The minister hands Char and me two little boxes, and boxes are passed out to all our guests.
“The day that we rescued Char and I had made my peace with God, I knew out of this, something new would grow. Like what is in these boxes, if we don’t go through struggle, we will never be able to stretch our wings and survive. Open your boxes.”
Everyone opened their boxes, and the most beautiful black and white swallowtail butterflies started to emerge. Char gasped; she had no idea what I had planned. As they stretched their wings and started to take flight, it was one of the most beautiful sites I’ve seen.
Our honeymoon, well, let’s just say we didn’t see anyone for the first few days.
As I sit in the grandstands for the day’s events, I start to remember the events that have filled the past six years. Of course, as already mentioned, our wedding was one of the biggest events.
When we returned, Char started medical school and Beckett and Richard worked their magic with my phone application and we have optioned it to several government agencies, which has made all of us a little happier.
Several of our friends got married, and we’ve had a death. We’ve had babies and more babies.
Jaxon is now seven and in second grade. I adopted him after Char and I got married. I wanted him to know that no matter what, he always would have a family that would love him. He looks so much like Toby, with his dark curly hair and green eyes and a dimple that will drive the girls wild when he gets older. He’s smart and, with the help of his grandparents and aunt, we let him know what kind of a man his father was. That he was a hero for not only saving his mom’s life, but saving his too.
That brings us to today. Char is now a doctor, and I have never been prouder. She has worked hard to get where she is. I won’t lie; it’s been tough, on all of us. But we go back to our promises that we made to ourselves and the butterflies knowing we can get through adversity. Char succeeded where most in her position would have failed. And on those days that she didn’t think she could make it, we held her up and showed her why she is doing this. After all, her schooling was only a short time in the whole scheme of things.
I was never brought up with religion and I don’t know really what to believe, but I do know there is some higher power out there and he’s watching over us. God knows I have been in enough situations that if there weren’t, I wouldn’t be here.
Then there is Raven, she has a gift. I call it her batty senses. From putting Char and me together, to knowing things, things no one would know. I might not know why things happen the way they do, but I sure as hell know there is a reason for everything. Life is knowledge and we always have to be open to learning.
Char’s name was just called to get her diploma. We all stand, her family, friends, and I, and holler her name with pride, as another part of our lives comes to a close and another door opens to the next adventure. That’s my wife, Dr. Charlize Smith. The sexiest, most beautiful doctor ever. I smile as I think I might have to be sick tonight. Maybe I can get a doctor to make a house call.
The End
Thank You
To my Husband: Thank you for being my biggest cheerleader and for believing in me.
To My Girls: Thank you for putting up with your now book-crazy mother.
To all Bloggers: My deepest gratitude goes to the many bloggers and to all who have supported me and helped spread the word on Facebook, Twitter, on their websites and blogs. My many thanks go to Suzanne Keller, Tammie Harms, Carol Wade, Liz Stephenson, Sallyann and Patches Brazillion, Shaunna Armstrong, and I know I am missing a lot and I apologize, because without you I couldn’t get my book seen. Thank you for your time and diligence.
To My Street Team: Thank you for believing in me and posting me everywhere. Vicki, almost every day you are out there. Thank you for being diligent. One day we will get there. Suzanne, not only are you on my Street Team, you post me on your blog pages as well. I am glad I can call you a friend. Thank you. Sallyann, you are amazing! I don’t know what I would do without you. You are always there. Thank you all for helping get my stories out.
To my Readers: I want to say the deepest thank you for taking a chance on me. I hope you enjoyed meeting Charlie and Carson.
Lastly, to the one that makes all things possible through him. Thank you, God.
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Character Descriptions
Charlize (Charlie) (Char) Modell
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Blue/Green
Height: 5 feet 9 inches
Age: 24
Son: Braydon Jaxon Modell Jr.
Lives with Raven. Boyfriend, Braydon, was killed (stabbed) in front of Raven and Charlie outside of the club they worked in.
