The Junkyard Boys (22 page)

Maxwell was a train wreck; most days, he and Range barely spoke to each other. We were all worried about him, but the more we pressed, the more he would lash out and then disappear for days without a word. I felt like we were losing him to the darkness, but Range still had hope his brother would return so they could be a family again.

As for myself, I could truly say I was happy for the first time in my life. I moved in with Range and the boys, much to Shelly’s dismay. After all this time, she still couldn’t let it go. It made no difference in my decision to move out. I loved Range and needed to be with him as much as I could. I never wanted to fall asleep again without him by my side, protecting me. After everything that happened, I thought he needed me too. Knowing I was safe and in his arms was the only way he could sleep soundly. This was our life now, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. Well…except maybe a guard dog instead of a guard cat. That’s right. We became the new parents to Pussy, and she fit right in, becoming the yard mascot and all around pain in the ass.

Yeah, I loved my life.

SH Richardson lives in Virginia Beach with her husband of twenty years and two children, ages eighteen and twenty four. She graduated from SUNY Plattsburgh with a BS in Criminal Justice with a minor in Sociology. She has five dogs and loves taking long walks on the beach, reading romance novels, and traveling.