The Norton Sisters series has somehow become a series that tears at my heart every time that I sit down to write. My muse has been tapping away at my psyche as their stories play out in my thoughts and dreams.
The series is going to span six books since there are six sisters. I've always wanted to tell the stories of the lives of women that were close nit sisters and the best of friends. Yet, even in their closeness they are still unaware of what each has had to endure to become who they were. The first two stories have already been released. Rayna and Zoie shared their stories. In the process they found love. The hope is each of the sisters follows suit.
Nyema
Zoie
Rayna
Thank you so much for stopping in and seeing what I was sharing today. I am ever so grateful as are these women. So many have been able to identify with one or all of the sisters.
Nyema sat in the restaurant at
exactly five minutes to one. The cool afternoon
air said that Florida was entering into the season and the summer was soon
coming to an end. She’d stood outside
for about ten minutes before finally coming into the restaurant. The man who greeted her was far too happy to
hear the name of the man that would be soon joining her. She didn’t like what this said. She felt at odds about meeting him here. Looking around again, she actually
contemplated just leaving.
The problem with that was then
she’d have to explain to her brother-in-law why his closest friend showed up at
the restaurant and found himself dining alone.
Nyema picked up her little notebook and pen then moved it the other
side. It had started on her left hand
side and to the left of the elegant table setting when she was first seated by
the nice, French gentleman that practically did a little jig when she mentioned
her client’s name. Do French men jig?
Oh, never mind. It doesn’t matter. The notebook had then been moved to her right
because she has always been right handed.
It moved again a few seconds later and now she was thinking of moving it
again.
She didn’t know why she was so
nervous. Nyema laughed at herself. She’d mentally begun to admonish herself as
soon as the thought had started to formulate.
The reason being, she knew good and well why it was that she was
nervous. When Rayna’s husband,
Christopher Leigh, had come to her and made the request that she take on his
“buddy” because he was going through a hard time, she should’ve just said
no. That, of course, wasn’t what she
did. She’d known something was off as
soon as she’d picked up the phone.
“Family Matters Therapy Center,
Nyema Norton speaking, how may assist you?” she quickly answered the line.
Joanne had gone out to pick
them both up something to eat and she’d been expecting a call. It was the only reason she’d bothered to
answer the phone that day.
“Dawnie? Is that you? Where’s Joanne?” she’d heard a male voice
respond.
Since he referred to her by her
middle name, it could only be one of two people: Chris, Rayna’s husband, or
Victor, Zoie’s husband. Lynnie’s friend,
Dario, would never dare to act that familiar with her. Those were the only males within their circle. Considering the fact that there were six very
attractive sisters and one amazing mother in the Norton clan’s immediate circle
that was a sad, sad statement.
“Which newfound brother is
this? Is it Chris or Vic because I
haven’t been able to take a moment to decipher timbers and such to just know by
voice?” she said as she’d sifted through the file on her patient that was to
come in that day at two.
“I’m sure Ray and Z. will
appreciate knowing that you think that their husbands sound too much alike for
you to know them apart on the phone,” the voice had responded then a chuckle
quickly followed.
“Hello Christopher, what’s
going on? I don’t usually hear from you
so recalling your voice isn’t something that I decide to store in my database
of things to remember,” she’d responded distractly because Joanne had walked in
with their lunch.
Her stomach uttered its protest
the instant the scent of the grilled salmon permeated the room. She was starving and the rice that was on the
side of that entre with steamed vegetables was screaming for her complete
attention. It’s amazing what the mind
can recall and what is chosen to forget.
“Cut me to the quick, why don’t
you, sis? Man! I’ve been with your
sister for almost two years now and I can’t get a little phone recognition,”
he’d said and she had to let him off the hook, but one last jibe first.
“If you would provide me with a
regular auditory sample, then I will be more than willing to oblige any
reinforced comfort my recognizing your voice will offer,” she paused and
listened to the silence. “I’m just kidding.
I knew it was you all along. Victor only
calls when there is trouble at the school and his secretary is the one who
initiates that call. What can I do for
you?”
“The things that you hold in
that head of yours are astounding. I
didn’t know what in the hell you had said.
Anyway, I called to set up a meeting with you, but realized that I
couldn’t do a meeting. I was told that
you had a couple trips coming up that wouldn’t free you up,” he stopped talking
and she heard him take a breath.
“Listen, this is kind of a touchy subject and I really don’t know how or
what to do here.”
“Start at the beginning. It’s always the best and tends to get you to
where you need to go the quickest. I’m
free for the next hour or so. However
long you need, go ahead and take it,” she typed a quick note to Joanne to make
sure that she didn’t schedule anyone to fill the one o’clock she knew she had
open. “Everything is fine with Ray,
right?”
“Oh, yeah. She’s good.
Tired, but good. It’s not
anything to do with the three of us, Dawnie.
It has to do with my friend. I’m
really worried about him and I don’t have anyone else to turn to. If I go to his family members, then I’m
afraid they will take this to a level that is far worse than what it already
is. You know, James? He was my best man at the wedding and he
comes by from time to time.”
He’d been quiet and she
realized that he was waiting on her to respond.
She’d begun to take notes. She
hadn’t known why. Something just said to
do so.
