Finding Love Out of Tragedy: Theresa

By Anna Volk

Theresa, an unwed mother, lives in an upstairs apartment surrounded by her three older, protective brothers, who live in the downstairs apartments. September 11, 2001, starts out like any other day for Theresa, who works at a flower shop not far from the Twin Towers. Fate and circumstances throw Jake, a retired Navy Seal, and Theresa together in 'Finding Love out of Tragedy.'

• Language: English
• Publisher: DCL Publications
• Release date: Apr 15, 2020
• ISBN: 9781921347719

Book preview

Finding Love out of Tragedy: Theresa

By

Anna Volk

DCL Publications, LLC

www.thedarkcastlelords.com

© 2008 by Anna Volk

All rights reserved

First Edition November 2008

DCL Publications

36 Monash Street Melton South Victoria Australia

3338

www.thedarkcastlelords.com

ISBN 978-1-921347-71-9

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information and storage retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author's imagination, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

PUBLISHED IN AUSTRALIA

National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry

Author: Volk, Anna.

Title: Finding love out of tragedy: Theresa / Anna Volk. Edition: 1st ed.

ISBN: 9781921347719

Dewey Number: 813.6

Prologue

September 11, 2000

Push, Theresa! Come on, honey. You can do it, Tyler coaxed as he squeezed her hand for encouragement.

This room is filled with way too much testosterone. I don't want to do it anymore, Theresa growled as she slumped tiredly back onto the bed.

You're just about finished; just one more big push, Drew coaxed as he dabbed at the sweat pooling on Theresa's forehead before using a second cloth to wipe his own sweating brow. He continued dabbing and whispering soft, soothing words of encouragement as the pain crested. His gentle words and hands went along with his soft, baby-faced good looks. Curly blonde hair and blue bedroom blue eyes. Drew was the center of many a girl's dreams.

Standing against the wall holding a big, fuzzy, lop-eared stuffed rabbit was Bobby. Bobby did not look his usual bronzed, dark-eyed, handsome self. If she were not in so much pain, Theresa would have laughed at the sight he made.

Bobby looked like a wild man. A green-toned wild man. His once-deep brown eyes now opened wide and glazed. His usually perfectly groomed brown hair now stood on end from hours of running his shaking hands through it.

Theresa. Honey; listen to my voice. You can do this.

Theresa glanced to the left to see Tyler, the family's rock. Big and strong, his shoulder- length hair tied back in a ponytail. He held her hand tightly with his left hand. He braced her back with the nub where his right arm used to be. Tyler leaned down and he, too, whispered words of encouragement and support.

Theresa looked around the room at these three men that she loved with all of her heart. They were always there to give her the courage and strength that she needed. They were a never- ending line of support. She could do this; she would show them that she could be equally strong.

She leaned forward and, taking a deep breath, grabbed her raised knees. She began to push against the stirrups with all of her strength.

Sweat ran from her face. She felt as if all of her blood vessels would burst. Telling herself that she could breathe once she was finished bringing this miracle into the world, she pushed again and again and then finally, she felt the wonderful relief from the pressure that had been ripping her apart.

Sucking air like a drowning person, she sobbed uncontrollably as the doctor laid her beautiful, pink-bundled baby in her arms. She was shaking so badly she didn't know if she would be able to hold her little miracle, but once she looked down into that beautiful face she knew that she'd never let go.

Gently, she kissed her bundle on top of her down-covered head.

Alicia, baby, I'd like you to meet my heroes. My very own Three Musketeers. She smiled as the three men pushed their way to the bed to get the first look at the new addition to the family.

Tears streaming, Theresa turned the baby so that they could get a closer look.

Alicia, meet your Uncle Tyler, Uncle Drew, and this green guy is your Uncle Bobby. Sniffing softly, she smiled proudly. No girl could ask for better, more loyal, loving defenders than the three men standing over us. We are two very lucky ladies.

The three heroes bent as a unit and rained kisses on both their baby sister and their one and only niece.

I love you guys! Theresa murmured as exhaustion overtook her and she drifted off to sleep.

Chapter 1

One year later.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

Oh, not yet; it's not even light. Theresa groaned as she rolled over and opened one sleep-laden brown eye; she looked blurrily and angrily at her blaring alarm clock.

No one should have to get out of a nice, warm, comfortable bed at 4 o'clock in the morning, she grumbled.

She slapped the offending alarm to silence the annoying repetitious beeping and rolled over to snuggle back under the floral comforter to enjoy the first moments of another peaceful morning.

Theresa savored the quiet; it seemed as if she were the only one awake at this hour of the morning. She chuckled to herself.

What am I thinking? It's very possible that I am the only one dumb enough to be up this early. So, Theresa girl, don't lay here wasting time talking to yourself. You know you need every spare minute to get yourself up and ready for a new day.

Sometimes being a single mother was the pits, but she wouldn't trade her life for anything in the world. With that thought firmly in place, she threw the blankets off and forced herself to take that first step out of bed.

She ignored the robe and slippers that lay on the chair placed in the corner of the room. She tiptoed across the hall covered only by one of Bobby's old t-shirts, a habit she'd gotten into as a teen sleeping in one of the boys' comfy tees. She'd often smuggled them when doing the laundry. The guys, used to it now, often gave them to her as gifts.

Reaching the partially opened door across the hall, she pushed it open and gazed proudly down at her tiny daughter.

Alicia, baby, she whispered. Look at you sleeping like an angel.

Alicia lay on her tummy, her pink-covered behind sticking up in the air. The only sounds were the noises she made while suckling furiously on her thumb even as she smiled while having innocent baby dreams.

Theresa smiled wistfully as she wiped a tear from her cheek. She had to face the fact that her baby was one year old today.

She was such a beautiful baby with her soft dark brown hair and beautiful loose curls. She put that Gerber baby to shame; even when awake, her daughter was an angel.

Theresa wished that she could take the time off to stay home today; after all, a first birthday was very special. But money was tight and raising Alicia on her own was expensive.

Theresa didn't mind the hard work. She was proud of herself and proud of Alicia. Mark had made his choice when he had found out about her pregnancy and as far as Theresa was concerned it was his loss. She had received the ultimate gift from their ill-fated relationship. She would never regret their time together because in the end she had received her precious daughter.

For all of her independence, she still relied heavily on the help of her older brothers. They helped her in so many ways; by turning the upstairs of the family home into an apartment for her and Alicia, they had given her the financial aid which she needed to raise her baby. Located in Jersey City, it was only a short commute to the flower shop where she worked.

The drive through the Holland Tunnel was always breathtaking and the fact that she never had to worry about leaving Alicia