Salvation At Sunset (A McGinty's Of San Antonio Series Novel Book 5)

by Donalyn Maurer

  When he returned that night they were waiting. He hadn’t cleared the door of his truck before he was grabbed and dragged off. RJ claims to remember nothing else before waking up in the hospital. Garrett confided that he doesn’t believe him though. RJ knows Garrett saw what happened to him. Garrett figures he thinks the memories may haunt him less if he believes his dad didn’t suffer. Once Garrett heard it all he told me he holds no resentment for his Dad and all that has happened in the past. He told me it all made sense now and since he was there and lived it I believe him.

  It’s been almost three weeks since RJ Cooper was released from the hospital and he and Raleigh moved into their new home. We’ve been over several times and although I know there are deep scars, matching scars for Garrett and RJ, we’re all making progress moving forward. Tonight while heading over to have dinner with them. Garrett grabbed his old military duffle bag. I looked at him in question and he shrugged his shoulders. “Just some stuff I want to show my dad.” he confessed.

  After dinner, Raleigh and I clear the table and wash and put away the dishes. When we were done we go looking for Garrett and RJ. We find them sitting in the living room and Garrett is pulling boxes from his duffle bag. We stood back silently as Garrett pulled the lids to the boxes open and showed them to his dad. They’re his military medals. They sit for the longest, Garrett sharing his deployments. RJ sits mesmerized listening to Garrett, his face full of pride. When Garrett reaches into his back pocket, pulls out his wallet and a photograph I hold my breath.

  “This is them, Cody Holloway and Michael McGowan.” he says, his voice deep with emotion. He takes a moment and then smiles. He holds the picture, then tucks it safely back in his wallet. I leave the room and find Raleigh sitting by the edge of the pool dangling her feet watching the sun sink lower into the skyline of roof tops. I sit down next to her and take her hand.

  “I think we’re going to be okay.” I share.

  “Yeah. I think we are.”

  It’s been four months since Garrett’s family has been reunited. So much has happened that some days I feel like I’m dreaming. It’s been the most amazing time. I remember once hearing my grandma say to my grandpa, “I love you more every day.” I wondered how that was possible, when they seemed so much in love. Didn’t they have enough love? I feel kind of silly now. Now that I have Garrett, he’s shown me what that means. Every day, even though it would seem impossible, I love Garrett more.

  We live together now, and have since he brought Raleigh home. I remember the night he moved in. It was more emotional than I thought it would be. Garrett had nothing. Nothing but some clothes and that hurt my heart. He’d come from a loveless home. Not even loveless. He lived in a hate-filled home then joined the military and when he got out, he took a furnished apartment at some rent by the week motel. That first night, as we lay in bed, he shared that this was his first real home. He told me there were days he thought he’d die in that dump and he had no one to even realize he’d be gone. I told him he needed to fill out change of address paperwork at the post office, and also go to the DMV and get the address on his driver’s license changed. Then we’d get his voter’s registration. I want every road stating this is his home now and always. He also shared that he was thinking of going back to school, and asked me what I thought. I was so excited that I jumped up and straddled him.

  “What do you want to do? I mean, study? Spill, big boy,” I demand, and Garrett reaches up and starts tickling me. “Okay. Okay,” I beg and he finally stops. I take a deep breath and wait for him to fill me in.

  “Since becoming Holloway’s manager I’ve really found I like the business side. I was thinking of a business degree of some type,” he tells me, almost shyly.

  “Garrett, that’s a great idea.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I mean I’ll have to work around Holloway’s and I don’t want to miss my Tuesday night meeting either. Going to try and work around those two things.”

  Garrett has been attending a PTSD support group with Jesse, Stone, Jake, Patrick, Acer, Jack, and even my dad goes in support of Garrett. We found out Deputy Lopez also attends. Deputy Evan Lopez is an Army reservist that served three tours in Afghanistan. Garrett and Jesse also visit the VFW not far from Holloway’s at least every couple of weeks. They’ve become close with some of the older vets. Wilber and Milton hang out there and introduced them. Garrett told me they share war stories. “Most wouldn’t understand the need to share but these guys get it. They encourage it. The more you talk about it, the more you cleanse it from your soul, the old timers told me.”