“Yes, I remember him. I also remember Zoie and Lynnia not being his
biggest fans. I think there is a bit
more there with Zoie. She never would
expound on why it was that she didn’t care for him. Anyway, what seems to be the problem?” she’d
asked.
What he said in response had
her sitting back in her seat. Chris had
told her that James had been the father of Zoie’s baby. Nyema hadn’t been aware that her nephew’s
father was a known donor. Did Zoie
know? She had to have known. Why didn’t she tell any of the sisters? It seemed like something that they should
know. They’d put Victor’s name on the
grave stone because it was a special request and just seemed like the right
thing to do since the father’s name wasn’t known. Now, having not only a name, but a face to go
along with it just made it feel wrong.
She wondered if Zoie even took a moment to talk with James. Her sister probably hadn’t since she didn’t
really like him and she was dealing with the loss of her child, the fact of
being a newlywed, then her miraculous chance to be a mother. Talking to James about any of it would have
probably been on her very short list of things to do.
“Houdini couldn’t have pulled a
better trick out of his hat if he wanted.
What are the odds that one of the few people that Zoie didn’t like would
be the person to give her the blessing that Nathaniel would have been? I can’t believe that she didn’t say anything,”
Nyema had taken a drink of her tea then a deep breath before speaking
again. “Okay, so James is having a hard
time dealing with everything? How am I
supposed to be part of this little equation?”
“Nyema, I don’t know if you
will be able to help at all, but I don’t know what else to do. I’ve done all that I can think of. You are my last resort. I know that this is probably going to be a
bit much for you. It will be going above
and beyond the call of duty as my sister, well sister-in-law, but it’s
needed. I really believe that you might
be the only one to get him out of this…” Chris had paused for seconds then was
off again. “He isn’t himself. I’ve never known him to hole up in his place
and stay. He travels, socializes, meets
and beds women. He is not a
homebody. He is not one to back down
from a challenge. I didn’t think that I’d
ever see the day that the wind was knocked out of James Kenyon’s sails, but it
is. He is literally coasting through
life. I took him out the other day for a
beer and we passed a baby store. His eyes
stayed focus on this bear blanket and he went inside the store. He came out five minutes later with the bear
and a little mitt. I just about lost it
because I had no clue what to say to that.
The man didn’t say word. He
hailed a cab, got in it and left my ass standing there with my mouth open. He’s not dealing. I didn’t think he wanted to be a dad. He argued the point of not wanting to have
anything to do with the kid once Allison was pregnant. She was the one that was supposed to get his
donation. Seeing the broken man that he
is now tells me differently. I just need
you to talk to him. I need to see if you
can get him to talk about all of this. I
know it’s a tall order, but I’m hoping that it works. I’ve never seen him like this. What do you think? Are you willing to do this?”
Nyema hadn’t said a word. She’d been attempting to process all that he’d
relayed to her. Chris had mistaken her
hesitancy for apprehension in dealing with an adult patient. His assessment couldn’t have been further
from the truth. She was a little
concerned about that factor, but she’d studied family psychology as well as
adult psychology during her college years.
She often kept up with those studies when her schedule allowed for
it. Dealing with children could be far easier,
but she was up for the challenge.
Her hesitancy came because she
felt instantly like a hypocrite.
Speaking to a child, coaching them through their pain is one thing. When children ask a question, you can lead
them in a different direction and usually get away with the misdirection. An adult tends to be a bit more astute and
far quicker in catching on to misleading or misdirection. It wasn’t often that she had to employ such
tactics, but it was there if she ever needed it. Her arsenal was full of those types of
tools.
Nyema didn’t want to talk to
James Kenyon for a number of reasons.
The one at the very top of the list was the fact that she shouldn’t be
attempting to lead anyone else to learning to cope with loss since she hadn’t
fully learned to deal with her own. See!
She was the biggest hypocrite ever! There was no way that she should be meeting
with this man. He would see right
through her tactics and advice. She was
insane. Why? Why did she do this to
herself?
Nyema looked to the entrance
again. Her mental castigation
immediately ceased. Seeing the handsome, dark hard, blue eyed, clean shaven,
six plus foot man that smiled at the waitress that had just walked in front of
him reminded her why she agreed. She
watched him. It wasn’t an open watching.
She made it look as if she were looking around the restaurant, but her
focus was on watching the man walk. Awful!
Insane! Silly! All of these words described her perfectly. She had to be all of those things because she
was sitting the ogling the way the man strode with a purpose toward her. Watching him move was an appetizer to seeing
him smile and maneuver his way to her, wading through the adoring throng of
women. Her license to practice should be
taken. She shouldn’t be taking on a man
that she had any form of attraction to as a potential patient.
Placing her hand on her
notebook, she turned her attention to the table setting before her. She would remain professional, see if this was
a lost cause then move on from there. When she looked up again, he was standing
right next to her, smiling with a cleft in his chin. Had she actually thought that she would be
able to remain focused and professional in his presence? That wasn’t likely since she didn’t seem to
have the ability to make her body respond to her mental commands. This meeting was going to go well. Chris was going to owe her big time if she
made it through this lunch without making a fool of herself.
I hope you enjoyed the excerpt from the upcoming release. Thank you again!
~E.
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