When Life Gives You Lemons, Drink Coffee!

When Life Gives You Lemons, Drink Coffee!

Published by Deanna Martinez-Bey at Smashwords

Copyright 2015 Deanna Martinez-Bey

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Book cover art by Petittanti

Back Photo credit: Spencer Aronhalt: photoSimply

Edited by Natasha Brooks

Acknowledgments

A big hug and a loud THANK YOU to all of those who read and enjoy my books! Without you, I would have no one to write for. You guys inspire me and give me reason to keep on writing.

My life experiences inspire me to write to help others. When Life Gives You Lemons, Drink Coffee is a life transformation novel as is my first novel, Twinkle, Twinkle Christmas Star. If it wasn’t for the tests and trials in my life, I may not have been able to write these books.

So, thank you life for the circumstances you have tossed my way!

I have often heard it said that it is better to have a select few close friends than many acquaintances. As I have seen so many people leave my life over the past several years, I have come to agree with this saying. I would like to shout out from the roof tops, THANK YOU to all of my true friends who have stood by me over the years. Thank you for all of your encouragement, support and love.

I have made several new friendships over the last several years as well. These friends are near and dear to me. You guys have inspired me and empowered me to stay strong and push through all of life’s challenges. THANK YOU!

To my dear husband,

You are a man of extreme love and patience. You walk beside me through the fire, in front of me to protect me and behind me to back me up. You pick me up when I fall and then you dust me off and place me back up on my feet. You support all of my dreams and encourage me to make them our reality. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

I love you my son and daughter! Mommy writes and does all that she does for the two of you. You don’t even realize it, but you guys give me the strength I need to stay strong and plow through life!

To those who have helped watch and care for my amazing children so that I can have time to work on my writing, thank you!

Natasha,

Thank you for continuing to work with me. Thank you for the time you spend helping me to be the best writer I can be.

Emerging Edge Publishing gave me a chance and continues to publish my work for the world to see. To you, I am grateful.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 I Am a Married Woman, Ya’ll

Chapter 2 The Business Trip

Chapter 3 The Big Day

Chapter 4 Breaking the News

Chapter 5 The Move

Chapter 6 The Arrival

Chapter 7 Learning the Town

Chapter 8 Getting Into the Swing of Things

Chapter 9 The News

Chapter 10 Living Life

Chapter 11 The Visit

Chapter 12 The New Decision

Chapter 13 The Trip

Chapter 14 The Big News

Chapter 15 Step 1

Chapter 16 Nee Nee’s Catering

Chapter 17 Step 2

Chapter 18 Questioning My Faith

Chapter 19 Step 3

Chapter 20 Moving On and Seeking Help

Chapter 21 The Change in Weather Brings a Change of Thoughts

Chapter 22 A Bit of News for the Family

Chapter 23 Janine the Investigator

Chapter 24 Fast Forward

About The Author

Chapter 1

I Am a Married Woman, Ya’ll

Hey, ya’ll! My name is Janine. I live in Triple Creek, North Carolina and boy do I have a story to tell you! I am 33 years old and just got married a few weeks ago to a wonderful man named Tom Whitfield. We were married on January 15th. My dog, Poopsie was our flower girl. She did so well carrying her white rose down the aisle. I was so proud of her. I have had my challenges with Poopsie. She is a small, white Terrier and Maltese mix. She had her issues. Let me tell you! Poopsie used to think my potted plants were out to get her. She would attack them day after day, until they were one long and skinny, leafless stick springing up from a pot. However, the day she attacked the Christmas tree and was slightly electrocuted from biting down on a light bulb cured her of all of her plant and tree issues. Thankfully! I could not take much more.

Back to the wedding… I had a double wedding with my BFF (Best Friend Forever), Crissy. She married a great guy named Jason Lilies. Jason’s Aunt Nina is the Pastor of my Church. So, we all got married in our home Church, by Pastor Nina.

Over ten years ago, Crissy moved away from Triple Creek to the town of Holly Berry, just outside of Raleigh. Shortly after she moved back to Triple Creek where her family and friends were, she met Jason and the rest is history.

The wedding was so beautiful! Our colors were purple and white. My dress was straight out of a Southern bridal magazine. It had big, puffy shoulders, a big bow in the back and tightened nicely around the waist. The bottom was full and the train was long with beautiful detail. The train of the gown was loaded with lace and pearls. Oh, it was a Southern girls DREAM! Crissy is more contemporary than I am. Her dress was perfect for her. It was straight and sleek with a train that spread from one end of the Church to the other. Well, maybe it wasn’t that long, but you get the point. We each had our own entrance to the Church and our own door, which we entered through. Even though we each had our own aisle to walk down, we both ended up in the front of the Church for all to see. It was so perfect! Doesn’t every girl dream of getting married beside her BFF?