  “I think that’s wonderful.”

  Garrett makes really good money at Holloway’s where I work alongside him. Allie has no problems with Garrett and I being together in our personal life and also working for her. She and Jaycee are the GarrBella masterminds after all. There’s no conflict of interest. No fights we bring from home. Allie, at Jesse’s insistence slowed down when Codi Lynn came along. She’s still at Holloway’s every day with beautiful sweet Codi Lynn on her hip, but she leaves around six each night. And, of course, I still work at my parents' shop most days. Noah still takes me to lunch once or twice a month even insisted Garrett join us a couple of times. He really likes Garrett and that means a lot.

  I’m Holloway’s head hostess and in charge of the wait staff when on duty. I love working at Holloway’s. It’s not only being around Garrett, but also the McGinty’s who are there all the time along with the Holloways’ themselves. The best nights are when Garrett and I close together. After the staff leaves, I’ll play songs on the jukebox that always lead Garrett and me to the dance floor. He’s even sang a couple of times on open mic night. Garrett really is a rock star. A rock star that sings country songs that is. When he sings, the girls swoon much like Sarah, our most favorite waitress. We’ve gone back to Painter’s where we had our first date and met Sarah, and we always sit in her section. She’s a hoot, and although I know she’s still smitten on Garrett, she handles him much better now.

  I wake early and automatically go on alert. Something is off. I reach over for Garrett but he’s not in bed. I look at the alarm clock and it’s just before six. Our alarm is set for seven and we usually wake together. I sit up and look over at the bathroom and see the door’s open and the light’s off so he’s not in there. I get up and pull on a pair of yoga pants and t-shirt and start out to find him. I make my way to the kitchen expecting him to be sitting having coffee, but he’s not. I start back to the living room when I glance out the window and then I see him. He’s standing in the yard looking up and off into the sky. The sun is radiating an orange glow as it wakes and makes its way into the sky. He’s watching the sunrise. A tiny stunned breath escapes me. He’s changing it up. Where sunsets once haunted him and reminded him of death, sunrises probably remind him he’s lived another day. Another gift from God. I watch as he lifts his face even higher when the sun finally peaks from the trees and closes his eyes. His lips begin to move and I know what he’s saying. As the words fall from his lips, they also fall from mine. “Our Father, who art in Heaven…” His prayer at bedtime full of thanks and his prayer in the morning full of gratitude. When we both say, “Amen.” Garrett opens his eyes. Before he sees me, I make my way back to our bedroom and crawl back into bed. I stole enough of his privacy and I feel a little guilty. When the bedroom door opens and closes, I try my best to feign sleep. The bed rocks and Garrett’s body slides in behind me as he puts his arm around my waist.

  “It’s a beautiful morning. You should have joined me outside,” he whispers and I sigh.

  “Sorry. I didn’t mean to intrude. I just woke up and you weren’t here,” I admit and turn over to face him.

  “You wouldn’t have been intruding, baby.”

  “Okay.” I snuggle into him.

  “Let’s go away this weekend since we’re both off. We can go to Galveston. What do you think?”

  “I think yes!” I squeal and he c
huckles. Somehow, Allie managed to schedule both of us off the entire weekend. I was shocked and so grateful.

  “Okay. We leave in the morning.”

  “I’ll look for a hotel,” I offer.

  “We have one already.” He informs me.

  “We do?” I look into his eyes, surprised.

  “We do. Bring your bikini. The brown one.”

  Garrett and I have been spending a lot of time at our parents’ pool and despite sunscreen both of us have become really tanned. I have tons of bathing suits, but Garrett’s always favored the brown crochet string bikini that I do not wear unless it’s just going to be me and Garrett.

  “The brown one. Got it.” I giggle.

