Copyright (c) 2012, William A. Sanderson, all rights reserved.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Running Home
Getting His Attention
Choosing Hope
A May-September Wedding
The Vicar’s Daughter
Table of Contents
Copyright Notices
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
The End
About the Author
Other Books
Coming Soon
Prologue
“How ya doin’, Sickie?” Sergeant Rob MacLeish stared down at the broken body of Master Corporal Nicolas Osiecki before he pulled up a chair.
“Been better, Dog. They say I have a ways to go before I’m stable enough to transport to Germany.” His eyes brightened. “I finally remembered her, Dog.”
“Who?”
“Elaine’s neighbour, Cindi.”
Rob pulled up a chair. “I remember Cindi. Tall brunette with about a million earrings and that lady bug tattoo on her right boob?”
Nick tried a smile. “Yeah. That’s her. She wrote me to say there’d been a screw up with the protection. She’s pregnant. I wrote back to say I didn’t know who she was ‘cause she signed it Lucinda. But I remember her now. I wish to hell I hadn’t blown her off.” Nick had another wracking cough. “Shit, this hurts like hell, Dog. Frickin’ Taliban sniper. Chewed me up real good.”
Rob nodded his sympathy. Nick continued. “I never thought I’d be a father. Hell, I never wanted to be one.”
“But now you are.”
Nick fixed Rob with a serious expression. “Dog? I don’t think the doctors are being straight with me. I got pneumonia real bad and it doesn’t look like I’ll make it. Mom was a basket case when she called.” Nick shot out his hand in a burst of strength and grabbed Rob’s arm. “Look, Dog. You gotta ask Elaine to track Cindi down and you gotta find a way to help her. My cousin Emma doesn’t have anyone to help her with Trey and it’s so damned hard on her. Cindi needs someone to help her out.” Nick had a racking coughing fit.
When the coughing fit was over, Nick said, “Promise me, Dog. Promise me you’ll find her and help her.” Nick’s eyes were wild. “I need to know someone good is gonna help take care of my kid.”
Rob took a deep breath and said, “Okay, Sickie. I promise.” They shook hands on the bargain.
Nick settled back down on the bed and asked, “So, Dog, how’re the rest of the guys doin’?”
Rob started telling Nick about the rest of the guys in the unit, trying to be strong for his buddy and wondering if this would be their last conversation.