Stroke of Love
by
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CHAPTER 1
The sun rose as it always has, slowly erasing the shadows of the night. On this morning in Vermont, not a single cloud shaded the green mountain slopes. The clear blue sky allowed the intense rays of the sun to penetrate the Seed Maple that spread out covering our front lawn. As if the sun purposely aimed them, its rays shot through the edges of the drawn shades into the bedroom where I slept peacefully dreaming. Sharp spears of light pierced my eyelids forcing them open. This rude unprovoked attack occurred on a Saturday morning thirty minutes before my alarm had its chance to ruin my dreams. I suppose it doesn’t matter. All my Saturdays are workdays. I might as well prime myself early for a full days work.
After my father left six years ago, the five of us moved to Windsor a small town in the Connecticut River Valley. Since my mother didn’t drive, she needed to be close to the Goodyear rubber plant where she worked. Not having a dad to support us and being the oldest, I became responsible to provide extra money for our family to survive. Three years ago, after turning thirteen, a neighborhood store hired me as a stock boy. That job gave me an understanding of responsibility, which prepared me for a life-changing event waiting at the threshold of my sixteen-year-old life. ….
… I could use the bathroom without interruption. Most mornings the bathroom became a battleground between my sisters and us. This morning I washed, shaved, and finished dressing in peace.
After returning to the bedroom for my shoes, I nudged my brother and whispered, “Jim. The bathroom is free. You better get in there quick.” …
… My mom’s bedroom door was open, so I whispered just loud enough for her to hear without waking the girls. “Mom. … Mom.”
She mumbled, “What … what’s the matter?”
“I'm going downstairs to fix breakfast before I go to work.”
“Oh. … All right Son. I'll wake up your brother and sisters and we'll be down in a minute.” “I tried to wake up Jim, but he just rolled back over.”
“That sounds like him. Okay. I’ll get him up. … She mumbled something as I went downstairs to start breakfast. …
… After the coffee began percolating, I prepared breakfast for everyone. Everyone came down just as I finished putting it all on the table. As my mother landed on the bottom step, I handed her a hot cup of coffee. “Thank you Michael.” Staring at Jim slowly creeping by, she continued, “I need this after trying to get Jim up. Everyone please sit down, so Michael will have time to eat with us.” …
… Suddenly, the ear-piercing screech of a siren blasted through the house and interrupted the clanging spoons. All heads turned to the living room. We jumped up and rushed to the windows pushing the curtains aside. The flashing lights of the passing ambulance forced our eyelids to shut. It sped to the end of our dead-end street. We have known the families in our neighborhood for six years and were very close to most of them. … … That ambulance meant one of them was in trouble.
My heart began to pound even more realizing it stopped at the end of the street. I ran out the front door, off the porch, and down the street ahead of my family. I stopped behind the ambulance and tried to catch my breath. The attendants swung open its back doors and rushed a gurney into the house. All our neighbors ran into the street in various modes of morning dress and gathered around me. We were standing in front of the last duplex on the right side of the street. The collection of whispers resounded as if a beehive had been disturbed. Our curiosity was at its peak, especially mine. I secretly admired one of the family members living there. The beating in my chest raced faster and faster. I wondered. … No. It can’t be. I haven’t had the chance to tell her yet. …
… A few minutes later, the screen door on the porch screeched drawing our attention. All heads turned at the same time as if choreographed. Necks stretched as the medical team rolled the gurney onto the porch followed by Elaine and her family. Our gasping breath resonated together. The mystery was finally over. Elaine’s mother was strapped to the gurney. A huge sigh of relief rushed its way past my lips. Elaine and her family rushed to the side porch railing. Their knuckles turned white gripping it. They watched as they carefully lowered her down the porch stairs. After setting the gurney on the sidewalk, they rolled it to the back of the ambulance. Frightened tears dripped down their cheeks as they ran to the front railing. The slim 16-year-old with the golden blonde hair, startling summer sky blue eyes, and the normally beguilingly smile stood there dripping tears and watching intensely. She’s the one who has been in my thoughts since the fourth grade. I noticed her on my first day in my new school. When the teacher introduced me to my new class, she was sitting in the front row ahead of me. She turned pulling her long blonde hair back behind her ear and looked straight at me. Those eyes and beguiling smile stole my attention. She’s been my heart’s desire ever since. However, years have passed without any meaningful connection. …
… Her gaze paralyzed me whenever I caught her looking in my direction. I was too shy to make contact. She was my greatest longing, but my fear of rejection stopped me. … … My heart ached watching her standing at the railing in such pain. I had no choice. I couldn't just stand there and not help. I had to climb over my self-imposed wall and go to her.
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About the Book
Stroke of Love is a story about years of love Michael kept hidden from Elaine. She had her own secrets about Michael, but her mother’s fears insulated her from a relationship with anyone. She became exposed to Michael’s true character at a very emotional and crucial time in her life.
In the Greek language, three words are translated into English as love. Agape is the highest form of love, distinguished by a deliberate choice, not just a feeling. Agape love is everlasting, sacrificial, and enduring to the end. Can Michael enter into the isolated world Elaine’s mother created and expose Elaine to a true everlasting love?
About the Author
Kevin was born in Lebanon, NH in 1948. His childhood was spent in the small town of Windsor, VT. Being from a low income family, he began working as a paperboy at 11. For the next five years, he spent most of his time working at Hamel’s grocery store to help with family expenses.
After graduating in 1966 from St. Mary’s high school in Claremont, NH, he attended an electronic trade school in Boston, MA. During his second semester, he was hired by an electronic company in Waltham, MA testing systems for the Apollo space project. When the project completed, he moved on to a field service engineering position which allowed him to travel to most of the 50 states and many provinces in Canada. In 1973 after five years traveling, he settled down in Long Beach, CA where he met the Lord and his beautiful wife Audrey. They were married in 1974. In 1975 just before his first son was born, he was hired by a company which gave him the opportunity to work as a quality assurance liaison in many countries on the Western rim of Pacific Ocean. While at that job, they raised their two sons at their home in Long Beach. When not traveling, he taught the Bible and shared its truths with others in many Bible studies and Sunday school classes. Now that his boys are married and he is retired, he and his wife enjoy spending time with their eight grandchildren.
Since writing has been part of his life throughout his career and necessary teaching the Bible, he writes novels in his retirement incorporating biblical truths amid the vivid memories of the town where he spent his youth. Windsor will always hold special memories for him that he hopes you will enjoy.