Deep in Time, You and I
Chapter 1
Everybody in our social circle knew that my
son, Danny, and I were Frank Sterling’s prized
possessions.
If I wanted to see shooting stars, he’d drop a
cool million on a freakin‘ simulated meteor
shower.
Danny loved carousels, so naturally, Frank
built the biggest amusement park in the state
and named it “Danny’s World.”
The man wasn’t shy about showering us with
love.
The day Danny and I got T–boned by that
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Escalade, Frank flew in the best trauma team
money could buy to save me.
Barely clinging to consciousness, I begged
him to save Danny first.
He just choked up and told me Danny had
bled out on the way to the ER. Gone.
Completely devastated, I blacked out.
When I came to, I overheard him talking to the
doctor outside my room.
“Dr. Miller, the boy could have been saved,
why did you let him die?”
Frank’s voice was casual. Too casual.
“Danny’s whole existence was to save my
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child with Ashley.”
“If he hadn’t died, how could I have justified
taking his heart for Mikey?”
“I’ve treated Sarah and her kid well enough
over the years, it’s time they repay me.”
So, all the good things Frank did for us were
just a trade?
A payment for my son’s freaking heart.
And our misery? He orchestrated it all.
Fine by me. I’ll give him what he wants.
01
Through the closed doors of the ICU, I heard
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“Dr. Miller, Sarah was severely injured trying
to protect her son.
“To save her life, we had to remove her
uterus.”
The doctor sounded horrified.
“Mr. Sterling, do you mean to say…‘
“She’s lost a child, and now you ensure she
can never be a mother again.”
“Don’t you think that’s cruel?”
Frank’s tone remained flat.
“Mikey is the only child I’ll ever have.”
pensation Sarah will remain the
<
“As compensation, Sarah will remain the
forever Mrs. Sterling.”
“Get the surgery done quickly. I need to go
see Mikey and Ashley, they must need me.”
“Oh, one more thing, be gentle with her. She
has a low pain tolerance.”
Fading in and out of consciousness, Frank’s
footsteps grew fainter down the hall.
My nails dug into my palms, drawing blood as
I lost it.
The amazing husband, the wonderful father
we were so proud of?
It was a lie.
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The love he gave us was a joke.
And the truth? He’d been running a six–year
con on us.
A carefully planned car crash to steal my
son’s heart.
The drugs started to take over, and I drifted
into darkness.
All I saw was darkness, my boy standing in
the void, a gaping hole in his chest where his
heart used to be.
He reached out to me, crying, “Mommy, it
hurts so bad, Mommy…”
“Danny!”
<
I jolted awake, staring into Frank’s concerned
face.
“Honey, you’re awake.”
“You have no idea how terrified I was of
losing you.”
He shook as he pulled me in close.
“I’ve already lost our son, I can’t lose you
too.”
My ear pressed against Frank’s chest, the
beat of his heart a sick reminder of what he
had done.
Frank continued, “The doctor says you were
hurt in the accident and will never be able to
have children. But it’s okay, you’re all I need.”
<
If I hadn’t known the truth, I would have been
so happy to be married to such a great guy.
Now, covered in scars, along with a “broken”
me, I found his acting nauseating.
I subtly pushed him away.
“Where’s Danny? I need to see him.”
Frank hesitated, stroking my hair, “I’m sorry,
honey. I didn’t want you to see his body like
that, so I had him cremated yesterday.”
He wasn’t worried about me being sad, he
was worried about me seeing the hole in his
chest.
I forced down the bile and looked at the
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gaudy, lopsided red bracelet on his wrist.
Danny had made that for him.
Before the accident, Frank couldn’t sleep.
So Danny learned how to make bracelets
from his teacher and put red string and sage
together and gave it to him.
Frank stared at the ugly thing like he was in
shock, he couldn’t say anything for what felt
like forever.
Until Danny called him “Dad” again, and he
took it, put it on his wrist, and said, “Thanks,
buddy. I love it.”
Now, I know his insomnia was because he
was planning this whole thing.
Frank was drawn to my gaze and hid the
bracelet with his sleeve.
“Honey, I promise you, I’ll spend the rest of
my life remembering Danny.”
I looked down, saying nothing.
If I was grateful for anything, it was that
Danny never knew Frank didn’t love him.
But I can’t forget that he murdered my baby.
I swear I’ll avenge you, Danny.
And I’m getting out of here.
