May 13, 2019May 13, 2019 admin

It’s Launch Week!!

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Last push for pre-sales and all things hype! I’m going to be obnoxious this week. It’s important to know that going in. I’m sorry, I promise after Friday I will give you a break! Keep reading and you’ll get to a cutting room floor scene that I think you will love.

So it’s launch week, if you haven’t told your friends tell your friends, all of them over and over again. If you haven’t read the book, order the book! If you haven’t reviewed the book I’m begging you to review the book. Review it on everything you can think to review it on, I’ll take yelp at this point.

So in honor of Launch week, I’m going to do a few fun things this week like contests. I’m also going to post some scenes that are important or ones that I just loved but that didn’t make it into the book.

The below is a scene from Sarah’s perspective of the day Taylor goes missing. Sarah (mother) is working at the hospital, Taylor has just turned 13 and made an agreement with her parents that this year she would be able to get off the bus and stay home for a couple of hours by herself until her father got out of work. The reason this scene didn’t make it into the book was only that in the book I liked having all three of the adults that loved taylor involved in the initial realization that she was missing. Andy’s juxtaposition with Richard and him finally being in charge as Richard has to be the “parent” I really liked. I also loved in the book the ‘click”s as the phone is hung up after each phone call is made. I thought that was more dramatic than this scene, even though re-reading right now still gives me goosebumps. **These scenes aren’t edited so there are typos and missing grammatical things … **

Sarah glanced down at her watch for the 15th time in as many minutes.  It read 2:45; she had called the house every 5 minutes since 2:25 and no answer.  Every minute that went by she regretted not getting Taylor a phone for her birthday.  

Mrs. Rice hit the nurses station button again for the 12th time this hour.

Yes Mrs. Rice, Sarah said as sweetly as she could muster.

Nurse, can you bring me another blanket? I am chilled beyond belief. 

Yes Mrs. Rice sarah answered.

Sarah had been a nurse at the Heywood Memorial Hospital for the last 18 years.  She had worked in just about every unit in the hospital at one time or another.  Currently she was the lead day nurse in the maternity unit.  however at the moment she was covering the cardiology unit, the regular lead day nurse was on extended leave due to a family illness so Sarah expected to be bringing Mrs. Rice extra blankets for the next 8 – 10 weeks.

She looked at her watch again, its like the minutes weren’t even ticking by.  Rounding the counter at the nurses station, she propped open a closet door with her foot and took two blankets out of a warmer before continuing down the hallway.

If scrubs could be fashionable Dianne Villega had figured out how to do it. 

Mrs Rice? Dianne laughed as she crossed paths with Sarah. 

Sarah smiled, who else. but I brought two this time so that’s got to buy me at least another 10 minutes.  

Dont’ forget to put the old ones in the linen basket.  The night shift didn’t do it at all three nights ago and she crashed at 5 am, we couldn’t get the crash cart in the door because of all the blankets she had thrown on the floor. 

Will do Sarah called out over her shoulder.

Mrs. Rice? Sarah knocked on the door 

Not hearing anything she pushed the door open nd pulled the curtain back.  The bed was empty but the light in the bathroom was on.  Shifting her weight she waited and moments later was rewarded.  Mrs Rice was 88 years old who had been in the cardio wing with heart failure twice before.  Each time she had made  progress and been allowed to return home.  Each time however had ended up back in the hospital.  Sarah knew this time would be her last.  Her breath wheezed as she opened the door, her skin was pale.  Sarah dropped the blankets on the bed and immediately went to offer her arm to Mrs. Rice.

Mrs. Rice, really you should use the bedpan.  At this point getting up to use the bathroom is really too much.  You are going to fall and get hurt.

Nurse Cormier, I am not going to use the bed pan, you have said that to me every single day for the past 10 days.  It is undignified and I won’t do it.  Please move on from that particular topic.

Okay then, Mrs Rice that is fair.  I ask that you call us then when you have to use the rest room and let us assist you.  There is no loss of dignity in that.  

Fair enough Nurse.  Please tell me you brought blankets Mrs. Rice asked.

Sarah had steered her to the edge of her bed and helped her sit down.

