Queen of
Diamonds
Raven Cavalleu
Copyright © 2015 Raven Cavalleu
All rights reserved.
ISBN-10: 1517024536
ISBN-13: 978-1517024536
This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, events and situations are a figment of the author's rather vivid imagination. Any resemblance to persons past or present is strictly a coincidence.
DEDICATION
To my life, to my love, you are everything I could possibly want and more than I ever hoped for. Thank you for believing in me and giving me the courage to put myself out there for the world to see.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Every book is only as good as it is due to the hard work and keen eye of those that edit the thoughts and ideas an author is able to put to the page. Special thanks go out to those that helped me to polish and improve this particular story. Sandy, as always, your help is appreciated more than I can express. This book wouldn't be what it is without you. Many thanks go out to Tanya. Your encouragement and unending desire to read the next story keeps me going.
Chapter One
Alex leaned back in her chair, and rubbed her dry, tired eyes before looking up at the clock. She’d been writing for hours, and the book was nearly finished. Closing her eyes, she leaned her head back, and thought, "If only it were as easy in real life as it is in books, I'd be happily married with a child or two to dote on." With a sigh she pushed the thoughts from her mind as she straightened up and saved the file. She closed the laptop as she pushed her chair back and stood, immediately rubbing her lower back. The muscles there were protesting the many hours hunched over a keyboard. With plenty of time before she was supposed to meet Emily for drinks, she decided to go for a quick jog.
She laced up her jogging shoes and grabbed her spare key on her way out the door. Stepping out onto the large front porch, she took a deep breath. The air was cool and filled with the promise of spring. The sun was still high in the sky, its light filtering through the tall Aspen, Maple, and Oak trees on her property. It was an unseasonably warm day for late January, and she took her sweatshirt off, dropping it on the porch swing as she walked past. The thought of spring brought a smile to her face. The trees would fill out, the bulbs she and Ilario had planted in the garden would bloom, and a variety of small woodland creatures would once again make an appearance.
Once her stretches were done, Alex set off at a quick walk down the long, curving driveway. As she rounded the last curve a large gate came into view. She stepped off the driveway, and walked over to the door in the wall, partially hidden by the ivy. She brushed the vines aside and keyed in the code to unlock the door. Pulling it shut behind her, she began to jog down the street with no particular destination in mind. She tried to empty her mind and relax, the rhythmic cadence of her rubber soles slapping against the pavement music to her ears.
Several miles later she found herself within sight of St. Mary’s Hospital. She headed towards it as she thought about previous visits to the small private garden there. As she neared the large green space across the street from the hospital, she noticed a woman playing with a little girl. They were far enough away that she wasn’t able to hear the words that were spoken, but was delighted by the girl’s laughter. She watched as the dark haired woman chased the child before running past her and becoming the one being chased.
Alex slowed her pace so she could watch the two as they played, and wondered what it would have been like to grow up with a parent like that. A parent that enjoyed spending time with their child, one that played with them, and cared about them. She shook off the sadness and what ifs, and mentally wished this young family well before continuing on her way. Picking up her pace, she decided to run around the park instead of through it. This wouldn’t add too much time to her run, but would keep her on even ground.
The long stretch of sidewalk between the park and busy street flowed under her feet as the cars sped past, their engines rumbling as they spewed their exhaust into the air. As she reached the second intersection, Alex was surprised to see the same woman and child she had watched earlier heading towards the main entrance of the hospital. They were thirty yards ahead of her, and nearing the edge of the park. The woman stumbled slightly and looked down before squatting to tie her shoe. The little girl failed to stop with her mother, but instead continued to skip towards the road.
Alex's eyes swept up the street and saw a car speeding towards the child. In an instant she noticed the driver was focused on their phone instead of watching the road, and knew that the mother would be unable to reach the girl in time. She turned her easy jog into an all out sprint. Taking one step off the curb, she scooped the child up into her arms, wrapping them protectively around her. ‘Please God let me make it,’ she thought as she took another step.
A split second later she felt an agonizing pain tear through her left leg before becoming airborne. She wrapped her body around the little girl as best she could in an effort to protect her. After tumbling briefly through the air, she landed on her left shoulder, striking her head against the pavement. She felt the child stir in her arms as the darkness closed in and she lost consciousness.
Chapter Two
Alex slowly opened her eyes and looked around, struggling to focus.
