[Remembrance, Indiana 01] • Donovan's Promise

Beth had spent half a lifetime loving Donovan Sinclair. Married in their teens, they’d gone through good times and bad. Raising a son, surviving time apart when Donovan joined the marines, they’d built a life together. Beth had believed she’d love Donovan forever but forever is a very long time.

Donovan couldn’t imagine a life without Beth. She’d been the center of his life, the reason he’d made it back from the war, the reason he’d worked so hard to build his career, to build a life for her and their son. Now, she was telling him that, somewhere in the drive to keep those promises, he’d lost sight of her, lost sight of them. She wanted to go off and build a new life, a life without him.

He’d promised to take care of her, to protect her, to love her forever. He just had to show Beth that the promises they’d made all those years ago were still worth keeping.

“The stupid part is - I still love you.” There was so much pain and anger in the words that it took Beth a moment to realize what he’d said.

They stared at each other, tension humming between them. Years of pain and anger both separated them and drew them together. She wasn’t sure just when Donovan took hold of her shoulders, anymore than she knew just how her hands had come to rest on his chest.

“I love you , too.” His mouth caught the sob that ended the vow. Beth’s hands slid up, her arms circling his neck, her fingers sliding into the thick, dark hair at his nape.

"Beth, Beth." His mouth slid down her neck, her name a prayer.

Originally published in 1988