Promise Me by Heather Parsons (best short novels of all time TXT) 📖

Chapter 1

Driving to work this morning was a nightmare. Traffic as far as the eye could see and Amy Miller couldn't find a way out to save her life. Stuck in the center lane, heading for downtown New York at six-thirty in the morning should have been fairly easy. But it wasn't and the only thing that calmed her was knowing she was the owner of the art gallery Forever Treasures. So, whenever she showed the doors would then open.
The sun was shining by the time she managed to exit the highway and start her slow commute towards the gallery. And low and behold it seemed as if everyone had made the same choice Amy had to leave for work. Sidewalks were packed, there were all kinds of vehicles on the roadways and you guessed it construction on every street. Got to love New York!
She turned on her blinker before the actual street was visible so the everyone around her would know she wanted to turn. And when she finally made it to her parking space she had to sit there a few minutes so her heart would stop beating so fast. If she didn't get it under control there'd be trouble. With a capital T.
“Ashley, help...” she mumbled. Did she say this out loud? Would Ashley come outside and find her boss, dead? No, no. She couldn't think that way. There was too much going on right now in her life to think about death, even though it's always been in the back of her mind for a long time coming.
Sweat beaded on her forehead and one hand automatically went to her chest trying to control her heart from the outside. But nothing was working. No one had noticed.
Her hair was falling out of the tight bun it was in, landing in her eyes but she couldn't raise her left arm to brush it away. She was losing the fight she'd fought forever and the only thing that was on her mind was the one thing she'd never said....I love you.
“Miss, don't move. I've called 9-1-1 they're on their way.”
She opened her mouth but the words never come. Pain shot through her chest and her vision blurred then faded to black. Slipping away from the life she loved, from the people she knew and the friends she'd never be able to say 'Good-Bye' to.
Tears escaped her eyes as her world came to an end.
“Miss can you hear me? Stay with me.” He bent down and checked for a pulse. Nothing. His heart squeezed shut, he'd come here to surprise her, to rekindle something they'd had years ago and now he wouldn't get that chance.
'No!'

Terrance Bailey grabbed her hand and begged God himself not to let this happen. His eyes teared up and he knew right then and there if he didn't do something he'd lose her forever. Angling her head back, he opened her mouth taking a deep breath and blowing straight into her lungs. He watched her chest rise and fall with every breath he breathed into her. Placing his hands on her chest, he started compressions. One, two, three, four, five and breathe. Checking her pulse again, still nothing. One..two..three..four..five and breathe.
“Oh my God what happened?” Ashley stepped out the back door to see why her boss who she saw in the parking lot, was taking so long to come inside. “Amy?” She dropped beside her and cried.
Sirens could be heard coming their way but would they make it in time? Ashley whispered a short prayer that they could save her friend. Amy being only twenty-six years of age and only a few years older than herself and the youngest person that she knew of that owned and ran her own art gallery. The one person she looked up to and worshiped.
Ashley stroked her blond hair back from Amy's face and gasped. There was blood thick and dark red, mixed in with gravel and dirt on the back of her head. Cries ripped out of her and she stumbled back.
The ambulance was there a minute later, the doors opened and two paramedic's ran out. “Does anyone know what happened?”
They pushed their way past Terrance to assist with their patient. “How long has see been out?”
“Five minutes,” Terrance said calmly.
“Does she have any medical problems that you know of?”
Ashley cried out, “Amy has a heart condition. Dr. Ellicott at Mercy General has been treating her for the last five years.”
First both paramedic's stared at each other, wondering how someone so young could be in so much danger. Then they began to work, placing a neck brace on Amy, inserted an IV for fluids and an oxygen mask to start CPR. While one took over the compressions the other pulled the gurney out the back then both lifted her and took her away.

