Chapter 1
Mary left in a rush, without saying goodbye to her kids. She had a fleeting paranoid idea, "What if I don't come back?" Of course she dismissed that as just a negative thought.
It was late at night in Long Island. It wasn’t stormy but the sky had neither moon nor stars for light. Mary had gone to pick up milk and eggs. She had the right of way when a man made an illegal left into her lane. She spun out of control and crashed into a concrete pillar. The man was mortified at what he had done but there was no way for him to make amends.
Mary’s husband, Dr. Franklin Storm, was a trauma surgeon at Holyoke Hospital. Despite his best efforts, he couldn’t save her. Her spine had been severed and her case was nearly impossible. He didn’t know how he would comfort their son and daughter.
“Kids, Mommy went to heaven,” he started.
“Really? I wanna go to heaven too,” said his innocent daughter, Sue.
“But Sue, you must understand. She isn’t ever coming back,” said Franklin.
Sue began bawling and screaming. Her brother Johnny became very quiet and locked himself in his room.
NINE YEARS LATER
“You’re going to get me arrested, Sue!” said Reed
“What are you talking about? What's wrong with making out with your girlfriend?” asked Sue.
“Yes, but you’re still seventeen,” Reed started to explain but stopped himself.
“So what?”
“Let’s just talk,” said Reed, becoming the first man in history to do so.
They stared at each other for a while. Sue was upset but then found it romantic to just stare quietly at each other. She never considered Reed extremely attractive, a fact she withheld from him. She liked guys that were more tan and broader in their shoulders.
“You never told me about your mom. It’s weird. I’ve never seen a picture or anything,” said Reed.
“She died in a car accident when I was nine,” replied Sue.
“Geez, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked,” said Reed, apologetically.
“No. I don’t mind. You didn’t know,” said Sue.
“Aren’t you sad about it?” asked Reed
“I was when it happened. She was a good mom. I moved on,” said Sue.
She felt his cheek and gave him a look.
“Sue, not now. That’s so freakish. How can you possibly want it when we were just talking about your mom?” said Reed.
“Dunno. Guess I must be crazy or dumb,” said Sue.
What had happened to her? What kind of trauma must have been affecting her mind? Intellectually, Reed knew that children are deeply attached to their mothers and that breaking that bond evokes powerful emotions. But he had never experienced that loss and so could not comprehend how it really felt. What was he supposed to do now?
He leaned his back against his headboard and opened his arms wide.
“Come here,” Reed said.
She fell into his arms. He held her tightly.
“It’s okay, Baby. It’s okay,” Reed said.