Page 35 of Road to Absolution

CHAPTER 9

Awakening to the Truth

MAVERICK

A restraining yet peaceful darkness is what I woke to. Everything was black until I started registering sounds, each one appearing like glimpses of light. Different colors danced in front of my blind eyes. They were blind because they couldn’t open, but my sight was like it had never been before.

Somehow, I knew there was a light I wanted to see, feel, more than any other. I knew the sight—the sensation—would be like hearing a melody… Crazy love.

I didn’t even comprehend I had a body when my soul reached out… “Lilah.”

My lungs filled with air when I heard, “M-Maverick?”

Inhale… “My wife.”

“Oh my God.”

Exhale… “I love you.”

Bright light whited out all around me as I felt her touching me, holding me, kissing every part of me her precious lips could find.

I bathed in the light… “Crazy love.”

She was crying but it sounded heavenly. “You came back to me.”

I bathed in her love… “Anything you want.”

Her groans and desperation began to wake the man in me. “Lilah? You okay?”

Tears landed on my face as her lips kept kissing mine. “I just missed you so much, Mr. Hutton.”

Deep inhale… I could feel my face smile. “Where did I go, Mrs. Hutton?”

“Too. Far. Too far.” Kiss. Kiss. “But you’re back now.”

Exhale… My smile deepened, to the point I felt it spread all over my body. “Did you really believe I could stay away?” Why does my voice sound like sandpaper?

Pressing her forehead to mine, she shook through cries that were so heartfelt, my soul tried to cradle hers. It was unusually hard to lift my arms, something that also felt foreign, but I demanded they hold… my wife.

Hungry hands gripped at my shoulders, arms, back, anywhere they could grab. She sobbed, “I’ve been needing this, so bad.”

My eyes had yet to open, but there was no need for them to. All I needed to see was right in front of me. “Babe, you smell so good, I could eat you alive.”

Her hands tightened on me. “Do it. I’m all yours.”

Moving my head to rub against hers, I sighed, “That’s my girl.”

I didn’t know why, but she started crying harder. “Yes. Yes, I’m your girl.”

Sneakers, squeaking on hard flooring, had me trying to open my eyes for the first time. Then I felt a strong hold on my shoulder. “Brother, a doctor is coming.”

Not sure why I needed a doctor, I moved a hand from Lilah’s back, blindly searching the air since my eyes had yet to cooperate with me.

Palms smacked as Tuck took hold. He pulled the joined hands to his chest. “Motherfucker, you scared the shit out of me.”

I was still in a mystical bliss. “You missed your Love Bug?”

Against my chest, Lilah sobbed harder. “Maaaaaverick!”