The Songs That Brought Me Back by Mylissa Demeyere
Have you ever made a mistake? One so monumental you lost everything? I did, and I hate myself for it! All I want to do is close my eyes, and let the darkness consume me. Make it all go away. The end.
Ainsley is drowning in the depth of her despair. One wrong decision left her alone, with only regret as her constant companion. To escape it all, she makes another choice. One she hopes will end everything. Instead, she’s thrown into a whole new world filled with opportunities she doesn’t believe she deserves.
Ethan gives the appearance of breezing through life. But underneath his bright facade, he’s scarred by loss. When fate leads him into Ainsley’s world at the exact moment she needs someone the most, he can’t ignore the chance to right the wrongs of his past.
Ainsley and Ethan will struggle to help each other heal and start anew.
They’ll learn that the secret to conquering their pain lies within their power, if only they can do it together.
Always together.
Sometimes the ending is really the beginning.
ETHAN
“FILL THESE OUT, PLEASE.” The nurse at the ER admin desk
shoved a clipboard holding a stack of insurance forms into
my hands. “Once we get your partner stabilized, I’ll go find
out about sending you in to see her.” She gave me a curt nod
and disappeared behind the desk.
What had I been thinking? I hadn’t been thinking. Not
much beyond getting my neighbor here in time. I had been
living next door to Ainsley for the last six months, ever since
the construction on my house was completed. And I had
noticed her from day one. Who wouldn’t, with her striking
blue eyes, long blonde hair, and a body every man dreams of?
But there was more. She had this frailty about her, if you
looked close enough. And it drew me in, right from the start.
But she never let me get further than a few pleasantries. Still,
it didn’t stop me from trying. And I had tried to be her
friend.
When I found her earlier today… I shuddered as the
memory washed over me.
“FILL THESE OUT, PLEASE.” The nurse at the ER admin desk
shoved a clipboard holding a stack of insurance forms into
my hands. “Once we get your partner stabilized, I’ll go find
out about sending you in to see her.” She gave me a curt nod
and disappeared behind the desk.
What had I been thinking? I hadn’t been thinking. Not
much beyond getting my neighbor here in time. I had been
living next door to Ainsley for the last six months, ever since
the construction on my house was completed. And I had
noticed her from day one. Who wouldn’t, with her striking
blue eyes, long blonde hair, and a body every man dreams of?
But there was more. She had this frailty about her, if you
looked close enough. And it drew me in, right from the start.
But she never let me get further than a few pleasantries. Still,
it didn’t stop me from trying. And I had tried to be her
friend.
When I found her earlier today… I shuddered as the
memory washed over me.
I clutched the letter in my hand, secretly happy I had an excuse to
ring Ainsley’s doorbell. The mailman had messed up and I
couldn’t let the opportunity slide, noting her car in the driveway.
Walking up to the door, I rolled my shoulders and took a deep
breath, aiming for cool and suave, not flustered and eager like she
had me feeling each time I caught a glimpse of her.
I rang the bell and turned to soak up the bright rays of sun,
feeling my stomach knot as the anticipation rose. A few seconds
passed, but no one came to open the door.
I turned to ring the bell again, sure she was home, when I
stopped dead in my tracks, my hand still suspended in the air. My
heart started pounding in my chest as the ground beneath me felt
like it was moving.
“Ainsley! Ainsley!” I pounded on the door, her lifeless body
sprawled on the floor in the hallway just visible through the
sidelights. My palms felt moist as I fought against the rising
panic.
“Ainsley!!” My voice was hoarse as I belted out her name over
and over.
Instinct took over. I ran to the back door and found it
unlocked. I hadn’t ever let myself in, but now wasn’t the time to
worry about that.
“Ainsley!” I fell on my knees next to her, taking in the full
scene. Her chest was barely moving, her lips a faint shade of blue.
An empty pill bottle lay on the floor beside her. I picked it up,
already sure of what was going on but needing to confirm it.
Time seemed to stand still as I pieced it all together, but the loud,
ringing sound in my ears forced me to move and get help.
“Ainsley, what have you done?” I cried as I slipped my phone
out of my back pocket and called 911. I hoped I wasn’t too late,
that we still had time.
“What happened?” One of the paramedics loaded her on a
gurney while the other got to work checking her vitals. I rehashed
all I knew, which wasn’t very much.
They loaded her in the ambulance, and after getting the right
info about where they were taking her, I sped over to the hospital
in record time.
“What’s your relationship to the patient?” The ER clerk typed
in Ainsley’s name without making eye contact.
“I don’t see how that’s important now,” I growled.
“Only the next of kin can see the patient.” She looked up for
the first time and took in my panicked state.
“I’m her…boyfriend.” Where did that come from? I didn’t even
know her that well, but I couldn’t take it back now.
“I see.” The woman stared up at me over her wide-rimmed
glasses, pausing as she studied me. Did she pick up on my
hesitation? Did she detect the lie?
“Please take a seat. I’ll have her paperwork ready in just
a sec.”
I released the breath I held and dropped down in the vinyl
seat, overcome by the events of the past hour.
ring Ainsley’s doorbell. The mailman had messed up and I
couldn’t let the opportunity slide, noting her car in the driveway.
Walking up to the door, I rolled my shoulders and took a deep
breath, aiming for cool and suave, not flustered and eager like she
had me feeling each time I caught a glimpse of her.
I rang the bell and turned to soak up the bright rays of sun,
feeling my stomach knot as the anticipation rose. A few seconds
passed, but no one came to open the door.
I turned to ring the bell again, sure she was home, when I
stopped dead in my tracks, my hand still suspended in the air. My
heart started pounding in my chest as the ground beneath me felt
like it was moving.
