Forgiving Bessie (The Bessie Series Book 3)

Book summary

As Bessie stands on the brink of adulthood, haunted by past tragedies and torn between old loyalties and new attractions, she faces life-altering choices. The sudden arrival of the enigmatic Arturo Rodrigues in Ravenspond coincides with another shattering event, throwing her life into further turmoil. Amidst the chaos, Bessie grapples with her own worth and the magnetic pull she feels towards Arturo. However, he holds a secret that could reshape her understanding of her own existence.

Excerpt from Forgiving Bessie (The Bessie Series Book 3)

“Glory, glory, hallelujah!” A stout, swarthy man almost knocks Bessie over in his rush to exit his wife’s hospital room at the same time the young woman is entering. “Glory, glory, hallelujah!” he repeats, picking their visitor off her feet for a hug before stumbling down the hall.

Smiling, Bessie glances back at him, then heads over to the bed where his wife Sophie is propped up, cuddling her newborn baby. The room is claustrophobic with flowers. Every conceivable surface boasts roses, carnations, snapdragons, and baby’s breath. It looks like every bloom in Ravenspond, maybe even the whole province of Ontario, has ended up here.

“Gianni’s handiwork.” Sophie snickers.

“I think he’s excited.” The teenage girl giggles, leaning down to hug the new mother.

“He keeps on dashing in, squeezing me and the baby, dashing out and in again with even more flowers, if you can imagine.” Sophie’s dark eyes twinkle with love. She holds up the swaddled newborn to her visitor. “Say hello to baby girl Moreno.”

“Do you think she may be Ash reborn?” Bessie whispers. “Is it possible?”

Sophie’s eyes glow with love. “I’ve prayed for that. Wouldn’t that be wonderful? A miracle! If she’s come back to us as the medium predicted …?” She holds out the baby for Bessie to take in her arms.

Bessie rocks her gently. “Well, no matter who you are, we’re just so thrilled you arrived safely from Heaven,” she whispers to the infant.

Bessie and Sophie have shared many secrets over the past year and a half … since that catastrophic accident. Together, they are learning how to heal and survive the loss of the Morenos’ fifteen-year-old daughter, Ashley, and Bessie’s first love, Jason. An accident for which Bessie never in her life—no matter how short or how long it may be—will ever be able to forgive herself.

They also share the secret they learned from visits to Dorothea, the spiritual medium, that Ashley in Heaven is planning to reincarnate and search the world until she finds them. And maybe, just maybe, she already has.

“What’s her name? Have you picked one?” The young woman gently hands the baby back to her mother.

“We haven’t decided yet. We’re just so thrilled she arrived safe and sound after those scary last few months of pregnancy. This child means so much.”

A crash at the door announces the return of the frazzled father, banging his way through the doorway with yet another bouquet. “Glory, glory,” he begins again, beside himself with joy. “Hallelujah.” Emotion spent, he plunks down in a chair far too small for him.

Bessie looks deeply into the baby’s eyes. “I have an idea … maybe your name is … Glory?”

“Glory! I love that. Glory Moreno.” Sophie grins. “What do you think, Gianni? Should we call her Glory?”

He jumps out of his chair, rushing over to hug his wife and child. “Glory! Perfect! What in the world made you come up with that, Bessie?”

Sophie rolls her eyes at their visitor, who is busy smothering a giggle.

A nurse pops her head in. There is something very familiar about her to Bessie. She frowns in concentration as the black woman fusses with the curtains.

“Think Mrs. Moreno needs a rest, don’t you?” the nurse declares firmly. She stares intently at the teen with the shoulder-length red hair and freckles. “Say, aren’t you …?”

“Bessie MacIntyre. Yes, I am. Did you take care of me when I was in the hospital, after the accident a year ago July?”

The woman grins back with recognition. “Why, I sure did! They kept saying you weren’t going to make it, but I always knew you would.” She thrusts out her hand. “Della St. Cloud,” she introduces herself. “Dear gracious, it’s good to see you so well again.”

Instead of shaking hands, Bessie goes in for a hug. “Oh, Della, thank you.”

Della pulls her back to arm’s length, gazing into her eyes. “When you were in that coma, you were out of your body most of the time. You were astral traveling to Heaven, weren’t you, girl?”

Bessie’s eyes widen in shock. “How … how did you know?”

“Honey, I always know,” Della says. “I know about the Other Side.” She gives the girl another hug.

“Can I … would you… want to talk to me about it sometime?” Bessie looks into Della’s warm eyes. “If you don’t mind … that is, if—”

“Why don’t you meet up with me one day in the coffee shop across the street,” Della suggests. “I’d love to chat with you some more. How be you call me when you’re ready?” She recites her home phone number.

Bessie grins with delight while she scribbles down Della’s information on a scrap of paper she’s yanked out of her pocket. “For sure! That’ll be awesome.”

“Now, scoot. You too, Mr. Moreno,” the nurse says firmly. “Your wife needs her nap.”

A piercing wail erupts, filling the room with sound. Everyone rushes over to the bed. The crying stops as suddenly as it started. The baby’s eyes fly open, staring intently into Bessie’s. She seems to tilt her tiny head and say, “Yep, it’s me! I’m back!”

“Ash?” Bessie murmurs. “Ash, is that really you?”