Page 47 of Twisted Salvation
Arms wrap around my body, and I turn to direct my rage to whoever snuck up on me. I am quickly brought to the ground and pinned with my arms above my head. I yell, scream, and thrash my body to try to get out from under them. I can’t focus on anything but the panic. That is, until warm hands cup my face as I stay pinned to the ground. A gentle melody cuts through the rage and fear, letting me calm down.
When I realize that it’s Rose softly singing “You Are My Sunshine,” I start crying. I sang that song to her on repeat until the moment I handed her over. I’m sure Paul and Megan told her that, but it calms me just as fast as it did Rose when she was born.
“Come on, Mom, sing it with me,” Rose urges. I force myself to sing with her through broken cries. I realize I am no longerrestrained, so I sit up and wrap her in a hug. We continue to softly sing until I stop crying. When she pulls back, I realize Dominic and Matt are sitting with me.
“Dom! Matt!” I nearly scream as I throw myself into Dominic’s lap.
“I’ve got you,” he says as he pulls me to his chest to cradle me.
“Is he dead?” I ask after a moment.
“Oh yeah,” Naomi laughs. “He is dead.”
I turn, and my eyes go wide when I see what I have done. “Did I… Oh my God,” I say. “I don’t remember…”
“He grabbed my leg and pulled me down,” Rose says. “The second he got his hands around my throat, you started hitting him. He came at me so fast, but you weremuchfaster.”
“He killed Walter,” I say to Naomi. “Why… I don’t understand.”
“Let’s get you out of here, and we can talk, okay?” she says. I nod, and Dominic stands with me in his arms before carrying me upstairs and out of the house. Dozens of people are standing around, so he takes me to Naomi’s truck. I am wrapped in a blanket, sitting in Dominic’s lap with my legs across Matt. Rose is sitting beside Matt, also wrapped in a blanket.
“Where are her parents?” I ask Naomi when she gets into the front. Natalie and Trish are in the back behind us, but leaning forward.
“You are my parent,” Rose frowns at me.
“We are meeting them at the hotel,” Naomi says. “Rose, why did you do that? You could have been hurt.”
“Save it,” Rose says. “I’d do it again.”
“Like mother, like daughter,” Matt chuckles.
“Did I hear correctly that you two finally… I have to remind myself there is a child present,” I say, making Dominic smile.
“Yes,” he says. “About a month ago.”
“Tell them what you told me,” Rose says. I narrow my eyes at her, and she grins. “Tell them, or I will.”
“Tell us what?” Dominic asks.
“I… gave up,” I say. “I thought too much time had passed, and you all had moved on from me. Knowing you two connected worried me because… I’m replaceable.”
“Myra Rose Mercer,” Dominic scolds. “You are my wife… Shit, you are a wife to both of us. We love you so fucking much. We never stopped looking for you. We were not whole without you, and we never would have been. You are not replaceable. I don’t give a fuck what that asshole told you. Matt and I were able to connect because you gave us the courage. It was you who brought us together like that. You were the very first thing we mentioned after. No matter what we did or how much time passed, your absence hurt just the same. I don’t ever want to hear you say that again, do you understand me?”
“Yes,” I sigh.
“Not good enough. Say it,” he says.
“All of it? You said a lot,” I say.
“Myra. Say it,” he says again.
“I am not replaceable,” I say with a frown. “Happy?”
“No. Again,” he says.
“I am not replaceable,” I say with more firmness in my tone.
“Good girl,” he says before gently kissing me.
