Read One Day Soon Online

Authors: A. Meredith Walters

One Day Soon (55 page)

“I love you, Mommy.”

I kissed the tip of her tiny nose. “I love you, Ava.”

“Can you tell me another story about Yoss and Imi. What about the story where Yoss gets a new heart because his old one is broken by the evil wizard Manny?”

My stomach twisted and turned.

That was a hard story to tell.

A heart that wasn’t really a heart…

But I couldn’t tell Ava about liver transplants and hours of waiting. Of blood and pain. I didn’t want to share the terror of
not knowing.

So the dying liver became a broken heart.

The streets became a beautiful kingdom.

The predatory pimp was now the evil wizard.

But Yoss and Imi were still in love. Still looking for the ending they deserved.

“You know how that one goes,” I told her lightly.

“Imi gets him a new one!” Ava giggled.

“That’s right. Imi gets him a new one. And…”

“They lived happily ever after,” Ava finished, pulling out of my arms so she could dig in the sand again.

“Why do you like these stories so much?” I asked her.

I knew why. It was the same reason I told them.

To change history. Just a little bit. To give her a story to smile about.

But it wasn’t all make believe. All fairytales start somewhere.

In truth.

“I just do,” Ava shrugged.

The sun sank lower in the sky. Another end to another day.

“I know why you like them,” I said softly, the water lapping at my toes.

I felt him before I saw him. Before I heard him.

I knew he was there.

Ava looked up as if she too sensed his presence. Her face brightened. She gave him a delighted smile. Her heart in her eyes.

“She loves them because they’re true.” I felt his deep voice in the parts I had locked away for so long. The parts that were now open wide. Free.

Yoss leaned in close, his lips next to my ear and I could feel his breath on my skin. He placed a soft kiss on my temple. It was a kiss that told our story. The best story. The one that didn’t need fairytales and magic creatures.

The real one.

The one that belonged to us.

“And they lived happily ever after,” he murmured, sinking into the sand beside me.

“The end,” I whispered back, looking back at him. His skin no longer yellow. His smile bright. His eyes even brighter.

This was what joy looked like.

How we got here was another story, for another day.

But we were here now.

And I was the woman who believed in promises.

In fairytales.

In second chances.

I had experienced them. Lived them firsthand. I knew how quickly they could be snatched away.

And how quickly you could be handed them back.

Just when you had forgotten what faith felt like.

But I felt it now. And I
trusted…

In us.

In our new family.

In happily ever afters.

Because of the man who had given me my
one day soon
.

 

Read other books by A. Meredith Walters

A book is a village, or something like that.

Getting to the end of this journey wouldn’t have been possible without my husband and daughter. It’s because of them that I have the inspiration to write.

To my amazing friends and critique partners. Claire, Tonya, Amy, Stacey, Brittainy, and Kelsie. I’m so lucky to know such an amazing group of talented women.

To Kristy. You will always get my words first. :)

To Diane Plourde for answering all my medical questions. You were so patient and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you taking the time!

To Emily Sorby for answering all my social work questions. I’ve been out of the game for a long time, your knowledge was invaluable.

To every single blogger who has shared and supported my stories. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

And most importantly to my readers.

You are why Yoss and Imi were created.

A.Meredith Walters is the
New York Times
and
USA Today
bestselling author of the Bad Rep, Find You in the Dark, Reclaiming the Sand, and Twisted Love Series, as well as Butterfly Dreams published by Random House/Loveswept. She also writes psychological thrillers under the pen name A.M. Irvin.

Before becoming a full-time writer, she worded as a counselor for troubled and abused children and teens. The Virginia native currently lives in England with her husband and daughter.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without express permission from the author.

 

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any similarities to persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

Trademarks: This book identifies product names and services known to be trademarks, registered trademarks, or service marks of their respective holders. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of all products referenced in this work of fiction.

 

All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2016 by A. Meredith Walters

Cover design © 2015 Sarah Hansen, Okay Creations

Editing Services by Tanya Keetch/ The Word Maid

Interior design and formatting by:

www.emtippettsbookdesigns.com

Table of Contents

Title Page

Books by A. Meredith Walters

About One Day Soon

Dedication

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty- Seven

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty-One

Epilogue

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Copyright Notice

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