A Gift For Sarah

By R. A. Rios

2019 Re-Release

After hearing the bad news Bill decides to give his wife since high school one last gift. But this gift cannot be just any ordinary gift, as it must be an everlasting gift that will last the test of time!
Bill’s love for Sarah is very evident from the start. While Bill relates his story of his past present and future you will begin to not only sympathize with Bill but even relate to his troubles and pain.
We will share and experience with him, life’s highs and lows, his good times and bad, his fears and sorrows as well as all the joys and happiness that he and Sarah shared together. You will experience how he felt about the music that they both loved and shared with others. Prepare yourself for a journey that you will not soon forget!
Thru Bill's eyes we will follow him on his trip into the past, present and future and when you are done, you will be sure to carry a little bit of Bill with you!
We invite you to share with us this extraordinary journey into the life and death of Bill Modeen

• Language: English
• Publisher: R. A. Rios
• Release date: Apr 29, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370037322

R. A. Rios

R. A. Rios was born in the state of Colorado. His ancestral roots vary from Spain and France to Early America. R. A. Rios grew up in and around Colorado and California from the hustle of the big city in Denver to the farming community in Pueblo then to various cities in and around California.A prolific story teller from early on, his characters have blossomed as they now leap off the pages through written words.While testing the waters of different trades his zeal has always been and always will be the characters in his dreams.Through his travels from The Bronx of New York City to Colorado then to the West Coast and the experience's he encountered only adds to the enjoyment to his stories.Growing up across America Robert was strongly influenced as a story teller by what he saw and experienced. He often has made up elaborate stories and characters from life's experience's.As a boy he was moved around a lot from the City life in New York City to living on the farms in Colorado.All this helped him to develop his ability as a story teller.After a near death experience in 2010 Robert started to write down some of his stories.It has been said regarding his work, that his style is unique but then again we are all unique in our own way.

Book preview

A Gift for Sarah

By

R. A. Rios

Copyright © 2017 by R.A. Rios

All Rights Reserved

2020 Revision

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1 Do Not Give UP

Chapter 2 I'm Going to Make Her Mine, All Mine

Chapter 3 I Just Can't Tell Sarah

Chapter 4 The Beach

Chapter 5 Don't Tell Sarah

Chapter 6 Good Old Day

Chapter 7 I'm Really Scared

Chapter 8 Trip to Napa Valley

Chapter 9 A Gift For Sarah

Chapter 10 Bill it's Time

Chapter 11 Good Bye Mr. Modeen

Synopsis

Dedication

This book is a dedicated to Mom and Dad and my little sister Patsy who paid the price for this terrible disease!

Introduction

The inception of Bill Modeen was brought to life by the personal experience of the loss of two dear loved ones due to this terrible disease. Each year hundreds of thousands of men women and children give up their lives to one of this world’s number one killer…cancer!

Leaving many families in shambles as they struggle to deal with the whys and what ifs!

While Bill’s story is fictitious this story is an attempt to bring the struggle of those who suffer into focus as there is more to these suffers than the shell that is left behind after the disease has taken their zest for life. They all have a story to tell, they all have their joys and happiness as well as their pain and sorrows…and this is Bill’s story!

We invite you to follow along, from Bills first discovery of his condition and the trials of his judgment, to his very end as he carries the burden of his decision to not tell his beloved wife Sarah about his dire situation! Bill's story is not new as it is one that has been lived and played out by millions of men, women and children. What makes his story unique is that in these few short pages; we will follow Bill from his youth to his death.

We will share and experience with him, life’s highs and lows, his good times and bad, his fears and sorrows as well as all the joys and happiness that he and Sarah shared together. You will experience how he felt about the music that they both loved and shared with others. Prepare yourself for a journey that you will not soon forget! Thru Bill's eyes we will follow him on his trip into the past, present and future and when you are done, you will be sure to carry a little bit of Bill with you! We invite you to share with us this extraordinary journey into the life and death of Bill Modeen!

CHAPTER 1

Do Not Give Up

It may have been in the middle of the afternoon yet down below within the confines of this very dense forest it barely seemed like twilight! The occasional brisk cool breeze that whistled through the underbrush giving way to my imagination caused the hair on the back of my neck stand on end! I had been running hard all that morning in my attempts to escape my imaginary predator…now half out of breath, I stopped to pause so as to catch my breath.

It was at first light that he had attacked me out of nowhere and for no apparent reason! We wrestled across the forest floor rolling over and over again in his efforts to subdue me. As we rolled I kicked and scratched all the while in my efforts to hold his ravenous jaws at bay. I could feel his hot steamy breath as it blew across my face and the drippings of his saliva as it fell upon my brow each time that he would lunge those long sharp and jagged teeth at me.

