Breakthrough

by Sarah Stevens

  Love always, Parker

  I open up the box to find matching necklaces, a delicate chain with an infinity symbol and small sapphire stones encrusted within the platinum symbol. Cam takes the necklace from me and clasps it for me around my neck. While Angie clasps Callie’s, who immediately starts playing with it.

  “Are you ready? Maggie is waiting for you downstairs. Everyone is here and Parker is a frazzled mess impatiently waiting. I have never seen him like this not even before the big game. It’s kind of funny.”

  “Ready as I’ll ever be. Angie hands me my bouquet and Cam takes my arm, guiding me through the house and to the waiting spot at the back door where Grandma stands with tears in her eyes.

  “I wish your Grandpa was here to see you.” She wipes a tear from her eye before it can ruin her make up. “He’d be so proud of you. You are gorgeous. Are you ready?”

  “I sure am.”

  She signals someone to start the music, then the door opens enough to allow Cam, Callie and Angie to walk out and start down the aisle. Once they reach the alter the music changes and the door swings open wide for Grandma and me to walk through. Parker stands next to the pastor wiping a few tears from his eyes. I feel as if I can’t get to him fast enough, but I keep my pace. “Who gives this woman to be married?” the pastor asks.

  “I do,” Grandma says, then kisses my cheek and guides my hand into Parkers. Gone are his tears replaced with a huge smile, to which I mimic.

  The ceremony goes by in a blur, I’m sure I said the right words at the right time. The pastor says, “you may kiss the bride,” and Parker wastes no time claiming my lips.

  “I now present Mr. and Mrs. Marshall, Congratulations.”

  I take hold of Callie, and the three of us, now a family walk up the aisle.

  The chairs are taken away and then the party starts, everyone takes turns coming up to us to congratulate us and I take notice that the one person I didn’t expect to see is hovering in the background. I excuse myself from the small cluster of teammates and their significant other and walk over to him. Grandma notices my movement and follows.

  “Hi Dad, I wasn’t expecting you to show up.”

  “I wasn’t sure if I was going to. You look beautiful, so grown up. I’m sorry I was a shit dad and was never there for you.”

  “It’s a little too late for apologies,” Grandma pipes in, even though she urged me to invite him, the sight of my dad brings all the anger she ever held for him up to the surface.

  “Grandma, please don’t start. He’s here and should be all that matters.”

  “I guess you’re right. Welcome Travis.” She turns, not waiting for him to reply and walks away.

  “I’m sorry about that. I am happy you are here.” I grab Parker’s attention and wave him over, along with Callie who he’s holding.

  “Parker, this is my dad, Travis. Dad, this is Parker and this little girl is your granddaughter, Callie.”

  “Nice to meet you, though I think we’ve met on the ice a time or two before you retired.” He laughs and shakes my dad’s hand.

  “Yeah, I think we did my last season. Nice to meet you too. Callie is adorable and so big. Maggie sent me a photo a while ago. How old is she now?”

  “She just turned one in April.”

  “I’ve missed a lot, I’m sorry,” he says sadly.

  “You’re here now. Thanks for coming.” I give him a hug and then excuse us so we can make the rounds to the people we haven’t seen yet. Thirty minutes later, a late lunch is served. The rest of the day goes by way too fast and miraculously we were media free. We put things together so quickly and quietly that no one had time to catch on to what was going on and I’m grateful for that.

  As the day winds down, Parker and I run into the house to change before we leave the reception to adventure off to our honeymoon. We did tropical already, I wanted to go to Paris, and Parker made it happen.

  I say goodbye to Grandma and then hug Callie, smothering her in kisses. I have never willingly left her for any amount of time besides work. Then I walk over to my dad, give him a hug, then wave bye to everyone else before getting in the waiting car.

  Off to Paris we go.

