The Reunion: Love’S Journey

By ZMB

After being separated from her husband for a number of years, Nicole finds herself single and unsure of her future. Facing life alone after so many years of marriage is frightening and a little daunting. She knows that there is a purpose and a plan for her life even at her age, but what she did not realize is how much her life was about to change because of a decision to attend a reunion. Life is unpredictable and usually not what we think it will be. Tragedy can sometimes make us stronger, bring us to our knees, or both. Nicole is about to find out firsthand.

Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all (Alfred Lord Tennyson).

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jul 6, 2015
• ISBN: 9781503579491

ZMB

As a student of psychology, ZMB has found that love plays a significant role in the well-being of us all. It begins at birth and continues throughout our lifetime. With ZMB’s being in her midfifties and being divorced herself after many years of marriage, questions began to surface about her future and whether or not love would once again find its way into her life. Currently residing in the southern part of the United States, ZMB has found that love can in fact become a part of her life no matter her age, and life does not end at fifty but begins a whole new chapter, one filled with love, joy, and hope for the future.

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Copyright © 2015 by ZMB.

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

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

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 06/22/2015

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Contents

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1 Reflection

Chapter 2 An Old Friend

Chapter 3 Starting Life Again

Chapter 4 Old Friends

Chapter 5 Flames Rekindled

Chapter 6 The Reunion, Vegas Baby!

Chapter 7 A Weekend to Remember

Chapter 8 When Tragedy Strikes

Chapter 9 The Miracle

Chapter 10 The Journey Back

This book is dedicated to young women and women that are young at heart who have loved and lost and who feel loving again is not possible. Love is part of the human experience, and by keeping our hearts open no matter the hurt or pain of a lost love, love will find its way again.

God is love, and because He is, love will always be!

Acknowledgments

I want to thank God from whom all my blessings flow for His love and guidance as I penned the words of this book.

I thank Dr. Krakan for his encouragement and support and believing that I can accomplish great things.

To my mother, Aisha, who always provides great counsel and support.

To my daughters, Kamilah and Rashida, for being my inspiration, and to my grandchildren—Quinn, Malakai, Xia, and Kyra—for keeping me young!

Chapter 1

REFLECTION

It was warm that day as I sat at my window, looking at the beautiful sunrise as the first rays of the sun peeked through the clouds and kissed my face.

It was quiet in the house, and I could hear the ticktock of the clock on my nightstand and saw that it was now 6:30 a.m. As I sat there, I began to think about my life and how God had brought me through a failed marriage.

It had been eight years since my husband and I went our separate ways. I prayed for our marriage to be restored during all that time until I finally had to face the truth that my marriage was over. It was so strange because I did not feel sad about it. I stayed faithful to my marriage and to God during those years. The loneliness at times would be overwhelming, but I would pray, cry, get angry, and then just begin to praise God for all that He had done for me.

Questions began to bombard my mind. How do I begin life over again at fifty-plus? Am I still attractive to the opposite sex? Who would want a middle-aged woman these days when all that we see around us is youth? I know now that all those negative thoughts were from the enemy. Trying to discourage me about my future, but I would fight a good fight of faith. I knew God had bigger and better things in store for me. I just had to seek Him and be patient.

Sitting at my kitchen table, I turned on my computer to check my e-mail. It was so strange how technology had changed over the past few years. I had been out of work and looking for a permanent job. Applying for positions was not as easy anymore. Everything was now on the Internet. Human contact seemed to be fading quickly in the information age we now lived in. I had decided to move from my home up North back to the South because I knew the cost of living there would be a lot less, and it would be much easier to take care of myself now that I was once again a single woman.

I waited as my computer went through its usual process before accessing the Internet. I logged on to my e-mail account, looking for the usual ones from the employment search engines I had signed up for. I noticed an e-mail from someone that I had not heard from in almost forty years. I opened it, and it flashed big red letters that said Las Vegas Reunion. I thought, Reunion, after all of these years? I had no idea that my high school had reunions, because as a military child that graduated overseas, it never crossed my mind. To my surprise, it was from my very best friend in high school, Lauren Williams. She went on to explain how she had been looking for me through the years and, because of a popular social network, was able to find me. I could not believe it as I sat there staring at her name. I was so excited to hear from her. I tried to track her down through the years as well but to no avail.

In the e-mail, she gave me her phone number and address. It was Saturday, so I knew she might be home. I picked up the phone and dialed the number. It rang four times before someone answered. An unfamiliar voice came on the line, Hello?

Good morning, I said. Is this the Williams residence?

Yes, it is, she answered.

Is Lauren Williams in? I asked.

May I ask who is calling?

This is Nicole Richardson, a friend of Lauren’s from high school.

Okay, just a moment. Then I heard, Mom, phone.

There was a long pause, and then a very familiar voice came on the line, Hello?

Lauren?

Yes?

This is Nicole Richardson!

"Oh my gosh, Nicole? How in the world are you? Where are you? I am so glad you got my e-mail. I wasn’t sure when I sent it because the information