Pruning: A Memoir

By Nicole Hornsby-Harrison

Overcoming a life changing period in her early years created a fierce determination in Nicole and the realization that there is a connection between physical health and emotional wellness.  In light intense challenges, it's remarkable that this acclaimed fitness guru

• Language: English
• Publisher: Creole Fit Queens Absolute Fitness LLC
• Release date: Feb 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9781088098295

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Nicole Hornsby-Harrison

Pruning: A Memoir

First published by Creole Fit Queens Absolute Fitness LLC 2023

Copyright © 2023 by Nicole Hornsby-Harrison

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.

First edition

ISBN: 978-1-0880-9829-5

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Foreword

My wife!

You are my love, the one that has captured my heart and wrapped your soul around mine in ways it’s sometimes hard for me to express. Your voice speaks to my spirit like the voices of the angels that surrounded us and brought us back together. The sound of your voice sounds like peace, it feels like heaven. My love for you runs deep.

I pray that this journey in life is all that you want it to be and more. I’m with you all the way, giving you every ounce of support you will ever need. As the captain of the ship, I will keep protecting you, asking our creator for strength to bear the brunt of the waves so you don’t have to. I’d move heaven and earth for you, again and again. Our life together is a love song from God.

It’s my honor to share your incredible spirit with the world. I hope every reader sees you as you are, a woman with the heart of a warrior, a survivor, and a healer.

Get ready for your blessing. Get ready to change lives. God has so much laid out for you. I’m blessed that He chose me as the keeper of your heart. You are my treasure.

With all of my love,

Tiger

1

The Blood on My Crown

My alarm is always loud as fuck. But today it seemed extra loud. The sound of it going off, along with the back-to-back ringing of the telephone shook me out of my sleep. Add to that the booming headache I had and the throbbing between my thighs and you have the makings of a disastrous day. I was so emotionally drained that the very act of opening my eyes was exhausting. Jesus!, I thought, as my eyes, half stuck together from dried tears, opened. My cousin Tanya was standing over my bed, holding the phone to my ears. Still too groggy to tell her how I felt about the rude awakening, I sleepily whispered, Hello?

Baby…. What took you so long to answer?, the familiar voice on the other end of the phone immediately made me nauseous. I snatched the phone from my cousin’s hand and slammed it to the floor, barely missing her foot. This guy’s boldness was disturbing. As soon as I asked myself how he’d gotten my aunt’s house number, I remembered who had introduced us. My other cousin Chelsea. Before yesterday, I had wondered if I could trust her. After yesterday, I knew I couldn’t. We had grown up worlds apart; I was born in Louisiana, and she had lived here in Long Beach her whole life. It’s no excuse for her not helping me yesterday, but it explained a lot for me.

Tanya disappeared down the hallway, singing to herself as I laid in bed, tossing and turning from my back to my left side, and then my stomach. As soon as I felt the warmth of the sheets on my stomach, I rolled back over onto my back. Nope! I thought in a feeling of hopelessness, saying to myself, That’s a position I can’t see myself wanting to ever be in again. Never!

I pulled the sheets over my head and inhaled deeply, praying I would smell the fragrance of a freshly bloomed magnolia tree - my favorite part of home. My mind, always in a battle between my inner turmoil and the peace I imagine having, reminded me that the magnolia tree is probably shedding its beautifully bloomed leaves right about now, allowing what was once natural, beautiful, and fragrant to be trampled on and destroyed by the intrusive footprints of everyone walking across the yard and onto Grandma’s porch.

Seems the magnificence of the magnolia tree I’ve always loved isn’t the only thing to have its intricate, protective layers pruned and destroyed. My hands released their grip on the covers and traveled down my smooth, firm thighs and across my vagina, stopping as soon as I felt the moisture seeping through my pantiliners and staining my panties. I’m not too surprised, I always buy the liners from the dollar store, knowing full well they leak, but I got what my wallet said I could get.