♥`♥`♥

Disinfectant and something else was all Amy could smell to figure out where she was. Maybe she'd passed out and was in the waiting room at her doctors office. But when she peeled her eyes opened she knew she was way off. The green wallpaper and tiled floor gave everything away. This hospital she knew way to well. She'd actually been here three times a month for the last five years. This is where she first found out about her condition and the last place she wanted to be now.
In this tiny room she felt alone, there were of course the nurses that had come in and checked on her but no friends or business partners. The room was bare, no flowers, cards that said get well, nothing. Maybe, she thought, she'd done something wrong in the last twenty-six years.
Dr. Ellicott was making his rounds and his last stop before his shift ended was the patient he feared for the most. She was so young and beautiful, he couldn't help thinking this was one of life's jokes. Having Amy Miller walk into his office on that very day he was thinking about quitting for good. And to see her vibrant passion for life, her eyes pleading for him to help, he couldn't walk away.
He'd walked into her room expecting her to still be asleep and when he saw her blue eyes shining, his heart sank. “I was just sneaking in here to check on you but since you're awake there are a few things I need to discuss with you. First off you gave me and half the staff here a scare, young lady. And your heart, it's not so great anymore. I've put you on the top of the waiting list for a new one but it won't be for a couple months from now. So, what you're going to have to do for me is rest. Don't stress over anything, and I mean it. If I have too I'll write you a note stating bed rest until the heart is available.”
Nodding her head caused pain to shot through her skull and making her wince. She understood everything but didn't like it one bit. In order for her to live someone else had to die and that didn't settle well with her.
“I know what your thinking and I remember when you first came to my office. The vibrant young lady you were, I want to see her live a long life. Just keep strong and I'll be with you every step of the way.” Dr. Ellicott bent down and brushed his lips across her forehead. Wiping a tear away from her eye and having to turn around before his own betrayed him.
“I'm going to go make my rounds but if you need me for anything, call the nurse and they will page me.” He exited the room and stood there for a while. Getting this close to your patients is never a good thing but she'd saved him and he had to save her.
“Thomas...” she whispered as she watched the door. He meant well she knew this but he had to know he couldn't save everyone.
One of the nurses came through the door and her heart sunk. She thought he'd come back, she needed him to come back. She needed his strength, kindness, and love.
“Just checking everything dear,” the nurse said. “Are you in pain?”
“No,” Amy cried, turning her head to face the wall.
The first time she'd stepped foot inside Dr. Ellicott's office she was terrified. And when they called her back, she thought, she'd cry. Not wanting to hear any kind of news about what was wrong with her. She wanted everything to be normal.
When he walked in the room her breath caught. He wasn't what she'd expected, nothing what she'd envisioned her doctor to look like. Dr. Thomas Ellicott was six-two, dark brown hair tied back in a ponytail, tanned with muscles she would have loved to touch. But his eyes are what she zeroed in on, the silverness of them held a lot of pain, a lot more than even she had and that made her want to hold him and say 'everything would be okay.'
Foolish is what she was, but her whole mood changed when he turned and smiled, sadly. Instead of feeling sorry for herself and her situation she smiled brightly and actually enjoyed herself. And then she found out the shocker of it all that he was twenty-nine – eight years her senior - and single.
After her initial visit he told her if she needed him for anything to call. And what would you know, exactly two weeks later that's what she did. However, when he showed up at her house for what she wanted a more relaxing time together ended up with him rushing her to the hospital. One minute she was standing at the door, inviting him inside and the next thing she knew she was in the hospital bed.
Dr. Ellicott checked on a few more patients before he retired for the night. Walking down the hallways he passed Amy's room and heard her soft muffled cries. Taking a deep breath he entered her room and found her curled up tightly. From the many times he's seen her both personally and professionally he knew better than anyone, how it feels to be alone. And at that moment all he wanted to do was hold her and promise the world. Instead he stood and watched with his heart tightly wound and tears of pain clouding his eyes.
Remembering back when he'd first figured out he loved her. They'd been in a hospital room almost