CoverReveal:
ThisIs Living
by
Melody Dawn
Dec 17th
The first timeJayson Reece saw Chloe Schaeffer, he knew she would be his forever. He promisedher then that he would show her how to live rather than just letting life passher by. Now, 9 years later, they’ve had the storybook romance, a pictureperfect wedding, and two twin boys to complete the family they always wanted.
But something is missing…
With tworambunctious boys, Chloe decides to be a stay-at-home mom until the boys areold enough to go to school. So, with her dreams of being a social worker put onhold, she throws everything she has into being the perfect mother and wife.
Jayson has a very demanding career as an Emergency Room physician. He tries tobalance out his workload and that of being a family man, but lately his job hascome first. Is he beginning to lose focus on the things that are most importantto him?
Will Chloe’sdrive for perfection and the challenges of Jayson’s career drive them apart? Orwill they realize that love creates the perfection she desires and the balancehe needs to keep his family together?
There’s only one thing left to do. Jayson needs to renew his promise to Chloeand she needs to trust Jayson to get them back to where they belong.
A place where living and loving is required…those only wanting to exist neednot apply.
Chloe
Walkingup to the nurse’s station, I see Tanya, one of the nurses that has been in theER as long as Jayson has been here for his residency. We have gotten to knoweach other and she loves my babies. And they love her too. Braxton sees herfirst and takes off running while screaming her name. I chase after him, butdamn, he is getting faster each day…they both are. He reaches the desk before Ido, but it’s ok because she has already come out from behind it and grabs himup.
“HeyB-man, what’s up? Give Aunt Tanya a hug and give me some dirt on your daddy soI can blackmail him next time he’s mean to me.”
I don’tthink he knows what dirt or blackmail means, but he shakes his head yes andlaughs anyway. By this time, Brendon has reached her also and she is hugginghim to her although he remains on the ground. Not missing a beat she grins atBrendon with her next words.
“Thereis my second little man. How are you, sweet cheeks?”
Like clockwork, Brendon gives her a pointed look and says, “I was born first,Aunt Tanya, I’m #1.”
Shelaughs while I shake my head because I have definitely heard this refrainbefore and from another set of twins: their dad and their uncle. Thank god, heisn’t saying he’s sexy or has got all the goods. I’m waiting for that day tohappen. Please god let it be when he’s at least a teenager. Somehow I know itwon’t be because Jayson and Connor still don’t have a filter even after havingkids. They try to be stealthy about it, but they don’t get it that kids heareverything.
Withall the commotion going on, I happen to notice another nurse behind thecounter, one that I’m not familiar with. She is watching me like I’m going towhip out a weapon or something…I’m not sure. Something about her makes me waryof the way she is watching us.
I focuson her nametag and it says Melissa. Mentally, I roll my eyes in disgust becauseit is very close to another name from the distant past that I don’t want toremember at all. She hasn’t taken her eyes off of the scene in front of her andit looks like she is annoyed. The more she stares, the more I become upset.What the hell is this witch’s problem?
Tanyanotices that my attention is elsewhere and looks to see what has mepreoccupied. When she sees who I’m staring at, she grimaces in disgust. What isthat about? Melissa’s stare makes me feel exposed so I grab Brendon up and tellTanya that I’m looking for Jayson. I see the new nurse jerk her head up againwhen I say Jayson’s name. What happens next floors me.
“Whyare you looking for Dr. Reece? Is there something I can help you with?”
I blinkrapidly and feel my breathing increase. Tanya notices my reaction and jumps tothe rescue.
“Melissa,this is Jayson’s wife, Chloe, and his sons. Of course, if you can’tsee who these two belong to, then your powers of observation are way off andyou don’t belong in the ER where those skills are necessary for patients to betreated successfully.”
Ha ha,go Tanya! Melissa, who I’ve started calling the fucking bitch nurse in my mindsniffs and rolls her eyes. “Whatever…I was just trying to be helpful.” As shewalks away, my temper gets the best of me and I mutter quietly, “fuckingbitch.”
Tanyasmothers a laugh because evidently I didn’t do it quietly enough. Braxton’seyes get big and he tells me, “Mama, you hab to put money in the jar.” Oops. Ithought I said it where they couldn’t hear. Now, I will never hear the end ofit.
Unfortunatelymy boys are well acquainted with swearing and yes, we do have a swearjar. Since their dad, their uncle, and their cousin, Brayden, can’t cleanup their mouths, I figured out a way to make some money which I can use to getmy mani/pedis, waxes, and my hair done. Not that Jayson would deny me thesethings; I just enjoy holding it over their heads how much money I make off of thembecause these guys swear…a lot.
I grinto myself when I think of my money making enterprise. It’s all good…sometimes Ithink they swear more just so I will make a big deal and fuss about it. I keeptelling Jayson he is going to regret it when one of their teachers calls usabout the boys using bad language. God, I guess soon my boys will be puttingmoney in the swear jar!
As forme, I am usually more reserved than this and wait to have my swearing fitsbehind a locked bathroom door where the boys can’t hear me. Crap; I know theyare going to tell their dad. How can I get out of this? I reach into my mom’sarsenal and pull out bribery…shut up, you would do it too.
“Mamadidn’t mean it; I shouldn’t have said that. Let’s not tell anyone, ok. Howabout I take y’all to get ice cream when we leave here?”
Jesus,am I really bargaining with two toddlers? Yes, I am because I need my record tostay intact. Or I will never hear the end of it. I see Tanya’s mouth twitchingand give her an elbow to the ribs. She just rolls her eyes and whispers, “Youknow they are going to tell.”
Theyprobably are, but more important things are going on. Right now, I am focusingon the beautiful man in scrubs headed my way. He hasn’t seen me yet but I knowwhen he does, his panty-melting smile is going to spread across his face.
Helooks up at that moment and sees me and the boys and guess what, I’mright…there is the smile. I smile back instantly and the boys soon see who hasmy attention. They take off running screaming “Daddy” and I know he knows theyare there because even when they slam into him, he keeps smiling at me.