  Friday evening, we make the drive in the Lexus SUV my dad bought me with the insurance payoff. Garrett’s pride was a little wounded when my dad bought it. Garrett believes he should be providing for me. My dad understood his feelings and agreed Garrett could make the payments for the remaining owed that the payoff didn’t cover. That seemed to appease both of them to my relief.

  When we arrive at San Luis Resort, we make our way up to the most breathtaking room. After we store our bags, Garrett’s suggests we take a walk on the beach. He seemed agitated on the ride up so I agree hoping the walk will calm him but as we travel down in the elevator, he almost seems to get worse. I’m about to ask him if he’s feeling okay when the doors open and he leads me through the lobby and outside. We take a sideway that leads to the shore and I take note of the almost empty beach. Summer has officially ended and the new school year has started so not much is going on. When we reach the beach, we both slide off our flip flops and walk along the damp sand where the warm water rushes over our feet.

  “Here.” Garrett stops walking, and pulls me to sit down on the sand next to him.

  We both stare off in the distance as the sky begins to go from the brightness of the sun to a brilliant blue with stars popping out everywhere.

  “Bella,” Garrett whispers my name. “I love you. You know that, right?”

  “Of course,” I reply and turn my body so I can face him. “Are you okay?”

  “More than okay.” He chuckles then takes a deep breath.”I wanted to wait. I told myself when I was sure the nightmares ended I would do this. I asked God to take them from me and he did. Yesterday morning you saw me in the yard, I woke up and realized I have gone three months without a nightmare. Three months. There was a time I couldn’t go one night.” He shakes his head at the memory. “Between you and your family, the Holloway’s and McGinty’s and now my family, I feel like I’ve never felt. I told God I just wanted to make sure that I wouldn’t be going into something that could possibly hurt you. I needed to get my act together before I asked you.”

  “Ask me what?” I smile.

  “Do you want kids, baby?” he asks and lowers his head, worried as he trails his finger through the sand.

  “I want your babies. I knew that within the first thirty seconds of meeting you. Remember our first date, when I turned red as a lobster, embarrassed and you asked me what I was thinking?”

  “Yes.” He looks back up at me grinning.

  “I told you I was thinking you were beautiful but that was only part of my thought. The other part was I hoped our kids would get your smile,” I confess and blush again.

  Garrett’s smile falls and he cups my cheek “You thought that back then?” he asks in disbelief.

  “Yes.” I promise softly.

  “But you didn’t even know me or love me.”

  “I did love you. I told you I’ve always loved you. I just didn’t know it was you. You’re my only love though. So it was you. Does that make sense?” I shyly laugh and he smiles.

  “It makes perfect sense,” he agrees.

  “Okay. We have to stand for this.” He pushes off the sand and stands up pulling me with him.

  “What are you doing?” I giggle, but that stops when Garrett drops to one knee in front of me and pulls a ring from his pocket.

  “Isabella Rose Rollins, will you marry me?” Garrett asks while looking up at me.

  “I totally missed this,” I admit in shock.

  “You did.” He chuckles.

  “And in hindsight, it was kind of obvious.” I bite my lip to keep from screaming in joy. I’m about to lose it and jump up and down like a crazy person.

  “It really was.” Garrett laughs again.

  “Yes, I’ll marry you,” I whisper. “Of course, I’ll marry you.” I sniffle as he slips a silver band with Marquise cut diamond onto my ring finger. “Honey, it’s beautiful.” I stare down at the huge stone surrounded by tiny diamonds.

  “You really like it?” he asks, as he stands.

  “Yes.” I step into him and run my hands along his chest up and around his neck,

  “I want you to know that I’m going to be a good man, Bella. I’m going to do all it takes to make you happy and take care of you. I’ll work hard to be the best man I can, like you deserve. You’ll never want, Bella. Our kids, they’ll never want. I promise.” His words are thick with emotion.

  “Garrett, stop,” I whisper, touched by his vow. "You’ve always been a good man. And as long as I have your love, I’ll never want for anything. And I promise to be a good woman. I promise to be the woman you deserve, honey, because you deserve nothing but,” I vow and my eyes tear up when I see his turn glassy.

