Just Breathe Again - Mia Villano Page 0,3

were dead, and he was an only child, so he liked the idea of starting a family soon. They wanted a log cabin and he wanted to build their home himself. It took him a few years to get the cabin built and a little longer for the kids to come. After long hours of doing the work themselves, they moved out of their one bedroom apartment into their dream home three years after they married. Vince had his own contracting business and Jeannie worked right with him every day around the clock. She took over the promotional part of his business, pushing him to create a website and advertise on his truck. Her great marketing skills helped to grow the company faster than expected. He had to hire a few guys to help him and he had contracts that were going to force him to hire a team of men. They worked right beside each other until Franklin Construction became a household name around town.

~~~~~~

That day, two hours later after Jeannie finished decorating and picking up Lydia from horseback riding, she answered a call on her cell phone. A strange number lit up on the screen, but something inside her gut told her to answer the call. Her heart sank into her stomach when she heard and unfamiliar voice on the other end.

“May I speak to Mrs. Franklin please?” asked the man on the other line.

“This is Mrs. Franklin,” she hesitated. Jeannie closed her eyes.

“Mrs. Franklin, I’m Officer Marks from the Hanover county police department. We found your phone number in Vince Franklin’s wallet.”

“Ye…Yes, he is my husband.” Her face ignited in a heat traveling through her body.

“There has been an accident,” he said.

She became lightheaded as she dropped the phone on the floor, anticipating what he would say. She picked up her phone and closed her eyes waiting for the rest of the news.

“Hello, Mrs. Franklin are you there?”

“Yes, I’m here. Is he alive?” If he was alive, he would be okay. Nothing could hurt this strong man. Three years ago, he came down with pneumonia. When he recovered quicker than expected, the doctor nicknamed him The Tank. When he fell off a roof one time, he bounced back within a few days and worked with a broken arm. Nothing could take this man down.

“Yes, Mrs. Franklin, he’s alive. We’re sending him to St. Cecelia Hospital by helicopter. Someone hit him, on Route 38 and left him there. The accident happened a while ago and a jogger spotted him lying in the ditch. Are you able to drive?”

“Um yes. Oh my God. I have to get someone to watch the kids. Yes, I will be right there.” She was shaking and thinking out loud to a perfect stranger.

“Please be careful, Mrs. Franklin. He’s in good hands at the hospital and racing here isn’t going to change anything,” said Officer Marks.

“Yes, okay,” she said. Jeannie ended the call and grabbed on to the kitchen counter, closed her eyes and counted to three. She had no idea picking up the phone that day would change her life forever.

“Lydia?” she yelled, trying to keep herself under control so the kids would not get upset.

Flying down the steps from her room, Lydia yelled. “Mom. What’s wrong?”

Jeannie searched for her keys on the counter. “It’s Daddy. He’s in the hospital after an accident on his motorcycle. I have to get to him. I need you to stay here with Michael. I don’t want him upset. I’m going to call Marsha and have her come over.”

“Mom, I want to go with you. Is he okay?” asked Lydia, in tears. She was daddies little girl from the moment he saw her. They were inseparable. In fact, he was the one she went to when she had an issue or something bothered her. When she got sick, Vince comforted her. To Lydia, he was everything.

“Baby, it’s going to be okay. I need you to stay here until I find out how Dad is. Everything is going to be okay, I promise.” The tea kettle whistled loudly on the stove forgotten about when the policeman called.

“Please feed your brother and check on him. Make sure he takes a shower and washes his hair, if I’m too long. He’s in his room playing a video game. I don’t want him to know what’s going on till I find out more. If he asks where I am, just say I went to the store and I told you he