Gavin Goode by David B. Seaburn - Book Tour + Giveaway
Gavin Goode
by David B. Seaburn
Genre:
Literary Fiction
Literary Fiction
“I don’t know how, and I don’t know why, but I think I died today.”
So begins the complex and mysterious journey of Gavin Goode and his family. What
happened to Gavin and why? What secrets will emerge along the way?
Frankie, his wife and a dress store owner, feels guilty, but why? His
son, Ryan, who owns an ice cream parlor, and daughter-in-law, Jenna,
who is a bank manager, are expecting their first baby. How will this
trauma affect them? And what of Rosemary, Frankie’s best friend? Or
Ben Hillman and eleven year old, Christopher? How are they implicated
in the events that unfold around Gavin’s misfortune?
happened to Gavin and why? What secrets will emerge along the way?
Frankie, his wife and a dress store owner, feels guilty, but why? His
son, Ryan, who owns an ice cream parlor, and daughter-in-law, Jenna,
who is a bank manager, are expecting their first baby. How will this
trauma affect them? And what of Rosemary, Frankie’s best friend? Or
Ben Hillman and eleven year old, Christopher? How are they implicated
in the events that unfold around Gavin’s misfortune?
This is a story of despair and hope, dreams and reality, uncertainty and faith,humor,
secrecy, forgiveness and beginnings. As in his previous novels, David
B. Seaburn demonstrates his in-depth understanding of the human
experience and his storytelling mastery.
secrecy, forgiveness and beginnings. As in his previous novels, David
B. Seaburn demonstrates his in-depth understanding of the human
experience and his storytelling mastery.
Chapter 9
Gavin’s
wife Frankie arrives in the Emergency Room.
When Frankie starts screaming, emergency room
nurses fly at her from every angle, trying to calm her, trying to keep her
quiet.
“Gavin!”
“That’s okay, that’s okay.”
But it isn’t okay. “Gavin!
Gavin! Gavin!”
“Please Mrs. Goode,” says one
nurse, her face grey and hard.
“Gavin!”
“Mrs. Goode, you must…” But
Frankie can’t hear the nurses. She feels her own throat vibrating; there is
tautness in her neck, but she can’t even hear her own cries. She cranes her
body to look behind the trauma bay curtain just as they are whisking Gavin away
to the OR. She sees his hand dangling. He doesn’t move. He doesn’t flinch. She
wants to touch him. She watches and watches as he rolls away, hoping that he
will sit up, confused about where he is, and say “What the hell is going on
here?” She’d call his name—“Gavin!”—and he would run to her, apologizing for
the inconvenience—“Tell me you didn’t rush home for this”— and she would laugh
and say it didn’t matter.
But he is gone. Frankie looks
in every direction, not knowing what to do…
Dr. Azziz points to the
chairs and then pulls one up for himself.
“We have finished the
surgery. There was a large clot causing extreme pressure on your husband’s
brain.” Then he says bullet, bullet, bullet and bullet, bullet. She doesn’t
know why he keeps saying that word. It offends her; makes her feel violated.
Ryan asks question after question, but all she hears is bullet, bullet, bullet.
Why does he keep talking about this? Why is he holding her arm like she’s a
little girl about to be escorted somewhere she doesn’t want to go? She decides
not to listen, not to hear anything more even though he keeps saying things.
How can someone with such a kind face talk about something so vile? His eyes
are dark and warm. His teeth, white. His mustache, groomed. She likes the sound
of his voice, resonant, yet soft, even melodic. How can he spew such lies? What
is he up to? Dr. Azziz lets go of her arm and stands. He smiles down at her and
his mouth moves again. Then he walks away. She watches him until he disappears
around a corner. She mutters, “Bullet.”
In 2010 I retired after having been the director of a public school
based free family counseling center.
based free family counseling center.
Prior to that I was an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Family
Medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center for almost
twenty years. During my tenure there I taught in a Family Medicine
Residency Program, practiced Medical Family Therapy and was the
Director of a Family Therapy Training Program.
Medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center for almost
twenty years. During my tenure there I taught in a Family Medicine
Residency Program, practiced Medical Family Therapy and was the
Director of a Family Therapy Training Program.
In addition to this I am a retired Presbyterian minister, having
graduated from seminary (Boston University) in 1975. I served a
church full-time from 1975-1981 before entering the mental health
field permanently. I am married; we have two adult daughters and two
wonderful granddaughters.
graduated from seminary (Boston University) in 1975. I served a
church full-time from 1975-1981 before entering the mental health
field permanently. I am married; we have two adult daughters and two
wonderful granddaughters.
My educational background includes two master's degrees and a PhD. Most
of my career was as an assistant professor of psychiatry and family
medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center. There I wrote
two professional books and over 65 papers and book chapters.
of my career was as an assistant professor of psychiatry and family
medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center. There I wrote
two professional books and over 65 papers and book chapters.
In addition to long fiction, I write personal essays, many of which have
been published in the Psychotherapy Networker magazine.
been published in the Psychotherapy Networker magazine.
I also write a blog, "Going Out Not Knowing," for Psychology
Today magazine (http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/going-out-not-knowing).
Today magazine (http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/going-out-not-knowing).
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