My Reflection

By Sandra Lee Brand

This book is for all who love children, cats and thrillers. My Reflection is a second book for this author and follows Minnesota Mystique. It has more drama and trauma with ghosts and angels featured. It is an emotional and medical rollercoaster journey for the reader.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Nov 5, 2021
• ISBN: 9781665543040

Sandra Lee Brand

Sandra Lee Brand has BS and MS degrees in Speech and Language Pathology with areas of concentration in Psychology, English and Art. She also has certification in Real Estate Sales and as Real Estate Broker. She is certified in Florida American Speech-Language Association and American Speech-Language Association. She is presently associated with an Outpatient Clinic as a Speech and Language Pathologist.

Book preview

2021 Sandra Lee Brand. 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 11/02/2021

ISBN: 978-1-6655-4305-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6655-4303-3 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6655-4304-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021922247

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

This book is printed on acid-free paper.

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.

Contents

Preface

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

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Chapter 47

Chapter 48

Chapter 49

Chapter 50

Chapter 51

Chapter 52

Chapter 53

Chapter 54

Chapter 55

Chapter 56

Chapter 57

Chapter 58

Chapter 59

Chapter 60

Chapter 61

Chapter 62

Chapter 63

Chapter 64

Chapter 65

Chapter 66

Chapter 67

Chapter 68

Chapter 69

Chapter 70

Chapter 71

Chapter 72

Chapter 73

Chapter 74

Chapter 75

Chapter 76

Chapter 77

Chapter 78

Chapter 79

Chapter 80

Chapter 81

Chapter 82

Chapter 83

EPILOGUE

Preface

Time has passed since I began my first book, Minnesota Mystique. I was told to do a grief journal where I would record my healing or lack of it. That would have made me cry and feel increased pain from the loss of my beloved husband. He suffered MDS which was ended with a stem cell transplant from his brother, Roger Brand. Esophageal Cancer came 13 years later and took him in two years. I decided to write Minnesota Mystique where I had control over who lived and died. It was a sweet book.

When Mystique did well, I committed myself to one more book. I hope they are not like the treat where you can’t eat just one. My Reflection is number two with more twists and turns. Both books are based on life experiences with a splash or more of…just me. This book is also for my beloved husband. I wonder if they read in Heaven. He believed in me as I believed in him.

This book, My Reflection, still has the mysterious cat but she comes in later in this book. So, animal lovers, she has more than a cameo appearance which is the way of magical cats. They come and go on their own schedule and leave happiness and healing behind. Angel is no exception!

I, again, pressed my clever and talented friends into duty being editors. Maureen Smith Anderson and I sat and read, rewrote and read again, to flesh out and enhance the story. She is quite dramatic and I enjoyed the read aloud by her as she brought my story to life. She was with me Christmas eve when the birth of Minnesota Mystique took place. It was epic.

Gretchen Boehme is quite a gem. She caught punctuation and typo errors and added Grand perspective as only a grandmother of her expertise and quality can do. She was with me the night I lost my Wayne. I am not sure I could have made it through that night without her. She also brought the celebratory food and drink for our last edit!

Barb Parrish and I have breakfast every Wednesday and she puts the world straight as well as adds humor and reality to my book and my life. Laughter and plot plans were a part of our breakfasts. She refused to let me remove a twin from the book! Read this book to see if she won the battle for this character.

We should never underestimate the talent of our friends. I am lucky to have the best friends. They have helped me in so many ways. I love these ladies and gentlemen. I feel blessed with them in my life.

As for me, I have greatly enjoyed imagining what you would like to hear/read. The house in this book is based on a real house we owned and loved in Fargo, North Dakota. I have a master’s degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology with Areas of Concentration in Psychology, Art and English. I also have a Broker’s License in Real Estate which sits on ice. I am an independent contractor as a Speech and Language Pathologist with an Out Patient Clinic. I work for an Early Head Start Program and do music therapy with some of these little darlings. My resume fills two pages…small print.

Family and friends have encouraged me to write. Your reaction to my first book necessitated number two. Number three? Up to as you created a place and need for book two. Enjoy!

Chapter 1

38923.png

Melody and Grant Miller began their lives together with the innate knowledge that all would be well. After all, they were gainfully employed and loved their jobs. They loved each other with gleeful abandon. Life couldn’t be better. This was a life designed in Heaven in both of their viewpoints and in the thoughts of all who knew or met them. It was a fairytale life to be lived by them.

They were aware that this was not the norm and that others faced problems. They gave this thought credence but they lived in the moment. Melody’s parents always told her to not borrow trouble. Grant’s parents just kept smiling. Their son was happy and on track for a good profession. They loved Melody and her effect on their son. They had never seen him happier or more on track. They were a magical pair and to top it all off the in-laws liked each other!

