The Moments Between Read online

  The

  Moments

  between

  Other titles by Natalie Banks:

  The Water Is Wide

  The Canary’s Song

  The Dark Room

  The Moments Between

  That Year by the Lake coming Spring 2020

  Connect with Natalie:

  www.nataliebanks.net

  Instagram: @officialnataliebanks

  Facebook: @nataliebanksnovels

  [email protected]

  The

  moments

  Between

  Natalie Banks

  A Champion Books Publication

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, and incidents are product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, living or dead, is coincidental.

  Copyright 2019 by Natalie Banks

  All rights reserved. Except as permitted by the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without prior written permission of the publisher/author.

  Champion Books Publishing Company

  NatalieBanks.net

  Printed in the United States of America

  The Library of Congress has catalogued this edition as follows:

  The Moments Between/Natalie Banks

  ISBN-13: 978-0-578-60038-3 paperback

  978-0-578-60037-6 eBook

  Table of Contents

  Other Titles by Natalie Banks

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Praise for The Moments Between

  Acknowledgements

  Cover Photographer: Bethany Schrock

  The Moments Betwen

  Chapter 1

  Three Months Earlier

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Epilogue

  Dear Readers

  Other Titles by Natalie Banks

  About Natalie Banks

  praise for

  The Moments Between

  If you’re looking for a heartfelt, authentic, and thrilling journey that walks the thin line between reality and dreams, this book is a must read. Natalie Bank’s passionate writing and spot-on characterizations create a dynamic, realistic world where you feel like these characters are living people in your own life. The fast-moving plot is full of surprises and will have you enthralled until the very last word.”

  — Jennifer Moorman, bestselling author of The Baker’s Man.

  Beautiful tale with a terrifying premise. Your worst nightmare coming true. Watching events happen without being able to stop them, knowing the end is near. Natalie Banks writes of love, hope, and fears. Banks takes readers on a journey beyond worlds we can comprehend where anything and everything is possible. A world where the predictable is what you fear the most. It’s the perfect book to get lost in, cozy up by a fire with a big cup of tea.

  — Michelle Young, Author of Your Move

  This is the second time I have had the privilege of reviewing one of Natalie Banks’ novels. The Moments Between is a beautifully spun tale that will have your heart in your throat until the final page. Not surprising, if you have read any of her other work. Banks has a way of pulling you so deeply into the story that you are one hundred percent emotionally invested in her well-developed characters. You won’t want to put it down until you know the answer to your burning question. Will Ben live? Don’t miss this great story!

  — Gail P., Carolina Portal Review

  Acknowledgements

  Words can never be enough to express my gratitude to the people in my life that have helped me and supported me on my journey as an author.

  I must start with my husband, Joe and my sweet children, Caroline, Ethan, and Elisabeth Grace who patiently wait for me when I sequester myself to write my novels and for supporting me and believing in me like no other! I am also grateful to my older children, Jesseca and Jake and my three beautiful grandchildren, Violet, Sawyer, and Hudson who also support and believe in me one hundred percent!

  Without a few special people in my life, I wouldn’t be where I am today:

  Martijn and Bettina Atell with VOTEBASH.COM. Thank you for believing in me and my books, even when I was afraid to put myself out there.

  Jane Ubell-Meyer with Bedside Reading who took a special interest in me and my books and has supported me like family! I would be lost without her!

  Johnny and Diana Legg, Dee Dee Creech, and Kelley and David Morris who have been a HUGE support to me by keeping my books in their businesses and always believing in me!!

  Last but definitely not least on this list, is my agent, Kelli Martin with Wendy Sherman and Associates, who has believed in me and my writing since the day we first met. With her encouragement and advice, I have grown so much as a writer and cannot wait to see what the future holds for us together as a team!!

  I also have to give a big shout out to Jeanne McPherson who gave us refuge during Hurricane Florence! Because of her and her sweet family, I was able to have a safe place to go during the storm and was able to continue writing The Moments Between while there. Blood doesn’t determine family, not in this case, anyway!

  I am so grateful to my sweet friends Amy Hinshaw and Heather Phillips, and Michelle Young who have been a huge supporter to me and my writing. My beloved step-mother, Diana Hughes and my wonderful friend Michele Reber who always believed in me and my stories. A big thank you to Robert Charles Gompers, who is an extremely talented writer and friend. He has been there for me through the ups and downs of this writing process and I could never express how much I appreciate and love him! And most of all, my amazing father, Jim Banks, who has always encouraged me to follow my dreams. Thank you to all of you who have been there for me when I need feedback on my manuscripts. I am so grateful at how you all are always willing to jump in and read for me whenever I need it!

