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Synopsis: Threads of a Tapestry
No matter how brief the stay, each person’s life is touched by the threads left by others. The tapestry is woven with different colors and sometimes many people contribute in its creation. There are threads of determination, discontent, joy, sorrow, regret, revival and regeneration. This book tells how the threads in the life of Jessica Harris transformed her from an innocent unpretentious youth to a determined self-assured woman. Jessica’s tapestry was woven in passion, tattered by deception and reconstructed in love. Follow Jessica on her journey of discovery and you too may one day identify your Threads of a Tapestry.
The above paragraph is beautifully written. I can tell I am going to like this one.
Thanks bunches ... I'm going to post the prologue for your reading pleasure!
Prologue: Threads of a Tapestry
Love is a canvas furnished by Nature and embroidered by imagination.
--Voltaire [Francois-Marie Arouet]
Jessica found it difficult fitting the many broken pieces of her life. She had been bombarded with so many personal situations that there seemed no end. She decided that for the present, she would just stop and do nothing. Her only child had just gotten married. What an ordeal that was. She thought she would never get through it. Jessica was sure Gregory would make her daughter, Dominique very happy. Both Greg and Nique had attained their bachelors' degrees and were determined to work hard, but still leave room for each other. Jessica was glad of that.
Jessica could remember when she was younger. She was always trying to accomplish something. Jessica’s marriage to Jock was one of those attempts. They had been friends since her early college days and Jessica had never imagined herself with anyone other than Jock. Even now, two and a half years after the divorce, Jesse found herself still thinking about Jock. Jock was so handsome. Jock was also possessive. Perhaps he was too possessive. This was the reason for the divorce. Jessica found that she could no longer take it!
“Oh, well”, she thought. “No need to backstroke over troubled waters. Jock is no longer a part of my life. His latest “flame” is no doubt enjoying the...... What am I doing? I’ve got to get on with my life. Jock is the past, and no matter how it hurts, its over. That’s how I wanted it!” Jessica closed her eyes as if she could close her mind to that last day, two and a half years ago. Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door.
There Jock stood as masculine and desirable as he was when she first met him. His thick hair, which he always wore long enough to sport a beautiful ponytail was generously sprinkled with shimmering gray highlights which compliment his still devastatingly attractive gray eyes! Jesse had to shake her head and remember all the pain associated with loving and living with Jock Emerson.
The year leading up to the divorce had been long, hard and filled with a lot of heartaches but Jessica had pulled herself through it. She had never loved anyone like she loved Jock Emerson. Their marriage had been a good one for many years. Jesse had become very close to Jock’s mother and stayed in constant contact with her. Even after the divorce, Jessica remained good friends with his mother. In fact, Jessica had grown closer to Tameika than to Carol or her own mother who always seemed busy with their separate lives.
A lot of things had happened; the pregnancy, the marriage, the early years of both Jessica and Jock returning to school to complete their education, and Angela’s strange disappearance. So very many things had taken place that Jessica wanted to put and keep them far behind her. Jessica was brought to reality by the melodious sounds of Jock’s voice.
“A penny for your thoughts?”
“Well, it would probably be more like a dollar.” She was breathless and she hoped that Jock would not recognize it.
“Our little girl is married now, and I hope she will be happy.” Jock returned.
“I’m sure she will be, they have so much in common, and they will work out whatever problems they face.” Jessica countered.
“Not like her parents, huh?” Jock accused.
Jessica looked up again into those accusing steel grey eyes. She didn’t want to argue the point anymore.
“Jock let it alone. It’s been almost three years!”
“I can’t let it alone. I can’t let you alone!" Jock said it with the finality that was becoming his trademark when it came to his relationship with her. Jock looked at Jesse. Jock knew he should not have come. But seeing her at Nique’s wedding brought back a flood of memories.
Jock remembered how beautiful Jessica looked on that crisp September day when they were married. Jessica had finally managed to emotionally recover from the miscarriage long enough to plan and execute a superb wedding. Everyone and his brother were at the wedding. Tameika was in her environment. Tameika made sure that the society section of both the local Canadian paper and The Bridgeport Gazette covered the wonderful event. There was no mention of the previous loss of the year before.
Jesse’s gorgeous gown was beige, floor length with lots of pearls on satin. Jesse had her sister and her family flown in from Wellington and Carol made a stunning Matron of Honor. Marva was the Maid of Honor with Jeff Bridgeport as Best Man. Melvin and a couple of old college friends served as ushers for Jock and some of Jesse’s college buds were flown in a week before for the bridesmaids. The wedding party was huge!
It was all very obvious that Tameika and Ben went all out to give their son and their new “daughter” the best wedding ever. Jesse’s mother and her husband were there and she also played a big part in the wedding celebration.
It had been a beautiful day for a wedding. The leaves were turning gold and russet and the air had a clean, fresh smell. They had married at his Aunt Beth’s church in Canada and a beautiful outdoor reception followed. Jessica must have read his thoughts because she began to smile also.
“I remember it, too!” Jesse said.
Jock looked at Jessica. Oh how he wanted to kiss her. Hold her. Run his fingers through that beautiful curly mane of hers. The years were very kind to Jessica. Her beauty never abated. Nor her ability to capture and hold his heart. He could feel the familiar throb of desire swelling in his loins and had to sigh softly.
