Page 66 of Chasing Sunsets

“Two and a half years ago, I gave birth to our darling baby boy at thirty-seven weeks when I had a placental abruption.” She inhaled and sighed. “My bleeding wouldn’t stop, so I was rushed to surgery for an emergency hysterectomy. When I woke, I wanted to be sad I wouldn’t have other children but couldn’t be. Dylan was perfect.”

Zack hung his head, no doubt dreading her next words.

Every camera from the show was filming. Three pointed at her, two at Zack, and the others at the people in the crowd.

“A little over six months ago, Dylan fell asleep in Zack’s lap, and we put him to bed like every night. When I went in to check on him before I turned in, I found him not breathing. I performed CPR until paramedics arrived and put him on a respirator. Once they got him to the hospital and evaluated him, the doctors explained Dylan had gone without oxygen for too long.” She swallowed hard. “There was little to no brain activity.”

Beside her, Gemini whispered, “Oh, no.”

“He’d suffered a pediatric aneurysm. I refused to believe it since he hadn’t hit his head or suffered a fever or acted like he felt bad the days before.” The hollow feeling from the place that used to radiate so much joy in her heart still ached, but much less the last few days. “We stayed at his side day and night.”

Zack still hadn’t lifted his head.

“I insisted more doctors be brought in on Dylan’s case. The hospital staff, bless them, did everything I asked. I researched specialists and brought many in from all over the world—a couple who we could only communicate with through interpreters. I became a crazed fool and spent a fortune on doctors, flights, and hotel rooms. Every report stated Dylan couldn’t live without life-support.”

The contestants and crew stared at her, some with tear streaks on their cheeks.

“I’ll never forget his blond hair, so light it looked like a halo around his head.” Tears threatened. She cleared her throat and decided it would be better not to give more description. “Every day Zack brought up the subject of taking Dylan off life-support. I’d ignore him or lash out at him for even suggesting it. After a month, the doctors said we must make a decision. Let him go or take him home.” The fury she’d experienced at that moment, and so many times since, no longer rammed into her gut. “I wouldn’t listen to what they were saying. I left the room. That’s when Zack did the best thing for our little boy. He signed the papers to have Dylan taken off life-support.”

He lifted a hand to his face, no doubt wiping tears away.

“And I hated him for it.” She didn’t go into the next two days they’d spent with Dylan. Holding him, talking to him, telling him how much they loved him. “My only thought was he took my baby away. I mercilessly punished him. With every quiet, bitter moment I suffered, I wanted him to experience the same or worse.”

She put a hand to her heart. “It was so wrong of me. If I’d been in my right mind I’d never have reacted so severely, but grief consumed me. I moved to a friend’s house three weeks later, and we’ve been separated since.”

Gemini sniffed.

“Friends and family tried to talk to me. My standard answer became, ‘You’ll never understand. What can you possibly say that will help?’ How ugly of me. My husband and I are blessed with the sweetest parents and friends. The friend I moved in with, my best friend Cally, always stands firmly by my side. Zack has close friends who share an unbreakable bond, and they’d generously included me in their circle. When Dylan died, I pushed everyone away.” She directed her next comment at the camera. “I’ll ask each of you for forgiveness when I see you, and thank you for your support during our darkest hour.”

A deep breath later, she said, “Zack?”

She waited.

When he finally raised his head, his face and eyes were red.

She’d kept her composure this whole time, yet at seeing his tortured expression, it wavered. She fought to keep herself together as she continued. “The instant I heard your voice when you came to rescue me today, I realized I was no longer stuck because you were there. You are my way forward in this life. You always have been and you always will be. I have no right to ask, and if you refuse I’ll respect your decision, but I’m asking for another chance. I can’t promise I’ll always be sane. Yet, if Dylan’s life and death proved anything to me, it’s that I’ll always love you.”

Gemini, tears running down her face, ran over to him. “What do you say?”

His gaze had not left Sadie’s. He started toward her.

She stepped off the stage and met him halfway. He tenderly cupped her face and leaned toward her. She thought he was going to kiss her. Instead, he brushed his lips across her uninjured cheek and whispered soft enough that neither the microphones nor anyone else heard him say, “My life, my love, my reason for metamorphosis.”

A gut-bust laugh barked from her mouth. Absolute joy, like a ray of sunshine from Heaven, warmed her. She closed her eyes and let her tears flow. Not from sadness, not from despair.

From pure and utter love.

God, thank you for this man.

His lips captured hers. He picked her up and held her as they kissed. His unconditional love amazed her.

Her focus completely on Zack, she didn’t realize everyone was cheering until he broke the kiss and set her feet on the ground.

While she would forever miss Dylan, with Zack beside her, their life would be wonderful.

Gemini asked, “What did Zack tell you? We must know.”

Sadie only smiled. Those words had always been, and would always be, only for her.

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