  That beautiful cover that you see for The Moments Between is due to the beautiful soul and talented photographer, Bethany Schrock. She has been a huge supporter of me and my writing from the very beginning and I absolutely honored that she allowed me to use one of her beautiful photographs for this cover. There’s more about her on the next page. Be sure to check it out!

  A great big thank you to Colleen Sheehan with Ampersand Book Interiors for always making my interiors look amazing!

  I also want to thank you, my readers, some of you are new, some of you have been with me for a long time, but I love and appreciate every single one of you! Thank you for reading my books, supporting me, following me on social media, and sending me letters! Everything I do wouldn’t matter at all, if I didn’t have you!

  My heart overflows with gratitude to you all!!

  cover photographer:

  Bethany Schrock

  Photo by: Havner

  Bethany Schrock has been creating things before she knew how to read. Growing up with learning disabilities like dyslexia made reading a book feel so daunting. When she was little, she’d draw you a picture book or paint you L
andscape to describe something way before she would choose to use words to write it down. Years later and hurdles jumped, Bethany is still creating. Checking off one of her life bucket list items “To Photograph the Cover Of A Published Book” has brought us here, and gratitude is an understatement. She lives in the Midwest with her loving husband and fluffy pup. You can find her photo work and paintings at

  bethcath.com

  The

  Moments

  Between

  Chapter 1

  Despite every effort I had made, I failed to prevent what was to come.

  My body, poised in preemptive grief. Bare feet touching cold tile as I waited.

  The lonely clock on the kitchen wall ticked louder and louder as the minutes passed.

  It ticked, reminding me of the countdown that I had been living.

  Three months to prepare…

  To prepare for the death of my husband.

  And now it was upon me.

  Three Months Earlier

  The morning came earlier than I expected. I stirred without opening my eyes.

  The boys were at my sister Mandi’s house for their weekly Saturday night sleepover, aka my alone time to learn how to be me again. It was Mandi’s idea. She wanted me to spend some time getting to know the new me. The widow me. The Ms. not Mrs. me. Who was this woman? I didn’t know her, and I didn’t know if I wanted to know her.

  The last six months had been hard. No, actually they had been hell. The accident was to blame. It took the life of my husband. Tore our family apart. Changed life forever.

  This version of me…my new life…just didn’t have the same meaning without Ben.

  I snuggled in deeper, not opening my eyes, blankets soft against my skin. Sleep beckoned me back into its arms as something foreign tiptoed across my mind. It called to me like whispers on the wind. A shadowy sound called to me again and again, rousing me too early from my slumber.

  I pulled the covers up around my face, still not wanting to open my eyes.

  Sleep was a luxury since Ben died, and I was looking forward to sleeping in this morning.

  Sweet slumber, my escape. My single reprieve from reality.

  But something wasn’t right.

  My brain struggled to decipher the intrusion that pulled me from blissful rest.

  Clanging…banging? What was that noise?

  Slowly it began to tune in, ever so slowly.

  Downstairs?

  Pulling the covers away from my face, I strained to listen.

  Metal clanged on metal, followed by an occasional clatter.

  The kitchen?

  My groggy mind struggled, piecing thoughts together, and then all at once came into focus.

  I sat up on unsteady elbows. The world around me, slightly off balance.

  Someone was downstairs doing the dishes…and whistling.

  No one should even be here this morning, much less doing dishes!

  The strangeness of it not registering fully as I floundered, trying to reconcile the impossibility.

  Was I caught in that elusive place between asleep and awake? Where dreams filtered into reality?

  That certainly would explain it.

  The intrusion silenced and the conclusion solidified.

  I must’ve been dreaming.

  I laid my head back down, sinking into softness, as sleep attempted to take me again.

  But my reprieve was short lived, as footsteps sounded on the stairs.

  Echoing in the stairwell, one by one, getting closer.

  My eyes popped open as an icy wave of fear washed over me.

  Who could be in the house!?

  My thoughts disjointed and washed with fear as the steps got louder and closer still.

  I was frozen in terror.

  The bedroom door swung open and without thinking twice, I pulled the covers straight over my head and lay motionless.

  Maybe they wouldn’t notice me…

  If they did, what could I do? I had no way to fight back…

  My heart pounded in my ears as I steeled myself for what was coming.

  I held my breath as the steps walked right past the bed and the bathroom door clicked shut, echoing in the room.

  Stunned, I slowly peeked out from the edge of the blanket.

