heard the sweet sound of, “Hey, Mom.”
My whole heart soared at the sound of it from them. I turned to face Jasmine and pulled her into a hug as I kissed the top of her head.
“Good morning, sweetheart. Hungry?”
She nodded and shuffled over to where Theo was and sat next to him.
I got her food ready as I heard more thumps down the stairs, and knew my boys were up.
I was facing the counter, plating more food as I heard a raspy, “Mommy? Can you get me the orange juice this morning?”
My heart fluttered again. This must be what new mothers felt like with their newborns. I turned my head and saw Sammy with his messy hair, rubbing at his sleepy eyes. I walked over and pulled him up into a hug, then kept him on my hip like he was a toddler, as I set his food on the table. I kissed his cheek, then set him across from his sister. I walked back and grabbed two cups, filling each one with orange juice.
Jimmy was leaning against the counter, sipping his coffee, watching me. When he looked at me like I was his breakfast, it did things to me, but things like that needed to be saved for later that day, after everyone was gone. I walked over into his embrace and hugged him. I loved this. Loved him. I leaned up and kissed him, then sat down with my own food and coffee. Jimmy came and sat next to me, so close that we were practically in each other's laps. I knew why he was so close today, and I loved him for it. I was actually feeling pretty good for it being the day of the trial.
I had to go in today to testify against the two other men who had helped abduct and hurt me. I was surprisingly calm about it, but now that I had this life, I had Jimmy, it felt like the darkness from that day couldn't touch me anymore. My therapy sessions were nearly nonexistent now; Glenda was right about things calming down for me once I got into a rhythm. I grabbed Jimmy’s hand under the table and squeezed it. The trial was going to be in Chicago, which meant after we dropped the kids at school, we would head that way and stay the night with Jackson. I felt peaceful about it. Those men would get justice, and then I could officially close that chapter of my life for good.
I sat at the table and looked around at my family—at my children, my husband, my father-in-law. I exhaled and leaned into Jimmy's shoulder as we laughed at a joke that Sammy made. Jimmy talked about how I was his glimmer, but he had no idea how he was my home, my everything, and now I had two children that were mine. Mine for always. It was moments like this that made any amount of darkness worth the effort, because now we would shine together, for each other, to always lead one another home.
Fade
Laney & Jackson’s story
“I never meant to fall in love with Jackson Tate. I wanted a place to crash that wouldn't cost me anything; it ended up costing me everything.”
First and foremost, thanks to my creator and God who built the love of storytelling in me and has never been far from me during the writing process.
Secondly, thanks to my own ‘Glimmer’, Jose. You were my biggest fan and encouragement through this entire thing. Thank you for hearing my stories, reading my entire book and making suggestions on Jimmy's behalf. Mostly, thank you for loving me and allowing all my crazy binge reading purchases.
To my children; I love you fiercely, deeply and fully. May you always dream, create, and discover. Hopefully one day I’ll be reading your own acknowledgment section in your books, where I better be properly thanked.
To my Mom and Eric, you've each placed stones of literary love inside of me and I wouldn't be who I am or where I am without you. I love you. Dad, I have no idea how heaven works as far as you seeing this but you were an integral part of this story. There were too many times where I’d stop and talk to you about an idea, or want to ask your advice about detective Gepsy and police work. I hate that you’re gone and I hate that I never got to ask you but I love that you lived a life for me to be proud of and I love that I caught you reading and writing the majority of my life. The world lost a powerful poet when it lost you.
To my sister Rebecca, thank you for all the hours and phone calls you poured into me and into this. I love you and thank God that he gave us to each other.
To Daniel, thank you for pouring over my words and encouraging me, for loving me, and for being in my corner and wanting the very best for me. To Amanda, Jon, and Haley, I love you guys and wouldn't have any ideas for stories without you.
Jess Hoeffer, you not only coach me to be physically strong but you took on this task of helping me improve Glimmer when I backed myself into a corner and needed help. I'm so thankful for you. Thanks to you, Jimmy is way less girly and I didn't use the term bulge when referencing his muscles.
To my beta readers, Rebecca Patrick, Ruth Hall, Mandee Frankee, Leah Weybright, Kassie Dedmond and Kristin Moynihan. You guys. I can't thank you enough for your love and dedication to me and to Glimmer. I couldn't have done this without your eyes and your hearts.
Thanks to my editor, Amanda Edens. Glimmer wouldn’t be something I would be confident sharing with the world without your creative editing and your ability to fix all of my grammatical catastrophes.
To my cover designer, Dee Garcia. Thank you for being pure magic and finding the theme I needed to convey the message and feeling behind Glimmer.
Hazel Grace, girl you have been my own personal Yoda and I couldn’t be more thankful for your help and always answering all of my millions of questions.
Finally, to my readers and hopefully fans. Please leave a review of this book, even if you didn't love it. I value your thoughts, your ideas, and your suggestions. If you have ever wanted to write, then just do it. I wrote over seventy percent of this book from my cell phone while I nursed, and held my newborn. There is no right way to write, just start writing and keep doing it. Take breaks to read great books, then get back at it.
Ashley lives in Central Oregon with her husband and four children. She spends her days as a stay at home mom, stuck in school carpool lanes, cleaning, and taking care of her infant son. She likes hiking but only because it seems like a sin not to. She's a fan of occasionally doing CrossFit and frequently watching Redbox movies with her kids. She prefers public speaking to writing and reading to everything else.
Website: www.ashleymunozbooks.com
Reader Group: Ashley’s Ride or Die https://www.facebook.com/groups/700042813665618/?source_id=2212219962339047
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