Forsaking All Others (From This Day Forward Book 2)

by Shannon Myers

  Once they were sure he was out of the woods, one of the nurses showed us how to do what’s called kangaroo care with Kaden. I volunteered to go first and I’ll admit, I was a nervous wreck that first time. It was just me and him, skin to skin, with the ventilator and wires surrounding us. I was so scared to move, afraid I was going to jar something loose. He was so incredibly small in my arms and I was worried sick that I could break him.

  Beth and I have settled into a routine of waking up and going to see him around eight every morning. Around noon, I’ll beg her to go eat something and like clockwork every day, she refuses. She just wants to hold him, she wants him to know that she’s here for him. I would argue with her logic, but just this morning, he reached his little hand up and grabbed onto her finger. It was all the confirmation she needed.

  So, we stay with our baby until the sun goes down and from six to eight every night we sit in comfortable silence together, eating. Then, we’ll go back to the NICU and stay until the wee hours of the morning. I’m exhausted, but I like knowing that they’re both safe. And I’d gladly give up sleep for the rest of my life to ensure they’re both okay.

  It hurts her to talk. When she saw herself in the mirror that first time out of bed, I was worried sick that she’d fall apart. She touched the black and violet bruises on her face and neck, tears falling silently onto her cheeks.

  I look over to where Lauren is sitting on the hospital bed, talking Beth’s ear off. She catches my eye and gives me a small smile—and I feel like I just won the fucking lottery.

  Her smile fades and she stares at the television. They’ve filled the screen with Landon’s picture

  “We’re back tonight with the latest on the search for Landon Scott, the man involved in the disappearance of Katya Egorichev and the kidnapping of Elizabeth Greene. Egorichev was found severely dehydrated and suffering from malnutrition. She is being treated at a local hospital tonight. Elizabeth Greene was twenty-eight weeks pregnant when she was taken—she was severely beaten and had to undergo an emergency cesarean section. Both mom and baby are recovering in the hospital tonight as well. Landon Scott was injured in an altercation with a police officer, but managed to flee the scene. His vehicle was found yesterday morning buried in a snow drift and blood inside the vehicle matched that found on scene. If you have any information on his whereabouts, you are urged to call Crimestoppers immediately…”

  At least they left out the part about Katya having been beaten and raped daily since she went missing. I think the poor woman went through enough without the world knowing that. She told Mike when he went to visit her that she wanted to see Beth as soon as she was well enough. They share an unbreakable bond now.

  “David? A little help please…”

  I snap out of my thoughts to see Beth about to go into a full-blown panic attack while Lauren holds her arms.

  Her chest heaves with each breath and I know that’s gotta be hell on her ribs. I jump up and go to her.

  “Beth—deep breaths, baby. He can’t hurt you anymore.”

  She takes another shallow breath and whispers, “He’s going to come back for me and Kaden—he’s going to hurt him. I can’t let him do that. David, you have to go warn the doctors and nurses.”

  She never once asked what happened to him and I hoped to never have to tell her.

  “Beth, look at me.” She turns with wide eyes. “He can’t hurt you anymore. He will never hurt you again.”

  Lauren sucks in a breath and looks at me questioningly, “David?”

  I shake my head, “He’ll never be found.”

  Beth makes a small squeak of surprise, “You did something didn’t you?”

  I stroke her hair gently, never taking my eyes off of hers, “I took care of my family. That’s all you need to know, baby.”

  I expect her to argue, but she surprises me when she whispers, “Thank you.”

  That’s it. She doesn’t ask me anything else—she just trusts me. I don’t know if she even remembers me leaving her right after Kaden was born. I waited until I knew they were going to pull through and then met Mike. He took me back to my truck, which was still sitting at Beth’s office and slipped me a piece of paper with the coordinates I needed.

  Before I left, he grabbed me in a rough hug, “You call me once it’s done and we’ll take care of it together.”

  I simply nodded and left.

  I walked into yet another old farmhouse a few hours outside of town. The snow had finally stopped falling and as if it was a sign, the roads I needed were all clear.

  Landon sat strapped to a chair in the middle of what was once a living room. I could see the blood stains on his shirt, where Beth and Katya managed to stab him. There was also a gunshot wound to his lower left leg. The bone jutted from the skin at an odd angle and blood had coagulated to the point that it looked almost like jelly. Mike never meant to kill him, reserving that right for me. His shot effectively maimed Landon to the point that he was no longer a threat.

