Through It All

By Janet A. Mota

Bryan White is a man who's been lucky most of his life. He has a wonderful family and owns a lucrative business. The only thing missing is the love of a good woman. Bryan has dreams of a wife and children. He wants the life his parents had, but he can't seem to find the right girl. His business keeps him very busy and he doesn't have much time to date. Love is the missing piece of his puzzle. 

Amy Slater has been handed a rough life. Her family has issues with drugs, but somehow, she hasn't fallen into the trap. She tries hard to make something of her life and to get away from all the negativity surrounding her. In an instant, her life changes. She loses everything she's ever known. With the help of a good Samaritan, Amy may have a chance at happiness.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Janet A. Mota
• Release date: Jul 20, 2019
• ISBN: 9781386180081

Book preview

ONE

The Meeting of One

Bryan

Stepping out into the cold Nashville street, I’m immediately hit with freezing rain. It’s like getting pelted in the face with ice rocks. It’s not fun and certainly not how I want to spend the day. I have a ton of errands to run along with my weekly shopping trip for the coffee shop. Being the owner of a coffee shop has its benefits, but it’s no easy feat. The shop’s open seven days a week, with very long hours. I love it, but sometimes I need a break from it. I’m twenty-eight years old and unmarried. My coffee shop has been my entire world for the last three years. I can’t remember the last time I went on a date. I certainly can’t remember the last time I was attracted to anyone. I love my coffee shop and wouldn’t change it for anything. I’ve grown and learned so much from it. I would never give it up. I can see myself sitting in that coffee shop when I’m seventy. Hopefully, my wife will be sitting next to me with our amazing children running the shop. I know it might be a cheesy dream, but I do think about it and I hope I find that special person one day. Increasingly, the specific thought keeps playing in my mind. My parents had an amazing marriage. They loved each other so much. Unfortunately, Dad passed away two years ago from a heart attack. For a while there, I didn’t think Mom would ever recover from it. She’s slowly getting back into her life. Watching Mom suffer that kind of loss gutted me. I miss my Dad so much. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think of him. He was my mentor. Losing him left a gaping hole in my heart.

My thoughts are all over the place today. I can’t seem to concentrate on just one thing. I had to write a list of everything that needs to be done today, so I wouldn’t forget anything. I usually don’t need to do that. I get to the next intersection and press the button for the crosswalk. As I’m waiting, I pull the list out of my pocket and read it to remind myself of what I need to do. I look up to check to see if the signal has changed when I spot a beautiful brunette on the other side of the crosswalk. The list is forgotten, and it looks like we may be passing each other at the intersection. I need to make eye contact with her. She’s wearing a coat, but no hat or gloves. It’s freezing out and she looks extremely cold. I can see she’s dressed professionally, which makes me think she works in one of these skyscrapers. She’s rubbing her hands together and blowing into them. She’s bobbing in place. She’s intriguing and she’s completely lost in thought. I can tell from the way she carries herself she has no idea how beautiful she is. My attention is piqued. The signal changes and the walk symbol lights up. I step onto the street as I continue to watch her. She takes two steps onto the street when I hear tires squealing. I look to my right and see an out of control car coming towards the intersection. The car is swerving all over the place. There’s no way to tell where the car is going and there’s nowhere to run. The car’s coming way too fast. The car swerves to the right and toward the girl. I start to run across the intersection as the car barrels into her. I start screaming as the car runs her over and continues until it stops inside a storefront. The noise is deafening. I continue running until I reach her. All I can hear is the thud of my heartbeat. It feels like time stands still. I can’t seem to reach her fast enough. She’s not moving, and panic rushes through my body.

I finally get to her and all I see is blood. There’s blood everywhere. So much blood. I have no idea where it’s all coming from. Her body is contorted in such a weird manner and it’s apparent she has broken bones. I drop next to her. I try not to move her and tap her cheek. She’s unresponsive. I look up and scream, call 9-1-1! I check to see if she’s breathing. She’s barely breathing. I check her pulse and it’s very faint. I rip off my jacket and put it over her legs. I wrap my arms around her face and hover over her upper body. I try my best to keep her as warm as I possibly can until the paramedics arrive. It felt like an eternity for them to arrive. When they finally get to her, they immediately start an IV and place a board underneath her. I watch as they quickly rush her into the ambulance.

