A New Beginning

By Nicole Shabrou

Rebecca had the life that she had always wanted, married to her high school sweetheart, two beautiful daughters & a home that others would be jealous of. But one snowy winter morning her life changed. With two sick kids, and a family friend, she is thrown into a world that she doesn't recognize. With a husband that will never wake up, and a life she never wanted she must make the ultimate decision, and rebuild a life without the man she loves.

After years of missing the love of her life, she sets out on a new journey of love and finding herself. With her daughters, friends, and new found family, she must build a new life with a totally new foundation.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Nicole Shabrou
• Release date: Nov 30, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370550272

Book preview

A New Beginning

Copyright © 2017 Nicole Ann Shabrou

Published by Nicole Ann Shabrou at Smashwords

Smashwords Edition License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your enjoyment only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Dedication

I would like to dedicate this book to the three most important people in my life, my husband Sasan and our daughters, Emersyn and Everly. Without whom I would not have the strength to write or the desire to succeed.

I would also like to give a special thanks to my parents and step-parents, whom taught me to reach for my dreams and achieve all the things that I sought to master. Their encouragement allowed me to open my mind and my time to whatever struck my fancy, and taught me that I was important.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 A New Beginning

Chapter 2 End of My World

Chapter 3 Funerals & Coping

Chapter 4 Starting

Chapter 5 Summer

Chapter 6 Just a Year

Chapter 7 Moving on, Moving Forward

Chapter 8 I Saw Him

Chapter 9 The Start of Something New

Chapter 10 Year Two

Chapter 11 Something Changed

Chapter 12 The Weekend

Chapter 13 The Next Few Months

Chapter 14 Boston

Chapter 15 Not Just a Girlfriend

Chapter 1

A New Beginning

When you picture your life, this isn’t typically how you picture it ending. Mine started out pretty simple, I had a normal childhood, in a standard American family. Nothing quite as picturesque as a Norman Rockwell painting, but normal. My mom and dad both had basic jobs, my sister and I went to a boring, albeit plain school, and we had a dog, okay so that dog was pretty fantastic, his name was Max. But besides that, I had your standard growing up experience.

I met my husband my Sophomore year of college, where we were both studying liberal arts. I was working towards my Bachelors’ degree in foreign language, and he was studying education. We were perfect for one another. We both had some strange ideology that gave us the idea that we were practical, but invincible. When we got engaged, I heard from all of my friends that it was about damn time, and what took you guys so long.

I spent my entire senior year of college tying up all of the loose ends and preparing a dream wedding. All the while he was starting his first year of teaching at a local High School, shaping young minds, as he liked to say. In those final months before graduation, we bought our first house, a tiny little thing that we called Our perfect American Dream, and got a tiny puppy to go with it. It was all so idyllic, it would almost make you sick.

My graduation flew by and I was out of my tush looking for a job with a foreign language degree, and a teaching certificate of my own, just in case as my mom told me, when I told her I wanted to pursue languages as my degree speciality.

We got married on the first Saturday of June, and it was perfect. I hardly remember walking down the aisle, or hearing my mother cry in the front row. All I could see was his bright shiny face gleaming at me as I walked across the clouds in my flowing white dress, clinging to my fathers arm. I was so proud, I was so happy, I was so dreamy. I don’t remember saying ‘I Do" although I have it on tape, so I guess I did, all I remember is staring into his dreamy blue eyes starstruck by this man that I was promising to love, honor, and cherish all the days of our lives.

That was the start of our lives together, pretty perfect if I do say so myself.

I took a job at the same High School that Thomas taught at, and we were the cute young couple that all the students thought had the dream life. Honestly, we were living in a dream. Before we could even blink, we were pregnant with our first child, a little girl we proudly names Margaret, after his favorite grandmother. Our dream was complete.

Once Maggie came, it made sense for me to stop working and stay home with our growing family. I’d regularly hear from friends how lucky I was, and how blessed we were. Looking back its hard to imagine how anything could have gone more directionally. Within the course of a year, I had graduated from college, bought a house with the love of my life, got married, and welcomed an amazing little girl into my life. Maybe Norman Rockwell wasn’t too far off when he painted the perfect family.

We lived in that perfect bubble for 3 years, welcoming another daughter, Elizabeth, and moving into a larger home to accommodate 2 growing children and a full grown dog. But on a cold December day, not long after Elizabeth’s 1st birthday, our bubble finally popped, and my whole worlds crashed to a screeching halt.

It was a cloudy Monday morning, the sky was pulsing with the impending snow, and the ground was cold and frosted. Maggie, woke up with something that could only be described as the plague, and Ellie wasn’t far behind. So, we called the preschool, and explained that the girls were ill and wouldn’t be in that day, and Thomas helped me load them into the minivan, before he headed off to work himself. I drove slowly to the pediatricians office, and he went to our friend Chris’s house to carpool to work.

