Cry Tough (Paperback)

It is 1977; Blossom Mae Black is yearning for a better life. She wants to succeed on her terms. She thinks the further away she goes the better her chance at realizing success on a level that her father, a popular saxophone player, and her mother, a ballet dancer, never achieved. Blossom is 27; Toronto calls her out of sultry Montego Bay and she responds; she shudders at the thought of leaving boyfriend, Sheldon Morgan behind. Upon arriving in Toronto, Blossom quickly finds out that success will not come easy. First, the permanent status she seeks calls for her participation in a sham marriage. Second, the job security she wants necessitates an ongoing love affair with her boss, charismatic lawyer, Ron Johnson. Then comes a tricky situation-she illegitimately conceives with Sheldon and she surrenders her happiness to the birth of the child. Her child dies suddenly; devastating strokes partially paralyze her and a massive heart attack claims the life of her wealthy husband, David Clark. Blossom tackles life on her terms even though circumstances make her shift her lines of demarcation. She admits fate is ever chasing her, getting in her face and making her regret. And she realizes, life is full of surprises, she accepts them-good, bad and ugly. The writing on the bus says Ethica Mature Lifestyles. The lift gently raises Blossom's wheelchair. Sheldon Morgan stands on the curb-waving. "Love you," Sheldon mimes. "Love you too," Blossom mimes back. The bus slowly pulls away and blends into freeway traffic; a new way of living beckons Blossom Mae Black and, again, she responds.