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Ellie Abela’s life has been anything but easy. Tragedy follows her where ever she goes, and she’s been a lot of places. At twenty she’s lived in over ten different states, all because of her dad’s career in medical research. His career is just another list of the causes of tragedies in El’s life. He’s dying, and with every breath he takes closer to Heaven, Ellie dies a little bit inside too.
At twelve she lost her mom in a drunk driving accident, and in a matter of months she fears she’ll lose the last person she has in the world to cancer. While Ellie’s life has been rife with sadness, Trent Wentworth’s has been a challenge. A drug-addicted mom and a dead-beat dad meant at twenty three he was the adoptive father of his two year old sister. Now at twenty five he’s working his way up the corporate ladder and a struggling single parent. Each is searching for a cure to the things in their lives dragging them down. Not all cures are black and white; not all cures save us–and sometimes saving isn’t what we need. Sometimes we just need to realize how lucky we are to be alive, at least for this moment.
I slipped into class late, and Morgan narrowed her eyes at me. I signaled for her to keep quiet as I took a seat behind her. I tried to concentrate on the class, but my mind kept wandering to Trent and how he was doing at work. My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I pulled it out beneath the desk.
Missed Call - Dad 9:00AM
I swallowed, my hair forming a curtain so the professor couldn't see what I was doing. I must have missed his call while I was driving over. My blood pounded through my ears. He knew my schedule. I flicked my finger across the screen as another missed call showed.
Missed Call - Hospital 10:10 AM
The hospital called.
The phone shook in my hand.
The hospital called.
My body numbed as I stood, my books falling to the floor. Morgan's eyes met mine.
"El--?"
I shook my head as my vision blurred, my chest heaving.
The hospital.
Fuck.
I thought we were past this--past me having to keep my phone ringer on.
"El!" Morgan called at my back as I grabbed my bag off the floor. It was caught on the desk.
"God damn it!" I swore as I yanked at it.
The tears were streaming down my face as my chest hammered so hard it made it impossible to breathe.
Was I breathing?
"Ellie!" Morgan grabbed my shaking hands, lifting the desk so the bag pulled free. "What's wrong?"
Everything.
Every fucking thing.
I shook my head rapidly as I turned, rushing out the door and running to my car. I paused at it, my chest rising rapidly as my fingers shook over the screen of my cell phone.
Call. Hospital.
"Paul Abela," I whispered. "I don't know what room."
"One moment," the operator said.
I slipped into the car, putting my head against the steering wheel as my whole body trembled.
"Hey, princess," Dad's voice came over the line, and I thought I might faint.
"Daddy?" I gasped, choking on the name.
He could speak.
He's speaking.
"Can you skip class today? I need you to come to the hospital and speak with the doctor and I," he said and his voice was flat, devoid of emotion.
I knew he was holding something back. Something he wanted to tell me this morning.
"Yes," I choked.
"El--don't drive like an asshole. Nothing is going to change no matter how fast you drive," he said.
I grit my teeth. "Yes."
Lights – Toes
Our Last Night – The Heart Wants What the Heart Wants
Our Last Night – Stay
Our Last Night – Dark Horse
Hands like Houses – I Am
Fit for a King – Descendants (Full Album)
Maroon 5 – Sugar
For Today – Break the Cycle (Featuring Matty Mullins)
Legend – Four Horseman
Breathe Carolina – Sellouts (Featuring Danny Worsnop)
Cassandra doesn’t remember a time when she wasn’t writing. In fact, the first time she was published was when she was seven years old and won a contest to be published in an American Girl Doll novel. Since then Cassandra has written more novels than she can count and put just as many in the circular bin. Her personal goal with her writing is to show the reader the character’s stories through their dialogue and actions instead of just telling the reader what is happening. Besides being a writer, Cassandra is a professional photographer known for her automotive, nature and architectural shots. She is happily married to the man of her dreams and they live in the rolling hills of New England their dogs, Bubski and Kanga. Cassandra Giovanni is published by Show n’ot Tell Publishing based out of Connecticut, USA.
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