Her breathing was labored and a sheen of sweat covered her brow and upper lip. 

Mrs Rice? Are you ok?

The old woman continued to breath one hard breath after the other.

Sarah was just about to call the desk whenMrs Rice groaned in pain, grabbing her arm and collapsed onto the floor. 

Sarah heard a bone crack when the frail woman hit the hard linoleum.  

Sarah hit the button emergency button on the wall

we’ve got a code black, room 467

An hour later Sarah drew a blanket over Mrs Rice face while she waited for the orderlies to come and wheel her body down to the mortuary.  

As she walked out of the rom she absentmindedly glanced at her watch to realize that it was 4:45, her heart skipped a beat and she grabbed her phone out of her pocket.  

The screen revealed no messages, she checked her calls just to make sure. Nothing

The phone rang 5 times before the machine picked up.  

Taylor, Taylor, Sarah said loudly into the machine.  Pick up the phone Taylro.  I’m going to call your father and you know that he won’t handle this very well.  You need to pick up the phone now!  Sarah waited, and the silence answered her back.

Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder, You ok? Dianne asked

Sarah whirled around her eyes budding with tears.

Hey hey, Dianne said, I’m sorry it sucks losing someone but your ok.

No its not that, Sarah said as a tear escaped its pen My daughter was supposed to call me when she got home.  It’s her first day of school today and she should have called two hours ago.  

She’s a kid, I’m sure she just forgot and she’s probably fine at a friends house.  Call them, I’m sure she’s with one of htem. 
Sarah wiped away the tears and took a deep breath.  Maybe you are right she said, wiping her nose.  Listen as soon as the night shift gets in can I be the first to go? I want to get home. 

Of course, Dianne said.  Go take a dinner break and cal her friends, I’ll page you if we need you.

Thank you, sarah said appreciatively.

Sarah grabbed her purse out of the locker room area and took the elevator down to the cafeteria where cell reception was more reliable anyway.  

Hi Anna, sarah said, I’m looking for Taylor is she with you?

Uhh… no Mrs Cormier, she said she had  to go home after school.  Is she not there?  I don’t know, I’m not home from work yet but she isn’t picking up the phone.  I’m going to text the other girls if you hear from her or anything can you text me?

Yeah sure, Anna said.

Sarah typed quickly to Mackenzie and Shauna, are either of you with Taylor? She isn’t answering the phone at home.

Both girls were quick to answer, no

The dread had begun to set in Sarah’s stomach.  She was going to have to call Rich, He had promised to be home by 5 anyway and it was minutes until.

She tapped his name to begin the call.

Hey babe what’s up?  

Are you home? Sarah asked, the stress in her voice

No why, what’s wrong. Rich Said

Taylor isn’t answering the home phone Sarah said

Rich was silent on the other end.  I’m pulling onto our street I’ll call you as soon as I know something.  

Sarah could already tell his mind was grinding away with possibilities.  

Rich sarah said loudly getting his attention before he hung up on her.

Yeah he said

Don’t panic she said

Yeah

5o’clock on the dot, Sarah was walking off the floor towards the parking garage.  She hadn’t heard back from Rich but planned to call him as soon as she got her car.  The air outside was raw with rain and wind she had forgotten her coat in the hospital.  Her thin scrubs clung to her as wind gusts flew through the garage floors.  Her phone started ringing just as her car came into view.

The screen read “Home”

Taylor?? Sarah said as she answered

Sarah, it was rich  Taylor’s not here the door wasn’t even opened.  Her book bag was on the porch.

Oh my god, Sarah whispered, her heart felt like it had stopped beating in her chest.

Is she with her friends he asked

No we told her not to.

I know what we told her sarah! Are you sure she isn’t with her friends? 

I called the girls, I called them, they said she wasn’t with them.

I’m sending a patrol car to come get you and bring you home.  Go stand in front of the parking garage. 
Sarah knew that her husband was speaking to her but she could not grasp the words he was saying.  Her mind spun with scenarios each more terrifying than the last

Sarah! the voice on the phone said more forcefully.  Go stand in front of the parking garage.  Tell me you understand me.

I understand you, she managed to get out.
Go! he said, Now!