Fitting The Pieces (The Riverdale Series Book 3) (38 page)

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2 years later

           
Cara was going through boxes in the garage in search for
another extension cord for Luke. He was driving her crazy. Apparently her
Christmas shenanigans were wearing, rubbing off on him, and this year he was
determined to pull out all the stops. He was stringing lights from the roof of
their house all the way down to the bushes in their garden. She had to laugh a
little at his determination to make this Christmas the best Christmas ever, but
she didn’t have the heart to tell him that two years ago, he had already
achieved that goal, when he asked her to be his wife.

           
They had gotten married six months later in the same
church they both had received all their sacraments in. Cara wore the dress of
her dreams as she walked down the aisle to the man and the little girl that she
loved. During the marriage ceremony the three of them lit a unity candle,
symbolizing they were now a family. Nick and Sam had returned the favor and
stood beside them as they vowed to love one another all the days of their lives.

           
The next Christmas, it was Cara’s turn to give Luke and
Ava the best unexpected Christmas present, and she did so by telling them she
was pregnant. Six months ago the most perfect little boy was born, completing
the Lanza family. Hence why Luke was up in arms with making Christmas so
special this year, it was their son’s first Christmas.

           
She opened up a box, hoping she finally found the cord,
but instead she pulled out a leather bound journal. She ran her fingers along
the spine of the journal before flipping through the pages. She opened the
book, settling on one of the first entries…

Dear Cara,

I’ve decided to stop using this journal as
an outlet for me during my illness. Today is the first day I will begin to fill
the blank pages with letters to you. If I told you everything that was going on
in my head, you’d probably beat the crap out of me. I’m too weak and the truth
is I’ve seen you fight and you could probably kick my ass even if I was feeling
a hundred percent.

All our plans for the future have once again
been put on hold due to cancer. I know you don’t want to hear it, but I’ll say
it anyway. I’m sorry. I’m sorry that you’re going through this shit storm. I
probably should’ve waited until I knew if the chemotherapy had worked for sure,
before I asked you to marry me. But I was so sure. I guess that’s what they
mean by false hope. All the medical websites I’ve been looking at, there are
these testimonials from cancer survivors, and their families. Most of the time,
after you’ve received chemotherapy, your life goes back to the way it was
before you were diagnosed. They say you feel like you are reclaiming your life,
and that’s what I thought too. I wasn’t naïve to think I would be in remission
when the PET scan results came back, but I did think that the chemo had worked
a little bit. I know you were just as disappointed as I was when the doctor
said it had done nothing but damage some of my organs.
 

I know that no matter what, even if we had
just remained friends, you still would be my side. God allowed me time with the
girl of my dreams and even allowed me to call her my fiancé. How could I ever
complain?

I’m probably dying. I can say that on paper,
but not out loud. The doctors have already told me that they cannot continue
treatment with chemo, my body isn’t reacting well. Instead of it killing the
cancer the drugs are killing me. The next step is a bone marrow transplant and
we’re on the hunt for the donor. Luke and Sam are probably taking bets on which
one of them will be the perfect match. I just hope it works. The thought of
dying isn’t as scary as the thought of never seeing you again. To never see my
sweet Cara, go through all the milestones of life that we have been talking
about.

It’s funny the things I told myself I had my
whole life to do, and procrastinated doing them, are things now I wish I had
done. I want you to know I never thought I’d get married to anyone other than
you, even when we were just friends. You used to tell me that you could picture
your wedding, but never the man you married. It was the opposite for me. I just
pictured you. You’ve been asking me to marry you, not even caring what day of
the week it is or if you even have your dress. The dream you had of your
wedding, you’re willing to give up. You’re so hell bent on marrying my crazy
ass that you’ll marry me in a hospital room. I’m flattered baby. So, fucking
flattered.
 
I keep telling you I’m going
to get better and when the cancer is gone, you’ll get your wedding.

We’re not going to get married Cara. I want
to explain why, so that when I die, you don’t hate me. I can’t leave this earth
knowing that when I die, your future would die along with me. You’d be married
to my spirit and to our past. You’d never look to fulfill your future. You
wouldn’t remarry and have a family. You’d be alone, clinging to the past. You’d
sit by my head stone and talk to me as if I was standing in front of you. Time
would stand still for you and before you know it you’d be old and gray just
waiting to be in the plot beside me. There would be no children and there would
be no stories to tell your grandchildren. Don’t shake your head, I can picture
you shaking your head and crying right now as you read this. Stop it. You know
I’m right. I’m always right. Guess what I’m doing right now as I write this?
I’m wiggling my eyebrows, because you know I’m right.

Seriously babe, I don’t want that for you. I
want you to live your life. Go get married, have some kids, name one of them
Jake. I’ll watch over them just like I’ll always watch over you. When your
husband accidentally electrocutes himself hanging Christmas lights, know I’m
even looking out for that son of a bitch too. Know that I’m happy that he’s
giving my girl a chance at a good life. You’ll always be my girl, lucky for
him; my mom taught me how to share.

Maybe you’ll never read these letters, but I
have to write them anyway. I want to be there for you, when I know you’ll need
me the most. Just always know I love you.

Love Always & Forever Yours,

Jake

           
“Mom?” Ava said, poking her head into the garage. “Did
you find the cord?”

           
Cara lifted her head, closing the book, carefully placing
it back inside the box. “No.” She shook her head and placed her hands on her
hips looking around the garage. “I have no idea where else it can be.”

