The Shattered Heart

By Sherrie Cox

The Birth of Sally's second child gave her hope for the loving family she always dreamed of having. Her first thought when she laid eyes on her new son Aaron was, "You'll make us proud one day. I Do Pray you and your brother Bradley will be good friends, always looking after each other."

But, Will they be close or hate one another?

Can Sally pull through and survive Radiation/Chemo treatments she has to endure while raising two boys, and working a full time job at night during the time Richard was sent to Saudi Arabia? Not knowing who would take care of her children if something happens to her and/or Richard, it gave Sally a reason to fight to live and spend every second she could with her sons.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Aug 13, 2015
• ISBN: 9781504928083

Sherrie Cox

According to my son, I’m a little midget, standing only four feet ten inches. I have a wonderful husband of thirty-three years, which in itself is hard to believe for anyone that knows us. We’ve been told we still act like honeymooners. He is a loving person that’s always spoiling me. Any woman would be proud to share their life with him. I have worked in the medical field for twenty-five years and as a hairdresser for five years prior to that. As well as achieving a paralegal degree in my spare time. I’m retired and I devote all my time to writing, family, and travel. I love growing roses and currently have forty-five rose bushes. My roses have won first and second place, and I have had an occasional best of show in the fair every year here in New Bern, North Carolina. I enjoy family and friends, spending time together, always letting them know I love them. You never know when that love will be gone or taken away, so don’t let any opportunity go by to tell them. Be sure to visit the author’s website for further information and to view more photos. Post comments and ask questions. Or use the direct email to the author. www.sherriecox.webs.com [e-mail]

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© 2015 Sherrie Cox. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 08/12/2015

ISBN: 978-1-5049-2809-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5049-2808-3 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015912740

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.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

This is a Work of fiction. Names, Characters, Places, and

Incidents either are the product of the Author’s Imagination

or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons,

living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

About the Author

Acknowledgement

I would like to thank the ones dear to my heart. My Husband Randy, without him I would be an empty shell. He has shown patients, kindness, love, and guidance. He has spent our life together teaching me how to be able to love and trust people again. Telling and showing me that, I am someone worth loving and deserving of love from everyone. He gave me the name Princess the day we met, and has continued even now after 34 years. He is and has been my Love, rock, strength, protector, and my best friend. I Love you Darling!

Our Son Justin, He has also been my Friend and protector. As he was growing up he used to come into the kitchen while I was cooking and say, Mommy I love you this big. Stretching his arms out as far as he could get them. I would smile and say, stretching my arm out. Yes, and I love you just as much. He would laugh and hug me and say, Mommy I love you this big. Trying to stretch his arms out further. I would say to him, Yes, and I love you Just as much. And that has stuck all these years. He has been through some rough patches in his life but, using his good sense and the brain God gave him. He has grown up to be a wonderful, respectable, loving Son, Husband and Father. We are so proud of you. You have made great accomplishments in your life and your work. Being promoted to the position of Aircraft Examiner (General) in E&E. May God be with you and your family all the days of your lives. I Love You Just as Much!

God is number one and always will be, without him I couldn’t make it through the heart break and pain. Through our talks I have come to realize he didn’t cause the bad things to happen but, allowed me to go through the horrible things in my life I had to endure to make me a stronger person. I say it again, God didn’t get me this far to drop me on my butt now.

Our Best friends, Sue & Ron that have stood beside our family, they have held me in their arms comforting me and encouraging me when I wasn’t sure I could continue. Other friends, NEW and OLD, that have been there to give me words of comfort and encouragement, even though we may not see everyone on a regular basis, please know I do care and will always love and appreciate each and every one of you. Thank you also Rita and Eddie. ;-)

Brandon, our son who has and continues to break our hearts over and over. I don’t know if I will ever truly mend. But, I have come to the place in my life of forgiveness. My love will never die, but I can never trust again. I will always have hope for you, continuing to pray that someday you will decide to let go of the path you have chosen and decide to live a life you can be happy with and respect yourself. So people will see and love the person you used to be. The son I love and raised to be a respectful person. Let God and your heart lead you.

Chapter 1

S ally stands in the doorway of the nursery gazing at Bradley as he sleeps. She wonders what it would be like if she hadn’t lost the baby. Would the children get along? Was it really a girl or maybe it was a boy? In her heart she believes it was a girl and Dr Jay said he believed it was as well. Sally had a girl’s name already picked out but hadn’t decided on a boy’s name. Either way, all she wanted was a healthy baby and a sibling for Bradley so neither child would go through life alone. But, sometimes life has a way of crushing dreams.

