PROLOGUE
The night was bleak, the sky, gray and overcast. The phone call from the hospital has woken Nathaniel Carter from a sound slumber. His son Kenneth and daughter Olivia lay alongside him on his king-size bed. His wife Natasha has been admitted to hospital for over two weeks falling in the state of coma at the cost of a terrible car accident, because of her critical state Natasha has been placed in the intensive care unit as a precaution.
Matters, however, had quickly gone bad, complicated by the fact that Natasha's spine had been broken followed with six of her ribs which had pierced her lungs cutting her short of air making her slip into coma faster. After two weeks sitting by her bedside, Dr. Quentin had sent him home promising to immediately contact Nathaniel if there appear to be any change. Now he was proving true to his word.
"Mr. Carter, could you come to the hospital, it urgent?" Dr. Quentin spoke through the other line.
"Could anything be wrong? Is my wife okay?" Nathaniel demanded, hearing the weary frustration in the physician's voice, which wasn't a good sign.
"It'd be best if you came to the hospital. I'll explain things better once you're here."
The hard sound of a fist hitting a smooth surface echoed around the doctor's office.
It wasn't supposed to be like this. Not like this.
An hour later after arriving at the hospital, Nathaniel Carter's heart broke into tiny shreds at the news of his wife's death, not a sound escaped his lips. The powerful fist of pain, agony, disbelief viciously punched at him. Feeling weak and dizzy, he slumped into the molded plastic hospital chair.
"We did everything we could to save them both." Dr. Quentin murmured, his voice subdued with defeat.
It wasn't supposed to happen like this.
Nathaniel's pain added to the knowledge of their unborn child in Natasha's womb. Had he knew she was pregnant he wouldn't have allowed her to leave out. It was only six weeks, still a fetus.
Nathaniel glanced up at the man opposite him "I'd like to be with my wife for a minute if I could. Just for a minute."
After a while, Dr. Quentin nodded and lead the way down the calm quiet hallway to Natasha's room. Nathaniel felt his heart pounding savagely, his head whirling, his legs almost given away. He felt as though his world had crumbled on him as he walks cautiously towards the new cause of a nightmare.
"I'll be outside waiting." Dr. Quentin said through the quite hall opening the door and stepped aside.
Stepping in the room the first thing he noticed was that all the tubes had been disconnected. His wife once glowing face still looked glowing, if not more. For a moment he thought they could all behave mistaking, she could only be deep in her slumber.
If only it was.
He could remember the first day he met her beautiful transcending face of nature. Memories of Florida still vivid in his mind. The image will forever haunt his life, that he was sure of. The baking, the knitting, the painting all going down the drain. The ray of sunshine hitting her blond hair, a free-flowing beauty at the clock of twenty. No woman has ever moved him the way Natasha Mullins moved him, his heart had stopped, his breath cut short by her sight, at that moment he knew to make her his forever by tying the knot with her.
Five years ago the knowledge of a woman in his life seemed terrifying, but a moment spent with Natasha proved otherwise.
Within eight months of marriage, they were blessed with their first child Kenneth Carter. Nathaniel's thought his heart would burst with pride. A son. One of his everliving wishes had come through. Then there came Olivia another bundle of joy but their joy was immediately cut short one faithful night Natasha left to get the forgotten beverages of their daughter despite his disapproval. He received a heart tearing call from an unknown man through his wife's phone stating her car was been hit by a drunk truck driver.
Nathaniel looked down at her, and his heartfelt heavy and empty. It was as if she'd taken his life with her. What could he do without her? How could he possibly face life without Natasha by his side? How could he cope with two kids?
"Natasha why? Why must you leave? How am I suppose to take care of our kids? How?" Nathaniel shed tears out with a sob finally overtaking him.
CHAPTER ONETHE WEAK CRY of Olivia stirred Nathaniel from his light sleep. He blinked a couple of times and rubbed a hand down his weary face. The midnight feedings were the worst, especially those on Friday night.Life had fallen into a dismal pattern since Natasha's funeral. He'd never worked harder in his life than in the past two months. Keeping up with the kids and the house and his job left room for not a little ease. The demands seemed endless.Nathaniel's family had pitched in helping every way they could. Between his mother and sisters, he was making it. But the awareness of appearing like he was dependent on them made things uncomfortable for him.Olivia squalled again through the monitor, and Nathaniel tossed aside the cover and sat on the edge of the king-size bed. Blindly he searched with his feet for his slippers before he stood and slipped into his night robe, tie the knot around.The daughter Olivia slept a room away from him to make his work easier. He reached for her
CHAPTER TWO"ARE YOU by any chance intoxicated?" Nathaniel quacks his brow up at her sudden suggestion.Samantha had fully expected an argument. Nathaniel was proud. Begin forced to accept her help, or anyone's for that matter went against his independent nature and value... That he'd been forced to relay on her and his parents in the past few months was difficult enough."I've given the matter a good deal of thought," Samantha responded being ignorant of the question a while ago.A sigh escapes Nathaniel's lips in total frustration. "I appreciate the offer, but I can't accept or agree with your suggestion." He said flashing a brief sad smile."The children aren't adjusting well and you know it." Samantha openly implied, already frustrated with his bickering."How so?""Kenneth, for example, can't sleep unless he has a scoop of ice cream, or Olivia for example, she has passed the age of waking up at the middle of the night for a late meal, I could only guess you're still feeding her l
