Disjointed Lives

By Morgan Sheppard

Promotions Manager, Ava Reese, has all she ever wanted: a fantastic husband, a great job, a good life. But her past haunts her.

Although she thought she had left the darkness behind long ago, her dreams start to haunt her during the day, making her question everything she has.

Ava hopes that meeting with her best friend, Paige, will help her find peace again. Can they put Ava’s dreams to rest, or will the past destroy everything Ava has so carefully built?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Morgan Sheppard
• Release date: Aug 2, 2022
• ISBN: 9780463955765

Morgan Sheppard

Originally from the United Kingdom, Morgan Sheppard now resides in Germany, although she freely admits to having left part of her heart in Wales. Whilst a writer mainly in the fantasy genre, Morgan is more than happy to share her love of reading amongst the many different genres out there, and can always be found with a book close by.As well as reading and writing, Morgan spends her time looking after her family and trying to learn German. Unfortunately, a natural aptitude for languages doesn’t appear to be one of her strong points. However, stubbornness is, so she continues to persevere. So far, Morgan is confident enough to order a beer and a pretzel.You can also sign up for her newsletter to receive a #FREE copy of Disjointed Lives, a short story about friendship and a toxic relationship - https://morgan-sheppard-author.ck.page/ae0a9dbdf1Linktree: https://linktr.ee/morgansheppard

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Morgan Sheppard

Disjointed Lives

Copyright 2018 by Morgan Sheppard

Published by Elemental Publishing at Smashwords 2022

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

Morgan Sheppard asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

Morgan Sheppard has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-party Internet Websites referred to in this publication and does not guarantee that any content on such Websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.

Designations used by companies to distinguish their products are often claimed as trademarks. All brand names and product names used in this book and on its cover are trade names, service marks, trademarks and registered trademarks of their respective owners. The publishers and the book are not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. None of the companies referenced within the book have endorsed the book.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

Thank you for downloading this ebook. This book remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be redistributed to others for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy from their favorite authorized retailer.

Thank you for your support.

Dedication

For Amy, Lucy, and Rafe – who took a chance on me when I said I had a new idea!

For Debbie – who gave me the idea on a sunny day last October.

To my family, whether through blood or bond - I love you.

To my Lady of the Moon and Tides – thank you.

And for anyone who needs to hear these words:

You are not alone.

You are not crazy.

There IS a better life out there.

Dream your dream, and work hard to make it happen.

Contents

copyright

Dedication

Contents

Acknowledgements

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Epilogue

About the Author

Also by Morgan

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank my wonderful beta readers, without whom this book would never have made it this far:

Amy Shelton

Lucy Johnson

Rafe Jadison

My thanks also go to everyone who has supported me, whether by email, phone, or Facebook.

My final thanks go to you, the reader that has made it this far. I would love to hear what you think about Disjointed Lives or the World of Wraidd Elfennol.

If you enjoyed this book, please take a moment to write a review on any of the available sales or book sites. Even a star rating on Goodreads is helpful. I’d love to hear from you.

This book is written in British English, not American English

Chapter 1

Ava made her way towards the comfortable chairs with the window view in her local coffee shop. The scent of fresh coffee filled her nostrils, and she inhaled deeply as she found a free table. She placed her drink down, and took off her coat, scarf, and gloves, putting them neatly on the back of her chair. She caught a reflection of herself in the mirror and checked to make sure she looked okay. Ava was of average height and build, with long, dark brown hair. She had rich chocolate-coloured eyes, and her skin always looked tanned. She grinned to herself as she realised what she was doing, and shrugged her shoulders. Not bad for someone just on the wrong side of forty, she thought to herself.

She looked towards the queue in front of the counter to see if her friend had arrived. When she didn’t see her, Ava checked her watch and chuckled to herself. She was on time, but she knew Paige wouldn’t be. She was one of those people who always intended to be there on time, but something constantly happened to cause a delay.

As Ava waited, the clanking of the cups and the low sound of the other customers became background noise to her as she sank into her thoughts. She could feel the winter sunshine on her face as the beams shone weakly through the glass. She sat back in her chair and watched the world go by outside. The people were scurrying past the window, coats clutched tightly as the wind tried to whip its way into any crease it could find. Ava shivered, thankful for the opportunity to meet her friend here. It was bitterly cold outside, so the warmth of this coffee shop was welcome indeed.

Her mind wandered back to the dream she had had the previous night. It played through her mind like a movie, making her shift uncomfortably in her seat. Her brow furrowed and she unknowingly tensed her hands around her cup. Although infrequent in number, she had had these dreams for years, and they never failed to unsettle her. Ava’s eyes lifted in surprise as her friend, Paige, spoke to her.

Hey there, sleepyhead. I think you need to drink that coffee, not frown at it, said Paige, slipping into the seat opposite and placing her large cappuccino on the table in front of her.

Hey Paige, greeted Ava with a smile. I was lost in thought. Perhaps it was because I’ve been waiting for you so long.

Paige grinned at the good-natured teasing. You know I’m never on time so I don’t know why you always arrive early.

It’s only so I can grab a good seat, admitted Ava, smiling over her cup. So, what’s been going on with you then?

Never mind that, said Paige, looking serious. What’s got you all tense? You were away with the fairies when I arrived. I waved when I walked through the door, but you didn’t even see me. Is everything alright at home?

Of course, everything’s fine. It’s nothing, said Ava, waving a hand carelessly in the air. Just thoughts, you know.

It looked like something to me, persisted Paige. Come on, talk to me. It’s been nearly six months since we’ve been able to meet up.

Although Ava and Paige were old friends, their lives and schedules didn’t permit for many get-togethers. Instead, they made the best of what they had and spent time online whenever possible.

Paige leaned forward,