Bendicion

by Robert Rivera

My story begins in the emergency room of the Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn, New York, where two men have just been wheeled in. One of them is D.O.A. The other is the protagonist, Joseph Roman. This is the story of Joseph and Maria Roman, a middle-aged couple with two seven-year-old Lucy and seventeen-year-old Edwin. Edwin Roman is an aspiring high school student with everything going for him. He is academically gifted and the football hero of his school. His parents are extremely proud of him. He is destined to become the first Roman of his generation to go to college. He has dreamed of becoming a doctor since he was a little boy. But Edwin holds a secret that could ruin his chances of ever leaving the ghettoes of Brooklyn - a secret that could affect the very same trusting relationship he holds dear with his parents. Edwin Roman has fallen victim to the enemy - an enemy in the form of crack cocaine, the very same thing he has always detested and the very same thing that made him so critical of those who used drugs. This is the story of a young man's fall and rise from a world of pain and darkness only to fall victim to violence. It is an inspirational story of strength and family honor for both young and old. This is the story of a father obsessed with vengeance and a mother holding on to her Christian faith to keep her family together. Love, honor, trust, and family values are the ingredients that make up this great story. Although it is only fiction, this story will hit home to many people, not only those who live in the inner cities but for every parent who worries about the future of their children.

203 pages

First published January 1, 2009