Little did Karen realize that her summer plans would be turned upside down.  When she meets childhood friend, Mark Davis, there is suspicion surrounding his apperance.  Then comes the announcement by Ken, sending Karen into a rage and utter determination to forge ahead with her plans.

 

But when Ken dies suddenly, Karen feels responsible.  She puts her plans and dreams behind her, until she is forced to realize she was not responsible.

 

Karen begins again with her plans, but with with each step, there is another obstacle.  Will she ever be able to fulfill her dream of starting a new life, in a new place and obtaining a new teaching position?

 

A Time For Change takes the reader throught a whirlwind of emotions.  Feeling Karen's discouragement and her anxiety, you are pulling along with her as she makes her time for change.

 

 

 

Copyrighted and publsihed 2004

 

 

 

The phone ringing finally woke Karen up.  She clamored out of bed and raced to it before it stopped..  She picked it up and in a sleepy voice said hello.  The voice on the other end was almost incoherent.  Finally she realized it was Julie and got her to stop crying long enough to find out why she was calling.

  Julie told her, "You have to come home.  It is Ken.  He had a heart attack and is in the hospital."  Karen sat down in the rocker.

  "I'll be there as soon as I can get ready," she told Julie.

  Karen sat there for a few minutes trying to ingest what she had just heard.  How could Ken have a heart attack.  He just turned 40 in February.  Karen got up and went to the bedroom.  She pulled out the smaller of the suitcases and thew some clothes in it.  She hurriedly got dressed.  She got the carrier from one of the spare bedrooms and  called to Jenks.  He was hungry, so she gav him some food while she finished getting ready to go and to load the car.  She came in, and after some coaxing, got him into the carrier and took him out.  She went back to get her purse and to lock up the cabin.

  She realized when she came close to the store that Jimmy and Mark would be coming up later, so pulled in the lot. She went inside and Mrs. Davis was waiting on a customer.

  "I'll be right with you," she told Karen.

  The customer wanted to visit and Kren was anxious to get on the road, and finally interrupted, "I'm sorry, Mrs. Davis, but I have had an emergency call and have to go to Greenville.  Please tell Mark."  Karen turned and left the store without waiting for a reply.

  She didn't want to speed or push the Taurus to much, but was anxious to get to the hospital.  She felt like she was moving at a snails pace and that it was taking forever to get to Greenville.  She went straight to the Community Hospital and asked where the family of Ken Crossett were.  The nurse behind the desk looked up and said, "They took Mr. Crossett to Memorial Hospital at Booneville."

  Karen didn't know what to do.  She ran out of the hospital and drove to Julie's but no one was there.  She had no choice; she would have to drive to Booneville.  She stopped at the gas station and filled the Taurus and headed towards the hospital.

  It was only 50 miles, but again it seemed like an eternity for her to get to the hospital.  She asked the nurse and was directed to the waiting area.  She was walking down the hall when she saw Julie.  They ran to each other, and Karen asked, "How is Ken?"

  Julie was very upset and Karen didn't see Betsy, but then her brother-in-law, Jerry, came up.  He put his arms around Julie and Karen.

  Jerry told her, "It was a massive attack and he is gone."

  Karen felt her knees buckling under her.  She had to find a chair and sit down.  Jerry asked her if she was okay.  She nodded yes, but he went to get a glass of water and when he returned, he sat down next to her and told her to drink it.  Julie had been crying and pacing,but Karen felt like she was in a dream and was going to wake up and realize it wasn't true.

  She looked at Jerry, "How could this happen?"

  Jerry told her that he had told Betsy that he was tired and went to bed earlyh.  She tried to wake him this morning, but couldn't and had called the ambulance.  He went on that he had been unconscious the whole time and by the time the ambulance had transported him from Greenville, he was gone.

  Karen wanted to cry, but the tears wouldn't come.  Sh still couldn't believe it.  She tried to stand, but her legs wouldn't let her.

  Jerry told her, "Just stay here."  He went to get a nurse who came back and took a look at Karen and began doing a quick exam.  The nurse hurried off and soon a young man in a white coat was standing over her.  Karen tried to say something, but couldn't get it out.  She could hear voices, but couldn't understand anyone.

  The intern had called for a gurney.  Jerry and Julie were there asking, "What is wrong?"

  The nurse told them, "She is in shock, but we will take good care of her."  They wheeled Karen down the hall and Julie began her sobbing again, saying, "I've lost my brother and now I'm going to lose Karen, what will I do?"

  Jerry tried to console her and told her that Karen would be okay and that they would be able to see her later.

  Karen still felt like she was in a dream.  She could see faces and hear voices, but couldn't understand what they were saying.  Then everything went black.

 

 

 

To read more about Karen and her decision to make her change, you may purchase A TIME FOR CHANGE from Publish America, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or contact the author.  Thank you.