“Ainsley! Ainsley!” I pounded on the door, her lifeless body
sprawled on the floor in the hallway just visible through the
sidelights. My palms felt moist as I fought against the rising
panic.
“Ainsley!!” My voice was hoarse as I belted out her name over
and over.
Instinct took over. I ran to the back door and found it
unlocked. I hadn’t ever let myself in, but now wasn’t the time to
worry about that.
“Ainsley!” I fell on my knees next to her, taking in the full
scene. Her chest was barely moving, her lips a faint shade of blue.
An empty pill bottle lay on the floor beside her. I picked it up,
already sure of what was going on but needing to confirm it.
Time seemed to stand still as I pieced it all together, but the loud,
ringing sound in my ears forced me to move and get help.
“Ainsley, what have you done?” I cried as I slipped my phone
out of my back pocket and called 911. I hoped I wasn’t too late,
that we still had time.
“What happened?” One of the paramedics loaded her on a
gurney while the other got to work checking her vitals. I rehashed
all I knew, which wasn’t very much.
They loaded her in the ambulance, and after getting the right
info about where they were taking her, I sped over to the hospital
in record time.
“What’s your relationship to the patient?” The ER clerk typed
in Ainsley’s name without making eye contact.
“I don’t see how that’s important now,” I growled.
“Only the next of kin can see the patient.” She looked up for
the first time and took in my panicked state.
“I’m her…boyfriend.” Where did that come from? I didn’t even
know her that well, but I couldn’t take it back now.
“I see.” The woman stared up at me over her wide-rimmed
glasses, pausing as she studied me. Did she pick up on my
hesitation? Did she detect the lie?
“Please take a seat. I’ll have her paperwork ready in just
a sec.”
I released the breath I held and dropped down in the vinyl
seat, overcome by the events of the past hour.
I’d been waiting for over two hours, and I was frantic. I
didn’t do so well in a hospital setting.
“Mr. Van Der Beek?” A doctor dressed in light blue scrubs
walked into the waiting area. I stood up.
“Yes?” My heart beat double time, waiting for him to give
me news on Ainsley.
“We were able to stabilize your girlfriend.” The word
made me wince. The doctor luckily mistook it for the info he
was delivering, and his expression softened, his eyes full of
sympathy. “Ainsley experienced respiratory depression, and
we needed to intubate her to ensure she was getting enough
oxygen.”
I swallowed the bile rising in my throat and nodded my
understanding.
“We’ll keep her in the ICU until she gains consciousness.”
“But she’s going to be okay?” I pleaded.
“We’ll know for sure tomorrow. I think you got to her in
time.” He patted me on the shoulder and turned to leave but
reconsidered.
“Mr. Van Der Beek.” He stared into my eyes.
“Yes?” I felt the weight of the day settle on my shoulders.
“Your girlfriend is very sick. Even if she makes a full
physical recovery, you have a long road ahead of you.”
I nodded, my eyes stinging. “Thank you, Doctor.” I sank
onto one of the chairs lining the side of the waiting area. If
anyone knew how long that road was, it was me.
didn’t do so well in a hospital setting.
“Mr. Van Der Beek?” A doctor dressed in light blue scrubs
walked into the waiting area. I stood up.
“Yes?” My heart beat double time, waiting for him to give
me news on Ainsley.
“We were able to stabilize your girlfriend.” The word
made me wince. The doctor luckily mistook it for the info he
was delivering, and his expression softened, his eyes full of
sympathy. “Ainsley experienced respiratory depression, and
we needed to intubate her to ensure she was getting enough
oxygen.”
I swallowed the bile rising in my throat and nodded my
understanding.
“We’ll keep her in the ICU until she gains consciousness.”
“But she’s going to be okay?” I pleaded.
“We’ll know for sure tomorrow. I think you got to her in
time.” He patted me on the shoulder and turned to leave but
reconsidered.
“Mr. Van Der Beek.” He stared into my eyes.
“Yes?” I felt the weight of the day settle on my shoulders.
“Your girlfriend is very sick. Even if she makes a full
physical recovery, you have a long road ahead of you.”
I nodded, my eyes stinging. “Thank you, Doctor.” I sank
onto one of the chairs lining the side of the waiting area. If
anyone knew how long that road was, it was me.
A heartfelt romance with a powerful message about the sanctity of human life. If you’ve ever simply needed a friend, The Songs That Brought Me Back will resonate–and leave you thankful for the people in your life. -Taylor Dean, author of I’m With You and Chasing Fireflies.
Another remarkable read by Mylissa Demeyere. Ethan and Ainsley had me laughing and crying as they face their own demons and fall in love while doing it. This book adds even more depth as it confronts suicide head on. Suicide has become an epidemic that some are afraid to address; Demeyere brings it to light from both the victims and the survivors giving us insight on the struggles of so many. It does not disappoint and I, again, am excited to see what comes next from this talented writer. – Amazon Reviewer
A beautiful sequel to The Songs of You and Me that cleverly illustrates that there are always two sides to every story and that it is never too late for love to overcome any challenge. – Amazon Reviewer
“This poignant redemption story about second chances and forgiveness yanked my emotions all over the place. I cried, I yearned, I hoped. A beautiful story about what true love is and does.” – Charissa Stastny, author of Between Hope and the Highway and The Ruled Out Romance Series
Mylissa Demeyere was born in Belgium, and resides in the beautiful city of Ghent. She lives in a somewhat organized home with her four beautiful children and the love of her life. If she isn’t working, she’s writing, running, reading, or enjoying time with her kids, who are growing up way too fast. The Songs That Brought Me Back is her second novel in The Songs Series, with a third book releasing in the middle of 2019.
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