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“Yes. I do, but right now wouldn’t be a good time for him to show up. My heart isn’t ready to let someone new in. I don’t know if I can put my trust into any man again. With my issues, I’m sure there’d be lots of hurdles to get past, if Mr. Soulmate actually found me.”
“Hmm, kind of like with Noah and Allie, eh?” My sister grins, knowing she’d bested me. “There’s a guy out there who’s going to love you unconditionally for the rest of his life. You just wait and see.”
???
Waking up to the sun shining through the windows, the smell of fresh coffee brewing, and the sounds of Ashlynne humming while cooking breakfast had me waking up with a smile on my face.
Climbing out of bed, I reached for a nightshirt and slipped it on before transferring into my chair. Moving across the room, I passed my desk with a huff.Why did the words have to elude me when I was on a deadline?
Positioning myself with my bedroom door handle, I turn the knob and open it. Weaving out the door with a yawn, I moved into the living room to find my sister dancing in the kitchen with her wireless earbuds in.
Having my sister here with me has really brightened my world. The two of us complement each other. Grateful that she came to stay with me when Nick left, I didn’t know how I was going to pick up the pieces of my broken heart alone. God knows I was too damn proud to reach out to my parents for help. Especially when they worked so hard to take care of me all my life.
Being born with broken arms and legs, my body was so weak that the doctors felt they needed to prepare my parents for the unfortunate news that their child was terminally ill. The doctors diagnosed me with Arthrogryposis Multiplex, a disability that affects my muscles, joints, and spine. The medical team of specialists gave me just three months to live. Crushed by the news, my parents would not give up on me. Working closely with my doctors and the many specialists who cared for me, my parents took everything they learned and adapted to caring for me the best way they knew how.
As the months ticked by, the limitations the specialist placed against me were slowly overcome. Amazed by my progress, each time I returned for a check-up, the doctors added new obstacles to my ever-growing list of limitations. Determined to see me succeed, my parents worked with me and together we learned new ways of overcoming those, too.
Learning I had more fight and determination than they gave me credit for, the specialists weren’t sure what to expect from me next. Removing the terminal status from my medical record just one year later, the lengths I’d overcome dumbfounded the doctors. Filling my parents with as much information and resources as they had, the specialists sent us home with high hopes.
For me to just give up after Nick walked away would be a waste. I knew I couldn’t just sit back and let time pass me by. I needed to pick myself back up and get my life back on track. Letting myself lie around while I felt sorry for myself would only cause harm to my physical health, and I wasn’t going down without a fight. It wasn’t easy, but I pulled myself up by my bootstraps and got on with my life.
Spinning around, Ashlynne nearly jumped when she saw me sitting behind her.
“Oh! You freakin’ scared me,” she laughed, clutching her chest. “You really should warn someone. Don’t you have a horn on that thing?”
“I’m pretty sure your music was so loud you wouldn’t have heard me even if I tried.”
My sister’s face softened. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”
Yawning again, Ash turned towards the coffeemaker. “You were up pretty late. How’d you sleep?” She asked over her shoulder as she reached for my favorite mug.
“Not great. I’m too stressed,” I grunted, while she poured.
“Still can’t get the words to flow?”
“Not too well. Those two ranch hands are stubborn as the day is long.”
Entering the kitchen as Ashlynne placed my mug on the table, she went one way while I went the other. “Maybe you need to try taking a break from it,” she suggested. “Just let it sit for a few days.”
“I wish I could, but my editor is expecting the first act of this book in a couple of weeks and I’m seriously lacking in the word department,” I said, bringing the mug to my lips for my first sip. “This is the longest writer’s block I’ve ever experienced. There is just something about this book that I can’t work through. On the bright side, I’ve actually been outlining and writing scenes for another story based on a dream I had the other night about a mermaid.”
“A mermaid?”
“Yep, crazy, eh?”
“That’s great, Stephie. Forget about the ranchers for a bit and just work on the mermaid that’s speaking to you,” she said, returning to the coffeemaker. “You’ve been stressing yourself so hard you’ve hardly enjoyed anything over the last week,” she worried.
Maybe Ashlynne is on to something with her suggestion.“Yeah, maybe.”Could I take a few days off and still have time to get something written before the deadline?
“Anyway, I made breakfast,” Ashlynne said, placing a plate in front of me.
“You’re not joining me?” I asked, noticing there wasn’t another plate.
“Already ate while I cooked,” she replied, spinning out of the kitchen with enthusiasm. “I’m going to hop in the shower while you eat,” she replied, continuing down the hall to the bathroom.
Knowing Ashlynne’s probably been up for some time, she’s the type that loves waking up early, eager to tackle their day. From the looks of the place, I’d say she’s already gone for her morning run, tidied the odd things around the room, and fixed breakfast.
Slipping my hands around my mug, I savored the warmth as I mulled over the idea of taking the whole day off.
