Watching Over Her

By CJ Vermote

Would you understand the trials of someone without words? If given a voice, would you hear their cries? For a moment, or a lifetime, tragedy can shape us. My youngest child became a point of my survival. Suicide was the shadow lurking around the corner, waiting in the dark to tap on my shoulder...trying to convince me to take its hand. This is a story of life, love, anger, and survival through an array of experiences. Followed by my near-death experience, the door was opened to the paranormal...soon to be woven into the threads of our lives. What would you do? How would you hold onto the reality of this world, when the unexplained wander around you leaving their essence floating through the air. When you have so many depending on your arms, your kiss, your love...would you be able to unravel the story, let go of the anger...and survive the truth?

• Language: English
• Publisher: CJ Vermote
• Release date: Apr 2, 2017
• ISBN: 9781541280151

CJ Vermote

CJ Vermote (CJ is short for Cecily Jane) is originally from Washington State. She and her husband are currently living in Cornell, Michigan. Her favorite vacation spot is Seaside, Oregon, so it’s only natural she would write with the greater Pacific Northwest as her center zone for her books.She also loves photography and when not writing, she is capturing moments in time. You can find her photography online through her website, or under Cecily Vermote Photography with FineArtAmerica.com. Retired and enjoying life as a writer, she views her life as a journey and is enjoying the ride.

Book preview

Table of Contents

Watching Over Her

Watching Over Her

Acknowledgments

Dedication

One’s Soul

Watching Over Her

Part One – Loving Life

Journal Entry –

Brook -

Journal Entry –

Brook –

Journal Entry -

Brook -

Journal Entry –

Brook -

Journal Entry -

Journal Entry -

Brook –

Journal Entry –

Brook -

Journal Entry -

Journal Entry -

Brook –

Journal Entry –

Journal Entry –

Brook -

Journal Entry –

Brook -

Brook –

Journal Entry -

Journal Entry -

Journal Entry –

Brook –

Journal Entry –

Brook –

I Wonder

Unsaved

Part Two – The Arms of Sorrow

Brook –

Journal Entry -

Journal Entry -

Journal Entry -

Journal Entry -

Journal Entry -

Journal entry –

Brook –

Journal Entry –

Journal Entry –

Brook –

Journal Entry -

Journal Entry -

Journal Entry -

Brook –

Journal Entry -

Journal Entry -

Journal Entry -

Journal Entry -

Journal Entry -

Journal Entry -

Brook –

Who

Part three – Finding Peace

Journal Entry –

Journal Entry -

Journal Entry -

Journal Entry -

Journal Entry -

Journal Entry -

Journal Entry -

Brook –

Journal Entry –

Brook -

Journal Entry –

Journal Entry –

Brook –

Journal Entry –

Journal Entry –

Brook –

Journal Entry –

Journal Entry –

Brook –

Journal Entry –

Journal Entry –

Journal Entry –

Brook –

Journal Entry –

Journal Entry –

Brook –

Journal Entry -

Journal Entry –

Brook -

Journal Entry -

Journal Entry –

Brook –

Journal Entry –

Journal Entry –

Journal Entry –

Brook –

Journal Entry –

Journal Entry –

Journal Entry –

Part Four – Finding Answers

Brook –

Journal Entry –

Journal Entry –

Journal Entry –

Brook -

Journal Entry –

Journal Entry -

Journal Entry -

Brook –

Journal Entry –

Brook -

Journal Entry -

Brook –

Authors Notes

Other books by CJ Vermote

About the Author

Watching Over Her

by

CJ Vermote

Watching Over Her

Copyright © 2017 by CJ Vermote

All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means now known or hereafter invented, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the author and publisher.

Most names and places in this story are real. All rights are granted and approved for publication with each actual name disclosed. Any simulated name/relation may have been changed to protect or preserve privacy of an individual or location.

ISBN-13: 978-1541280151

Acknowledgments

First I’d like to thank two of the most important people in my life…my son, Mikey, and my daughter, Kristin. Both of you fought by my side in an effort to help me take one step at a time, and I can’t thank you enough. Without the two of you I would not have survived. You gave me the will to be stronger than I thought I could be. I will love you both forever and a day.

I’d like to thank my editor, and sister, Erica. This was an emotional piece of my heart, and the pages were lined with teardrops that began to dry as time went on and healing took over. At the same time the story holds such a paradox because it takes shape through my beliefs, and how we are grounded in the word of God. Thank you so much for doing what was necessary to help bring this book to life.

I’d like to thank my sister, Marianna, for her endless days of dedication to me while I lay in the hospital bed uncertain about life…mine, and my child’s.

I’d like to thank the staff associated with Northwest Hospital, University Hospital, and Children’s Hospital that were part of our care for the right reasons.

I’d like to thank everyone at the Law Offices of Art Brender and Dent Law Firm for bringing justice to all of us involved. A special shout out to Kathleen, who let me cry while on the phone with her answering questions as I relived the worst event in my life. The fight was long and hard, but justice prevailed due to all of these hard working attorneys and staff.

