Sarah's Prayer: A Sunset Single (Sunset Series 1.1) (8 page)

"I woke up in a hospital with everyone telling me what a hero I was. I saved some of my soldiers, but one of them died in the blast. I didn't bring everyone home alive. What kind of a hero is that? Anyway, the best I have to show for that experience is this." Michael leaned down and tapped his knuckles on his leg. The sound was sharp and hollow.

The sound shocked Sarah, but she did her best not to react. As a hospice social worker she had been exposed to far worse.

"I lost my lower left leg in the blast. The Army gave me some medals as a consolation prize on my way out the door. When I got home, my wife and family couldn't handle my injury." Michael's eyes grew misty. "I lost a lot, Sarah. I just want you to know who and what I am before we go too far."

Sarah sat for a minute absorbing what she had just learned. Physical characteristics were never a big deal for her. The fact that Michael had this injury didn't bother her nearly as much as how it affected him. "Michael, we are all wounded in some way. Some wounds are just more obvious than others." She unconsciously touched her scarred arm.

"It doesn't bother you that I'm crippled?"

"Until you told me just now, I really didn't know. So, you aren't 'crippled' in the least. You've overcome a disability, maybe, but you aren't crippled."

Michael let a tear slip from his eye and rubbed it away quickly. He couldn't speak. He reached his hand to her. She took it empathetically.

"I have a story I want to share with you too, Michael, to let you know why it's so difficult for me to trust men. You've overcome that barrier amazingly well, by the way, but I need to share the story with you." Sarah recounted the pain of her relationship with Brian and how her family confronted her.

Michael took particular interest in how Brian ended the relationship. "So he ended up in the ER with a broken arm and broke it off with you the next day?"

"That about sums it up, yes."

"Didn't you find that rather curious?"

"I was curious, but I didn't ask too many questions. I just took it as a sign that the relationship was over and felt relieved. To be honest, I didn't know how to face him and tell him it was over."

"Have you heard from him since?"

"Oh, he's sent me an apology email occasionally. Updates on how his life is going. How he went through therapy. He's sent me old pictures. He's never suggested we try to get back together. That would never happen. I think he just wanted me to know he was sorry for what he did."

"He doesn't deserve you, Sarah." Michael smiled warmly.

"Why, thank you Michael... So, what I said about all of
us being wounded. I may carry only small scars on the outside, but the ones on the inside have taken years to heal." She showed him the faded streaks on her arm.

"He did that to you?" Michael was visibly disturbed by what he saw. "How could anyone mistreat you like that? You're kind,
sweet and caring beyond words... You're the first person... first woman I've felt comfortable telling about my leg. You didn't even flinch when I said it. All I felt from you was... compassion. I can't tell you how much that means." Michael took a deep breath to hold his emotions in check.

"
It's okay, Michael." Sarah took back the hand that dropped away a moment ago and focused her attention on their intertwined fingers, while Michael silently poured out his feelings. Sarah knew that to look him in the eyes now would be a little too embarrassing for him.

After an increasingly comfortable minute of silence, Michael signaled that he'd regained his emotional balance. "Sarah, you are an amazing woman. How did I get so lucky to find you in place like Sunset, Texas?"

"God works in amazing ways, Michael." She smiled at him, signaling that she knew she also benefitted from the same luck Michael claimed for himself.

As their evening drew to a close, Sarah walked Michael to his truck. He reminded Sarah of her warning about their farewell. "So, you told me in your email that unless I objected, you were going to take the initiative and give me, and I quote, 'a long, lingering hug followed by a very affectionate kiss on the cheek.' I hereby announce no objections whatsoever."

It was Sarah's turn to blush and duck her head. "Well, I'm pleased. I'd be disappointed otherwise... Hold on, Michael. You're shoelace came untied."

"Wait, I'll..."

"No, please let me."

"But that's my..."

