As much as I love these Progressive Story Projects, that's how much I hate seeing them end. Each time I send this story out to a contributing author I'm filled with anticipation. Each time I open the document they send back to me, I know inside I'll find a gift, their words. And I know my investment in the story, in the character, will deepen.
But today is that day. I'm presenting chapter four, the conclusion of Sincerely Sarah. I'm sad to see her go, but so proud of the collaboration of so many bloggers that brought her to life. She was not just portrayed as an antagonist going through a situation, she was presented as someone determined but conflicted. She loved a man who at once she felt was the love of her life and was not. She deals with change and uncertainty and loss. Today we see where this all has taken her.
Be sure to catch up on the previous chapters before reading today's conclusion.
Chapter One: Set the Course
Chapter Two: One Step Forward
Chapter Three: Two Steps Back
But today is that day. I'm presenting chapter four, the conclusion of Sincerely Sarah. I'm sad to see her go, but so proud of the collaboration of so many bloggers that brought her to life. She was not just portrayed as an antagonist going through a situation, she was presented as someone determined but conflicted. She loved a man who at once she felt was the love of her life and was not. She deals with change and uncertainty and loss. Today we see where this all has taken her.
Be sure to catch up on the previous chapters before reading today's conclusion.
Chapter One: Set the Course
Chapter Two: One Step Forward
Chapter Three: Two Steps Back
I just want to thank, not just the writers but all of the readers who supported Sincerely Sarah and all of the Progressive Story Projects.
The writers and their submissions for the conclusion of this story:
The writers and their submissions for the conclusion of this story:
Jules of The Bergham Chronicles
She breezed through her Monday meetings. Everything seemed to be going perfectly. She was able to close out two cases without having to ste foot in a courtroom. A third care looked like an ironclad win. It was as if the stars had all aligned on her side. She was definitely winning at life. Her appointment at the fertility clinic was all set for 3:00. She had plenty of time to get there after her last meeting, she would not even need to rush. She was grateful for that. As great as things were going for her today, she was not feeling her best. She was tired and feeling very worn down. She had not been able to eat well lately. Who could, with all that was going on? She was taking things as well as could be expected, but she was still affected by everything.
So many things were changing, and not all for the better. She had some major regrets about how things had ended with Parker. She should have said things. Things definitely needed to be said that did not get said, she was silly to let her pride get in her way. It is one thing to want the best for herself, but another to be spiteful. She could see how many of her choices were made out of spite. Spite that was not even necessary. Nothing she could do about that now.
As she sat in the waiting area of Dr. Gregory's, she firmly resolved to continue on the path to bettering herself. To finding her true self. Hopefully she would be doing that with a baby by her side. Since she and Parker had broken up, she had chosen the father of her child from a book of anonymous donors. Donor 14069. He was perfect. She was certain her baby would be perfect. She was certain this time would be different. This time she would surely make a baby.
That is why she was shocked when, fifteen minutes later, Dr. Gregory told her he was unable to complete IVF for her with Donor 14069.
Unable to do so because she was already approximately seven weeks pregnant. She was pregnant with Parker's baby. She was having a baby. Parker's baby. She was going to be a mom.
So many things were changing, and not all for the better. She had some major regrets about how things had ended with Parker. She should have said things. Things definitely needed to be said that did not get said, she was silly to let her pride get in her way. It is one thing to want the best for herself, but another to be spiteful. She could see how many of her choices were made out of spite. Spite that was not even necessary. Nothing she could do about that now.
As she sat in the waiting area of Dr. Gregory's, she firmly resolved to continue on the path to bettering herself. To finding her true self. Hopefully she would be doing that with a baby by her side. Since she and Parker had broken up, she had chosen the father of her child from a book of anonymous donors. Donor 14069. He was perfect. She was certain her baby would be perfect. She was certain this time would be different. This time she would surely make a baby.
That is why she was shocked when, fifteen minutes later, Dr. Gregory told her he was unable to complete IVF for her with Donor 14069.
Unable to do so because she was already approximately seven weeks pregnant. She was pregnant with Parker's baby. She was having a baby. Parker's baby. She was going to be a mom.
Tamara of Confessions of a part time working mom
But - how, when? You told me there was less than a 2% chance of my conceiving naturally? I did menstruate last month, how is this even possible. Are you sure? And if I'm really pregnant, did taking fertility drugs harm the baby?
She sat down, confused, exhausted, too scared to be happy just yet.
Dr. Gregory patiently discussed all of her questions and pointed out that it was still early, they would monitor her pregnancy closely and do all the tests for women her age. "For now get some rest" he said. "We'll do another ultrasound next week."
After driving around without knowing where she was going, Sarah finally got home. Just as she was opening the door, her cell phone rang. It was an unknown caller and she decided not to take it. She didn't feel like talking to anybody. The only person she desperately wanted to talk to was Parker, and, well, it was too late for this. She felt tears welling in her eyes again. She reached into her nightstand drawer and removed the picture. "I can't believe I'm having your baby after all," she whispered.
The next morning she dragged herself to work. Any other day she would have appreciated a buys day at the office after a particularly dreadful night, but today she almost felt unable to even enter the building. She was going to call her life coach first thing, she tried to reassure herself. I probably need to quit, move away even, I can't work here anymore. Just as she was about to grab the receiver and dial the number, her phone rang. "Kornblum law offices, in a personal matter" her assistant announced. "Are you gonna take it?"
As it turned out they were in charge of handling Parker's will and testament, and she needed to come and see them later today.