           
“Well, I’ll just let you break the news to dad. I’m going
to go see if Grandpa Jimmy
 
has loosened
his hold on the baby yet.”

           
Cara laughed slightly watching Ava disappear back into
the house. She sighed and zipped her coat up before braving the cold.
 
She walked around to the front of the house,
finding her husband standing high on a ladder, two stories up hanging icicle
lights from the gutters.

           
Luke noticed one of the twinkling lights was out,
reaching into his pocket, he grabbed a replacement bulb. With one hand holding
the ladder and the other holding the new bulb, he leaned forward and tried to
pull the bad bulb out with his teeth, probably not the smartest idea,
considering the tingling sensation that vibrated through his teeth. He dropped
the replacement bulb and gripped the ladder with both hands, spitting out the
bad bulb.

           
“Son of a bitch!” He hollered.

           
“Stud Muffin?” Cara called up to her husband. “Everything
okay up there?”

           
“Everything’s fine.” He called down before mumbling. “I’m
pretty sure I just electrocuted myself.”

           
“Why don’t you call it a night? I can’t find the other
cord anyway. We’ll go to the hardware store tomorrow and get another one.
Tomorrow is another day.” She pleaded.

           
Luke sighed, glancing down at his wife who looked small
standing beside the ladder. “Alright, I’m coming down.” He resigned. Cara was
right, he could finish tomorrow, and he would. Come hell or high water his son
was going to have the best first Christmas a baby could have. It didn’t matter,
he’d never remember it, that’s why he bought Ava a professional camera. She had
taken an interest in pictures and he planned on documenting the entire month of
December through her eyes.

           
He climbed down the ladder, turning around to face his
wife. “Where are the kids?”

           
“Inside with my dad and Nancy,” She said wrapping her
arms around his neck. She stood on her tip toes to reach his lips with her
own.
 
“You’re doing a great job.” She
said, pulling back from the kiss. She nodded towards the house. “It’s already
the best decorated house on our block.”

           
“Babe, it’s the only decorated house on our block.” Luke
said with a frown.

           
“See? I told you it was the best.” She said with a laugh,
taking his hand in hers and dragging him towards the front door of their half-lit
house. “Come on, I’ll give you a massage.” She said seductively.

           
Luke’s eyes lit up as he watched his wife’s hips sashay
as she walked into the house. That ass of hers did him in, every time. She
looked over her shoulder, catching him in the act, she laughed.

           
“See something you like?” She teased.

           
He lifted his heated gaze to hers. “What do you think?”
He said gruffly as he kicked the door closed with his foot and wrapped his arms
around her waist. He bent his head and nuzzled her neck.

           
A little cry sounded and Ava came into the foyer holding
her baby brother. “I think he’s hungry.” She said.

           
“I changed his diaper.” Jimmy said from the entry way of
the living room.

           
“You changed his diaper?” Nancy asked incredulously.

           
“Ava helped me.” Jim said smugly.

           
Cara laughed and reached out for her baby boy. Luke
dropped his hands from Cara’s waist and stepped around her.

           
“Let me…” he said, taking his son from his daughter’s
arms. “Come here, Jake… you want your daddy don’t you?” He said soothingly as
he lifted his son to rest against his chest. Baby Jake’s cries tapered off as
he nestled against his father’s chest. His eyes found Cara’s and he watched a
smile spread across her face.

“When I saw you I fell in love, and
you smiled because you knew.” ~William Shakespeare

I want to thank my
family and friends who have supported me on this journey. Your unconditional
support was the motivation I needed to complete this series. I love each and every
one of you for the role you play in my life.

I want to thank the
book community and by this I mean the bloggers and readers I have met over the
past nine months. I truly appreciate all the help and exposure you have given
me and The Riverdale Series. I look forward to maintaining the relationships I
have developed with some incredible people who share a love for reading.

It is with a very
humble heart that I say farewell to the Lanza family. The Riverdale Series will
always hold a special place in my heart.

From author Janine
Infante Bosco

A stand-alone novel

“Illicit Temptations”

My name is Michael
Valente. The people in my father’s world call me “Val”. It was the same nick
name they had given him before he died when I was sixteen. I was never supposed
to know the life he was a part of. I was never supposed to know he died in
place of his best friend, the boss of the largest crime family on the East
Coast, Victor Pastore.

My mother has tried everything
in her power to keep me away from them. She tried to shield me from the truth.
But it’s in my blood, the temptation running through my veins. I’m out to
avenge my father’s death at all costs. I have a plan and heaven help anyone who
stands in my way.

The only thing I didn’t
plan on was Victor’s daughter, Nicole, and her drug pushing boyfriend getting
in my way.
 
Now it’s my job to protect
her too.

Fitting the Pieces

(Riverdale Series, Book
Three)

By Janine Infante Bosco

           
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be
reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, distributed, stored in or introduced into
any information storage and retrieval system, in any form of by any means,
whether electronic or mechanical, without express permission of the author,
except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages for review purposes, if done
so constitutes a copyright violation.

           
This book is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters
and events are fictitious in every regard. Any similarities to actual events
and persons, living or dead are purely coincidental. Any trademarks, service
marks, product names or named features are assumed to be the property of their
respective owners and are used only for reference. There is no implied
endorsement if any of these terms are used.

ISBN:
 
9781495126192

Cover
designed by: Hang Le at byhangle.com

Edited and Formatted by:
Jennifer Bosco
  
http://jbsbookobsession.blogspot.com/