BLURB
A delayed letter and a message from afar unite two hearts.
Recently widowed, Serena Gray battles the daily drama of the Emergency Room, as well as her grief. When a mysterious letter arrives, it raises questions about a past she’d only heard her beloved husband speak about.
While on hospital rounds, she sees a child’s brush with death and recounts a vivid dream that bears a message.
Will she risk happiness for the truth or keep a secret from the past?
EXCERPT
Serena unplugged her curling iron and finished her hair. The doorbell rang and she walked from the bedroom to the living room to let Adam inside. “Hi, come on in. I need to get my shoes and I’ll be ready.”
“Okay, I’ll wait right here.”
Adam kissed her and watched her bare feet take brisk steps to the hall. He ambled over to the fish tank and peeked in the glass at the Neon’s swimming, then sat down on the sofa. Adam glanced at the typed forms lying on the coffee table and remembered Serena mentioned trashing records. As he waited, his attention went to the handwritten letter resting on the sofa beside him. He looked away, not wanting to be nosy. Why does that writing seem familiar? Once more, his vision focused on the note. The signature that read “Katie” caught his eyes. Katie, Serena must have a friend with the same name.
Adam heard Serena make a noise and started to stand. He noticed the worn message again. The name Nicky seemed to jump off the page. It has to be a coincidence, can’t be my family. Before Adam considered his actions, he picked the letter up and began to read.
Serena tossed a pair of low heels in the closet and then tried on three pairs before deciding on wedge sandals. She walked into the living room and saw Adam standing rigid. She looked at his pasty white face. In an instant, she noticed his eyes narrowed to a slit. As Serena wondered what was wrong her gaze fell to his hand. He gripped the letter and ogled at her.
“Serena, what is this?” Adam’s words came out slow and controlled.
“Adam, let me explain.” Serena touched her throat and swallowed hard as she stared at Adam’s hand clenched to the letter.
“Really, this ought to be good!” Adam’s words echoed in the room. His nostril flared. “This is Katie’s writing, and she’s talking about our daughter.” Adam gritted his teeth “Where did you get this? Was Jason your husband?”
Serena wanted to cry, but she held her emotions back. “Adam, please set down and let me explain.”
“No, I’ll stand… you talk.” He nodded toward the note in his hand.
“Jason was my husband and Nicky’s real father. I’m sorry. I wanted to tell you, but I fell in love with you, and then I didn’t want to hurt you or Nicky. I was planning to tear the letter to shreds.” Serena’s voice was low and flat. She hugged her arms as she responded.
“So you’ve had this all along and didn’t bother to mention it,” he hissed.
“I didn’t know what to do. There was no reason to say anything” Serena slumped on the corner of the couch. “Both Jason and Katie are gone. You’re all that Nicky has left.”
Adam glared at Serena. “Am I to believe that this letter, you and I, our love…. It’s all coincidence.”
“Yes,” Serena shook her head. “I didn’t plan to meet you and I assure you my love is real.”
“Hah, I don’t know what’s true anymore.” Adam stepped back and put more distances between them. “You owe me a better explanation.”
Serena held her head up and looked at Adam. “The letter arrived months after Jason’s accident” She turned her head from Adam, and the stone-cold gawk she saw. “I put the envelope away and decided to forget about it.” Serena stepped closer to the sofa. “I moved to Greensboro because my mother has Alzheimer’s.”
She rubbed her forehead. “I can’t even begin to tell you how shocked I was the day I met Nicky at school, and then you.” She twisted her hands as she talked. “I wasn’t sure if you knew you weren’t Nicky’s biological father, and I saw how much she loves you. I didn’t want to stand in the way of the relationship you two have.”
Adam’s mind teetered with indecision, “sounds farfetched and doesn’t set well, if this is innocent you should have told me from the beginning.”
In one fast movement, Adam tossed the letter down and opened the front door, “Serena if you care anything for Nicky, you’ll keep this information to yourself. One day, I’m going to tell her everything, but I figure she’s entitled to grow up with a happy childhood. ”
Adam eyed Serena. “As for us, “I’ll not have a life with a woman who keeps things from me, never again.”
The door slammed. She squeezed her eyes tight in an effort to hold back the tears that flowed. Serena was sure she understood the way a wounded animal hurt as the sound of sobbing carried throughout the room.
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BIO:
Mary L. Ball is an inspirational author and lives in North Carolina.
In her books, Mary hopes to encourage people to see the wonder of love and a divine guidance.
When Mary isn’t working on her latest story, she enjoys fishing, reading, and singing with her husband at functions.
Web contacts
http://marylouwrites.weebly.com/
http://marylouwrites.weebly.com/-behind-every-story-blog
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Inspirational-author-Mary-L-Ball/200478210087932?ref=hl
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5934448.Mary_L_Balll