Sarah looked up and stared intently into Michael's eyes. "Yes, Michael. I know. That's your prosthetic leg. Please, let me tie it for you. It's okay."

Michael stood frozen in place as Sarah knelt down. She ran her hands lightly down the bottom of his leg, letting him know that she was neither afraid of nor repulsed by his prosthesis any more than he was afraid of her scars
, and tied his shoe securely. "There. That should hold, at least until you get home." She stood up to see a completely different look in Michael's eyes.

"Sarah. If you don't mind, I move that we suspend the hug and kiss rule for the next few minutes."

Sarah had the same feeling, but didn't have the strength of personality to say it out loud. Saying anything out loud was difficult right now. "I... second the motion, Michael."

"Motion carries." Michael reached up tenderly with both hands cradling Sarah's head, slowly leaned forward and kissed Sarah lightly. Knowing that she accepted his kiss with an invitation for another, he smiled.

They shared a long, lingering kiss that filled Sarah with a joy she had never before experienced. She put her head on Michael's shoulder and held him. Among the magnolia trees with the birds singing, Sarah cried. This time the tears were an overflow of happiness beyond her understanding.

"Sarah. You're crying. Was it... that bad?" Michael was profoundly confused.

She giggled. "Oh, heavens, no, Michael. It was the most wonderful thing I could ever imagine. I never knew a kiss could be that amazing."

"Then, why are you crying?"

"Because... for the first time in a long, long time... I'm really happy." She continued her hold on Michael until her flow of emotions subsided. Sarah looked into his eyes and smiled. "Do you think we could do that again? I promise not to cry this time."

"A gentleman never turns a lady down."

She didn't cry.

Chapter 9

Sarah knew she needed Gabe's approval before she progressed in her relationship with Michael. Gabriel had a very large protective streak when it came to family, especially after the Brian incident. She sent Gabe an email early Saturday morning to fill him on the details. She carefully included the fact that he was a gentleman, a believer and an A&M cadet. She included as much of Michael's military background as she knew.

Major Gabriel Newsome received the email from his sister on his cell phone during some downtime while "on the job." He couldn't share a lot of what his job entailed with friends or family and they didn't ask a lot of questions. Gabe didn't want to think about some of the things he did "in country" which meant not his country. An advantage of his job included the ability to find things out about people, especially people in the military.

Sarah's request didn't take long. Lieutenant Michael Bykowsky's name lit up like a flare in Gabe's brain. He knew this guy. Most of what he knew he could never tell Sarah. Not because of anything bad. Just the opposite, actually. No. Like Gabe, a lot of what "Bike" did could never be shared with the citizenry that soldiers like him kept free. What Gabe could share with Sarah was all good.

Sarah spent the morning cleaning and straightening her apartment. Not that it needed much since she was a compulsive neat freak. Halfway through cleaning the windows her cellphone rang. It was Gabe.

"Hey, brother. I didn't expect to hear from you so soon. You okay?"

"
Sure, sis. I guess you're doing well given your email this morning.
"

"Oh, that. I hope I am. Do you have anything to the contrary?"

"
Well, no. That's why I called. I know Mike Bykowsky. I can't tell you a lot, Sarah. Let's just say if I had to pick someone from my world for you to be with, he would be high on my list. Last time I knew about him, though, he was married. What happened?
"

"He divorced about two years ago. He hasn't talked a lot about that except that his ex-wife and his family had a hard time accepting his injury. He lost his lower leg in a blast overseas."

"
Yeah. Can't discuss the whole thing, but I can tell you this guy’s a genuine hero. The real deal. Got a silver star for that and they don't just pass those out for grins, sis. I give him a thumbs up.
"

"Thanks, Gabe. He seems great... I'll keep you posted on how it goes."

