Learning to Live Again

Sam Gear, a forty-five year old electronic Engineer is stopped short of his climb to management and heading up the new division of Digitronics when the break up of his 15 year marriage is followed by triple bypass heart surgery. The story opens as Sam returns to his hometown, Green Mountain, Vermont, and widowed mother to "learn how to live again." Margie Merryhill, a thirty year old single mother, is living a lie told five years ago when her car breaks down leaving her and her son stranded in the tiny town of Green Mountain, Vermont. She is on her way to her in-laws in Albany, whom she's never met, is her story. Her husband has recently been killed in Desert Storm, she tells the townsfolk, and she is hoping his parents will help her out until she gets on her feet. Allison Gear and Art Browne, who witness the demise of Margie's vehicle, take pity on the young woman with the bubbly nine-year old boy, and the hard-to-believe story. These two put their heads together and before the day is done Margie has a temporary job, a room, and a community. Peter Merryhill is now fourteen years old and employed after school at Smith's Pharmacy. Old man Smith hires Peter out of compassion for the struggling mom and son. He doesn't expect Peter to be the big help he becomes. The boy is smart, honest, diligent and uncomplaining. But old man Smith doesn't know that the Michelson brothers, newcomers to town, are trying to force Peter to steal drugs for them. Learning To Live Again is a story of truth and trust, of three people who struggle through the mistakes and the lies in their lives.

Marie was born in Omaha, Nebraska, and now resides in Cleveland, GA., with her husband and four dogs. Four of her five children were adopted in various places in the world. Marie has lived in England, Europe and the Middle East. She finds great joy in travel, cooking and writing and the people she meets every day. She is an active member of the Clarkesville Writers Group of Georgia where work is shared, critiqued, and encouraged.