Page 1 of Little Shattered Dreams

CHAPTER1

Quinn Abernathy leaned back on the pillow and breathed in the cool night air, flowing through the open patio door. It was the end of day two of a weeklong stay at The Soul Awakens, a retreat known for its classes on mindfulness, wellness, and the overall care of one’s soul. The Pismo Beach, California retreat was so popular it had a wait list, and given they only accepted a handful of people at a time, Quinn felt privileged she’d made it at long last.

At fifty-five years old, Quinn had been through her fair share of experiences in life.

Two divorces.

One child.

One failed business.

One successful one.

A nasty bout of breast cancer.

And a heart-wrenching memory she wanted to forget.

So many hopes and dreams.

So many of them shattered.

Life had been chockful of choices, both good and bad.

But the days of living in the past were over.

At present, Quinn was a cancer-free, empty nester in need of direction—something she hoped to find before the week was over. The time had come to shed her past turmoil, to learn to forgive herself, forgive those she felt had wronged her, and to rise above the painful memories that had plagued her for decades.

Tonight’s self-discovery assignment was to reminisce on positive memories, and to ponder on what had brought her joy over the years. Quinn recalled the day she’d started college, and the first boy she’d met there. They’d been friends at first, then they became inseparable, always by each other’s side. It wasn’t until two years later that she realized she loved him. But by then, he’d moved on, becoming engaged to someone else, and it was too late.

Think positive memories, Quinn.

Happy times.

Not sad.

The gentle reminder led her to the happiest of all memories—the day her daughter was born. Nothing compared to being a mother. Well,almostnothing.

One week earlier she’d received a call from her daughter and was given some exciting news. Her daughter was pregnant. In seven months, Quinn would become a grandmother for the first time.

Life was looking up.

And Quinn was looking up with it.

A light knock at the door brought her out of her thoughts and into the present moment. She looked out the peephole, smiling when she saw Clara, one of the retreat’s attendants, standing on the other side.

Quinn unlocked the door and opened it.

“Here’s the chamomile tea you requested,” Clara said. “Is there anything else I can bring you?”

“Is it still possible to sit in the hot tub? I’m trying to do tonight’s assignment, but it’s been a hard day. I’m a bit all over the place with my thoughts.”

Clara glanced at her watch and frowned. “I’m sorry. The pool facilities are closed for the evening, though I may have another solution. Karl offers late-night mindfulness consultations from time to time. Would you like me to see if he’s available?”

“Oh, no. It’s all right. I should get to bed soon anyway.”

“Are you sure? It’s no problem.”

Quinn hesitated a moment, then relented. “Sure. Why not?”

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