  “Bella, do you remember what your mom said that day everything came out about that night in the woods?” he asks softly.

  “Garrett, I don’t like talking about that.” I shake my head and look away.

  “Baby, listen to me,” he demands gently so I look back at him. “She told me that your Uncle Frank called me his salvation at sunset. Those words hit me deep. I was just walking through the woods, Bella. That chance meeting or fate set me on a path. Not going to lie, it was brutal. But, Bella, you know I’d do it again, over and over. Do you know why?” he asks and cups my cheeks. All I can do is shake my head. “You. Because it led me to you.”

  “What?” I wipe my tears as I continue to look at him.

  “It led me to a girl that despite her own pain and problems made a choice that led her right to me. You literally slammed into me and it was the most beautiful moment of my life.”

  “Garrett, honey…” I shake my head knowing I’m about to turn into a blubbering mess.

  “Baby, that day changed my life. The day I met you is the day I met my salvation at sunset.”

  “Garrett,” I gasp and break down.

  “I love you so much, baby.”

  “I love you too,” I wipe my tears and smile before I throw myself into his arms.

  “Don’t stop. Please don’t ever stop.”

  “Oh Garrett, I could never stop. This. Us. It’s for always.”

  THE END

  First and foremost, I must thank God. Each and every day that I am given the gift of life to live my dreams. It is such an amazing blessing.

  To my readers, thank you so much for choosing Salvation At Sunset. I hope it touched your heart as much as it touched mine to write.

  Bringing awareness to abuse and where victims/survivors can get help is huge for me. Letting them know they are not alone is a must. We should always be vigilant in watching out for our loved ones and neighbors. Learn the signs. Most victims go out of their way to hide any tales of abuse. They’re ashamed and feel weak, blaming themselves for their situation.

  For me personally, during the days I found myself being abused by my ex-boyfriend, shock and disbelief came first. That first slap, it had to be a mistake. He loves me, right? As time went on, when he started leaving marks, which were mostly on my body and not face, I hid them. I hid the inner and outer pain and the wounds and scars he was leaving. I lost weight. I left school. I stopped talking to my friends. I stopped talking to my family. Then I turned to pills. Yes. I struggled with self medicating for years even after the abuse ended. Finally, I attempted to take my own life. And not because of the p
hysical pain being inflicted on me but because I was just so ashamed. I couldn’t face anyone. I felt like a burden and I just wanted to free my family. I know now those suicidal thoughts that could have led to me not being here today would have killed my family and friends and left them willowing in guilt and blame. I thank my Lord and Savior every single day for bringing me out of the dark. My knight in shining armor, my husband and best friend saved my life more than once. He saved my heart as well. My kids and grandkids remind me how far I’ve come.

  I say to anyone who may be reading this and currently going through something similar, I promise you, it is not you. Reach out for help. If you don’t have family or friends, reach out to a church or shelter. You deserve more than what’s happening to you. Remember, not all abuse is physical. Some abusers rely on breaking their victims down mentally by telling them they’re ugly and not worthy. This is not true. I beg of you not to believe them. Abusers find victims in anyone, man, woman, or/and child. If you even suspect abuse it is your obligation, your responsibility to report it. Don’t worry about, “what if I’m wrong? What if it’s not what I think?” No. Worry about “what if I’m right? What if it is what I think?” Think of the life you could be saving.

  Enclosed are helpful numbers and if this any of this applies to you, please use them. Remember, reports can be given anonymously as well.

  Another subject near and dear is to my heart is PTSD. In the story Garrett is suffering not only from a mentally abusive childhood but also PTSD from his service in the military. I can’t imagine the heartbreak it takes for a soldier to go from willing to die for us in battle to wanting to die because of battle. Again, I feel in my heart it is our obligation to take care of those who once took care of us.

  “When we feel weak, we drop our heads on the shoulders of others. Don’t get mad when someone does that. Be honored. For that person trusted you enough to, even if subtly, ask you for help.” » Iraq veteran Lori Goodwin