His intentions were obvious…he wanted to kill or be killed. It was only due to my quick thinking that I escaped death by throwing dirt into his eyes.

Yes it had been a tumultuous night once again filled with night terrors as I moaned and groaned wrestling and arguing with this unknown beast within my dreams. At times throughout the night I would even shout out loudly in a guttural voice!

All alone within my dreams this beast appeared all so real, yes it was a real life and death struggle taking me to the very edge of desperation to survive. While I fought back valiantly I felt totally over powered by my adversary. In the end, it was that hand to hand combat…that struggle to survive and not give up, that was so terrifying!

Time and again throughout the night my wife would shake me, to wake me from my frightful night terrors! Yes, I struggled to sequester my ongoing nightmares throughout the wee hours of the morning. But these ongoing nightmares as well as night sweats have become a reoccurring thing causing me at times to give in to exhaustion. Especially so because they have been haunting me each and every night for the past few weeks, leading up to a lot of sleepless nights!

Still, last night was the worst…it definitely had been a rough one to say the least. While the early sun began to peak above the horizon my alarm clock started to buzz and I was slowly brought back to reality. Now finally awake, I sat up in bed no more rested than when I first laid down to sleep the night before.

Sitting there on the edge of my bed I took pause as if gathering my thoughts together, then slowly and gently I turned to look back at my poor wife. I couldn’t believe that I had put her through yet another nightly ordeal of screaming and yelling. While I sat there for a moment longer I began rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

Not wanting to wake her up I gently rose from the bed and made my way over to the bathroom. I have not been feeling well for months now, which I’m sure is the underlining reason for my troubled sleep.

As I shaved and washed my face I stopped to gaze at myself in the mirror. Slowly after gathering my thoughts as I took it all in, I made my way over to the closet as I continued to finish up by getting dressed. You see, I have a scheduled doctor’s appointment this morning and just in case he wants me to have more labs done, I wanted to be ready to get it done.

But that’s not the only reason, you see over these past few months my doctor visits have become pretty routine, causing me to schedule my life around these visits, so to speak. All of which wouldn't be so bad if they actually knew…what was wrong with me! It seems that my particular medical case had become quite confusing for my doctor.

Who turns out to be one of my lifelong school buddies! But as for today I especially did not want to miss another day of golf as I had made these special arrangements with Bob, one of my oldest and best school buddies.

So here I find myself prepared to head out of our bedroom door, but before I do I must give my wife of thirty nine years a warm kiss good morning. Leaning over her warm body, I shake her ever so softly to let her know that I was leaving.

Sarah honey, I shouldn't be too long I just wanted to tell you that I’m so sorry about last night you just stay in bed and get some rest, okay. Bob will be waiting for me in Livermore at the Las Positas Golf Course this morning after my doctor’s appointment. But we are only going to play nine holes so I will not be too late coming home this afternoon! Just go back to sleep Sarah, I’ll be back soon!

Only half awake she mumbles as she smiles at me then rolls back over as she snuggles back into her pillow.

I grab my clubs that I had put by the front door the night before and throw them over my shoulder. As I walked out the front door I stopped to look around, thinking that I had forgotten something, it was the strangest feeling as I felt the outside of my pockets searching for my keys. After placing my clubs in the back of my Chevy Tahoe, I headed for the truck door…all the while speed dialing Bob.

Morning Bob, I shouldn't be too long…I hope! No, it's just a follow up on some routine blood tests that I took last week. I know, I know (laughing) my appointment is for nine thirty so I will probably be at the golf course (he pauses to think)…at the latest, let’s say around ten or ten thirty. It all depends on how overbooked George is this morning. Yes, I'll meet you there just about that time…give or take a few, OKAY? Great! I'll see you then!

As I ended my call, I looked at the clock on my truck radio, it told me that it was already nine o'clock, it will take me about five to ten minutes to get to my doctors office.

I sure hope someone cancels so I can be seen sooner! I mutter…in an under tone.

The morning traffic is light as I drive through our quite little town with its beautiful tree lined streets that give you that small town feel. It is early spring and the weather is just perfect, nothing is sweeter than the smell of spring blossoms here in this old farming town of Tracy, California. I especially love those early spring mornings with all the flowers and plants in bloom. Yes the fragrance in the air is so appealing. It smells sweeter than a cherry blossom in full bloom.

I started to tap on my hands on the steering wheel to a tune on the radio that brought back fond memories as I waited for the signal light to change. It was now five after nine when I finally pulled up into my doctor's parking lot. As I did so, I began to feel sick…as I can see already that the parking lot is almost filled to capacity.

Like I said, George or Dr. Lowe as he is called is an old school buddy of mine, when we both went off to college he set out to be a doctor while I set my course in business management.