The Devastation of the Loss of a child is something no one should have to endure. For Sally it was something that she had no choice in, it was just another kick in the teeth and the depression was just about to get the best of her. She knew she had to keep going and try to deal with the loss. She had another child, Bradley that needed to know his mother loved him. At four and a half months into the pregnancy, no one can explain how or what happened to cause her to lose the baby. Sally was trying to cope but, she felt so alone, the feeling inside that part of her was missing. That loss was like a stabbing pain that started in the heart and went clear through to your soul.

All she wanted was to talk to Richard but it was not something that he could talk about. People deal with things in different ways and for him it wasn’t talking. He liked to work with his hands and keep busy with stuff that keeps his mind thinking of good things, not about things that reminded him of the hurt he felt. Sally had no one but God to talk to, and she figured he was getting kinda tired of listening to her questions as to why it happened. All of a sudden, one day while staring up at the sky, she felt a kinda peace come over her as if it was God letting her know it was ok. He helped her understand that it would get easier, but it was something she would never forget. The pain would lessen over time and the feeling she had would be normal grieving.

Whatever, normal is supposed to be?

While at her six weeks recheck appointment Dr. Jay said, Sally you should not try to have another baby, there is too much scar tissue and tumors in your womb. The tumors have developed since the miscarriage and we need to get that checked and taken care of. Because of the large amount of tumors, along with the scar tissue, I think you wouldn’t be able to get pregnant again anyway, but just be cautious.

Dr Jay is the best OB/GYN in the area as far as Sally was concerned. She had been going to him before she and Richard met. Dr. Jay reminded Sally of Richard Gear the Movie actor. Tall, blondish gray hair, his kind blue eyes that could melt you were you stood. His voice was so soft and consoling and he made you feel so comfortable and relaxed, you just knew he would do anything to make sure he gave his patients the best care possible.

Bradley was already two years old, and Sally wanted him to have a sibling, a family member in case anything happened to Richard or her. She felt it was up to God whether she was to have another child or not. After the birth of this child, if and when happened.

She could address the situation of a hysterectomy and the removal of the tumor.

With the help from God, no Dr’s were involved in the process, if anything they tried to discourage any pregnancy at any time. Aaron was born in the summer a year later. Sally’s mother, Joyce drove down to be there to care for Bradley when Sally went to the hospital to deliver the baby. As it sometimes happens in the middle of the night, Sally woke up with cramps in her stomach; she knew immediately that it was time for the baby, but too soon to go to the hospital. After getting up and going into the kitchen, her mother woke up and came in to see what was wrong. She looked at Sally and said with a grin I guess it’s time? Sally grunted and nodded in the middle of a contraction as she finished plugging the coffee pot in so that Joyce would know it was ‘the baby time’. When the contraction eased, Sally said, Almost time, but still got awhile to go. I am not going to wake Richard until the contractions are about five minutes apart. That way it won’t be a long wait once we get to the hospital. Besides it’s only about five to ten minutes away. Sally and Joyce watched the clock and were timing the contraction; Joyce said, Ok no more coffee, you don’t want to get sick during the delivery your contractions are to close now. Go get Richard up and go on to the hospital.

When they arrived at the Hospital, Sally was put in a room on the OB/Delivery floor. The Nurse was very attentive and told Sally it was shift change soon and another nurse and Dr. would be working with her. Sally ask, Who is the Dr. on now and will he be coming in to check out the progress with the baby? The nurse told her, It is Dr. Jones and yes he will be coming in a couple of minutes so he will have information to give the oncoming Dr. and that would be Dr. Jay. Sally said to Richard, I’m trying to wait and hold out till Dr. Jay gets here but it’s really not up to me, it’s up to the baby. So get over here and do some talking to your son and tell him to wait about another hour. The Nurse laughed and said, Do you think he will listen to you, and you called the baby a he, do you know it’s a boy? Sally said in between contractions, No, Richard doesn’t know whether it is a boy or girl, but I have said all along it’s a boy. I wouldn’t let them tell us what it was when I had the ultrasound. But I know it’s a boy. The Nurse laughed and said," Well good luck, and we shall see