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

a hand. And if you believe that you need her so badly, believe that we need her more.”

♥`♥`♥

The light at the end of the tunnel was just within reach but Amy didn't want to go. She wasn't ready to leave behind everything and everyone. And on one corner of her mind she saw Thomas' face, his sadness empowering his features and all she wanted to do with go to him, wrap her arms around him and tell him how much he meant to her. She wanted to say Thomas, I love you.
But when she reached out to him, he faded away being replaced by another face she hadn't seen in a long time. The smile she remembered when she was growing up, the twinkle in her eye, her mother looked over to her.
Things she'd always longed to tell her were on the tip of her tongue but that image faded fast as well. And when there was no more, Amy cried. Her silent sobs rocked through her and she sat down where she was, pulling her knees close. Hugging them with every ounce of strength she had and begged God to go home. She needed Thomas, he was her strength, her rock.
And thinking about him brought his image back in front of her. He was the only reason she'd been holding on to this life she's been living, the only reason she wanted to return to it now. Just to see his face, to hold his hand, to feel his lips on hers would be heaven to her.
She raised her hand to her chest and felt the slow beat of her heart but would it be enough to send her back? Would she have the strength to walk away from the light?
Holding her breath she reached out to Thomas and let the love she had for him pull her back. The lightness turned to dark, everything around her faded to black. But she knew she was home again, could feel her heart beating in slow harmony.
At the last minute Thomas whispered, “promise me...” and then his hand dropped from hers and she couldn't hear him anymore.
The constant beeping noise and the swooshing of something else was loud enough that Amy knew she'd returned home. Now if only she could wake up and see for herself, that would be the real miracle.
Her mind whispered, “thank you” to the heavens above for giving her this time to recover and for her to tell the one man in her life that she truly loved him.


Chapter 3

Brentwood Estates holds a certain anonymity, so much so that most people don't know who lives there or who doesn't. And this was one of the many reasons Miss. Sandra Miller took up residence there. The security was tighter than Fort Knots.
Her house was located at the top of a secluded hill, overlooking the lights of the bay area. A perfect and absolutely wonderful view of just about anything and everything happening below. All around, for as far as the eye could see was acres upon acres of land in which Miss. Miller owned as well.
At least it was perfect when she bought it over twenty years ago. When her daughter, Amy and herself moved there, Sandra thought the opened space would help her daughter see the finer things in life. Help steer her towards the path Sandra thought her daughter would have the most success in. After all Amy's IQ was one of the highest in the country and she didn't even take into consideration that she could do anything, be anyone she wanted to be because of it. This was one of the things Sandra argued a lot about. How stupid her daughter acted towards her own future.
Now the house was silent and all Sandra's dreams of having her daughter obediently by her side had gone up in flames. Amy graduated from high school at fourteen and entered the realms of college life. Four years later and after all hell broke loose within the household when she graduated with an Art degree. Just to despite her own mother, to look down on her and laugh.
So when Sandra received a long distance phone call that night she thought about not answering. That would show her daughter that she didn't sit around waiting for her, that she had a life of her own as well. But she wasn't fooling anyone, desperately wanting her daughter back in her life. Sandra needed to feel in control of something because control and she laughed, was something she knew a lot about.
“Hello,” she breathed out quietly.
“Miss. Miller?”
“Yes,” she hesitated taking in shallow breaths. Sandra didn't recognize the voice on the other end of the line and it worried her to no extent.
“My name is Terrance Bailey. I went to school with your daughter Amy.” He took a deep breath before continuing. “I'm at the-”
“Okay your a friend of my daughter's but that doesn't explain why your calling me. I don't know where she is or where she lives. I haven't seen or talked to her seen she walked out my door, eight almost nine years ago.” The irritation in her voice was plainly heard.
“I understand-”
“No!