But these days lately is seems that old’ George keeps on over booking his patients to squeeze in every dollar.

When I walked into the doctor's waiting room my expression without a doubt must have said it all, as I stopped to look around the waiting room at all the other patients waiting their turn. I breathed in a deep sigh of disappointment.

Yes, I whispered! The waiting room area would have to be full!

Well there goes my golf plans, I said to myself in an undertone.

Now I’m really disheartened at the thought that I will probably be late at meeting Bob at the golf course in Livermore, again!

Walking up to the receptionist desk which is behind a sheet of thick plexus glass, the receptionist looks up and smiles at me as she slides open the divider. I’m sure my facial expressions showed that I was not very happy! While signing in I glanced over at her tablet, I could easily see that I was on the list down to just about the middle of the page. I look up at the wall clock behind her its only 9:07.

As I turned to walk away I told myself under my breath, I bet I won't even be seen until 10:30!

Now walking toward the seating area I stopped to see what was left at the magazine rack. Searching through the magazines I can see that there is not much left in the way of articles to choose from. Let’s see Popular Science, News Week, People Magazine, Back Packer, Current Health, Fitness and Diabetes, Forecast and The New Yorker. I decided to grab the People and News Week magazines as it is obvious to me that I will be here for a while!

With magazines in hand I now search for a seat. Looking toward the back of the waiting room I notice that there is only one seat left next to a large burly guy. When I looked at this guy it was easy to figure out his problem. I watched him closely as he continued to scratch his arm vigorously. I deduce that he must have a psoriasis problem and from the constant blowing of his nose and clearing of his throat he must also have a severe cold as well.

Wow I should have been a doctor…I'm amazing at this!

(Laughing to myself)

Across from me sat an elderly couple…they looked like they were somewhere in their late seventy's or early eighties, poor things.

I sure hope that’s not Sarah and I twenty years from now I tell myself.

I watch as the attentive elderly woman rubs her husband’s back and then adjusts his air mask, while he breaths from an oxygen tank. He appears to be having trouble catching his breath. I feel so bad for this couple, I really do…I’m sure they have had many years of happiness together but if this is what growing old is all about then I definitely do not want any part of it!

Then looking up I take notice as there is this young woman who just walked in with her small three to four year old child and a baby in a carrier. I began to stand to give up my seat, but these other two men beat me to the punch. After signing in with the receptionist she settles in, her young toddler with a runny nose walks about freely looking at everyone. His mother appears to be very distracted with her baby. I presume that’s why she does not make her three year old sit because she is totally preoccupied as she tends to her new born baby.

Just then my cell phone goes off.

Hello! Sarah honey, no (Shaking my head) I'm still here at the doctor's office, but afterward…if…I'm lucky, I will be going to meet Bob in Livermore too play a round of golf. OKAY?

I won't be too late I promise. I say as I hang up.

The receptionist calls a few more names, she asks for their insurance cards and co-payments. Oh my goodness, this is going to take all day!

I say to myself…visually frustrated as I start too roll my eyes and shake my head, all the while mumbling to myself…

I don't even know why I'm even here!

Again whispering in an undertone too myself…

Yesterday the nurse called me up after they had received my latest lab work and she said that the doctor wanted to see me. The receptionist told me that it was just routine, nothing to be concerned about. If that’s the case then why am I here? I have never been called in before to just review my labs. One of the girls usually will just call to tell me what my results are over the phone, something must be elevated. I tell myself.

I'm becoming more and more anxious as I look over at the receptionist, getting up from my seat I walked over to the magazine rack once more. I fumble thru the magazines on the rack all the while mumbling and complaining to myself about the lack of interesting articles to read once again. Now looking down at my watch I can see that I've been here for close to forty minutes already and now the line is five deep for those just signing in at the receptionist desk.

Maybe the Doc just needs to review something with me….oh no, here comes that annoying little kid!

Oh…my…god, look at him, all twenty four inches of him…he’s all boy. He has his mothers’ eyes with a quirky little smile! I bet he is a very curious lad. Now he is stepping on everyone's toes as he works his way down the aisle; oh no…he is headed my way!

I try to look away as I turn my head, doing all I can to avoid eye contact with him but it doesn’t work! Now he is standing right in front of me with those big baby blue innocent eyes and that quirky little smile, all the while holding fast to his Sippy cup. I right away noticed that he has a runny nose; suddenly as he stands there before me, a big bubble begins to develop and expand out of his right nostril I can’t help but watch as it grows bigger and bigger.

I want to laugh out loud….I can't help myself. I wrinkle my lips and nose, he tries to copy my facial expressions. I can’t believe it; here I am a grown man making funny faces with a three year old