Hero
I COULDN’T BELIEVE what had happened in such a short amount of time. I’d just become okay with him being a jerk and leaving my life. Okay might be a loosely used term, but I’d accepted it. Now, holding his backpack, I was scared to see what was in there. Grammy had fallen asleep. I would be yelling at her later for her little stunt. However, I wasn’t going to be bothered by anyone.
I put my earbuds in as George Strait’s “I Cross My Heart” floated through the wires. It was fitting for that particular song to come on. It reminded me of Ranger every time I heard it. I opened the bag and there were two shoeboxes. I carefully removed the lid from the first and inside seated in a row were letters. My hands trembled as I thumbed through them. They’re addressed to me. From Ranger.
I didn’t know if I wanted to read them, but this was Ranger. My first and only love. The man I thought I would marry and have children with. Deep down, I knew he was still the one but could my heart and mind handle what was written on these pages? I opened it, and his horrendous handwriting was scrawled across the pages.
He talked about his love for me, how much he missed me, a possible ranch in Texas, and our future. Page after page, letter after letter, it was all the same until the last one. He questioned why I hadn’t written him. He wanted to know why Garrison was living on the ranch. I could feel his hurt and pain through the pages and my tears flowed faster. I pulled my earbuds out and went into the bathroom to compose myself.
“Child, why are you crying?” Grammy’s soft voice interrupted my sob through the door.
I opened the door and hugged her. He loved me. He never stopped. He was right when he said we wasted a decade apart.
Grammy guided me over to the hospital bed and we sat on the side of it. “Hero, talk to me.”
I wiped my cheeks free of the tears and took a couple deep breaths. I told her about Ranger taking me to get something to eat, what he told me, and the letters.
“That Jacob has always been a stubborn weed in a beautiful garden.”
I agreed with her.
“Now, I hate to say I told you so, but I love telling you I told you so.”
I rolled my eyes and shook my head at her. “Hey, old lady, don’t you realize ten years have passed?”
“But you’re both still alive and in love. Sometimes you have to be apart to realize how strong the bond of love is.”
“Having you been memorizing Hallmark cards?” I joked with her.
“Not recently.” She quipped back. “Hero.” Her voice turned serious. “You and Ranger are two halves of one soul. He needs you as much as you need him. Don’t go through life with any regrets, especially one involving your soulmate.” She kissed my forehead. “Go find him.”
“It’s almost dawn and I’m not sure what his room number is at the hotel.”
“Go find him, child. You know exactly where to look.” She pushed on my shoulder. “Go now.”
I wanted to argue with her, but at the same time, I had to tell Ranger my feelings. I kiss Grammy on the cheek and tell her I’ll be back later. I grab my phone and my purse and raced out to my truck.
First, I go to the hotel, but I don’t see his truck anywhere. Then I drove by all the restaurants that were still open but still nothing. I even went passed Jacob’s house, but I couldn’t find Ranger anywhere. Then it hit me to check our ranch. I quickly drove down our dirt road until I reached the house.
His truck was parked close to the house, and it caused my heart to pound out of my chest. I ran to the barn, but he wasn’t there. I checked the house and there wasn’t any sign of him.
I gasped. “The pond.”
I bolted out of the house and raced to the back of the property to find him. The night sky began to fade as the pinks, reds, and oranges began to peek through. The soft sky lit the path and as the pond came into view, I could see Ranger’s legs stretched out as he rested against the tree.
I stopped and studied him. He looked peaceful with his legs crossed at the ankles. I approached slowly as not to startle him. I bent down and brushed a strand of hair off his forehead. He jerked awake.
“It’s me, Ranger.” I quickly calmed him. “It’s just me.”
“Hero.” He seemed confused by his surroundings and scrubbed his face for a second. “What time is it?”
“It’s either super late or really early.” I teased.
He chuckled.
“What are you doing here?”
“I had to talk to Garrison.” He nodded to the pond.
I sat down next to him as we both looked at the pond. I had spread Garrison’s ashes out here because I knew how much he loved the outdoors. “Did you two have a good conversation?”
“We did. I apologized for being a crappy brother.”
“You weren’t and he knew that. He looked up to you a lot, Ranger. He was so proud of all your accomplishments.”
“But we weren’t as close as we should have been.”
“He loved you and you were close.”
We fell into silence as the music of crickets, birds, and the ranch animals began to wake up with the rising sun.
“Did you read them?” His voice cracked.
“I did.”
“I never stopped loving you.”
I let his words sink deeply into my heart and soul. Those are words I had dreamt of hearing many times and now he said them. In real life.
“I like Texas.” I turned and faced him.
“Huh?”
“You talked about getting a ranch. I like Texas.”
His green eyes grew brighter. He moved faster than I could blink, and his lips were on mine. I fell back from the force of him covering my body with his and for the first time in a long time, I felt complete.
“I love you, Hero.” He stroked my face with the back of his hand.
“I love you, Ranger.” I smiled brightly as he kissed me again.
Ten years may have passed with sadness and heartache, but our future would be bright and full of love.