I did most of the wedding planning. Crissy and Jason had just opened their own restaurant, Jerry’s 2. It is the best place to eat in town. It had gotten so popular; they had to start taking reservations. People line up at lunch and dinner to get a taste of one of Jason’s famous pasta dishes. The word is he makes the best pasta dishes in the State! Crissy and Jason went to Italy for their honeymoon. Tom and I went to Asheville, North Carolina and stayed in a B&B (Bed and Breakfast). It was wonderful. We had a giant fireplace in our room and at night when it got cold outside, we cranked that sucker up!

Tom seems like the perfect man for me. He loves God and he is a hard worker. He loves me for who I am even though some say I am random. But, I choose not to believe them. I do however speak my mind and speak it often, especially when it concerns matters of the heart. Tom is the CEO of a computer software company. He travels a lot to help companies install and learn how to use the software that his company puts out. He is very smart and successful and I am so thankful for him.

My mom, dad and sister Sally, live here in Triple Creek. Tom’s family lives here as well. We are all one big happy family. We have issues don’t get me wrong. Before the wedding my sister, Sally was MIA (missing in action). She disappeared for three days straight and missed my bridal shower. At the rehearsal, she was late and ran up to me with my wedding gift in her hands and she just cried and cried. She asked me to forgive her for the way she had been acting. Then, she stood up in front of everyone and confessed that she was going to change her life for the better. We all cried like babies.

Sally and Tom’s brother Mark seemed to really take to each other. Especially after she apologized for threatening to slap him in the face, before the wedding rehearsal. Oh, those were the days! Thankfully, Sally has added more love into her life and is now doing well.

Our stay at the B&B was better than I ever thought it could be. Even though it snowed and was deathly cold outside, we had a relaxing week away from work, family and the everyday pressures of life. I own a Bakery called, What’s In the Oven. My assistant manager, Kevin held down the fort while we honeymooned. Kevin keeps asking me when I am going to retire so that he can make me an offer to buy the Bakery. I always tell him, In your dreams, buddy. We joke around like that a lot at work. It is really a fun place to spend our time. Baking cakes, cookies, pies, and desserts is my true passion in life. If I am upset, I bake. If I am happy, I bake. If I am bored… well, you get it. I like to bake.

Tom and I bundled up in out coats, hats, gloves and scarves and went on several hikes during our honeymoon. It was so nice to cuddle into my husband's arms. He makes me feel so warm and loved. I was once told that if something seems too good to be true, it usually is. But, what in the world could possibly be wrong with this man?

One day, Tom and I were sitting down for breakfast in the dining room of the B&B and I realized at that very moment that I might like to have my own one day. I could get used to running a B&B of my own. Tom thought it was a great idea and I could see that his wheels seemed to start churning.

Sally took care of my dog Poopsie for us while we were away. I called her every evening to check in on my girl. Sal said she was doing really well. I was so thankful because I know what a handful Poopsie can be. Donna, a friend of Crissy’s shared with us some really good tips on how to control your dog. I applied the tips to Poopsie and she is almost like a new dog now. Cesar Millan really knows his dog psychology because that is where Donna said she learned the techniques. I am so thankful for Cesar and Donna for sharing their dog knowledge with me. Crissy said she had been applying the techniques to her dog, Junior and that he was not jumping up on people anymore.

On the way home from Asheville, I was in awe of the views that danced before my eyes. The trees were snow covered and it looked like a white heaven outside my car window. Everything that was once green or brown was now white and the whole earth was bright and happy. I enjoy the snow. I actually enjoy winter more than any other Season out of the year. Fall comes in a close second. All of the fall colors make me so happy inside. The colors are truly a treat for my eyes to see.

I just stared out of the car window the whole trip home. Tom told me that night on the drive home from Asheville that I was the quietest I had ever been. He is so funny. He said that he kept looking over at me to make sure I was still in the car. Like I could have jumped out… silly boy!

As we were driving home, with another fifteen minutes left to drive, Tom’s cell phone rang. We knew it was someone from work calling because of the special ring. Tom looked at me and I told him to answer it. After saying, Hello, Tom stayed quiet through much of the phone call. After fifteen minutes of a few, Uh huh’s and all right’s, the conversation ended. Tom did not share with me what was said, so I just carried on and when we arrived home, I just got out of the car and went into the house. I had to pee! After I did that, I walked into the living room and Tom was carrying in our luggage. He seemed to be deep in thought, so I said nothing. About an hour later, after I unpacked our suitcases and got a load of laundry started, I decided to go and pick up Poopsie. I asked Tom if he wanted to come along for the ride, but he said he had to make a few more phone calls right away. He spoke that to me over his shoulder as he sat at the computer. I looked at the screen and saw he was looking at flight prices to New York. I gave him a kiss on his cheek and turned to walk out of the room. As I reached the door, he said. "Neene, wait! I have something I would like to share with you. However, I need to make a few more calls before I can. When you get back from picking up Poopsie, I would like us to sit