I don't think you do but, whatever trouble she's in, she'll have to find her own way out.” She held the phone over the receiver ready to hang up when his words stilled her hand.
“Ma'am, Amy's in the hospital!” He practically screamed in the phone.
There was silence on the other end of the line. Sandra was shaking while trying to hold on. Her mind was boggled going over everything in slow motion, everything he'd said so far didn't explain squat. He was trying to get her to relapse, she knew it was only a matter of time before someone would try this. And to use her daughter's name didn't help matters any.
“This morning Amy was on her way to work, behind her building she collapsed. That's where I found her, she was lying on her side with her eyes open, pleading for someone to help her.” He wiped his tears away and continued, “we've been in the waiting room at Mercy Hospital, waiting on word of her condition. The doctor just came in moments ago and the news isn't good.” He stopped to allow what he'd said so far to sink in.
“My baby girl's in the hospital? Is this a joke?” Half laughing and half crying, Sandra stared at the night's sky and begged for this to be a joke. If it was the punishment for this boy would be quick.
“Why the hell

would I joke about this?” Terrance demanded. He'd never met Amy's mom and the way this conversation was going it's a good thing too. But seriously how could she ask if what he was saying was a joke? Was she sick?
“Look lady if you don't want to know just say so. 'Cause right now I'm wasting my time talking to you when I could be doing other things.” He said through gritted teeth.
Scared to death at his tone of voice Sandra curled up on the chair and whispered, “is it money you want because if that's the case I'll pay whatever, just please leave my daughter alone?”
A growl escaped from the base of his throat, he was talking to a mad woman. He took a deep relaxing breath and blurted out, “Dr. Cutler said Amy went into cardiac arrest earlier, she stable now but had to be put in a coma. If you think I'm making this up then call the hospital yourself and ask. The number here is..” and he searched around until he found it and gave it to her before hanging up.
Everything compounded in her mind, fogging it completely. Was what this Terrance person said true? Was her daughter really there, in the hospital?
Standing up off the chair she shook her head, clearing her mind and was determined that everything was fine. Nothing was wrong with her daughter. Terrance whoever he thought he was wasn't fooling her into thinking whatever he wanted her to think.
If it was true the hospital would have called her. Right? But she hasn't talked to Amy in years, would she have told anyone about her own mother? Would she have said she had one?
When Amy had left all those years ago she had called Sandra 'paranoid and delusional'. And these words confused her to no extent, causing a reaction that should have never happened. Losing her temper that evening should have never escalated to her only child walking out the door saying 'she never wanted to see her again'.
Slamming the phone back down on it's handle, Sandra reached over the bar, grabbing a tumbler and poured herself a drink. The liquor was smooth as it flowed down her throat, soothing her nerves and relaxing her mind.
Slipping from the room, she ran up the stairs and slipped under her covers allowing the liquor to take control.

♥`♥`♥

St. Christopher's stood out from all other building like a sore thumb. It's bright blue walls were in desperate need of painting, the windows in need of some cleaning and this was just the outside of it. The inside was a whole other story. Each room that Dr. Ellicott passed was painted a different bright color, each with a paint splashed set of curtains covering the windows even though most rooms unoccupied.
The first thought that crossed his mind and caused tears to collect in his eyes was the blue reminded him of Amy's eyes. The way the sun hit them just right letting the dew shine in rainbow colors. And the different brightly colored rooms brought back memories of her style, her house, the way she was passionate about everything she did. The way she saw things and helped him see those things too.
Now the question was how was he supposed to work in a place that would remind him everyday of the woman he loved but walked away from? The woman that at this very moment that was fighting for her chance to survive?
New Jersey really took a step down from the hospitals in NYC. But nonetheless Dr. Ellicott presented a smile for each and every nurse, doctor and whomever else he happened to pass by on his way to his new office.
Once inside he shut the door and walked over to the window, looking out at the sunrise he whispered, “the only way you're going to get through this is to stop thinking about how she is and get to work”. After the meaningful pep talk, the door opened to his office.
“I'm sorry. I didn't think you'd be in here this early.” Tina