For the Love of Glory
When I think back on these times
and the dreams we left behind.
I'll be glad 'cause I was blessed
To get to have you in my life
When I look back on these days
I'll look and see your face
You were right there for me
In my dreams
I'll always see you soar above the sky
In my heart there will always be
a place for you for all my life
I'll keep a part of you with me
And everywhere I am,
there you'll be
Well you showed me how to feel,
feel the the sky was in my reach
And I always will remember
all the strength you gave to me
Your love made me make it through
Oh, I owe so much to you
You were right there for me
In my dreams
I'll always see you soar above the sky
In my heart there will always be
a place for you For all my life
I'll keep a part of you with me
And everywhere I am,
there you ll be
'Cause I always saw in you my light,
my strength
And I want to thank you now
For all the ways
You were right there for me
In my dreams
I'll always see you soar above the sky
In my heart there will always be
a place for you for all my life
I'll keep a part of you with me
And everywhere I am,
there you ll be
----THERE YOU'LL BE -- artist-FAITH HILL
Prologue
The day that Glory left him….
The house was dark and the sun had set. The truth was sinking in at last as Kyle sat in the darkened basement room, a lit cigarette in one hand and a half-empty bottle of lukewarm beer in the other, making little effort to actually drink or smoke. It simply kept his hands occupied. He didn't feel like doing anything at all. It was so unfair. His breathing coming automatically, whether he thought about it or not; his heart continued to beat. Hers now silent and still. How was he supposed to get up in the morning and get on with his life? How was he supposed to go on without her?
Glory was the strongest woman he'd ever met, she took crap off of no one, and he'd never been prouder of her than when she'd stood with Josie against the mine. Despite the betrayal of her body as her muscles failed to function one at a time, each day losing ground, who she was inside never changed; and who she was inside was why he loved her so much. Staying strong for her had been one of the hardest and yet the easiest things he'd ever done.
It had been hard to stand by, day by day and watch her body fail her, helpless to do anything but watch the disease steal her away from him bit by bit, but it was so easy to be there for her, to care for her, take care of her needs, there was no place else he'd rather be. His place was at her side.
She had faced it all with grace and a sense of humor, although there wasn't a single thing amusing about what was happening to her. His wife was gone now, they'd come and taken her this afternoon. She hadn't wanted to die in the hospital. So she had been here at home instead. He'd not objected not wanting to share her remaining time with strangers.
It had been hard to let her go, his hot tears soaking into her hair as she drifted away peacefully, the muscles that controlled her breathing finally failing along with all the others. He held her close to him; his body wrapped around hers. Knowing that she was gone as he felt the warmth leave her body.
He'd somehow managed to make the call to Josie, to let her know Glory was gone, and she and Bill came right away. But the other calls, Josie had taken over, he'd been unable, unwilling to make the calls that would take her away from him. He was grateful, but they'd also understood his need to be alone for a while. After making him promise to call if he needed anything they left as well.
If he needed anything, he needed Glory, The one thing he'd never have again. The heat of her body in his arms as they snuggled in the night, the sound of her voice before the disease claimed it. Everything in the house screamed her presence and he'd never felt more alone. He retreated to the basement, his space, his haven, where for a while he could pretend that she'd be home later, she'd call out to him for something. That she wasn't really gone.
He'd held on and held back for months, so she wouldn't worry about him. But she was gone, he didn't have to worry anymore about losing his control. He stubbed out his cigarette and tipped up the beer bottle, and drained every drop. And deep down he knew that she'd understand. The biggest part of his heart had died with her. He let it all go, the bottle shattering against the basement door, the rage at disease, the fear of living without her and the frustration at not being able to do anything to stop it.
Trying to rationalize that her disease ravaged body was finally at rest did nothing to diminish the fierce torrent of grief that washed over him. His sobbing cries erupted from the depths of his soul as he sank to his knees on the basement floor, hugging his arms to himself as he cried out her name over and over again. The only one capable of comforting him was gone….forever.
~*~*~*
CHAPTER ONE
Three months later….
A Sunday afternoon
Denver, Colorado.
Leah Petersen slammed the trunk of her car shut. That should be everything. She didn't own much. She had no choice, it was now or never time. If she didn't go now she didn't know when another opportunity would present itself. She had to get away from him, and as far she could see this was her best chance.
He was in jail for brawling in the bar again, and she had no intention of being here when he got out tomorrow. Being locked up always put him in a mood. Usually violent, with her on the receiving end of his fist.
The time had come at last, she was leaving him. It wasn't like she was married to him. Legally, she was free to go any time she wanted, but Jake never thought she'd get up the guts to do it, that he had her under his thumb permanently, his own personal punching bag.
She'd put up with his mental and physical abuse for the better part of the last year, too afraid of him to get out of the abusive relationship. After losing the baby over a month ago, she had bided her time just waiting for the right moment to escape him.
Losing her baby—it wasn't exactly like she'd lost it. He'd taken it from her, like he'd taken everything else. Her pride and self-esteem were practically non-existent. And she had taken his humiliating abuse, but when he took the innocent life of their unborn child it was the final straw.
He'd flown into a rage when she told him she was pregnant. He demanded she have an abortion and when she'd refused he'd taken care of it himself. She was certain the doctors hadn't bought Jake's story that she fell down a flight of stairs but without her testimony they couldn't prove anything. She was far too afraid of him to tell the truth. There had been no stairs involved at all.
The long gash on her forehead had come from her impact with the corner of the dresser in the bedroom, and by that point even if she wasn't already unable defend herself she wouldn't have been able to stop him anyway. She knew from past experience that fighting back against Jake only intensified his fury and increased the damage he did to her.
The vaginal bleeding from her miscarriage was the direct result his repeated kicks to her belly. Social Services had sent a domestic violence counselor, but she backed Jake's story about the fall, afraid he'd kill her if she told the truth.
She would have gone as soon as she got out of the hospital, but Jake was a suspicious son of a bitch, and he kept too close a watch on her. It didn't matter anyway, over the course of their relationship he had steadily driven her few friends away.
The only acquaintances she had anymore were Jake's scummy drinking buddies and from what she'd seen of them, Jake was cream of that crop. So she had no one at all to turn to, as she began her plan to go back home.
Little by little, she prepared to make her escape. She squirreled away money, a dollar here and there, filled mason jars with loose change. Not enough for Jake to notice, and it wasn't a lot, but as long as the car didn't break down she could make back home to Minnesota.
She had enough for cheap meals, gas and one night's hotel stay (in something low budget of course) and maybe a little left over if she was really careful. It had taken her six weeks to get up the money. Almost a hundred and fifty dollars. Plus, the money he'd given her on Friday to buy the next weeks groceries. Instead, the moment she'd found out he was in jail again she'd filled the car's tank and if she had calculated right that would get her a third of the way there.
She threw together her few belongings and here she was ready to go. She headed south toward the interstate. She only hoped she still had a home to go to when she got there. She hadn't seen or heard from her family in almost two years. Whether she actually had a home waiting for her there or not, it didn't matter. She was not going back to face another day in the hell she was leaving.
Fifteen minutes later she was heading east on Interstate 80 heading toward Des Moines where she would change to Interstate 35 heading north toward home.
~*~*~
