You. Have. Breast. Cancer. I wasn't prepared to hear those words. Neither was my loving husband, family or friends. And none of us were prepared for what life had in store after they were spoken. I should have seen the signs all around me. I should have paid attention to the people who supposedly loved me, the people who I'd always trusted. But I was blind to what was going on. The effects on my flourishing career, passionate marriage and carefree lifestyle would be insurmountable. It was time to take control of my life and the overwhelming chaos. Time to make the choices that were right for me. Right for my future. The future I hadn't planned on. My life didn't stop when I heard those four little words…it was only just beginning.

Four words continue to haunt me . . . You. Have. Breast. Cancer. I associate them with the upheaval of my life to this point. The last few months have been a test of my strength . . . mentally, emotionally, and physically. Cancer is a monster. It preys on your mind and it consumes you, consistently reminding you of how your life used to be. Life before cancer. I was a successful business woman, running my own design firm, and was happily married to my college sweetheart. My life seemed perfect. Until it suddenly came crashing down all around me. So, here I am, in the midst of treatment, incinerating the remnants of my shattered marriage and attempting to piece the rest of my life back together. With three amazing friends pushing me forward, the ‘post-chemo’ finish line is coming into view. And then . . . there’s him. The man I never anticipated. The one who breathes hope and meaning back into my life. A man who kisses my scars and shows me that I’m beautiful. I never expected him. Hell, I never expected cancer. I’m finally ready to write my future, a future I never planned on, but one that is sure to exceed anything I ever imagined. \\NEW\\ BONUS Short Story - The After Party added September 2017