Journey Of Hearts

1. Ten Years

A/N--- This is the 3rd book in the Renewed Passion series. Could be a stand-a-lone read but to help with any confusion, please read Renewed Passion and Waves Of The Heart. Thank you for reading! Hope you enjoy!

"Dad, can we get poptarts?"

That pouty lip on my five year old son is hard to refuse. "Yes." I shake my head as he turns and picks the flavor of choice.

Not the healthiest snack to have with all the sugars, but a little doesn't hurt.

Blaze picks his box and before I can get it in the cart easier he drops it in. With a wince, at the pastry type food that will undoubtly have crumbs now.

"How much more until we are done?" Blaze sighs as we walk down another aisle.

"Just a little more." I ruffle his hair as he holds the shopping cart as I look over the spaghetti sauce jars.

We are buying all the new food our house needs. Finally, after ten long years I am back home living close to Aunt Rachel and Uncle Josh.

College was a breeze. I doubled and even at times tripled classes just to finish early keeping top scores. Residency was the best part but also the hardest moments.

During my residency I circled through many fields of medicine. Originally, my mind was set on oncology as it is close to my heart since my mom passed. Though one single event changed my mind and focus on the field I became a doctor within.

On a late shift within the emergency room I lost two patients, a husband and wife. The husband came to us already deceased but the wife, she held on for four days. I had become her friend moreso than a doctor in that short time, my supervising doctor was quite proud of the compassion I shown and things I went above and beyond to do for the patient. She was thirty weeks pregnant and we had to perform a cesarean, the baby boy went to the nicu and had several months stay there. Before the wife passed, I would take pictures and make sure to update her on the baby as she delivered as soon as she came to the emergency room. Before she passed, she was scared for her baby as there was no other living relative.

On her death bed, the patient had begged me to watch her son. That patient loss was the hardest moment within my career still to this day.

I held my promise and everyday I checked on the small infant within the nicu. One night when he was off many of the cords and only needing oxygen, he was crying and not calming for the nurses there. The nurse placed him in my arms and he instantly calmed, it was that moment I knew the baby boy was going to be my son, Blaze.

Adoption while being a medical resident was not easy, especially since I was single. Being a single parent was not easy when the only person I had close was my best friend, Samuel. He had moved into my small apartment to help watch my son when I had to work, until he moved back here once he was able to open his own shop up.

"There all done. Let's go check out." I smile and Blaze skips next to me as I walk.

In the last ten years, Aunt Rachel and Uncle Josh have become the owners of the Boat Shop as Saul and Regina decided to retire. Penelope is sassy and scaring Uncle Josh as she learns to drive. Samuel has a computer repair shop in town. While Kaira still runs the diner, with Simon working there right out of high school within the last years time.

Blaze and I make it to our new house, I unlock the door and carry in all the bags of groceries. He runs to his room and I see as he opens his toy box lid.

It doesn't take long to place the groceries away. My fingers tap the marble counter tops as my brain scrambles to pick something for dinner. We can't eat anymore take out as that's all we have had for the last couple days through the move and unpacking.

Finally, I pull out the pans and settle on beef stir fry. Cooking it up quickly, I set the table and see one small box not set in place yet.

As the food cools, I take the wooden box and place on the mantel under the tv. My fingers brush over it and a sigh leaves my lips. "No one to wear the rings with yet Mom." I turn and walk back to the kitchen.

My love life has been a bit on the low the last couple years. The last major relationship I had ended right before adopting Blaze. So since then my hand does the job.

As I remember Mom once saying, 'For love to come a journey of hearts has come together.' I await for that day, but until then I am happy with how life is going.

"Blaze, dinners ready." I walk to his bedroom door.

He gets up and I move as he walks to the bathroom to wash his hands before helping him scoot up to the table. We eat on the food and I pile it all into the dishwasher once finished.

Grabbing a bottle of water, I sit back on the couch and Blaze runs in a moment later. "Got my jammies on."

"I see that." I chuckle as he gets on the couch with his favorite blanket. Once he is settled I turn the tv on and cartoons play for him as I lean over and grab my tablet to finish the latest book.

Small snores has me looking down to find Blaze fast asleep, laying against my side. Laying the tablet down, I pick him up and carry him to bed. I press a gentle kiss to his head as I place his blanket on him and flick his nightlight on.

My feet lead me to my room and I close the door mostly too. Stretching out, I remove my shirt and leave my sweats on as I put on some low music before I begin working out.

With a small sigh, I lay on my back on the floor attempting to catch my breath. My mind goes to being curious how the hospital here will be as I start in three days time.