On the Edge of Night

When Mandy Golden fled her third abusive husband, Jake, whom she planned to divorce before his kidney failure diagnosis, she escaped a 34-year captor and two psychotic hypocritical adult daughters, who excelled at threatening their mother with abandonment. Hell is living in a house of hate. Courage to escape at any age is admirable. Courage at an advanced age is miraculous. Hell began with Mandy's father reenlisting in the Air Force for the Korean War and crashing into a mountain with his bombing crew. Her mother called her "a liability." Heaven came with final flight from husband number three and entwinement with Rex and his world. The interim sixty-two years were fraught with perils, abusive husbands, physical damage, mental anguish, and spiritual searching. Personal successes sustained her as a beauty queen, symphony orchestra player, business maven, airplane pilot and mother of two daughters.There are those who fear Native American Spirit Guides. Even members of the immediate family may look askance at the gift, especially those who do not recognize, or refuse to comprehend the nature of a spirit-child. Mandy was one-eighth Cherokee, descended from those who had the rare quality of seeing near real time visions and psychic premonitions that came true. Two husbands broke 47 bones. One purposely ran over her with a boat trailer. Doctors expected Jake to die within a year from kidney failure diagnosis, but he cheated death so often, death quit trying. Jake called from Abilene to Dallas crying about his prognosis, no money, and nowhere to go. Intended as a one-year reprieve, Mandy compassionately promised to care for him until death. He is 14 years past his expiration date. Jake took the master bedroom and moved her out. She drove him to dialysis thrice weekly, but on his schedule. She lost a small fortune on medical bills. She suffers daily verbal abuse. Marvel at her endurance and humanity. How will Mandy escape? Where will she go? Mandy survived cancer, heart attack, and losing three babies in her twenties. Two husbands threatened her at gunpoint. How much pain can one woman endure? Pain-filled abusive relationships, unrequited desires, and unrealized dreams drove her to escape to Rex, her teenage romantic interest. After neglecting her ills, can doctors mend her?Friends and relatives cast aspersions. She is after his money. Time for a senility test. How can old wrinkled people act like teenagers? How much conflict can aging lovers stand? In Texas, finding true love is like drilling for oil. Dry holes first. Real love is like a gusher-powerful, sustainable, and transcendent. They finally tapped that deep hidden reservoir.Told through phone conversations, texts, and email, When Sunsets Glow breaks new ground in terms of social correspondence, finding a lost love after fifty years, verbally assaulted by her daughters who opposed her leaving their stepfather, and escaping an abusive marriage.