Their life was idyllic. Melody had her dream occupation as a pediatric nurse. She loved to watch little ones come in with life threatening and short term illnesses to eventually go home free of pain or well enough for home care. The down side of her job was when the children didn’t go home to continue their lives. She watched parents and other loved ones being torn apart by the journeys that did not go well.

At these times she questioned her choice to become a nurse. She knew she had Pollyanna tendencies. She preferred to look at the sunny side of every challenge. This was, quite simply, who she was. However, each patient loss left a small ache deep in her heart. It also created a nagging fear when she thought of all that happens to little ones. She saw the endangered and the healed, then reflected on her own future children. She wondered if all medical personnel had these thoughts/worries. They saw all that could prevent their children from having normal lives…all the ailments. It was a medical awareness brought home for them. She chose to try not to carry these concerns beyond her job, as well as she could. Her colleagues kept her optimistic with tales of their children . . . and yet.

Would she, could she, leave this profession? She had dreamed about it from childhood on. She wanted to save children. This seemed a worthy goal for her, as the sweet and loving child she had been. She hadn’t been prepared for the intense pain found with loss of life. She was strong, was it strong enough? But, she also had Grant and he brought such love and joy for her and life in general.

She did not share heart rending loses with Grant more than she had to do so. He was her light, her joy, her love. He was her safety zone. She did share the successes and the joys of healed and functioning young lives. The joy she felt when she was able to be a part of the recovery of a child was beyond measure. Pressure could be intense, but then, there was Grant. He must be kept mostly separate from the terrors of health care and soar with her in the successes and wins.

Grant was working in a local law firm doing research. He was hired as he was in prelaw and was planning on completing work toward his law degree as life allowed. He loved the research part of this job and absorbed all he learned as only one who loves his job can do. His employers quickly discovered his value and increased his income to tempt him to stay. It was a win win for the firm and for Grant. There were no downsides to the life of this lucky young man. He worked hard for it and the rewards were there!

The attorneys in his office often went out after work with Grant, a recognized and integral part of their social as well as professional lives. This was well accepted by his wife, as Melody and her work partners also felt they needed to share their work and entertainment. Together or apart, life was good. This point in their story had fairy book status. Love is a many splendored thing. Surprises can go both ways. Right now it was splenderific!

Chapter 2

38923.png

Weekends were reserved for Grant and Melody. It was for sharing moments involving just the two of them. Life in Fargo, North Dakota was eventful and lively. Fargo was expanding by leaps and bounds. They were into year three when they discovered they were ready to move up the five-year plan. The next step was a home. They researched and compared notes. Again, the magic of this couple revealed they both wanted an older house with character.

Fargo was framed on the north by a river and had to quit growing in that direction. They loved areas where the houses were old and classic. This limited their choices. They were very aware of this as listings of these homes came and went very quickly. They had missed some before even being free to look at them.

Now they were ready to buy their first home and needed a realtor. There was only one choice for them. Their realtor was an old college and party buddy. These two friends, Grant and Wayne, had met in some law classes. Wayne was working very hard for them. Houses came and went at the speed of light. Wayne informed them that they had to be ready. Strike while the fire is hot became their motto.

A house on Eighth Street had come on the market and met all their wishes, dreams and more. Eighth Street in Fargo featured beautiful, original and historic homes. This house was an English Cottage with plenty of room for growth. Wayne had the key. He texted the information and picture of the outside of the house. He recommended an immediate showing. Grant went to his boss to request time off to see this house.

Grant’s office said he should go. They were smart. They wanted to get him indebted to a house payment. There is no better employee than one with a house payment and a permanent tie to the community. They even offered him a raise to make the deal more impressive and possible. Grant felt that this was a sign that this next dream was meant to happen and happen now!

Grant called Melody on her first break at the hospital. She couldn’t get free until later in the evening. That may be too late. They could lose this one to some other potential house buyer. After a quick evaluation of the situation, Melody responded to the news with this statement. Go look at it. You know what we want and you are more into legal matters. What does Wayne say?

She could hear the excitement in Grant’s voice. Wayne says he already has the offer drawn up and it only needs our offer amount and signatures. He has shown us many houses but never did that before. This house had been built in 1918. It had been handed down to different generations in the same family. As impossible as it seems, it never made the market before. It probably has secrets…maybe even ghosts in residence! I have to ask Wayne if we have to write the ghosts into the offer and if their inclusion in the deal could cost us more! Someone was downright giddy!!