  From behind the closed door, I could hear more whistling…and the water running. Followed by the distinct sound of someone shaving. The metal shaver clanking against the porcelain sink.

  Before I could gather my thoughts, I heard more steps. The unmistakable sound of little feet, thundering in the hallway.

  But it was impossible!

  The boys weren’t here…

  I pulled the covers completely back from my face, straining to see into the hallway. Within moments they appeared in the doorway and bounded onto the bed. Their faces beaming with enthusiasm for life. And morning.

  But as I looked at my boys, I noticed things weren’t quite right…

  Oliver was wearing the fuzzy, worn out dinosaur pajamas I had thrown out months ago. The ones where his big toe poked out of the right foot. They had gotten way too small, but they were his favorite. It was a battle to sneak them out of the house. Yet, somehow, he was wearing them now, and there was no hole in the foot.

  My confusion grew as Grayson smiled at me, and I saw his two front baby teeth. He had lost those in July. The tooth fairy had left him two whole dollars in exchange for those teeth. Yet, there they were. Still there…

  At five and seven, the boys were full of energy and gusto. This morning was no different.

  Smelling faintly of baby shampoo and unbrushed teeth, they bounced, giggled, and climbed back and forth over my blanketed legs.

  My head spun out of control, as I strained to put pieces together.

  Everything was mixed up…

  Surreal.

  I had to be dreaming.

  In an attempt to wake up I pinched myself hard… and it hurt. A red welp soon raised up.

  But the so-called dream wasn’t fazed by my attempt to pull myself back into reality.

  Was I dreaming after all? What other explanation could be made?

  My head continued to spin as the boys wrestled and argued over a Spider-Man action figure. Yanking it back and forth amidst whines and shrieks.

  Without warning, the door handle of the bathroom jiggled and the door swung open.

  Before I could scream, and seemingly as if by magic, out stepped Ben.

  My husband stood in front of me, like he had never been gone.

  The boys screamed, “Daddy!!” bouncing up and down on the bed, jarring me.

  I gasped audibly.

  The world underneath me began to twirl and spin, taking me with it on its journey around the sun. Turning my world at one thousand miles per hour, and I was powerless to stop it.

  I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before opening them again.

  He was still there….

  A feeling came over me I had never experienced before. One that couldn’t be put into words.

  How could Ben be standing here in front of me, when he had been dead for six months?

  Yet, there he was. His handsome face, cleanly shaven, and he was dressed for work.

  He looked at me with a strange expression on his face.

  “Claire? You okay?”

  I watched him as he leaned over and began tickling the boys.

  They squealed with fervent delight.

  “Now boys, it looks like Mommy had a rough night, let’s take it easy on her,” he said as he tousled Oliver’s hair.

  He leaned over and kissed my cheek lightly.

  “Take your time getting up, I’ll get the boys dressed and fed breakfast. I have to go to the office for a few hours, but I promise I will be back in time to go to
Mandi’s birthday party.”

  My heart lurched forward as the words echoed in my head.

  Mandi’s birthday party?

  My mind reeled, over and over, trying to process the implications of what he just said.

  My lungs constricted, like a fish out of water, gasping for air.

  It couldn’t be…her birthday was back in March!! And that was months ago!

  Before the accident…

  I watched him as he walked out of the room carrying both of the boys. One over each shoulder.

  An overwhelming feeling of nausea came over me.

  I yanked my phone off he night table and looked at the date.

  The hair stood up on the back of my neck as I stared at the screen in disbelief.

  Unmistakably -it read March 3rd.

  “Oh my God…” I said audibly. “What the hell is going on?” my voice cracked.

  My mind faltered with confusion as I gritted my teeth, fighting back tears.

  I looked over at the window as the morning sun peered in through the edges of closed blinds and a sliver of light streamed across the floor and onto the bed.

  I looked back to the screen of my phone once again.

  It still read March 3rd.

  I numbly pulled the covers up to my chin, staring at the ceiling fan as it whirred and spun round and round, not fazed by the events of the morning.

  A few moments later, Ben appeared back in the doorway.

  He came and sat down on the edge of the bed.

  I could smell his cologne and involuntarily inhaled the long-missed smell of Ben.

  “Are you sure you’re okay? You look pale,” he said as he gently pushed the hair out of my face.

  I still couldn’t speak. My mind was lost somewhere in time.

  Lost in confusion.

  My Ben was back…

  He stared at me intently, a look of concern on his face.

  I needed to give him some kind of answer. To explain what was going on. But, how could I tell him when I had no idea myself?