Forever Fly Free – Jenny Brandemuehl

It reminds me how what I’m going through with Mark here in Phoenix feels strange and surreal at times. The storm continues for some time. Wesley Googles and tells us that these storms can last quite a few hours. At some point we stop watching and settle back on the couch.

Heavy drops fall on my lap as my dress catches my tears. My skirt is blotchy. I can’t help it. I look up, the view blurry. No one’s noticed. Adrian and Wesley are heads-down on their laptop and iPad. I sniffle loudly and grab some Kleenexes, wiping my face. So many thoughts are flying through my brain. Why did this happen? Asking this question is like standing on the edge of a bottomless dark pit. The rocks and dirt are coming loose under my feet—I’m about to lose my footing.

If I fall, I won’t be able to climb back up. Stop. Now. I climb back, away from the hole, and walk away. I simply cannot and will not torture myself with this question. Mark, the agnostic, never needed a reason for everything. He believed in the randomness of life. I was somewhere in between. I believe there can be coincidences and I also believe there can be reasons. The bedraggled palm trees outside the balcony make me think of Kona, where my mom lived.

I remember something Mark said to me many years ago. Before Mom passed away, she had requested that she be cremated, her ashes scattered in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of her beloved Hawaii. To honor her wishes, her second husband, Sebastian, along with Mark, five-year-old Wesley, and I jetted out on a boat off the coast of Kona with their minister.

We left Adrian with a babysitter since he was too young. The boat captain stopped at a scenic spot a few miles off the coastline. It was a beautiful, clear blue day.

Founder and Publisher – Gretchen Young Editorial Assistant – Caitlyn Limbaugh Managing Editor – Madeline Sturgeon Production Manager – Kate Harris Production Editor – Rachel Paul Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors is the leading nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people affected by a burn injury. Phoenix Society serves burn survivors, loved ones, burn care professionals, researchers, and anyone else committed to supporting the burn community and building a safer world. The organization sees a future where no one facing the life-changing effects of a burn injury is forced to journey through healing alone.

For more information, visit: www.phoenix-society.org. This book, as well as any other Regalo Press publications, may be purchased in bulk quantities at a special discounted rate. Contact [email protected] for more information. All people, locations, events, and situations are portrayed to the best of the author’s memory. While all of the events described are true, many names and identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy of the people involved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author and publisher.

Regalo Press New York • Nashville regalopress.com Published in the United States of America OceanofPDF.com To Mark, whose love and belief in me was my true north To Wesley and Adrian who are the future To Robert, our magical love carries me forward everyday OceanofPDF.com CONTENTS PART 1 HEROES Chapter 1 The Phone Call Chapter 2 Prognosis Chapter 3 Eyewitnesses Chapter 4 The Courage of a Stranger Chapter 5 Stanford Classmates PART 2 THE ROLLERCOASTER Chapter 6 Bad News Chapter 7 Alyssa Finds Mark’s Ring Chapter 8 Spiraling Chapter 9 More Surgery Chapter 10 Healing Chapter 11 Losses Chapter 12 Mark’s Birthday Chapter 13 Back on the Rollercoaster PART 3 SURVIVAL Chapter 14 Crisis Chapter 15 The Family Arrives Chapter 16 The Big Meeting Chapter 17 Voices Chapter 18 Music and Synchronicities Chapter 19 A Day of Rest Chapter 20 Prayers Chapter 21 Gratitude Chapter 22 Special Energy Chapter 23 Out of the Woods PART 4 HOPE AND HEALING Chapter 24 The Power of Hope Chapter 25 Regeneration Chapter 26 Inspiration Chapter 27 French Roast Coffee Chapter 28 Love Chapter 29 “I Want a Martini” PART 5 LOVE IS ALL THERE IS Chapter 30 Dark Night of the Soul Chapter 31: The First Three Months Chapter 32: Signs Chapter 33: Who Am I?

Chapter 34 The Loving Universe Chapter 35 Lost Chapter 36 Rebuilding and Finding Love Again Epilogue Acknowledgments OceanofPDF.com Part 1 Heroes “Life changes in an instant. The ordinary instant.” —Joan Didion, The Year of Magical Thinking OceanofPDF.com Chapter 1 THE PHONE CALL I’m hiding in an empty conference room, trying to respond to urgent emails before my next meeting.

This is a short excerpt from the opening of “” by Unknown, quoted for review and introduction purposes. All rights belong to the copyright holders.

Book Information

• Unique ID: 1fd235c7fb9d7608
• File Extension: .pdf
• File Size: 2,685,870 bytes (2.561 MB)
• Title: –
• Author: Unknown
• ISBN: 9798895650301, 9798895650318
• Pages: 303
• Language: English (en)

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• Estimated Reading Time: 453.96 minutes
• Total Words: 90,793
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• Average Words per Page: 299.65
• Average Characters per Page: 1632.7

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