"
You deserve somebody who'll treat you like the queen you are, Sarah. He better treat you right.
"

"He will, Gabe. I just know it. So, tell me about your promotion. What does it mean for your career...
"

After talking with Gabe, Sarah lost interest in cleaning. She made a cup of tea and sat out on the porch. It was a humid, but comfortable morning in the shade. What Gabe told her about Michael's military career, what he could tell her, spoke volumes about Michael the man. The fact that he downplayed his heroism and honors told Sarah that Michael was humble. She could tell he still harbored some bitterness about losing his military career and sadness for losing a soldier under his command.
His self-consciousness about his leg? That she could understand. All in all, Michael was a kind, quiet and serious-minded guy. All qualities she adored in a man, but was he the right man?

Father, you know my heart and my needs. Not a week ago I said I would give up my anxiety about searching for the man of my dreams to fill the loneliness in my life and turn my life and my heart over to you. Now, Michael appears and in such a short time brings me a happiness I've never felt before. Please give me the patience and discernment to know if this is right. Let me be the blessing to Michael that he needs in his life to deal with his wounds... and his pain.

As Sarah sat, lost in thought in the peaceful yard, her cellphone chirped. It was a text message from Jen.

Hey
grl. Howz it on cloud 9? Call me.

Sarah dialed the number.
"Hey, Jen."

"
Hey, Sarah. I wanted to get the whole scoop.
"

"Oh, Jen.
It was wonderful. Michael is such a nice sweet guy. We had a great time together. He helped with the dishes, he even pulled out my chair when we sat down. How often does that happen?"

"
You need to rope him in, girl. He's a keeper. So, you think this is going to progress?
"

"Yeah, it is... For a minute there I had my doubts."

"
What do you mean?
"

"Well, when we sat down on the couch for dessert, I could tell something was bothering him. When he told me he had to be 'honest with me about some things' I just knew he was going to tell me he wasn't going to see me again. I think that was my insecurity talking, Jen."

"
Well, what happened?
"

"So, I asked him if something was bothering him.
Might as well take the offensive, right. That's what you told me."

"
You're a quick study, keep going.
"

Sarah paused. This was a lot more emotional for her than she realized. She recounted the conversation, every juicy detail about the happy ending last night and what she learned from Gabe punctuated by on occasional "
Oh my...
" or "
That poor man...
" and "
Wow...
" from Jen.

There was a heavy silence when Sarah ran out of emotion and narrative.

Jen ventured into the heaviness first. "
Sarah, I just have a question for you.
"

"Sure, Jen."

"
I'm not sayin' that Michael's necessarily the one or anything, but if the two of you lived happily ever after, are you okay being with a guy who'll have to get around the house on crutches part of the time?
"

Sarah's first response?
A flash of anger and defensiveness. "Why wouldn't I, Jen. I don't look at the surface of people. It's Michael's heart and soul I care about. I never knew he had a prosthetic leg until he told me. If he's the man God has for me, that won't matter, Jen."

"
Okay, okay. Settle down. I asked that intentionally. I knew that's what you'd say. I just wanted to hear it from you... Now that you've said it, do you want my nursing assessment of the situation?
" They were both accustomed to interdisciplinary input in their hospice cases, so Sarah had come to trust and value Jen's judgment.

"Sure..."

"
It's love.
"

Sarah didn't know how to respond.
"But, Jen. We just met. It's been a week..."

"
Well, he did try to meet you before, but... If God is in this, time doesn't matter.
"

"I guess you're right. I'm just trying not to get my hopes up."

"
That's appropriate. Like I told you, just enjoy this for what it is. Let things progress the way they're supposed to. My 'wingman' told me to slow down with Jake. She said he's like a cute little wild animal. If you're still and patient, he will come to you. Sarah, you're the most still and patient woman I've ever met.
"

Sarah had to smile at that. "Thanks, Jen. Michael is a quiet man with a lot of pain built up. I guess the steamroller approach just wouldn't work, would it?"

"
Heavens, no. Take it slow, but take it, sweetie. Now, about that kiss...
"