Page 94 of Blackout: Book Two

“And even more in love when they saw her for the first time,” I whispered.

His eyes snapped up and met mine instantly and I’ll never forget the way he looked at me as I made my way towards them. There was so much hope in those sad eyes of his. So much love. At our worst times, I thought love wasn’t enough, but he showed me it was all I ever needed.

Lithium wasn’t the crutch.

It wasn’t my savior.

Blackie’s love was.

Just as the switch flipped taking me away from my daughter, it flipped bringing me back to her. I wasn’t afraid to touch her or to hold her. I wasn’t afraid of loving her. The only thing I was afraid of was that she forgot me.

I don’t know if Blackie sensed this or what, but he placed our daughter in my arms, and everything fell into place. The love I have for Jacqueline can’t be extinguished. It’s meant to burn wild and free so when I’m gone, she always knows her mother loved her more than the moon and the stars.

Depression is no joke, people.

It will tear you apart and make you doubt everything.

It’s a silent killer.

Not everyone is as lucky as I am. My husband went to rehab because a judge forced him to, but he came out a better man. One who not only saved himself but the man who saved his family. We’ll always be the girl who battles depression and the older man who struggles with addiction, but we’re Leather and Lace and we’ve got hope.

Not every fairy tale is a tragic love story.

But sometimes you have to navigate Hell to find Heaven.

The End

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