  43

  Parker

  We had the best time on our honeymoon and if Mandy wasn’t already pregnant, she would have been by now. Paris was great, the food was like nothing I have ever tasted before in my life and don’t get me going on the coffee. We got home a few days ago and we moved right back into reality. Mandy had her first doctor’s appointment and everything with the baby looks good and healthy. I beg Mandy to let me tell the team but she’s still not ready, she said something about at the end of first trimester I can tell them. I hope I can last that long. I’m so excited for this new adventure with Callie and Mandy.

  Because we won the Cup our season was a little longer than most of the teams and I have to go back into training camp in a few weeks. Mandy is already scheduled to go back to work on Monday when the rookies start their camp. It was decided that since Meyers and Mandy work well together they will be co-head trainers, and this year they are pulling an intern in from Vanderbilt, the medical college Mandy attended here in Nashville. It is going to be a busy year for all of us. And probably more stressful too. But I can’t wait.

  Mandy

  I’m hoping I’ll be able to make it through the season. This pregnancy is bad timing because I’m due in March, at the end of regular season, then there are playoffs. I’ll eventually not be able to go on road trips, just like when I was working with Boston, then Parker will be worried about me being home without him. I can already see it now, what if she has the baby while I’m on the road and I’m not there. He will not have his head in the game. Maybe it won’t be as bad as I think. Who am I kidding? It will be.

  We spend the last weekend before I go back to work lounging around the pool and have a small barbeque with our friends. I haven’t seen much of Angie since we haven’t needed her as a nanny so much during the off season and I’m starting to get worried about her, especially with John and how he treats her. She didn’t even show up today. So, I decide to call her after everyone left for the night. No answer.

  Now I’m really worried. Tomorrow I’ll make Parker bring me over to her house.

  When we arrive at Angie’s house, I see her car sitting in the driveway, but no one answers the door. It’s unlocked so I let myself in. Parker and I find her by the pool in the back sitting in a lounger with a black eye.

  “Been avoiding me, have you?” I question her.

  “Shit you scared me, and maybe a little.”

  “It hasn’t gotten any better has it?”

  “No, especially after I told him I want a divorce and to get out. He’s staying with his parents I guess, or his girlfriend. I really don’t care where he is.”

  “Are you okay to be staying here alone?” I question.

  “Not if she doesn’t lock the front door. I’m calling a locksmith to have all the locks changed,” Parker says as he grabs his phone and walks into the house.

  “Angie, why didn’t you tell us what was going on? We told you we are all here for you no matter what.”

  “Because I was embarrassed, okay. I’ve always been the weak one and I wanted to do this on my own.”

  “I get that, but doing this on your own and isolating yourself from all of us who care about you won’t do you any good. You’re family, no matter what, and we’re here for you. Why don’t you grab a bag and come over to Grandma’s tonight for dinner and stay the night? Parker and I were planning to stay anyway. Then we can get your house secured so he can’t barge in on you. How does that sound?”

  “Okay, I could use some company.” She gets up and grabs a few things in a bag and meets us by the front door. She takes her own car and follows us to Grandma’s house.

  I go to work Monday and Parker goes to Angie’s house with her to get all the locks changed and a security system installed. I think it was more for Parker’s benefi
t than Angie’s. I know she has a huge battle on her hands, but a little birdie told me she has a PI and he got all the proof she needs to overturn the prenup in her favor. He will not like that when he catches wind of it. But we have her back.

  Things stay quiet for her. Parker is getting ready to start his team obligations and go to work. Now Angie comes and stays a few days at our house, so she doesn’t have to drive all the way to the house on the other side of Nashville to be Callie’s nanny. I hope though that this calmness with John isn’t the calm before the storm. We will see.

  The Night He Saved Me Book 1 in the Saved by Love series

  I have broken my promise to myself—a promise I wouldn’t go down the wrong path.

  I hate life here. I didn’t sign on to live in a new town, to live in a house I would never consider my own.

