Moments

Prologue and Characters

Meet Rosie Routledge, age 20. (John B's cousin)

Currently lives in Tampa, FL. 

She is currently studying and training as a pre-school/kindy teacher.

Family background: was born in Outerbanks, and lived there with both her parents until she was 3 years old. Her uncle Sam's (on her mums side) wife died, so her mother (Emma) and Rosie moved to Florida to support her uncle and his family. 
Rosie's dad (Thomas) tried to keep their relationship going long-distance whilst he looked for work in Florida, but their relationship didn't hold. 
It wasn't until years later that her mum and dad re-kindled their marriage when Rosie was 14 and her parents eloped to Nevada to renew their vows. They lived in Florida together for a while, but her dad spent a lot of time going into bad business deals, so her parents moved to Vegas where her mum has secured a dance/performer job, and left Rosie with her uncle so she could graduate from high-school without being uprooted. 

Her mother and father always told her that she was basically bought up with her cousin JohnB until she moved from Outerbanks. Of course her memories as a three year old are distant and she has not been in touch with him or had any contact from him for the past 17 years.

Rosie's relationships with her family are strong. She is a forgiving person and understands that life throws curve balls from time to time. 

Rosie knows that life is made up of moments. And it is these moments that make us who we are today, and will lead us along life's journey. 

Skip Forward to Now

Moments are what our lives are made up of. Moments of joy, sadness, fear and anger. But it is these moments together that shape who we are, what we believe and where life is taking us.

It was a moment of joy I felt when I had been praised about my teaching practice from my training mentor, and how she was certain I will make an incredible pre-school teacher. With summer drawing closer it was just the ego boost I needed after working my ass off for the last 9 months. 

I wanted nothing more than to speak to my parents who were currently having a "second honey-moon" in South Africa. I wanted to hear more ludicrous stories about their safari and the people they were meeting along the way. As I went to dial my mums number, an unknown caller flashed up on the screen.

Sometimes you get that feeling in the pit of your stomach, your instinct just knows something. I felt that feeling. "hello?" I answered, my moment of joy still sounding in my voice.

"Am I speak with Ms Rosanna Routledge?" the voice on the end of the phone sounded official and serious. 

I swallowed. That moment of joy sinking away as instinct took over and I felt something in the pit of my stomach. 

"Yes, this is she." I answered in an almost confused tone.

"Hello Ms Routledge, my name is Officer Bates."