I crack open the box and remove the ring. She never looks at it. I know she doesn’t give a shit about a ring, but I do. I want there to be no question she’s mine and well taken care of. I grab her left hand off my abs and slide the ring on her finger and wait for her reaction. After a moment she finally looks down and sits straight up grabbing her left hand with her right.
“What the fuck is this?!” she screeches.
“A ring,” I say nonchalantly.
“No Kel, this is not a ring. This is a fucking skating rink. I’ll need a crane to lift my hand!”
I have gone completely overboard with the ring, I’m aware of this. It’s a little over ten carats (cushion cut whatever the fuck that means) with smaller diamonds around it and down the sides of the slim setting. It covers her finger almost knuckle to knuckle. Yeah, no one will question whether she’s taken, not ever again. She can flirt and smile at guys all she wants now.
“Kav told me I had to get you a moon sized rock and propose at Super Bowl half time. I figured I better get half of the equation right. I asked your dads’ permission too. And all your brothers and Karl and Thomas and fuckin’ Cooper and Kieran and Butch and Rodger. Maggie and Mary were cryin’ too hard to answer.”
A lone tear drops from her eye and I sit up to quickly wipe it away.
“Don’t cry Kiddo,” I soothe. She never cries and it makes my stomach churn when she does.
“I love you so much. You asked everyone?” she questions her emerald eyes glistening.
“I asked everyone.”
“I’ll wear this horrible monstrous ring every day with pride, Dylan Kellerman. You’re the only man in this world that would share me with my family and love me more because of them. I hit the jackpot with you,” she finishes with a soft kiss on my lips.
“I’ll never have to be a caveman again as long as that thing’s on your finger,” I explain pulling her back down to the bed.
“I love you, Kiddo,” I murmur into her hair.
She gazes up at me and I see it. There’s nothing left behind her eyes other than radiance shining brightly. The blackness is gone. Only light awaits us.
Kieran’s story is coming Summer 2014. Follow me at one of the links below to keep up to date with my newest projects.
www.normajeannekarlsson.com
https://twitter.com/NormaJKarlsson
www.facebook.com/AuthorNormaJeanneKarlsson
www.goodreads.com/normajeannekarlsson
To my husband…it’s difficult to find the words. You are the rock in my life that grounds me at each and every turn. Without you none of this would be possible. I never knew that love and partnership existed the way that it does with you and I take not one day for granted now that I have it. I love you more with every breath that I take. Thank you…for everything.
To my children. As we struggle through two of your special needs, I am in awe of your perseverance and fight. To my typically developing son, I fear you are sometimes left in the shadows as we struggle to push your brothers forward. But it never fails that you’re always right in step trying to push them even harder. I am blown away at your capacity to love, and the acceptance you have for the difficulties of your brothers. Being a mother is my greatest triumph and I’m beyond rewarded watching you each grow and learn. The three of you are my finest accomplishment in life.
To my mother. Thank you for showering me with unconditional love. I write what I know and I know what I do about motherly love because of you. You’ve been at my side as I’ve struggled and fought for my children and without you I wouldn’t be where I am with them today. You’ve given me the hope of a better life and a better future for myself and my children because you fought when most people quit. Thank you for teaching me to fight when all seems lost. Love, love, love you!
To Chris. I’m able to write these stories because of you. You taught me what friendship and loyalty are fifteen years ago and I carry that with me closer to my heart now that I’m an ocean away from you. I treasure each and every moment we’ve spent in each other’s lives. Without you I wouldn’t have had the strength to have pushed through the loss that has touched my life. You pulled me from my own blackness and I am forever indebted to you for that. Best friend isn’t a title that suits what you are in my life. You are a piece of my heart that burns brightly every day. I love you dearly.
To Ellie. You are amazing. Your talent stuns me more every time you unveil something you’ve created. Whether we’re talking about scars and naked bodies or the benefits of whiskey over Valium, I enjoy every conversation. You have become my friend beyond my remarkable cover artist. Thank you for being a sounding board to my crazy and the filter to my ridiculous lack of imagination. I can’t wait to see where we go next.
To Amanda. As a writer you always hope to find an editor that gets you…and damn if you don’t get me. You have inspired me to surge forward when my writing fight was beginning to wane. The honesty you’ve provided has warmed my soul and challenged my brain. Thank you for pushing me to continue to create and loving my characters as much as I do. I think after a three and a half hour conversation I fell in love with you a little bit. Here’s to creating more books together and a friendship that will stand the test of time.
To Vicky and Ruth. You ladies are brilliant! You have lifted my spirits here in Belfast when I was down and homesick. I don’t think I could have written Blackness Awaits if it wasn’t for you two and our never ending coffees (I blame you for my new addiction) and conversations. I’m thankful to have met you both and cherish our time together.
To the bloggers and reviewers. Thank you for your time and your words, even the negative ones. It’s criticism and praise that challenge and reward me in this journey. Without you Blackness Takes Over would never have gotten to where it is. I hope those of you that love where I began will continue to enjoy where I go.
To the readers and fans. Is it possible to love people you’ve never met or spoken to? I think I do! The words of thanks and support you have offered have stuck with me like a chorus in the background every day. I could not and would not have written Blackness Awaits without you all rallying around me. The emails and messages you have sent have made me laugh and smile. To those of you that have found inspiration and strength from Shannon and her boys I can’t begin to tell you how rewarding that is for me. As long as I have you I will continue to tell the stories of strong women that fight and conquer. I can only hope that Blackness Awaits entertains and invigorates all of you as much as Blackness Takes Over did. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
If you or someone you know has been the victim of a violent crime please contact your local authorities. Minority groups in particular are at higher risk for being silent victims, please don’t suffer in silence. If you are unsure who to contact, call one of the national hotlines listed below and they will get you in contact with the appropriate resources.
In the United States
The National Domestic
Violence Hotline
1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
1-800-787-3224 (TTY)
http://www.thehotline.org/
The National Sexual
Assault Hotline
1-800-656-HOPE
https://ohl.rainn.org/online/
In the United Kingdom and Ireland
English National Domestic Violence Helpline
0808 2000 247
www.nationaldomesticviolencehelpline.org.uk
Wales Domestic Abuse Helpline
0808 80 10 800
http://www.allwaleshelpline.org.uk/
Women’s Aid Federation (Northern Ireland)
0800 917 1414
www.womensaidni.org
Women’s Aid
(Republic of Ireland)
1800 341 900
http://www.womensaid.ie/
Scottish Women’s Aid
0800 027 1234
www.scottishwomensaid.org.uk
Men’s Advice Line
0808 801 0327
w
ww.mensadviceline.org.uk
Broken Rainbow
(for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people)
0300 999 5428
www.broken-rainbow.org.uk
In Australia
1800RESPECT
National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service
1800 737 732
https://www.1800respect.org.au/
MensLine Australia
1300 78 99 78
http://www.mensline.org.au
In New Zealand
Women’s Refuge
(Domestic Violence Helpline)
0800 REFUGE (733 843)
https://womensrefuge.org.nz
Rape Prevention Education
09 360 4001
http://www.rpe.org.nz/
OUTLineNZ
(Supporting the rainbow community)
0800 OUTLINE (6885463)
http://www.outline.org.nz/
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