  Mom and I moved to Maine from New Hampshire a few years ago. My brother stayed behind and is in jail—again, for the hundredth time since he turned 18—and we’re living in a quiet suburb of Portland, Maine. My dad left when I was little. He still sends a card here and there, usually when he needs to send a check for a holiday or birthday, and he’s paying for my school this year, but Otherwise I hardly see him. Half the time he makes plans to see me and never shows up. It’s been just Mom and me until she started dating this guy last year. Me being the rebellious teenager, I don’t like it, and I make it known whenever possible. It was supposed to be just Mom and me. I don’t need a stepfather, but it looks like I’m getting one anyway. I know mom deserves to be happy, but what about my happiness? And because I’ve been “one hell of a teenager” lately, things have changed this year, including a new school.

  This is the first day of my senior year of high school and check this out: I get to go to an all-girls’ school. What the heck did I do to deserve this crap? Oh yeah, piss off my mom.

  After taking a shower, I put on the uniform that the boys think is sexy and I think is a curse before I do my hair and makeup—just a touch of mascara and lip gloss—and then wait for my ride to a school that is in the city, with someone my mom recruited to bring me. I hate life here in the ’burbs.

  Why did we come to this place? Why did we sell that house and every childhood memory I had? I miss New Hampshire. I miss my brother. I may be seventeen, but I’m smart enough to realize things will be changing this next year. I just don’t know if it’s good or bad changes.

  Mom thought she was saving me from my brother’s life—from the heartbreak the drugs and the alcohol brought upon our family—but I saw; I saw it all. Moving to another state, to a new house, won’t take away the memories of the old house, my old life.

  Mom has already left for work, so I go back to my room and grab the bottle I have hidden under my bed and take a swig before heading outside to wait for my ride to this godawful school full of girls. Heck, I don’t even think at orientation I saw a male teacher in the building—I think even the janitor is a female. I swing my backpack over my shoulder and grab that small rectangular box out of my purse and head around the back of the house for a quick cigarette. When I have a few minutes of peace and a smoke, things don’t seem so bad for a moment.

  Chapter 1

  New beginnings

  Katarina

  It has been a long year.

  Junior/Senior prom is right around the corner, and I have finally started to fit in with a group of girls—one in particular, Brenda, who everyone calls Bren. I am sitting in algebra class, the last class of the day, when Bren looks over to me and says, “Hey, Kat, have you ever been in town after school?”

  “No, my mom usually wants me to head straight home, with the ride she’s arranged for me.”

  “Hop on the bus and head into town with me. Tell your mom you need to go to the library for a project or something,” she suggests.

  Once the last bell rings, I head to my locker to call my mom. Thankfully, because it is school related, she says she will pick me up after work at the library.

  I look over at Bren, “We’re all set, but I have to meet my mom at five at the library to get picked up.”

  “Awesome. Let’s go grab the bus,” Bren says, beaming.

  I had a feeling I was about to walk into a world I had never experienced before. I may drink a shot here and there and smoke a cigarette now and again, but Bren seems to have something different in mind. I see it with the devious look she shoots my way as we walk to the bus stop. I think I know Bren, but I have a feeling I will learn more today about who Bren really is, the one that not a lot of people get to see. I have known Bren this entire year, but this is the first time she’s invited me anywhere with her.

  Once we make it downtown and jump off the bus, Bren instantly lights up a cigarette, and I follow suit. We head on down to the Old Port and to the park, where Bren makes a beeline for a group of teenagers. Everyone is dressed in normal clothes, and I feel conspicuous in my school uniform. These kids are obviously from the city public school, and some even look like they are a bit older. I notice a few of the girls have piercings in places I couldn’t even imagine getting pierced; torn up jeans and tattoos peek out from the shirt sleeves of some of the guys. A few of the kids in the mix even appear as if they may be homeless.

  Bren is greeted by everyone here just like she is at school, with hugs and smiles. I don’t see how privileged Bren fits in with this motley group, but she does, and they seem to love her. Today, those greetings are followed by a “Who’s your girl?”

  Who am I?