Thank you, Jon Hood, for your article. It was very informative and I appreciate you letting me use it in my book. I’m thankful for people like you who have worked to keep consumers informed.

I’d also like to thank all of my readers for their dedication to reading my books. It’s a blessing to know my words never fall on a blind eye as long as I have you.

Dedication

This book is dedicated to my son, Brook, who was, by far, the bravest of us all.

One’s Soul

Understanding grief is to put your finger on the pulse of someone’s soul

CJ Vermote

Watching Over Her

Introduction

Brook -

I watch her, my mother, sitting at her computer, working away, and I know today is going to be a better day for her. After all, it’s almost 2017, and it’s been over thirty years. Every year I don’t know what to expect from her. The only thing I’m guaranteed is she will cry herself to sleep a few nights, and she will look anxious and tense for a few weeks before. Then as the days roll by, she will write it out, walk it out…but rarely do I hear her talk it out. Do I like the fact I’ve caused her so much pain? Heavens no, but it wasn’t my fault…really…nor was it hers.

I guess you are wondering what all this is about? I think it’s time to tell our story. My name is Brook Joseph, and I’m her son. I am narrating my side of the story, while my mother lines the pages with her journal entries. I hope you will read our story.

I’d like to start off by saying life for my mom, my sister, my brother, and me changed over the course of these events. Many other lives were affected, but for the four of us it brought our foundation to its knees. I’ll start at my beginning…well, almost my beginning…I can’t remember everything from day one, but enough.

Part One – Loving Life

Journal Entry –

End of summer 1983 -

You know that moment when everything else disappears…only that moment matters? That was the moment I heard my child’s heartbeat for the first time. That tiny little thump thump…thump thump. It didn’t matter what the rest of the world was doing, because my ears could only hear my child…and our hearts connect in that moment forever. Our two hearts beating as one for our survival…bonding us for life.

I experienced this amazing feeling twice before. My son, Mikey, is eleven years old. He is my handsome son with blonde curls, and big brown eyes. Mikey is my outdoors guy. Every chance he has to be outside, that is where you’ll find him. Eight years after I had Mikey came my daughter, Krissy, who is four-years old. My beautiful daughter with her strawberry blonde curls, and eyes that pick up different shades of green depending on the light. She is my funny girl. When the TV is on and she hears a commercial, she comes running out of her room to see what is being advertised and then as soon as it is over she goes back into her room to play. Watch out future husband; we have a shopper here.

I remember my journal entry about moving into this house three years ago. Going on about how tiny this three-bedroom house is in Shoreline. Though it’s small, we’d have plenty of room even with two furry friends; our dog, Keifa, and our cat, Chelsea. How it had a large yard for the children and pets alike, plus it was in one of the best school districts. I remember how excited I was about living in the north area because it had the bonus of living close to my sister, Cathy, again. Cathy doesn’t drive, so in order to visit with her, it was up to me. I didn’t mind the thirty-minute drive to see her when we lived south, but it is so much nicer living within a mile.

Though the initial move was received with a wall of resistance from Mikey…tears and all…after a while he has gained more friends than he knows what to do with and is a happy child again. He spends most of his time out on his bike going from one place to another, including baseball or soccer practice.

Now, here I am writing about how excited I am about conceiving my third child in this little house in my favorite neighborhood.

Journal Entry –

Mid-winter

Sorry I’ve been slack about writing, it’s been a crazy few months. I’m finally over the morning sickness. I have my appetite back, and I’m starting to feel pretty good. Any woman that has had a child probably remembers that pivotal morning when you realize you don’t need the toilet bowl within the first five minutes after rising from bed. It’s the beginning of gathering that glow we are told we have. Now is my turn. My belly is growing with another baby, and I love every second of new life within me. Because of the endometriosis I have it’s difficult to get pregnant. All I’d ever wanted in life was six children, and a loving husband. Add to that a modest home and life would be set.

But life doesn’t always play out as we plan. We are not always in control. We can dream all we want, and pray all we can hoping life will turn out as we desire…but we don’t always get the final word. Even when we plan, and it seems we have made the right choices to accomplish our goals life can throw a rock in our path. Then there are the times a boulder comes hurtling our way…with no way to escape it’s path…boom.

My bolder came a few weeks ago. The night before I had moved our couch away from the wall to straighten the couch cover. We simply don’t have the extra funds to replace the couch right now, so we simply covered it up. Moving something heavy is normal for me, I’m small but mighty as I’m sure you gather from my entries. But being pregnant I should have thought first, unfortunately, what was done was done.

It’s a decision that is already haunting me. The next day while at work I noticed something different when I went to the restroom. I won’t go into details, but something didn’t seem quite right. After work, Mikey, Krissy, Ed, and I had dinner like any other night. I was only half concentrating on the conversation, because my mind kept circling around the incident in the restroom. After dinner Ed went to his evening class at the local community college. I was tired, so I decided to leave the dinner dishes for a bit while I stretched out on the couch. I usually feel great by this stage of the pregnancy, but every pregnancy is different. Tonight I was not feeling up to par.

After a while I got up to go use the bathroom and when I sat to relieve myself, I began to