  His head was hanging down, but the minute he heard my footsteps that head shot up. He grinned when he saw it was me, Beth’s claw marks had left bright red gashes down his face and arms.

  He spit out blood, I’d have to thank Mike for that later. “Well, well…look who we have here. Davey.”

  Landon’s words are mocking, even though he’s the one bound to a chair. He nearly took everything from me—my entire world. He sat there with a smug look on his face, not realizing he wasn’t going to be leaving here alive. I grabbed my phone and cranked up Linkin Park.

  I quietly got what I needed, walking from room to room as I did so, and he yelled after me, “What’s the matter? You pissed because I got rid of the kid? You should be thanking me, asshole! Now, there’s nothing tying you to her.”

  I ground my teeth together, but refused to say a word. Not that it mattered, he didn’t wait for a response.

  “Elizabeth shouldn’t have fought me. I was doing her a favor—but the bitch didn’t see it that way. You know, you were supposed to leave. She was mine—always mine.”

  His voice changed as he got lost in thought and I bided my time in another room. I had to keep my anger under control. I turned the hammer over and over again in my hand, focusing on the music.

  “You know, I never wanted to hurt her—but I’m gonna be honest with you, Davey. The feel of her delicate little throat underneath my arm that night, squeezing and feeling her fight against me—it was invigorating. I’m getting hard just thinking about it—God, listen to me, chattering away. What about you, Davey? Ever wanted to see fear in her eyes?—Cause I gotta tell ya, you are not doing her any favors. You let her get away with everything. Women need boundaries—I taught her a few the other night, you can thank me for that later—”

  I didn’t let him finish this time. I calmly walked back in, swinging the hammer. I’d used it on countless jobs and never once considered what a perfect weapon it would make. The head of it connected with his right kneecap and the sound of his screams filled the room. I moved to the left one and poured all of my rage into the swing.

  “C’mon man—” His voice had lost the confidence from a few moments ago and I smiled before putting him into a headlock. I didn’t stop smiling as he began struggling in my arms, needing air.

  I waited until he began going limp before I released him. He sucked in ragged breaths and I knelt down beside him.

  “You’re right, Landon. That was fucking invigorating!”

  I drew back and swung the hammer into his ribs this time. Beth had three broken ribs on the right side, so I felt the need to inflict those same injuries onto him. He began coughing and his breaths turned shallow. I may have collapsed his lung with that last swing.

  He looked up at me and his eyes held fear. I swore six months ago that I’d put him in the ground if he laid a finger on her.

  I got right up in his face, “Not that I should waste my breath telling you this, but my wife and son are both alive—and they’re going to stay that wa
y. You wanna know why? Because only one of us is walking out that door today.”

  His eyes widened with understanding and I took sick pleasure in the fact that he was in no condition to reply.

  I watched him struggle for each breath for a few more minutes. Then, I calmly retrieved my gun from the other room and emptied it into his chest. His glassy eyes stared at nothing as I reached for my phone, blood pooling under the wooden chair. I felt nothing.

  “Mike, it’s done.”

  18 Months Later…

  I stare up at a cloudless sky, trees lining my view. I’m standing in the middle of a pecan orchard surrounded by the people closest to me.

  What do you do when you almost lose the love of your life? If you’re me, you marry her all over again.

  Kaden spent the first four months of his life in the hospital. Everything was chaotic, with the majority of our time spent at the hospital. Beth was still recuperating from her injuries and the subsequent C-section. Once we got him home, it was like starting over. We had to figure out parenting without the nurses there to guide us. My beautiful wife was a natural though and she gave me confidence in my parenting abilities.

  It took about a year to get into a good routine, but once I knew Kaden was healthy enough, I dropped to one knee and asked her to be mine all over again. I asked her to marry me, fully knowing both the good and the bad, and she said yes. Well actually, she laughed and said something along the lines of thinking that we already were, but she did agree to renew our vows.

  Here I stand, under a small wooden arbor and pecan trees for miles. I look over at Mike and smile. He returns it, but his doesn’t quite meet his eyes. He and Lauren broke up not long after Beth had Kaden. He won’t talk about it, but I know he’s still in love with her. This will be the first time he’s seen her since, so I slap him on the shoulder and pull him in for a side hug.

  My mother places flowers in my hair while Lauren finishes my makeup. Yes, my mother. I don’t know if she had a change of heart or if my dad pushed her into it, but she showed up as soon as she knew I was in the hospital. She fussed over me and Kaden, never once saying “I told you so.”