Braydon Mitchell
Hair: Dark Brown
Eyes: Green
Height: 6 feet
Carson Zain Smith
Works for Stonework’s
Hair: Dirty Blonde
Eyes: Brown
Height: 6 feet
Age: 25
Computer Geek
Raven Lirisha Whitehorse
Receptionist Stonework’s
Hair: Black
Eyes: Green
Height: 5 feet 1 inch
Age: 22
Taekwondo Black Belt
Toby Mitchell
Owns a Security Business
Hair: Dark Brown
Eyes: Green
Height: 6 feet 4 inches
Age: 28
Mother: Tonya
Grandparents: Thomas & Denise
Krav Mega
Beckett Dalton
Co-owner of Stonework’s
Hair: Dark Brown
Eyes: Midnight Blue
Height: 6 feet 3 inches
Age: 23
Harlow Bennett
Owner Let’s Talk Sweetie’s Bakery/Deli
Hair: Blonde
Eyes: Crystal Blue
Height: 5 feet 5 inches
Age: 24
Michelle Williams
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Green
Height: 5 feet
Age: 40
Parents: Bill & Susan
Makya Whitehorse
Hair: Black
Eyes: Brown
Height: 5 feet 10 inches
Age: 40
Parents: Ruthie & Daniel
Trent Michaels
Hair: Dark Blonde
Eyes: Blue
Height: 6 feet
Age: 28
In the Marines with Mitchell
Richard Stone
Co-owner and Founder of Stonework’s
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Blue/Green
Height: 6 feet
Age: 40
Broad shoulders, Thin Waist
Nicole House
Harlow’s Aunt, Rachael’s sister
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Blue
Height: 5 feet 8 inches
Age: 40
Computer Programmer
Shannon McCoy
Let’s Talk Sweetie’s Bakery/Deli
Hair: Auburn
Eye: Green
Height: 5 feet 7 inches
Age: 22
Keeland Davis
Mitchell’s Security
Hair: Black
Eye: Blue
Height: 6 feet 2 inches
Age: 25
Krav Mega
Brad Dillon Thomas
Hair: Dark Blonde
Eye: Brown
Height: 6 feet 1 inch
Age: 24
Stacey Jones
Let’s Talk Sweetie’s Bakery/Deli
Hair: Blonde
Eye: Blue
Height: 5 feet 10 inches
Age: 22
Knows Brad
Pete LeDoux
Mitchell’s Security
Hair: Blonde
Eyes: Blue
Height: 6 feet
Age: 28
About The Author
Shelly (SM) married her husband 28 years ago. It was important to her to be able to stay at home to raise their four daughters.
She wasn’t an avid reader, but picked up a book a few years back and it made her re-think about writing, more as a healing process than anything else. She always knew her life would make a good story … or soap opera, but finding or making the time to write was always the issue.
Deciding not to put it off any longer, in 2014 she emailed a few of her favorite authors, who gave her some very good advice, and in April of 2014, she finally sat down one day in front of her computer and started to write. Through lots of tears, she wrote her first book that had a large part of her life in the story. That book was Stolen Innocence. Her second book was about her husband’s childhood, Never Forgotten Love.
Now she finds that she has to write, even if it gets re-written. This is her outlet, her sanctuary, and in every book she writes, there is always part of her life written into it.
I hope you enjoyed her story.
I really appreciate you reading my book!
Here are my social media coordinates:
Like me on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/shelly.stricker.3
tsu:
https://www.tsu.co/sstricker
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/SMStryker
Website:
http://www.smstryker.com
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/smstryker
ALSO BY S.M. STRYKER
Stolen Innocence by SM Stryker (Erotic Romance) What would you do if the woman that you love, the woman you just made love to, the woman that trusts no one with her secret, just told you her deepest darkest secret?
Never Forgotten Love by SM Stryker (Erotic Romance) A mature romance about second chances. Every day he thinks of her; every decision he’s made has been for her.
Loving Redemption by SM Stryker (Erotic Romance) What secrets will they find, and how will that affect each other?
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