Welcome to The Soap Opera Series where over the course of the next several weeks I will feature one of my books in its entirety, a segment at at time, right here on my blog...for free! So stop by every Wednesday and Saturday beginning August 14, 2013 for new episode postings.
Kicking the series off is my novel: A Little Hurt Ain't Never Hurt Nobody. Enjoy it!
(Okay, cue the melodramatic piano track.)
A Little Hurt Ain't Never Hurt Nobody
Dedicated to every person who struggles
with embracing the present because of past hurts.
with embracing the present because of past hurts.
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Nothing just happens and everything happens for a reason - at least that’s what they say. But to save my life, I can’t seem to figure out what in the world is going on with me. I would ask God, but right now I’m not speaking to Him, and this is why.
Prologue
“Jream, let’s do something we haven’t done in a long time,” my husband Cade asked as he eased back on his pillows. Right away I stopped trying to solve the SuDoku puzzle I’d been working on and gave him a sly smile, thinking that he wanted to have sex. It had been a while since his condition made him barely able to perform.
“Okay,” I said excitedly, putting my puzzle book and pen on the nightstand before snuggling up to him and instinctively letting my hands travel to the places that use to turn him on the most.
“No babe; not that,” he said, gently stilling my hands. A pained expression crossed his face as his eyes studied mine one at a time.
“What is it babe?” I asked pushing away slightly as I circled my thumb on the back of his hand.
In a matter of seconds, the look of pain was replaced by the love and passion I’d seen in his eyes when we’d first met. He didn’t have to say it but the words fell from his lips just the same. “I love you Jream,” he whispered, tugging at my arm to coax me closer to him.
“I love you too Cade. You’re the love of my life.” I pressed a kiss between the scratchiness of his beard just below his jaw line. With a soft hand, he stroked my hair, then circled a finger around my ear. With his other hand, he grasped at my fingers which were tracing a random pattern on his chest.
“Of course, babe.” I kissed him once more, then closed my eyes, waiting for him to lead the way to the throne room of the Most High. I fought to keep from peeling my eyes open when he began to speak.
“Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep....” His voice weakened and became shaky as his words were accented with slight sniffling. “If I should die before I wake...” There he took a long pause that allowed me time to silently send up my own prayer for his complete healing. “I pray the Lord my soul to take.” He squeezed my fingers once more before uttering “Amen.”
“Amen.” I agreed then pressed his fingers to my lips. I smiled to myself, grateful of Cade’s love. Within two minutes I could feel the weight of his arm increase as he relaxed into a peaceful sleep. “Thank you Lord,” I whispered.
My eyes had popped open abruptly at 5:15 feeling an unusual and eerie chill in the room, although Cade kept our bedroom nice and toasty just for me, even if it meant he was uncomfortably warm. The kids wouldn't be up for another two hours, and although it had always been completely silent in the house this time of morning, even the silence was more silent than normal. Cade was turned over on his right side, his back to me and his right hand gently laid across his left shoulder, which is how he normally slept if he wasn’t holding me in his arms.
“Cade,” I called softly. “Cade, I’m cold,” I added nestling more beneath the covers. Cade had spoiled me so terribly that me considering getting up an adjusting the temperature myself was unheard of. “Baby?” It was then that I reached over to nudge him slightly, and felt death’s icy sensation shoot through my fingers and travel all over my body in a split second although I’d immediately drawn my hand back with a horrified gasp. “Cade! Cade wake up!” I called out to my husband, but I knew he was gone. My tears were instant as I leapt to my feet, scurried to his side of the bed and fell to my knees, bring my face close to his.
Right before I stood to my feet to leave Cade’s side, anger began to set in. I’d begged Cade not to leave me, but he’d done it anyway. He just slipped away in the middle of the night without so much as a kiss goodbye. I’d also begged God not to take him. “Not yet Lord,” I’d said. “Please just give us a little more time. Don’t force our babies to grow up without a daddy. God, if you are God, let Cade live.” And what did He do? He just took Cade despite my tears and fervent prayers that were supposed to avail much. God ignored me. And for that, I was mad at Him too.
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