CHAPTER THREENATHANAEL jack up at the banging sound coming from the hallway. He groans already having an idea of what the nuisance could be.Stretching off the bed, hands above his head, letting out a long yawn. An ache ran through his whole body-due to the event which had occurred last night.Kenneth unusually threw out a tantrum, but Nathaniel's disapproval concerning the kid's growing appetite for a nightly snack-brought a whole new act of annoyance, as Kenneth refused to lay in bed.Unfortunately, Nathaniel gave up complying with the little boy's demand-at the rate of almost losing the remaining sanity he'd left.Whirl his eyes towards the clock on the stand by the bedside, Nathaniel's eyes widen at the time-9:15 am!Curse repeatedly while pulling on his shirt. It was not surprising why the noise still kept on-but what's more surprising was Kenneth for one hadn't knocked down his room door and Olivia hadn't cried off his ear.Stepping out from his room Nathaniel followers where t
CHAPTER FOURNATHANIEL'S EYES snap open at the realization of his words. The world seems to be spinning as an uncomfortable silence filled the room.Clearing his throat Nathaniel sat up. "I'm sorry Sam. I-I just-"Samantha shook her head ."It's nothing. I understand." She said in a small voice trying to conceal her hurt."No" He shifted sitting at the edge of the couch linking his fingers together with a disheartened expression on his face trying to show his regrets. "I didn't mean to. I-It kind of slipped off my lips.""And like I said I totally understand." Nothing waiting for more discussion she left him there at the living room heading towards the kitchen to probably rinse the mugs and head to bed.Nathaniel cursed under his breath repeatedly feeling the urge to knock something off. He felt like a fool, playing with both their emotions.His blunt mouth just reminded both of them of what they both lost. A special gem that can never be brought back to their lives again.Standing up
CHAPTER FOURNATHANIEL'S EYES snap open at the realization of his words. The world seems to be spinning as an uncomfortable silence filled the room.Clearing his throat Nathaniel sat up. "I'm sorry Sam. I-I just-"Samantha shook her head ."It's nothing. I understand." She said in a small voice trying to conceal her hurt."No" He shifted sitting at the edge of the couch linking his fingers together with a disheartened expression on his face trying to show his regrets. "I didn't mean to. I-It kind of slipped off my lips.""And like I said I totally understand." Nothing waiting for more discussion she left him there at the living room heading towards the kitchen to probably rinse the mugs and head to bed.Nathaniel cursed under his breath repeatedly feeling the urge to knock something off. He felt like a fool, playing with both their emotions.His blunt mouth just reminded both of them of what they both lost. A special gem that can never be brought back to their lives again.Standing up
CHAPTER THREENATHANAEL jack up at the banging sound coming from the hallway. He groans already having an idea of what the nuisance could be.Stretching off the bed, hands above his head, letting out a long yawn. An ache ran through his whole body-due to the event which had occurred last night.Kenneth unusually threw out a tantrum, but Nathaniel's disapproval concerning the kid's growing appetite for a nightly snack-brought a whole new act of annoyance, as Kenneth refused to lay in bed.Unfortunately, Nathaniel gave up complying with the little boy's demand-at the rate of almost losing the remaining sanity he'd left.Whirl his eyes towards the clock on the stand by the bedside, Nathaniel's eyes widen at the time-9:15 am!Curse repeatedly while pulling on his shirt. It was not surprising why the noise still kept on-but what's more surprising was Kenneth for one hadn't knocked down his room door and Olivia hadn't cried off his ear.Stepping out from his room Nathaniel followers where t
CHAPTER TWO"ARE YOU by any chance intoxicated?" Nathaniel quacks his brow up at her sudden suggestion.Samantha had fully expected an argument. Nathaniel was proud. Begin forced to accept her help, or anyone's for that matter went against his independent nature and value... That he'd been forced to relay on her and his parents in the past few months was difficult enough."I've given the matter a good deal of thought," Samantha responded being ignorant of the question a while ago.A sigh escapes Nathaniel's lips in total frustration. "I appreciate the offer, but I can't accept or agree with your suggestion." He said flashing a brief sad smile."The children aren't adjusting well and you know it." Samantha openly implied, already frustrated with his bickering."How so?""Kenneth, for example, can't sleep unless he has a scoop of ice cream, or Olivia for example, she has passed the age of waking up at the middle of the night for a late meal, I could only guess you're still feeding her l
CHAPTER ONETHE WEAK CRY of Olivia stirred Nathaniel from his light sleep. He blinked a couple of times and rubbed a hand down his weary face. The midnight feedings were the worst, especially those on Friday night.Life had fallen into a dismal pattern since Natasha's funeral. He'd never worked harder in his life than in the past two months. Keeping up with the kids and the house and his job left room for not a little ease. The demands seemed endless.Nathaniel's family had pitched in helping every way they could. Between his mother and sisters, he was making it. But the awareness of appearing like he was dependent on them made things uncomfortable for him.Olivia squalled again through the monitor, and Nathaniel tossed aside the cover and sat on the edge of the king-size bed. Blindly he searched with his feet for his slippers before he stood and slipped into his night robe, tie the knot around.The daughter Olivia slept a room away from him to make his work easier. He reached for her
PROLOGUEThe night was bleak, the sky, gray and overcast. The phone call from the hospital has woken Nathaniel Carter from a sound slumber. His son Kenneth and daughter Olivia lay alongside him on his king-size bed. His wife Natasha has been admitted to hospital for over two weeks falling in the state of coma at the cost of a terrible car accident, because of her critical state Natasha has been placed in the intensive care unit as a precaution.Matters, however, had quickly gone bad, complicated by the fact that Natasha's spine had been broken followed with six of her ribs which had pierced her lungs cutting her short of air making her slip into coma faster. After two weeks sitting by her bedside, Dr. Quentin had sent him home promising to immediately contact Nathaniel if there appear to be any change. Now he was proving true to his word."Mr. Carter, could you come to the hospital, it urgent?" Dr. Quentin spoke through the other line."Could anything be wrong? Is my wife okay?" Natha