When I got to the pediatrician’s office I texted him a quick made it to the office, waiting to be seen and tucked my phone into my pocket so that I could console two sick little girls with puke in their hair. The pediatrician confirmed that they had to flu and we trekked back to the car to head to the grocery store for tylenol and sprite. As I loaded the girls and climbed into the drivers seat, I texted Thomas again flu, going to the store for Sprite and Chicken Noodle Soup. Do you need anything? I didn’t notice that he hadn’t responded to the first text, but that wasn’t too uncommon since he didn’t want his students to think that texting in class was allowed. I guess I just figured that I’d hear from him during his free period about 10am.

The store was crazy, with all the doomsday prepper’s preparing for the impending snow store. I fought for the last 3 cans of Chicken Noodle soup and forced my way to the cash register, as my phone began ringing. I didn’t even look at the caller id as I hurriedly crushed my finger against the answer button Hello, Thomas I am fighting my way through the store, did you need something before I check out?

Hi Rebecca, its actually Chris, is Tom sick or something, cause he never got here?

No…He left the house at the same time I did, both the girls are sick, so he helped me load them.

Oh, well maybe he just forgot to swing through and grab me, I’ll call the school and have them embarrass him in class.

Sounds good Chris, I’m so sorry, he probably spaced because he’s worried about the kids, when you talk to him please tell him to call me too.

Sure thing, I’ll make sure to make him feel extra guilty.

I stood there thinking about the last thing I said to Thomas this morning, and couldn’t remember if I had told him that I loved him, or if I had been snappy because the girls were sick, and I was in a rush to get them to the doctor. As I unloaded all of our groceries onto the conveyor belt, I dialed his number. Ring….Ring….Ring….You’ve reached Thomas Blackwald, I am likely in class right now, but I will return your call as soon as I can.

Tom, you forgot to pick up Chris, and your not returning my texts. The girls have the flu, but you would know that if you answered my text earlier. I am just calling because I can’t remember if I yelled at you this morning…if I did I’m sorry and I love you.

The dirty look from the cashier drew me back to what was going on in front of me.

$6.97 is your total…Would you like to round up for our charity this month?

Yeah, yeah, sure….Sorry, My husband flacked on a friend this morning, and I haven’t heard from him since we both ran out the door.

Been there, done that, he probably just forgot to turn on his phone this morning. My boyfriend forgets to all the time, and it drives me insane.

Yeah, thats probably what happened. Thank you!

I bundled the girls back into their coats and hats and headed for the car. I still hadn’t heard from Thomas, surely he’d already gotten an earful from Chris and he knew I wanted to talk to him. I loaded the girls into their carseats, and got back into the drivers seat as the snow began to fall. I checked my phone one more time before putting the car into reverse. Still nothing… Now I’m starting to get worried.

Well, the high school is on the way home, I’ll just drive past, and see if I see his car, I thought. No harm, no foul, and if there is nothing to worry about, I’ll give him an earful when he gets home. A quick look in the rear view mirror and I see both girls are starting to doze off to sleep with the rhythmic motion of the car and the soft music that Thomas insists I play so that they will expand their minds or some nonsense.

When I get to the high school, I scan the lot for his old Volvo, that his mom bought him for his 16th birthday, and he refuses to upgrade due to its sentimental value. I remember having that argument in September when the fuel pump went out, and he had to borrow my minivan for 2 weeks while that beater with a heater was in the shop. His Volvo was no where to be seen, now I’m really getting worried, so I pull into one of the visitors spots and pull out my phone.

Ring….Ring….Ring…You’ve reached… I slam the end call button and immediately redial. Ring….Ring….Hello?

Hello, who the hell is this, did you steal my husbands phone?

This is Tammy, I’m an EMT, your husband was in an accident.

My heart sank into my stomach and tears immediately filled my eyes Where is he, is he okay? I choked

Ma’am I can’t give you any more information, but we are en route to St. Samuels, if you would please meet us there.

Yes, yes I’m not too far from there.

I numbly dialed Chris’s number, I could see his car, so I knew he could help me with our girls.

Chris??

Hey Rebecca, did you end up hearing from Tom, cause he didn’t show up at work this morning?

Chris, I’m sitting in visitors parking, I need you to come take me to the hospital and sit with the girls.

Oh fuck, yeah, let me call the office and have someone come sit with my class, I’ll be there in five.

As I got out of the driver’s seat, I began to sob. My world was around my feet, and I couldn’t even hear. Chris came running out of the building, and helped me into the passenger seat before running around the front of the car to get into the driver’s seat I had just vacated.

Which hospital?

St. Samuel’s. I choked between sobs.

He’s gonna be okay you know.

