Take Me Away (Southern Bride 6)

I suddenly had the urge to race up to my room and tear it apart. There had to be something in my room, something that would transport me back and validate all of these images that have been flashing in my mind since I got back home. A ring, maybe?

“No, I’m going to head on up now.”

Three minutes later, I was standing in my room with the door shut. This did not look like the room of a woman who had been twenty-five years old. It suddenly occurred to me that I might not have been living at home when I had the accident. I honestly never even thought to ask. Now I got to work opening each drawer, checking under my bed, and searching the closet. I finally found a box at the very back of my closet that had been pushed so far back I hardly noticed it. I pulled the chair from my desk over to it and pulled it out. When I opened it, I drew in a sharp breath.

“Oh. My. Goodness.”

My legs barely kept me standing as I stumbled back and hit the bed and then dropped into a seated position.

I set the lid to the side and pulled out the first item. It was a picture of me and Nolan. It wasn’t from high school, though. We were a bit older. He was dressed in his uniform. I held the picture closer to me and looked at it, covering my mouth when I saw it. My hand was in the front, holding onto a wine glass. It wasn’t the wine glass that had caught my eye, though.

“A ring,” I whispered as I saw the engagement ring on my hand. “I knew it, we were engaged.”

I closed my eyes and dropped back onto the bed.

“Why can’t I remember? Why are you keeping it a secret from me, Nolan?” I whispered as I squeezed my eyes shut and fought to remember. I rolled over and pulled my pillow close to my chest. I could feel the tears finally ease as I drifted off to sleep.The next morning, I opened my eyes to see I had fallen asleep completely dressed. I hadn’t even moved from the position I was in when I drifted off, still holding the photo of me and Nolan. I was sprawled across my bed, my pillow still clutched against my body. Slowly, I sat up and yawned while I stretched my cramped body. When my hand came down, it hit the box I had found last night.

I took a deep inhale and slowly let it out as I pushed the photos in the box around. They appeared to be from my high school and college days. I pulled out a dried-up flower and smiled. I set it aside and dug around a bit more until I came across a piece of paper. I pulled it out and realized it had once been folded up like an airplane.

“Nolan,” I whispered.

My heart beat faster in my chest as I opened it. I let my fingers move over the name that was signed at the bottom.

I moved my eyes up the paper and read it silently.

Dear Linz,

I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about the Air Force Academy sooner. I know we’ve talked about it, and you knew it had always been a part of my plans. I should have told you I enrolled at the Academy. I know you’re happy for me, you said so, and I saw it in your eyes. And you don’t lie…I firmly believe you don’t know how to lie.

I closed my eyes as I pushed away the guilt of not telling anyone about the memories that had started to slowly filter back. I mean, lying by omission is still lying, right? Opening my eyes once more, I kept reading.

Once I finish the Academy, then I’ll be in officer training and then pilot training. Then you can come live with me where I’m stationed after we get married. I know I’m asking you to give up your dreams, but I was hoping maybe you might be able to still follow them. I’ll do whatever I need to do to make sure you’re happy, Linz. You told me you wanted a baby after we got married. I’ll give you ten, Linz. I’ll give you whatever you want and make it my life’s mission to make you the happiest woman on Earth. You mean everything to me, and I will never stop loving you. Never. You are mine, and I am yours, forever and for always.

I love you.

Love, Nolan

I clutched the note to my chest. “Oh, Nolan. What happened to us?” My voice was barely a whisper.

What had happened that made this man walk away from me? What made the people I love keep secrets from me, and why had I allowed it to go on for so damn long?