Hi, I am Lilly, the main character, I would like you to meet Aaron, my handsome husband. 

Lilly sat at the hospital, watching the large hands on the clock slowly move, click, click. Her head pounded and her eyes were red and swollen from the tears that flowed, until she could produce no more. She stared at the clock wishing he would wake up. It had been hours since she had received the call. It was a call that changed the entire course of their family, their lives.

She recalled sitting at the breakfast table that morning, sipping coffee with Aaron, her husband, and laughing at his stories. Aaron was a shoe-cobbler by trade and had his own shop. He frequently shared conversations about his customers. She loved watching Aaron talk to her. She loved the attention and she loved just looking at him. He was tanned and handsome and was not lacking in the muscle department.

Mrs. Caffrey frequently brought her shoes in and Aaron shared how large they were, and that “No man could fill those shoes.” Lilly thought it was so silly how easy he could turn these things into stories. He had always been a storyteller. He always made her laugh. This was one of the reasons why she loved him so much.

Each night, Lilly would sit on a small chair in the hallway, as Aaron would tell their five children stories at bedtime, listening with a smile that warmed her heart. He did not need to read them books; he made all the stories up. The children listened intently, and many times fell asleep just from the rhythmic tone in his quiet voice. Calvin, the oldest, would often get excited and demand more stories, but he was usually the first to drift off to sleep.

Now as she sat waiting, she wondered if he would tell her or the children any more stories, if he would be able to. The thoughts made her want to cry, she tried, but couldn’t; instead she just got sickened to her stomach. The doctor opened the door and the light from the hallway was harsh. Lilly immediately sat up straight; she was ready, she had her big girl panties on, for her, and for her children, so she thought…

Thank you for visiting, join us next week to meet Calvin and Maggie: Gardening Turns Bloody.