“Why did you come, Jock? I don’t think Mia is going to appreciate you visiting your ex-wife, do you?” she asked.
“It doesn’t concern Mia. Mia understands how things are and she is willing to accept it. Mia is not like you, Jesse!”
No, Mia was nothing like Jessica. Mia was very slender, with long straight blonde hair. Mia had striking features with a beauty all her own and she knew it. Jess wondered why Jock seemed to find solace in women of that type, but when it came to marriage, he desired the complete opposite. Mia had arrived in Bridgeport shortly after Jock’s return. It was dislike and distrust at first sight between Angela and Mia. From what had been said, Angela and Mia both wanted Jock and the two fought like cats over him. Now that Jesse thought about it, there had been an argument between the two of them the same night that Angela disappeared. Jesse had wondered about Mia’s behavior that night.
Because of Mia’s impressive credentials, Jock had given her the receptionist job at the new third office of Smith and Emerson. The second office had been moved to Dover, about 150 miles east of Bridgeport. Damon Smith still ran that office, a much sedated man since the disappearance of Angela.
“The wedding was beautiful, Jock. Our daughter made such a lovely bride and now, if you will excuse me, I have to go through Nique’s things and box them for storage.”
“Is that the way you like it, Jesse. Putting things in nice little boxes and labeling them. Like our marriage. What did you file it under?” Jock asked sarcastically.
“Yesterday, Jock, I filed it under yesterday.” Jessica answered flatly.
Jesse could tell that the remark hit home. Jock gave her a hard stare and turned on his heels. With catlike movements, he got into his car. Moments later he was off in the distance. Jess closed the door and walked into Nique’s room. “So many memories”, she thought. “This house, Jock, I don’t need this.” She closed her eyes to hold back tears. “When will the pain stop?” she wondered silently.
Her sister Carol and her family had taken the first flight out. Carol and Harvey enjoyed a simple, but rich, marriage and it seemed as if their children would follow suit. Carol’s oldest son Kevin was an accountant like his father. Bridget was Carol’s daughter and a year younger than Nique. Bridget was doing well and was contemplating her own wedding next June. Bridget had been Nique’s maid of honor and Kevin an usher. Jesse hated to see them all board the plane for Wellington. Jesse wondered why her life couldn’t have been simple like Carol. Jesse had become quite a drama queen.
Jesse hadn’t notice the time. It was near sunset and she hadn’t accomplished nearly as much as she had hoped. Slowly she stood up and began tying and taping the last of the boxes for Nique. Jesse took her time and carried each parcel out to the garage. Finishing up, she rushed to answer the telephone.
“Hello?” she said breathlessly.
“Hello, Jesse.” It was Jock.
“Jock, what is it?”
“I thought about you alone in that house, and thought you might want some company, that’s all.”
What am I going to do, she thought. Jock will never leave me alone as long as I live in Bridgeport.
“That’s kind of you, Jock, but I am going to bed early. I’ll just set the alarm and have a good nice sleep. I need to finish up the latest novel I’ve been writing. Hugo is climbing the walls wondering when I will finish. I put the last few chapters on hold while I prepared for this wedding, and now that it’s behind me, I need to get down to some serious business,” said Jesse.
“Yes, I can imagine. Hugo can be a bitch; I mean a bastard when it comes to deadlines (silent chuckle). That house must seem very lonely with Nique gone and all the guests you’ve had these past few weeks?”
“Yes, it does. However, I am anxious to get this back on an even kilt. I really need to get some rest, Jock.” Jess pleaded.
“What about dinner, I bet you haven’t eaten since the wedding, have you?”
“No, and it will probably be a long time before I eat again. I never saw so much food. I do want to thank you for sponsoring our daughter’s wedding.”
“It was a pleasure. Jesse, why is it like this with us? Other people can have a nice, quiet, relaxed relationship. Carol and Harvey have an ideal marriage. I wanted ours to be like that.”
“You have to be so damn possessive. And after I lost the baby, you got even worse.” she whispered hoarsely.
“I was only trying to help you. I know how devastating you were when you lost the baby after only six months. I thought I could shield you from the hurt and anguish my own mother suffered by isolating you from everyone and everything. I didn’t want to take any chances when you became pregnant again. I realized now that it was not the right thing to do, but at the time, it seemed like the only thing to do. Why must there always be drama in our life, Jesse!” he sounded aspirated.
“Because you put it there, that’s why Jock.” Jesse talked accusingly to Jock and continued her assault; it was much too late to stop now. “So over protective, you were always watching me or paying some one to keep up with me. I told you over two years ago, I can’t live like that. I don’t want to talk about it anymore, Jock, goodbye.” Jess abruptly hung up the telephone.”
Jessica let the phone continue to ring until the answer machine picked up. Just as Jessica had suspected she heard Jock’s voice reply.
“Jessica Emerson, you will always have me. You will always be a part of my life, and I will also be a part of yours. We are a woven tapestry of love.”
“Oh Jock”, Jessica thought to herself. “Even a tapestry can become unwoven. Then new threads are used to replace the old.”
It's available from Amazon.com. Amazon will give you the name of book stores that carry this book. Just type in Threads of a Tapestry in the search engine and look for Jacqueline L Williamson!
Happy Reading!!!