I’m going with her, I inform the medic and he acknowledges me with a nod. As I’m climbing into the ambulance, an older lady taps my arm. I turn, and she hands me a small handbag. I take it, thank her, and take a seat next to the girl. I’m so scared for her. She’s in bad shape. The medic climbs in behind her and continues to take her vitals as we start moving. Is she going to be okay?

I have no idea, sir. She’s in rough shape but we’re doing the best we can. Can you give me her name?

I don’t know her. I just witnessed everything. I was just given her handbag though. I open it and find a wallet. I fumble with it and finally get it open. Her ID and a debit card are right there. Her name is Amy Anne Slater. I give the medic the information and he jots it down on his clipboard. I put her wallet back into her bag and see an old flip phone. There’s nothing else in the bag, which is strange. I zip it back up and shove it in the back of my jeans. I place my hand over hers and say a prayer for her. I look at her face and my stomach tightens with fear. I have this need to know her. Something tells me this girl is something special. She can’t die. No, she can’t die.

****

It’s been hours since we arrived at the emergency room. The doctors and nurses didn’t let me past the doors they wheeled Amy through, so I’ve been sitting in this waiting room, stuck in my thoughts. I called my sister when I got here and filled her in on the situation. She told me to keep her posted and she would come to pick me up when I was ready to leave. I’ve paced a path from the doors to the desk. I’m scared. I don’t know this girl, yet I’m scared shitless for her. I continue my pacing when I see a police officer walk in. He walks up to the nurse’s desk and they exchange in conversation. Something tells me the officer is here about Amy. I watch as the nurse points toward me and I stop. The officer approaches me slowly.

Good afternoon. I’m Officer Jones. I’ve been handling the investigation on the accident. He says.

Yes, sir.

Do you mind if I ask you a few questions? I nod, and we sit in the hard chairs. I tell Officer Jones everything that happened from the minute I saw the car until it hit. He told me there weren’t any other injuries and the driver of the car was drunk. It was ten o’clock in the morning and that asshole was already drunk. What in the fuck? I don’t understand. I’ll never understand that. I don’t understand how that piece of shit walked away unscathed. Officer Jones told me the driver was in custody. He wouldn’t be getting out of jail anytime soon. That brings me very little comfort. He said he would be back periodically to check on Amy. He needs a statement from Amy once she can give him one.

A few minutes after the officer leaves and the doctor appears from behind those double doors. The doctor explains Amy has extensive injuries to her whole body including severe head trauma. She’s alive and that’s all that matters. He tells me she’s in a coma and explains he’s limited on what he can tell me since I’m not a blood relative. I thank the doctor and sit back down on the hard chair. I pull her handbag from the back of my jeans. I retrieve Amy’s phone and look through her contacts. There isn’t a contact with mom, dad, brother, or sister. I have no idea where to go from here. I can’t leave her alone here. It appears like she doesn’t have anyone.

A nurse interrupts my thoughts. She tells me Amy was in a room in the ICU and ready to have visitors. She tells me to follow her. I stand quickly and follow the nurse. She leads me to room three of the ICU. I slowly walk in and place her handbag on an empty shelf. I look at her and take in her appearance. Her gorgeous face is covered in small cuts and bruises. Her left cheek is completely black, and her eye is almost shut from the swelling. I see a cast on her right leg and another cast on her right arm. There are bruises and cuts on every part of exposed skin. My heart hurts at the sight of her. I’m so grateful she’s alive, yet I can’t help but wonder what recovery will be like for her. She has her work cut out for her. I push the closest chair next to her bed and sit. I gently place my hand on hers. I need her to know someone is here for her. She needs to feel the strength I’m willing into her.

The nurse comes back in with a blanket and pillow. She places them on the recliner on the other side of the room. I smile and thank her. She walks out, and I look at Amy. I can’t leave her. The pull I feel for her is so strong and I have this overwhelming need to help her, to know her. I push her blood-mated hair away from her forehead and stare at her. I take in all her bruised and battered features. Even bruised, she looks beautiful. Where have you been hiding? I have this incredible need to protect her. Something tells me this girl has had an agonizing life. I’ll make it better for her, even if it’s just helping her get out of this hospital. She’s not alone in any of this.

TWO

Wandering

Bryan

Officer Jones has been by twice with updates on the investigation. He’s been extremely diligent. Today, he came to tell me they pulled the video from nearby businesses. The video is extremely clear and holds enough evidence for the conviction of the drunk driver. The video also shows Amy coming out of an office building just a few feet away from the intersection. They don’t know what office she came from though. She’s been lying in this hospital bed for three days and no one has come looking for her. According to Officer Jones,