Kindle Edition
Amazon
A Book Lover - Angela Hauzeur
Category:
Mainstream
Publisher: Createspace
ISBN-10: 1982069813
Type: Fiction
Pages: 252
Copyright: December 27, 2017
ISBN-13: 9781982069810
Price: $2.99 (eBook)
Ending Heartache is part of the Derek Madison Series. This novel showcases how he deals with ending heartache.
ENDING THE HEARTACHE
Ending the Heartache features Derek Madison, a man who is disillusioned and broken after a horrific divorce. Unexpectedly, the court awards, his ex-wife, Heather custody of their three daughters.
Derek worries about the impact of the divorce on his children and his inability to co-parent with Heather. He does everything to have a relationship with his daughters as Heather plots to destroy him as a father.
As Derek finds a way to move on with his life, he gets a second chance at love and marriage. Although he finds happiness, the past continues to haunt him.
Derek ponders over what to do about having a relationship with his children when he has a serious health scare. What else can happen? An unexpected tragedy strikes that turns Derek and his daughters’ lives upside down. As Derek’s daughters adjust to the aftermath of the catastrophe, Derek discovers that his heartache may end.
Excerpt
As Derek stood at the living room window, he watched black clouds cover the sky. In the distance, he saw a bolt of lightning. At any moment, he expected the rain to begin.
Derek stood at the window until rain droplets hit against the glass. He couldn’t help but think how the weather matched his dark mood. It had been over twenty years and he was still allowing his past to haunt him. Although he had accepted everything that had happened, he couldn’t seem to let go of all the heartache he had suffered at the hands of his ex-wife.
Although Derek was content with his life, he couldn’t seem to let a holiday or a birthday go by without thinking about his three daughters. They weren’t a part of his life and he didn’t believe they ever would be.
Last week was his birthday. Despite how wonderful his beautiful wife, Shaly had made the day special for him, he remembers blowing out the candles, making one wish. He wanted to hear from one of his daughters, and it didn’t happen.
He had put on a happy face for Shaly’s sake but inside his heart ached. He was suffering as if he was grieving the death of his children. His heart ached from not one of his daughters bothering to wish him a happy birthday.
It wouldn’t be so bad, but how could he shake his moodiness when in two weeks, it would be Father’s Day. Although he knew not to expect a card or a call from Celeste, Crisla, or Lori, he still wanted to hear from one of them.
From the time the twins were born, he loved them unconditionally. He had wanted children and doted on them. He had the same feelings for Lori, but his love was different for her. He knew it was wrong but even years later, he couldn’t help but wonder if she was his daughter.
At the time when Lori was born, he and his ex-wife, Heather were having marital problems. He was ready to end the marriage until she surprised him when they were in counseling and announced, “I’m pregnant.”
Derek had doubts about the baby because he had caught Heather in bed with her lover. He and Heather had not slept together in months but she insisted the baby was his. He should have had a paternity test, but he didn’t and accepted the child as his own.
He opened his eyes and shook his head. Why can’t I let go of the past? Why do I allow it to cause me so much pain?
Despite his sullen mood today, he had made progress with Shaly’s help. Yes, the girls hadn’t bothered to call on his birthday but that was nothing new so he wasn’t sure why he was in such a funk.
Maybe, it had to do with the weather. It was unusual for Florida to have two days of continuous rain without the sun shining.
Instead of dwelling on the past, Derek reached for the remote control to turn on the TV when he felt a sharp pain in his chest. It must have been the polish sausage I ate.
He’d never admit it to Shaly, but for several days, he noticed that certain foods seemed to give him indigestion. At lunch, Shaly told him not to eat that second sausage, but he hadn’t listened and ate it, anyway.
To make himself more comfortable, Derek reclined the chair back, hoping the pain would go away. Instead, he felt more pressure.
Derek sat up in the chair and rubbed his chest. As he tried to stand, he couldn’t as the stinging discomfort increased. He closed his eyes and managed to yell, “Shaly!"
|
