Twice in a Lifetime by Dorothy Garlock
Hachette Book Group
Publication Date: July 7, 2015
Clara Sinclair has learned to
live one lonely day at a time. It was the only way she managed to
survive her husband’s death in World War II and raise their young son
alone. But now she’s at a loss as
to how to handle the defiant teenager he has become, even as she
struggles to keep her family financially afloat. She’s fresh out of ways
to turn her luck around-until a daring stranger’s unexpected kindness
sparks hope she hasn’t felt in a long time . . .Drake McCoy lives for risk, speed, and putting his incredible drag
racing skills to the test. One night in this quiet rural town is all he
needs to win a big score and be on his way . . . until he meets Clara.
Drawn in by her quiet
strength and her beauty, Drake is tempted to become someone he never
imagined-a family man.But a vicious and unseen enemy is closing in fast, throwing Drake
and Clara’s fragile future into a dangerous tailspin. Can their love
survive?.
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Excerpt
Over and over, he had written
that he loved her.
that he loved her.
“Private Sinclair died in
service to his country,” the military man continued. “It was a sacrifice that
will never be forgotten.”
service to his country,” the military man continued. “It was a sacrifice that
will never be forgotten.”
But Clara was no longer
listening. Her thoughts reeled, assaulted by memories: the moment she had first
noticed Joe standing outside Bob Herring’s grocery store; how nervous she’d
been when he asked her to go with him to the movies; the way his lips felt
against hers when he kissed her later that night. From those early, magical
days, their life had spooled out just like the spools of film they’d watched,
giving her a marriage, a home, and a child, all of it bound by love.
listening. Her thoughts reeled, assaulted by memories: the moment she had first
noticed Joe standing outside Bob Herring’s grocery store; how nervous she’d
been when he asked her to go with him to the movies; the way his lips felt
against hers when he kissed her later that night. From those early, magical
days, their life had spooled out just like the spools of film they’d watched,
giving her a marriage, a home, and a child, all of it bound by love.
It had been perfect, a dream
come true, but then the Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbor and everything had
changed.
come true, but then the Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbor and everything had
changed.
Like the other young men in
Sunset, Joe had enlisted and gone off to war; after training, he’d sailed
across the Pacific to fight against Hirohito and his army. At first, Clara had
been bursting with pride; her husband was fighting for freedom, to say nothing
of how handsome he looked in his uniform. But as time passed, the constant fear
and worry threatened to overwhelm her. Many nights, she cried herself to sleep.
Still, she managed to keep up a strong front, mostly for Tommy’s sake. She clung
tightly to the hope she found in her husband’s letters and tried to
share in his unshakeable belief that he would soon be home.
Sunset, Joe had enlisted and gone off to war; after training, he’d sailed
across the Pacific to fight against Hirohito and his army. At first, Clara had
been bursting with pride; her husband was fighting for freedom, to say nothing
of how handsome he looked in his uniform. But as time passed, the constant fear
and worry threatened to overwhelm her. Many nights, she cried herself to sleep.
Still, she managed to keep up a strong front, mostly for Tommy’s sake. She clung
tightly to the hope she found in her husband’s letters and tried to
share in his unshakeable belief that he would soon be home.
But now Joe was dead and Clara
felt it in her heart, a sudden emptiness, as if it was her own life that had
ended.
felt it in her heart, a sudden emptiness, as if it was her own life that had
ended.
“Mrs.
Sinclair?”
Sinclair?”
Clara
blinked; both men were looking at her. “I’m . . . I’m sorry . . .” she managed,
her head spinning.
blinked; both men were looking at her. “I’m . . . I’m sorry . . .” she managed,
her head spinning.
“That’s
quite all right. I was just offering my condolences,”Captain Coulson explained;
he appeared uncomfortable, his eyes flickering away, as if he was still ill at ease
with the responsibility that he had been given. “In times like this, it’s been
my experience that some measure of comfort can be found from a higher source.”
He looked
quite all right. I was just offering my condolences,”Captain Coulson explained;
he appeared uncomfortable, his eyes flickering away, as if he was still ill at ease
with the responsibility that he had been given. “In times like this, it’s been
my experience that some measure of comfort can be found from a higher source.”
He looked
toward
his companion.
his companion.
“My
child,” the chaplain began, “I know this is hard, but you must remember that
the Lord works in mysterious ways. No matter what pain he would leave behind,
the time had come for Joseph to return to His Kingdom, to make the journey
home.” His voice was soft and comforting; maybe under different circumstances,
it might have been able to provide Clara with the solace she so desperately needed.
“Let us read His words.” Opening his Bible, the chaplain began to flip through
the pages, looking for a particular line of scripture.
child,” the chaplain began, “I know this is hard, but you must remember that
the Lord works in mysterious ways. No matter what pain he would leave behind,
the time had come for Joseph to return to His Kingdom, to make the journey
home.” His voice was soft and comforting; maybe under different circumstances,
it might have been able to provide Clara with the solace she so desperately needed.
“Let us read His words.” Opening his Bible, the chaplain began to flip through
the pages, looking for a particular line of scripture.
But
Clara had already begun to walk away. Her rejection of the chaplain wasn’t
because she had no place in her heart for God, but rather because her pain was
too great to fix. She was like a wounded animal, slowly but surely dying; all
she wanted was to get away, to be alone.
Clara had already begun to walk away. Her rejection of the chaplain wasn’t
because she had no place in her heart for God, but rather because her pain was
too great to fix. She was like a wounded animal, slowly but surely dying; all
she wanted was to get away, to be alone.
About the AuthorDorothy Garlock is the author of over 50 novels that have sold over 15 million copies and are published in 15 languages. She lives in Iowa.