  Louisa looks at her watch, “You’re up, kid. You nervous?”

  I smile, trying not to cry so I don’t mess up all of Lauren’s good work. “I’m not…just excited.”

  Lauren grumbles, “I’m a little nervous, to be honest. Lou—you got anything in that mom purse of yours to take the edge off?”

  My mom shocks us all when she pulls a flask from her handbag and passes it to Lauren. “What?” she scoffs. “So, I drink. How else do you think I’ve gotten through all these years of quilting club at the church?”

  We dissolve into laughter and I squeeze Lauren’s hand.

  The pastor walks up and greets us, spending an extra few minutes playing with Kaden. I’ve got him on my hip so Beth can get ready in peace. He’s just started crawling and has yet to say a word that’s intelligible, but his pediatrician assured us that it’s completely normal in preemies. He loses interest in what the pastor is saying and begins shredding the rose on my lapel. I kiss his little hands and move him away.

  Both of our moms come down the aisle to take little man off my hands. The music starts and I laugh. I begged Beth to play some country when she walked down the aisle, but she’s chosen a Coldplay song instead. I would protest, but the lyrics are so damn perfect that I find myself fighting back tears. I would still call every second spent with her magic.

  Lauren comes walking out and I see Mike’s mouth drop open. He sucks air between his teeth and I grin. I glance up just as Beth comes walking down the aisle with her dad. She’s only taken a few steps when someone on the back row stands up and walks over to her.

  She sees the panic in my eyes and winks. One of her cousins begins snapping along to the music and someone else joins them. My aunt jumps up out of her seat and moves perfectly to the beat of the music.

  Lauren skips back to where Beth is and they link arms. Two of her co-workers get up and join, along with several of my construction guys. They’ve obviously rehearsed the entire thing and kept it a secret.

  A flash mob.

  Only my wife. My Glee-loving wife.

  My heart is pounding out a steady stomp-clap beat similar to the one in the song. Chris Martin’s voice fills the orchard and one by one our wedding guests get up and join me in walking to David. Seeing those big burly construction guys moving in perfect time makes me grin. David laughs in surprise and then I see the tears on his face. Everyone is snapping and moving in sync and the emotions overtake me.

  I don’t want anyone else, but you.

  My mom has Kaden in her arms and my sweet baby boy gives me the sweetest smile, his eyes wide with excitement.

  “Mama!” I look at Kaden in surprise and then up at David. He roughly rubs the back of his hand across his eyes, trying to stop the tears. His first word.

  Chris Martin starts singing in a falsetto and several women join in singing as we make our way closer. Katya is sitting a few rows from the front and she gives me a bright smile. She came back to Texas from Colorado just for this. Her long brown hair is back and she looks so at peace. I give her a small wave.

  Mike’s eyes are laser-focused on Lauren and I squeeze her tighter. I don’t know what happened between the two of them, but I have a feeling they’ll find their way back to one another.

  This is absolutely perfect. People begin splitting off and making their way back to their seats as we approach my groom. I’m within just a couple of feet when I trip over my own and fall right into him—his arms locking protectively around me.

  I knew Beth was going to fall at some point. It’s just who she is. I set her upright to a chorus of cheers and the pastor begins. I recite my vows, but my eyes communicate even more to her. I let her know that I’ll always be the one to catch her when she falls. I’ll hold her when the nightmares from that night show up. I’ll never again let her think she’s not the most important thing in my life.

  For better. For worse.

  That’s the funny thing. We’ve had both.

  I’d still choose him every time.

  It might not be your typical fairy tale, but it’s mine.

  It’s real. It’s raw—it’s the most beautiful kind of love. The kind that can come back from infidelity. The kind of love that can withstand the emotional and physical trauma of the last eighteen months. The kind of love that will fight and even kill if necessary. We aren’t promised a ‘happily ever after,’ but I will keep choosing him—everyday. Isn’t that the point of all of this? To find the person for whom your soul whispers, “This is the one.”

  And while it may not always be happy, we will live for each other forever after.

  And that’s enough for me.

  The end.

  Shannon lives in Lubbock, Texas with her husband, two sons, and the family dog Elvis. She is a sucker for a good romantic story and has a tendency to develop crushes on fictional characters. When she is not writing, she enjoys cooking, reading, and weekend DIY projects around the house.

  Find her online at: http://shannonshaemyers.com