  Well, up until recently, I was a shy girl who never fit into any one group in particular. I’m the girl who just fades into the background. A girl who comes from a broken family. Dad left early on, leaving my mom to raise my brother and me on her own, working so much that she barely saw us. My brother went in the wrong direction and into a group that was all about the party life. I, on the other hand, became the girl who was quiet and enjoyed books over people. Moving to Maine without my brother, it was just mom and me all the time, then she met Kyle, and I was again left home alone more and more. Until I met Bren and she took me under her wing, I was a nothing, with no life experiences. I resent my mom’s boyfriend for taking her away from me and I resent my brother for caring more about drugs and his friends than his own family. I’m a loner.

  We make the rounds, and she introduces me to this other world she moves in so effortlessly. She seemed like nothing more than the popular girl, living a good, happy life. But I guess we all have our secrets. We all sit in a circle, and the pipe starts making its way through the group. You know, one of those one-hitter pipes for smoking pot that fit in your pocket and are easy to conceal? Yeah, I didn’t know what one was until today—like I said, naive.

  When it gets to Bren, she takes a hit and then looks at me with brows raised, the unspoken question clear.

  Do I? I think to myself. Yeah, sure, just one. One hit won’t kill me, right? I nod my head at Bren. I have been watching everyone, and it should be easy—inhale, hold, exhale. So, I do, and, of course, even though I smoke, I still look like a fool when I cough up a lung. Yeah, the first day in this new world, and I look like a fool. Go me.

  The group smokes the rest of the weed then lights up a cigarette and we chill. Some guys pull out a hacky sack and start kicking it around; a couple other people pull out guitars and start singing. It is a very Woodstock kind of atmosphere—from what I know of Woodstock, that is.

  Bren and I are sitting there talking when I look up across the park and notice someone I hadn’t been introduced to, someone not exactly with this crowd. He’s dressed more for business, with dark jeans and indigo blue collared shirt. His smile catches my attention, he seems so happy and carefree. It adds a little crinkle around his eyes making his eyes smile too. He has dark-blond hair that hangs in his eyes a bit, and he’s tall and lean. This guy is hanging out with some friends, not paying attention to me or anyone else around him, just sipping a coffee. I’m frozen in place, watching his movements, and don’t even notice Bren tapping on my sho
ulder to get my attention.

  “Hey, Kat! Kat, Earth to Kat,” she says with a chuckle to her voice.

  “Huh, what?”

  “Hey, girlie, we have to get you back up to the library, and I need to catch my bus to my house. What grabbed your attention and put you in a daze? You okay?”

  “Yeah, I’m fine. It was nothing; I was just lost in thought.”

  We pick our bags up and make the rounds, saying goodbye to the new group of people I can tell will become a refuge from my tedious world. We get up to the library and Bren has to run to catch her bus, so we quickly hug our farewells. “Today was fun, thanks for the invite!”

  “We’ll have to do it more often. It is a great escape from reality,” says Bren as she turns around and jogs toward the bus stop.

  About five minutes later, my mom pulls up to the front of the library, and I toss my stuff in the back and climb in. She doesn’t say much, just the normal Mom questions.

  “How was school?”

  “Did you get all your work done?”

  I answer them with the normal teenage answers.

  “Fine.”

  “Yes.”

  Here I go, back into the world I didn’t choose, the one that has my mother marrying Kyle in a matter of months. I think it is time for me to choose what I want out of life since eighteen is just a couple of months away.

  ***

  Over the past few weeks, I have managed to escape at least once a week with Bren to the Old Port with no real issues on the parental end. Each week, I get more and more familiar with the group and the pipe. It feels good to be me for a little while; at least, I think this is me. Each week, I also get to see that mysterious guy with eyes that smile and dark-blond, floppy hair. More recently, I have noticed how nice his body is. This guy is sexy as hell, but just doesn’t seem to be a part of this group—he hangs on the periphery, included but not really participating. The way he dresses, the way he acts…he just doesn’t seem to fit the mold of this group of people.