"Sweetie, I'm home." I tried to put as much kindness into my voice as possible. I didn't want to have another argument - at least not right away.
Silence.
"Sweetheart?"
A gunshot echoed from our bedroom, followed by the sound of a bullet casing skipping along a wall.
Everything slowed down.
***
When a life is destroyed, when guilt says you played a role in its destruction, how do you face the days ahead?
Twenty-six-year-old Abel Keogh chooses to ignore the promptings he receives concerning his wife's mental illness, and now he feels he is to blame for her choices. If only he had listened . . .
At some point in our lives, each of us face devastating afflictions and must eventually cope with loss. Regardless of how it happens, the outcome is still the same - we are left isolated, alone, wondering what we could have done differently, and where we can turn for peace.
This is Abel's story in his own words. His search for peace and the miracle that follows is proof that love and hope can endure, despite the struggles and tragedies that shape each of our lives.
Room for Two by Abel Keogh is an incredible story told from Abel's point-of-view about losing his wife. Not only did he lose his spouse, but also the baby his wife carried because she was seven months pregnant.
While reading Room for Two, I went on a topsy-turvy emotional roller-coaster ride. Right from chapter one, I was pulled into this horrific experience. I could see and feel Abel's shock and pain while calling 9-1-1. Then, having friends who have delivered babies very early, I could picture in my mind what his baby daughter, Hope, looked like. When he held her, I remembered what it was like to hold my friends' babies. And when she passed away, I felt his pain and devastation. Two very important people in his life, gone, so quickly, with no explanation.
But then, I journeyed with Abel through the days, weeks, and months ahead. It was interesting to watch as he grieved, and forced himself to continue living. After losing my own mother at such a young age, I know what that's like first hand. I was fascinated by how differently men grieve vs. how women grieve.
And like every good story, Abel finds peace and a happy ending. But his is so much better, because this happy ending isn't from the depths of a fiction writer's mind. It's real, and he's still living it today.
This is a great book for anyone who has lost a loved one.
QOTC Rating: Four Stars