I sobbed the whole 7 minutes it took to get to the hospital. Chris pulled into the ER and slammed the car into park as I jumped out of the car and bolted through the doors. The whole place was in a panic, and my tear eyes and frantic expression, gave way to utter fear.

My name is Rebecca Blackwald, I spoke with an EMT named Tammy. She said my husband was in accident. Can I see him.

The expression on the receptionists face changed immediately, from eager to help in the midst of chaos, to sympathy and pity.

Ma’am, would you mind following me, the doctors would like to speak with you.

My kids and our friend are in the car, can I wait for them?

Ma’am please follow me, I will show them back when they come in.

How bad was it? Is he going to be okay? Can you tell me anything?

Ma’am please follow me. She was trying to remain calm, but her voice was starting to crack and she was trying to pull my arm. Ma’am please.

Getting pulled into an inner waiting room, it slowly began to sink in that something was seriously wrong. Stretchers zoomed past me, with people in various stages of injury. I could hear moaning coming from one of the exam rooms, and cries of pain as the nurses tried to reassure others. My mind was going a million miles a minute as I tried to anticipate what the doctor was going to tell me.

I felt my legs start to shake as a fell into a chair. The doctor will be right with you, said the receptionist as she scurried from the room with a tortured look on her face. Please let Chris know where I am? I yelled as she escaped from the small sterile room. I sat there for what felt like hours, waiting for Chris and my girls, waiting for the doctor, waiting for anything.

Chris, Maggie, and a sleeping Ellie made it to my small torture chamber before the doctor did. I sat cradling Maggie, fighting tears, while Chris tried to reassure me all the while pacing the floors with my unconscious 1 year old drooped over his shoulder. He’s going to be fine, I mean nothing to worry about, I think he was trying more to reassure himself then he was talking to me. He paced back and forth, back and forth, until the sliding door slowly slide open and a young doctor with blood on his coat and shoes, quietly entered.

Hello, are you Mrs.Blackwald?

Yes, is my husband Thomas, OKAY? I screamed the last word with a shaking voice.

Ma’am, My name is Dr. Erikson, and I was the ER doctor on duty when your husband was brought in.

IS he OKAY?

Ma’am, your husband was in a car accident, he received several lacerations injuries to his torso. One of his ribs punctured his left lung and his left kidney. We currently have him in a medically induced coma, as he also has a massive head injury.

The bottom of my stomach dropped out, and my ears began to ring. My words escaped me, and my head went fuzzy.

Ma’am, is there anyone that we can call for you, as I see you have your hands quite full.

Chris found his voice before I did, Doctor, what does this mean for Tom? he was choking back tears, but he clung to Ellie like his life depended on it.

Excuse me sir, but who are you?

I’m Tom’s best friend, I was supposed to be in that car with him this morning, but he never showed up.

Ma’am is it okay for me to answer? I think I nodded, but the doctor continued. Sir, it means that if you're a praying man, I would start sending up prayers. I would also advise that you contact Tom, you say, I would recommend you contact Tom’s family and have them hurry here.

What are the odds of him walking out of here, with no complications? Chris was white and his arms were shaking.

Sir, honestly, the odds are not good. With all the other injuries, combined with the head injury, the odds aren’t good. I can say that he’s young, healthy, and appears to be in good physical health, and if the odds were in anyone’s favor, these would be the odds I would bet on, but in my medical opinion, I would say his family should prepare for the worst.

Doctor my voice cracked and I looked frantically and my two daughters, one still soundly asleep, the other completely confused. Doctor, my husband is barely 25 years old, we have two small children, we have a house, and a dog. What am I going to do?

Ma’am, I’m terribly sorry, but I would advise you to make your calls.

Can we see him? I was sobbing.

We are just getting him into a room in the ICU and then we will take you up. I have some papers for you to sign so that he can go into surgery, and then you can see him briefly before he goes in. and with that the doctor escaped from the room, much like the scared receptionist before him.

Rebecca, I’m going to call Carrie and have her come get the kids, you shouldn’t be alone right now. I just nodded and starts reaching for my phone. Do you want me to call Tom’s mom for you?

No, I should do it. If Carrie could take the girls that would be good, and could you have her go by the house and let the dog out?

Sure, that shouldn’t be a problem. He passed me Ellie and left the room.

I sat there silently for a few minutes before Maggie looked up at me from her seat, Mommy, is Daddy going to be happy to see me?

Magg’s, he’s always happy to see you. But he’s very sick, so Mommy is going to call grandma, while you wait for Mrs. Carrie to get here to take you and little sister home.

Mommy, does this mean we can finally have our soup and take a sleep?

Yes hunny, you can finally have your soup and take your sleep. Now can you sit right here while Mommy makes her phone calls?

Umm-hmm.

My phones numbly searched through