Spring Came Again in August

By LaDonna Joy

“Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these, ‘It might have been.’” As we enter the autumn and fall of our lives, many of us find ourselves living that John Greenleaf Whittier quote. We think about decisions we made and wonder if we could have made better choices. And some of us wonder if we would do anything differently if we had it all to do over again.

Melina Wright wondered about times past and decisions made. In author LaDonna Joy’s novel, Spring Came Again in August, Melina finds herself reliving parts of her past when she meets her college love after many years. Despite a happy marriage with her late husband, Josh, she’d regretted missed opportunities with Sean and secrets kept since their last meeting. Though destined to be short-lived, their reunion helps Melina find answers to long-held questions.

Spring Came Again in August shows even decisions we may feel we didn’t make entirely on our own can be the right ones. Life may not turn out how we thought it would, but we can make the most of it. And sometimes, just sometimes, we have the opportunity to go back and finish the old business of our youth.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Inspiring Voices
• Release date: Aug 25, 2015
• ISBN: 9781462411443

LaDonna Joy

LaDonna Joy has always loved to write. She has learned to trust God for the ultimate good that can come from any life experience. By expounding on her own experiences and adding her God-given imagination, she creates believable fiction, such as found in Spring Came Again in August.

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Copyright © 2015 LaDonna Joy.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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ISBN: 978-1-4624-1143-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4624-1144-3 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015911106

Inspiring Voices rev. date: 07/09/2015

CONTENTS

Chapter One Disaster

Chapter Two Reflections

Chapter 3 The Journey

Chapter Four Sean

Chapter Five Springtime

Chapter Six Josh

Chapter Seven Family

Chapter Eight Reunion

CHAPTER ONE

Disaster

The ear-splitting wail of the ambulance siren died to a low groan as it stopped at the emergency entrance. The emergency technicians moved with learned dexterity, bringing the patient into the able hands of the ward’s waiting medical team.

At the same time, Barbara Quinn, was just finishing her shift at the hospital. She hadn’t been able to see who the patient was, and knew they didn’t need her in the busy ward trying to find out. It wasn’t long until the ambulance driver stepped back out. He came and leaned on the ledge in front of the nurse’s station.

Who is it? Barbara asked.

Sean Webb, was the answer. Don’t know if he’s going to make it this time…

Oh, no… although it wasn’t a complete surprise, immediate concern clutched at her insides. Melina will want to know. She picked up the phone and dialed the familiar number.

No answer Barbara sighed after an anxious interval. Then, more to herself than aloud, added, wonder where she could be?

They hadn’t known each other long but Barbara was well acquainted with Melina’s philosophy about surviving hot summer days.

The pool would be the logical place, as hot as it is today. She punched the time clock and headed for the parking lot. I hope she’s there…

Barbara sat in the car a few minutes after parking close to the south fence. Her eyes scanned the water, then the surrounding area. It took only a few moments to spot Melina cheering her grandson, Bobby for his dexterity in the water. Barbara was short and heavy set. Her wavy, close-cut, auburn hair next to the profound whiteness of her uniform made her quite obvious in the pool area.

Melina rested on the side of the swimming pool with her feet dangling in the cool water. It seemed to be an ideal way to relieve the stifling ninety degree heat of the long August days. The light pink stripes of her purple one-piece suit accentuated the well proportioned curves of her tall, slender body. She was not concerned that she was undoubtedly the oldest swimmer the pool had seen for many years, because swimming had long been her favorite sport.

Bobby, Melina’s six-year-old grandson, had come for a visit. He preferred the pool to games in the park. As Melina relaxed, watching him, she was reminded of another vibrant youth form yesteryear, that bore such a striking resemblance to this one. He was the only child of her oldest daughter, Crystal. They lived over a hundred miles from Melina’s home in Chester, but he was always allowed to spend a week with Granny Wright.

Although she had not known Bobby’s grandfather when he was a child, she could see many of his features recreated in this child. Maybe she saw them, now, because she alone knew the possibility of them being there. Maybe because she looked for resemblances no one else expected