Grant took a quick recovery breath and added, He suggests that we make an offer. There is a disclosure that states an older woman, Emma, had just died in the house that had been her home from birth through death. It is called a womb to tomb residence. In fact, she had been delivered by a midwife in that very house. There were heirs to deal with during this quest. Her husband is still in a local nursing home. He is suffering from some form of dementia. It was her home all of her life. It probably needs updating but it sounds so amazing.

Melody felt a bit of excitement shove aside a small portion of the great remorse she was suffering. Then, she turned and looked at her favorite patient. One year ago sweet Patrick, a chubby red haired baby boy with bright green eyes, had come to the hospital for the first time. He had been diagnosed with leukemia and the fight had begun. He was in and out of the hospital for the next year. He would recognize her and squeal with delight when he saw her. She would imitate his squeal and they would both laugh. That had been then and now was….

Slowly the light was leaving his green eyes and he did not smile or squeal. He was often limp and unresponsive. Now, when someone dressed in white entered his room he would whimper and roll away. This is called white coat syndrome. She had become his special person as she would give the parents time outs and sit and rock Patrick as she sang to him during her break. He loved the lullaby called Summertime. She left some bright sweaters she would slip one on over her uniform when she entered his room. He didn’t need to see her in white. He had smiled up at her before. Now he would gaze at her with hope and then, tighten and tense as pain rocked his tiny body. Today Hospice had been called.

Her tiny two-year-old patient was losing his battle with leukemia. She couldn’t leave and wouldn’t if she could. She did not feel up to making a decision that would affect their lives for years to come. She was at an emotional crossroads. When the evident and necessary response struggled through the trauma in her mind, she responded, If it is the right move for us, sign the contract. I trust your judgement. Our choice is clear so please, my darling, act on it.

There was a long pause. Then, he said, I have news. Wayne says we can put in a 24 hour first right of refusal on it. We will come to get your signature at the hospital. Then, when you see it tomorrow, we will remove the hold to fulfill the offer or turn it back for another purchaser. Mel, you and I may not like it. Wayne and I are going now. I love you. She recognized the faint tremor in his voice that denoted excitement. She felt her feelings make a nose dive. This was suddenly going so fast. Grant seemed ready for it, but was she? This was definitely what she needed Grant for…move on it!! Fairy tale, fairy tale, she chanted to herself. Could she regain the feeling of magic by chanting this belief? Stay tuned to find out!

Chapter 3

38923.png

Wayne and Grant drove to the old house. It was cold and children were going house to house to collect treats. Grant left a bucket of candy at his door for these little Halloween goblins and princesses. He wanted to be sure they got their treats.

He felt tears brim as he looked at the potential home and imagined his own children walking down these same streets one day. He looked at Wayne and his friend clamped his hand on his shoulder. Comfort given! Wayne didn’t know why his friend needed consoling…he just knew he did. These two were like brothers with their unspoken vow of friendship and caring. Come to think of it, is that redundant…friendship and caring? Well, it can’t be emphasized enough so it stays!!

They walked up to the gingerbread house, fully expecting to see candy siding. Wayne unlocked the door and pushed it open for Grant to step in. A slight breeze seemed to issue from the open door. He felt a presence so Grant stopped and stepped back with a look at Wayne. Is there someone here? Grant questioned. Wayne replied, Not supposed to be, but let me check for sure.

Wayne stepped in and walked around the main floor. He was a realtor and this could and would be handled by him. He looked at Grant at the end of this first perusal, but Grant held his ground so Wayne quickly scaled the steps. Obviously, Grant wasn’t coming in until he knew the coast was clear. Steps light and quick were heard upstairs and Wayne skipped back down. It is like stepping into a movie…back in time. If you are not interested I may have to take this one off the market myself. Grant could tell his friend was serious. This house was a great buy. It was one of a kind.

The foyer had an open staircase that curved up to new mysteries. Grant felt like he was invading someone’s privacy, but Wayne moved on with his confident and effortless stride. Excitement and the thrill of the discovery of a special find, emanated from both men as the view from the foyer revealed large beautifully maintained grace …that was the best description for it. Grant felt excitement and was more than hopeful.

The second floor would come later. Come, let me show you this home. Urged Wayne. The men moved from the foyer to the massive living room with a large carved wood and brick fireplace featuring an ornate marble mantle. The silence in the house seemed to have a life of its own.

The large window of individual panes presented the observers with the lacy elegance of full curtains as they looked to their right in the expansive living room. Grant felt his breath catch. It was too large for cozy but still gave off the essence of home and, yes, coziness. Grant was ready to buy right now. He felt that he was home. This home, besides being beautiful, was eerily very home like and familiar to him for no good reason. It