Love’s Suicide(46)
Author: Jennifer Foor

The impact was insane, shoving shards of metal and debris into my arm. I could smell my flesh burning, but knew saving her was still a top priority.

Then my body gave out on me; unable to withstand the amount of pain I was under any longer. I collapsed out on the road, with the girl still in my arms.

When I woke up, I was in the hospital. I had no recollection of the day it was, or how I’d gotten there. One thing I did know was that my hand and arm was casted and I had no feeling in my fingertips.

I found out that I suffered from a concussion and messed up my arm pretty bad. They think it will get better, but for now, I can’t perform my Ranger duties.

So, that’s the bad news.

Now for the good.

Katy, I hope you’re sitting down.

I’m coming home.

Well, not exactly home. I’ve been re-assigned to a new base and you’re never going to guess where.

Fort Jackson.

I can imagine that you’re probably in tears and wondering how long you have to wait to see my handsome face again. It’s going to be soon, but I’m not exactly sure when they’ll give me the go-ahead. It’s just a bunch of ridiculous paperwork really.

At some point I’m sure I will have to have surgery in Bethesda at Walter Reid, so that will be a joy. Seeing the family hasn’t been the highest of my priorities.

None of that matters right now.

My temporary profile for now will allow me to assist with combat training and since it’s what I do best, I know I’ll enjoy it.

So, I want you to know, I’m coming home for you, Katy. We’re going to start over and be together. This time there won’t be anything standing in our way. We can make our own lives now.

I can’t tell you how excited I am to hold you in my arms. I feel like it’s been forever.

I’ll let you know when I’m in town, by probably stopping by unannounced to surprise the hell out of you. Be on the lookout for me.

I love you so much.

See you soon,

Brooks

There were no words.

I couldn’t move.

It wasn’t possible.

He couldn’t be alive?

With no regard for anything else going on in my life, I grabbed my phone and dialed a number that I never thought I’d ever be calling again. I didn’t even know if he’d still have the same number, but I had to try. I had to know the truth and didn’t want to upset Danica if it was all a mistake.

“Hello?”

I recognized it, even after all the time that has passed. “Branch, it’s me, Katy.”

“Katy? Wow.” He cleared his throat, as if I’d left him speechless. “Are you okay? Is it Brooks?”

Hearing him ask that answered the burning question. I had to still ask. “He’s okay?”

Branch seemed confused. “I have no idea if he’s alright. We don’t exactly speak you know.”

“I called a while back and Mel…”

He interrupted. “She started to tell you he’d gotten hurt and you hung up on her. When she tried to call you back, you wouldn’t answer. What happened? Are you in some kind of trouble? Did my brother run out on you or something? I know you’re together now. It’s no secret why he purposely got stationed so far away. We could all guess the reason.”

I was already crying. “No. I’m fine. I think I just got confused. I need to go.”

“Katy, wait! Mom and Dad miss you. Hell, even I miss you. You should come home in September. We all still visit the graves on the anniversary. You not being there makes it even harder.”

“Branch, I wish it were that simple. I have a life here.”

“Just think about it. It would make my mom’s year if you called her or came to visit. She loves you so much.”

“I left you at the alter after sleeping with your brother. How could you say she loves me?”

Branch chuckled. “Katy, I’m in a good place now. You were supposed to be with Brooks. I let my jealousy control my life back then. Now I lost my best friends because of it. You leaving didn’t just hurt us. It ripped us apart.”

“I have to go, Branch.” I hung up the phone knowing that I couldn’t get into a deep conversation with him until I found out where Brooks was and why I hadn’t seen him yet.

Then it hit me.

I thought about the man in the conspicuous truck outside and how it appeared like I was being watched.

After looking in the phone book, I called the sheriff’s office and left him a message to call back.

Ten minutes later, I had him on the phone. “Mrs. Parsons. Is your visitor back, because he assured me that he wouldn’t be bothering you or your husband anymore? I’d like to think that a soldier is good on his word.”

My mouth dropped.

Another confirmation.

“Soldier? Did you happen to catch his name?”

“Let me see if I can remember. It was a weird one, like his parents were hippies or somethin’. Thorne, Storm, or maybe it was Brooks? I know his last name was Valentine. Sergeant Valentine. Do you recognize it?”

I was shaking so badly that I wondered if he could hear my teeth chattering. “No. Thank you for your time.”

I hung up before he could start asking me questions.

I closed my eyes and tried to think about everything for the past few months. I thought about all of the times that the little truck had been parked outside and why he hadn’t contacted me.

That’s when I think I knew the reason and I understood why he’d never talked to me again.

He’d seen Bobby and maybe even B. He’d seen the name on my mailbox and realized that I was married.

I covered my face with my hands and bawled like I’d never cried before in my life. Not only was Brooks alive, but I’d broken his heart again and not even realized it.

How could I have been such a fool?

For that matter, how in the hell was I going to even explain it to him?

When I heard Bobby’s truck pulling in the driveway, I wiped off my face and stuck the note under our mattress. He was going to notice that I hadn’t done anything all day, so I got under the covers and pretended to be resting.

He came in and kissed me on the forehead. “Hey, babe. Are you sick? I could have come home early.”

I pretended to have just woken up and rubbed my eyes. “I don’t feel good. I thought if I took a nap I’d feel better.”

He sat down on the bed and pulled me into a hug. “I’ll make you some soup and have leftovers. B can share with me.”

He got up and walked out of the room, leaving me to sulk in my web of guilt. I had so many emotions running through me that I knew I was about to lose my mind. I had to get control over myself until I could figure out what to do and how to reach out to Brooks. After all the time that had passed, he had to know that I was sorry. It wasn’t just that. After thinking that he’d died there was a part of me that needed reassurance that I wasn’t just dreaming all of this up. I had to know for sure that he was real and he was living close to me.