$24.99 / hardcover
ISBN: 978-159858-882-8

$15.99 / paperback
ISBN: 978-160844-280-5

300 pages

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Excerpt from the Book

 

Aburion dropped Yinka off at Hunter's house with a hug and a kiss, and then headed to work. Yinka cried when Aburion left her at Hunter's house but like most kids, she was soon laughing and playing with Hunter's children. Shortly later, the Musloon family packed their blankets, toys, food and other stuff and headed to Central Park for some fun. It was around ten- thirty when they got there. Because it was such a great summer day, it was already beginning to get crowded with picnickers, cyclists, roller-skaters and people just doing nothing. Hunter and her family managed to find a great spot. The family soon settled down and almost immediately, Jordan and their nine-year old son, Felix, joined a soccer game with a few other guys while Hunter, their four-year old daughter, Gillian and Yinka sat on the picnic blanket that they had brought with them and played guessing games. A short distance away, two other guys, Cydon and Eric, were playing handball. Then, it happened very fast.
About half an hour into their game, Eric threw the ball in the direction of Hunter and the children. As Cydon was trying to catch the ball, he missed a step and fell against Yinka, causing her to hit her head on a small rock nearby as she collapsed. The impact also resulted in a deep gash on the side of her head. Hunter screamed as Eric, Felix, Jordan and other people nearby rushed to her side. Cydon struggled to his knees as he tried to help Yinka at the same time.
"Oh my God! You hit her!! Please somebody call an ambulance quickly!" Hunter pushed Cydon aside so she could cradle a bleeding Yinka in her arms.
"We didn't mean to hit her, it was an accident," said Eric, his partner. "Yinka, baby, please wake up. Hunter's here. We'll get you your favorite candy. Please, please God, let her be okay." Hunter was incoherent.
"I'm really sorry," said Cydon, the one who fell on her.
"Yinka, honey, you are going to be just fine, I promise." Hunter was already crying. "Where the heck is that ambulance?"
Jordan called an ambulance with his cell phone. The medics arrived ten minutes later. Hunter rode with them in the ambulance. Her husband and her children followed behind the ambulance in their jeep. The men who hit her also followed behind on their bikes.
Yinka was bleeding heavily and losing a lot of blood. The ambulance ride to the nearest hospital, Paul Hadford Medical Center, took about twenty minutes. The medical crew tried to reduce the bleeding on their way to the hospital. Yinka lost consciousness just as they got to the hospital. She was rushed to the emergency ward. While in the waiting room, Hunter made a call to Aburion at work. Hunter insisted it was an emergency before they put her through.
"Aburion, there was an accident. Yinka has been hurt..." "Where are you?" he asked, cutting her off.
"Paul Hadford." She gave him the address. Aburion left immediately. Screw the job, his little girl was more important.
Hunter had been pacing up and down for about thirty-five minutes after she hung up the phone with Aburion when the doctor emerged. She knew instantly from the look on his face that the news was not good.
"I'm afraid we have some bad news," Dr. Lax said. There was pain in his voice. He hated this part of his job.
"Please tell me she's going to be fine," Hunter pleaded, tears streaming down her face.
"She lost too much blood. I'm so sorry but we lost her."