Hello Paris
Nate stayed for a while longer, holding onto the peace of this moment. He’d saved Paris for last. It was the final item on the Hello Wall he and Cami had created together. He thought he’d feel sadness, like he’d lost his connection to her. Yet, it was the opposite. Nate felt the static energy of life flowing around him. He finally realized by coming to Paris he was letting go in a sense. But that was okay. Because sometimes, love meant letting go.
As Nate stood to leave, someone bumped into him. Her purse fell to the ground, spilling its contents onto the street. Nate scrambled to help collect the items, but his breath caught as his fingers met a pink and white Hello Kitty PEZ dispenser. He picked it up, half expecting to see Camille standing there grinning at him. Instead, a petite French girl greeted him with a smile.
“Merci, merci!” She exclaimed thanking Nate for his help. She righted her purse and extended her hand. “Bonjour. I’m Zoë.”
Nate’s chest swelled, and slowly he reached for her hand. “Hello.”
Author’s Note
1.2 million new cancer cases are diagnosed in the US each year. Cancer claims the life of 1,500 people per day in the US. That means everyday at least 1,500 people lose someone they love to illness. 1 in 10 suicides are linked to terminal illness Coping with cancer, terminal illness and loss is devastating for all those affected by it, including those left behind. This level of tragedy can leave those dealing with it feeling desperate and alone. You are not alone.
The number of people suffering in silence is staggering. In the US alone, 20% of the population suffers from mental illness; that’s over 42 million people. Of that number, 1 in 5 of them are teens. Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death for those between the ages of 15-24. Depression is the leading cause for suicide in the US, where over 15 million people suffer.
I share these numbers so you can see that you are not alone. If you feel like giving up, don’t. You have a voice and it is one of many. Please use it to ask for help. Don’t allow the stigma that goes along with any kind of illness make you suffer in silence. Put one foot in front of the other and get help.
If you or someone you know is struggling with loss, illness, mental or emotional issues, depression, suicidal thoughts, bullying, or abuse, you are not alone. Numerous resources are available.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24/7. It’s free, confidential support available to help those in distress. They have resources for you and your loved ones. Call if you need help.
The American Cancer Society has tremendous resources dedicated to finding support and programs in your area. The National Cancer Information Center is a hotline available 24/7 providing information, answers and hope to those fighting cancer every day. Call if you need to talk.
Acknowledgments
In June, 2013, I lost my son to a terminal illness. This story was strongly influenced by the love and loss I struggle with every day. For a time, I let depression and darkness control my life. I felt completely lost, and sometimes I still do. I am a work in progress and that is okay. Because I am still here. I am still fighting. I have surrounded myself with faith, an amazingly supportive group of family and friends, and I've found the courage to allow the loss in my life to change me for the better.
It took the devastating loss of my son to wake me up to the fact that life is short. My hope for this book is that it teaches that lesson without the heartache. Dream big, follow your heart, pursue happiness, love fully, forgive easily, don’t live with regret, know what’s important.
Mostly, I hope this book helps readers know they are not alone. So many of us experience loss and suffering. To those of you, I say, let it change you for the better. Hold on to the memories, let go of the hurt, remember the laughter, cherish the love, and carve a place in your future to recapture hope, that one day you’ll be ready to say ‘Hello’ again. Until then, put one foot in front of the other and remember the best things in life are the ones worth fighting for.
Thank you to my husband, my ray of sunshine. Your smile is everything. You are my heart. You inspire possibility and you always make me want to say ‘Hello’.
Thank you to my family and friends whose generosity is immeasurable. And thank you to the counselors and physicians who dedicate their lives to giving us as much time as possible. Lastly, thank you to Dalton. You make me happy. You make me brave. You make me everything I never dreamt I could be. The sunrise will never be the same. I love you for always. Until our next hello.
To my readers,
I want to personally thank you for taking the time to seek out this great little indie book. Writing is truly my passion. I believe each of us can find a small part of ourselves in every book we read, and carry it with us, shaping our world, our adventures and our dreams.
Following my dream to write frees my soul but knowing others find joy in my writing is indescribable. So thank you for your support and I hope your enjoyed your brief escape into the magic of these pages.
If you enjoyed this story, don’t worry, there’s plenty more currently rattling around in my rambunctious imagination. Let me and others know your thoughts by sharing a review of this book. Reviews help shape my next writing projects. So if you want more books like this one be sure to shout it from the rooftops (or social media.) ;-)
- Christina Benjamin
PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW HERE
Also by Christina Benjamin
YOUNG ADULT FANTASY/DYSTOPIAN SERIES
The Geneva Project - TRUTH (Book 1)
The Geneva Project - SECRETS (Book 2)
The Geneva Project - LIES (Book 3)
The Geneva Project - DESTINY (Book 4)
The Geneva Project - Complete Box Set
The Geneva Project - Prequels Collection
YOUNG ADULT CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
The Practice Boyfriend (Book 1)
The Almost Boyfriend (Book 2)
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE (18+)
Retreat To Me
Retreat Again
About the Author
Award-Winning author, Christina Benjamin, lives in Florida with her husband, and character inspiring pets, where she spends her free time working on her books and speaking to inspire fellow writers.
Christina is best known for her wildly popular Young Adult series, The Geneva Project.
Her best-selling novel, The Geneva Project - Truth, has won multiple awards and stolen the hearts of YA readers. Packed with magic and imagination, her epic tale of adventure hooks fans of mega-hit YA fiction like Harry Potter, The Hunger Games and Percy Jackson.
Christina loves to read and write across genres. YA is her favorite but she’s a sucker for a good love story. Don’t miss her romance, paranormal and historical fiction, as well as the multiple anthologies she’s been a part of.
Follow her Amazon Page to get updates when new books are released. HERE
For more information
www.christinabenjaminauthor.com
The Goodbye Boyfriend (The Boyfriend Series Book 3) Page 25
