Free Falling for Her Husband by Karen Erickson Page B

“There is no need for forgiveness. You did what you believed is right and I love you more for it.”
    She sagged against him, her face pressed close to his chest. “I’m so lucky to have the most understanding husband in the entire world, I swear.”
    Ignoring the wave of guilt slapping him in the face, he slipped his arms tight around her waist and squeezed her close. Held her like he was never going to let her go…
    And he didn’t plan to either.
    Amber let Vince hold her. She absorbed his strength, inhaled his scent and closed her eyes, reminding herself that her husband loved her so very much.
    So why couldn’t she ask him about the strange dreams she’d been having? And the even stranger conversation she had with her mother?
    She’d been plagued with dreams—nightmares, really—of her and Vince fighting. Of their voices rising with every angry word they hurled at each other until finally she always offers the same threat.
    I’m leaving. I want a divorce.
    Each time she woke up in a sweat, her heart racing, the panic consuming her. She’d lie there, her husband snuggled up close, and stare at the ceiling. Mentally telling herself it was all just a dream. The argument wasn’t real. She loved Vince and he loved her.
    The dreams lingered, though. Hung in the dark corners of her mind, making her feel like it was all too damn real. She tried her best to shove the awful thoughts away, but they felt too much like…
    Memories.
    When her mother called while she was on her way to physical therapy, they’d had a great conversation. Her mother had been full of guilt at first at not being able to leave and come see her, but how could she? Amber’s little brother and sister were in elementary school, Mom worked fulltime and Dad was in rehab. It would’ve been impossible. Amber was tired of the guilt and basically told her mother exactly that. Her mom totally agreed, then said something odd.
    I’m sure you and Vince feel the same way, right? Ridding yourselves of the guilt? I’m so glad to see the two of you have patched things up.
    She’d wanted to question Mom further, but then she changed the subject, launching into a long, wrung-out discussion about her dad. Not wanting to deviate, Amber let her mom get it all out. Her mom had no one else to talk to—everyone she knew was tired of pretending sympathy when really they wanted to yell at her to dump the loser once and for all.
    Amber knew this because she’d felt the same exact thing once or twice herself. It didn’t matter that the loser in question was her father. He did nothing but drag Mom down.
    But she didn’t seem to mind. She was loyal to a fault.
    All the rehabilitation Amber paid for was more for her mother than her father. Her mom deserved a better life than being married to a reckless drunk.
    During the return drive home she rehearsed it fifty different ways, how she should ask Vince about what her mom said. She’d come up with what she thought was a nonthreatening way to ask him and had fully planned on doing so the moment she got home.
    The comments she and her mom made about guilt had ate at her, though. She’d never admitted to her husband about her father’s drinking problem. No one knew outside of the family and what few friends her mom had. It was their dirty little secret, so it had felt good to unload on Vince. And he’d been so thoughtful, so understanding, she knew she’d done the right thing.
    That was why it was so hard to confront him about their past troubles. Troubles she didn’t recall and that left her completely frustrated. Vince was so attentive, so loving, she had a hard time wrapping her head around them having such problems that she would’ve spoke to her mom about it. That she would be having dreams about it.
    But there the hazy facts were, staring her in the face. It was hard to reconcile, but she needed to.
    “Vince,” she started, withdrawing from him slightly so she could meet his gaze. He studied her openly, his