She couldn't believe what Parker's letter that they handed to her said. He apologized for hurting her, told her he loved her and added "now this may be awkward, but I was just thinking, if something were to happen to me while you're still attempting to get pregnant, and for some reason you were hesitant about choosing some anonymous donor you don't know anything about, I'd be honored if you considered me. How? I made some deposits at the sperm bank, don't laugh. Use it or don't, just know that I want you to be happy. I love you. I'm sorry I won't be there."
It was dated less than a month ago.
He left her a substantial amount coming from his life insurance policy as well as his country house at Lake Tahoe.
"Did you talk to him after that?" Sarah asked Mr. Kornblum. She had a terrible thought. What if the accident was no accident?
Jenniy of Climaxed
"Wait", she thought. She laughed shakily and shook her head at the way she jumped to such an extreme conclusion. At least she hoped it was extreme. Thinking back over the last few days and really the last few weeks, she had been so inconsistent, so emotional . . . so unlike the rational, grounded person she prided herself on being.
She took a deep breath then realized she was still in the law office.
"Sarah? Are you alright?"
"I just . . . what was his state of mind? I can't understand why he would do something like this just a month before he died."
"I assure you he was of very sound mind. He had planned on talking to you about all of this when things were calmed down, and, to be quite honest, I told him, in my personal opinion, that if the relationship were over, the two of you sharing responsibility for a young one was probably in the realm of disaster, but he was adamant. This may be a little unprofessional of me to say in my capacity as an attorney, but as someone who knows, knew, you both, I think he was clinging to hope that things would work out between the two of you. Other areas of his life may have been a mess, but he was unwaveringly certain of his love for you."
"What do you mean other areas of his life were a mess?"
Marshall Kornblum sighed heavily. She searched his deep brown eyes watching the gray-bearded man in his typical pin-striped suit and brightly colored bow-tie hesitating, deciding what he could or should say. He had been a friend of Parker's dad, old college buddies, and had really become something of an adopted uncle to Parker over the years.
"Sarah, I don't really know what I can say here. i never found out the details of what was going on, but I do know that he was concerned abut a case he was working on, and he was worried he would be disbarred at the very least."
"What ???!" She felt like someone had stolen all the oxygen from the room. She stood, perhaps too quickly, and nearly fell before making a beeline for the trash can by the elder attorney's desk. Her breakfast made a return appearance before leaving her heaving into the cheap little trashcan and feeling as if the room would never still.
Marshall called over her to his assistant asking for a cool, damp cloth and some ice chips while he gently pulled her hair back and patted her back. She turned to him slightly for just a moment, "I'm pregnant already. Seven weeks. It's Parker's."
Karen of Baking In A Tornado
I am exceedingly grateful for the mentoring provided me by this firm as I honed my craft and built my career as a litigator. I have been nurtured professionally and personally by the managing partners and the entire staff. I am the attorney I am today, I am the woman I am today because of my time here.
It is with mixed feelings that I tender this, my resignation. As of one month from today I will no longer practice law for this esteemed firm.
Parker's death represented more to me than just the loss of a co-worker, just the loss of a man with whom I'd had a relationship. It was a turning point, a wake-up call, an earthquake.
Parker had been working on a case that put his career in jeopardy. I have been working on a case that ended the career of a physician. We both had relished the challenges of these types of cases. I'm no longer in that position.
I will be moving temporarily to Parker's country home in Lake Tahoe where I will have our child. Eventually I intend to make my permanent home in a small town, hang out a shingle and provide family legal services to the community in which I'll raise my child.
I will take the knowledge and the lessons and the relationships associated with my years here with me wherever I go.
I am
Sincerely,
Sarah
Once again I'm honored to have been a part of this collaborative piece of fiction. I highly recommend visiting the blogs of all of the writers involved in this project:
Dawn of Spatulas on Parade
Lydia of Cluttered Genius
Sarah of Not That Sarah Michelle
Jules of The Bergham Chronicles
Jenniy of Climaxed
Rena of The Diary of an Alzheimer's Caregiver and
The Blogging 911
Tamara of Confessions of a part time working mom
. . . and me!
Dawn of Spatulas on Parade
Lydia of Cluttered Genius
Sarah of Not That Sarah Michelle
Jules of The Bergham Chronicles
Jenniy of Climaxed
Rena of The Diary of an Alzheimer's Caregiver and
The Blogging 911
Tamara of Confessions of a part time working mom
. . . and me!
And now we know why the story is titled "sincerely, Sarah" :-)
ReplyDeleteI hope it's all gonna work out for her!
I'm happy to have been part of this - thank you, Karen ♥
Another fabulous story, Tamara. Thank you all.
DeleteI love how you ended it!
ReplyDeleteI loved every minute of this story. It was so much fun to see it take on a life of its own. Congratulations to all of us.
DeleteYou made it look easy, a progressive story which I know is not that simple!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Haralee, it was easier than you think, I have some very talented friends.
DeleteLove love love love love. We did so good. So, so good. Excellent ending.
ReplyDeleteI agree with every one of those loves!
DeleteBravo! I love this story and hate to see it end but all good things must. Well, done to ALL of our fabulous bloggers.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Very talented group!
DeleteI can't imagine how you can take all these wonderful bits and pieces and tie them together in a meaningful way!
ReplyDeleteIt's not me, my friends are an amazing group of writers.
DeleteI'm really, really late, but I'm here. Now, that I can finally breathe I'm coming out of hibernation. Although after tonight I won't have internet until Tuesday! I have a lot of unpacking to do tomorrow, but we're spending the night here for the last time. Loved how it ended, but I always hate the ending. Can't wait for another one.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, I have so much fun working on these and I hate to see them end.
Delete