SAVED

By Kelly Elliott

Copyright © 2013 by Kelly Elliott

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. IF you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to seller and purchase your own copy. Thank you respecting the hard work of this author.

Copyright 2012 Kelly Elliott at Smashwords

Published by Kelly Elliott

www.authorkellyelliott.blogspot.com

www.facebook.com/KellyElliottAuthor

All rights reserved

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

This book is a work of fiction. Name, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Cover photo take by Rutheah Rodehorst www.bluehousefotos.com

Cover design by Sarah Hansen www.okaycreations.net

Editor - Jovana Shirley www.unforeseenediting.com

ISBN- 13: 978-0-9887074-3-6 eBook

ISBN- 13: 978-0-988-707-4-3 Paperback

Thank you…

Arianna Niknejadi. You are not only being my BFF, but you have supported me and helped me so much along this journey. Thank you, Ari, for answering my endless questions in the beginning about Fragile X, thank you for sharing your personal stories with me, and most importantly…thank you for allowing me to share a piece of your precious Logan with the world. Thanks also for reading Saved and giving me your feedback. For yelling at me when I was on Facebook and should have been writing or doing edits. Thank you for helping me write the blurb when I was just stuck. You truly amaze me in all that you do…from being a wonderful friend, to an amazing mother. You rock you bitch!

Gary “Leo” Taylor –I swear I get at least ten messages a day saying how you are the perfect Gunner. You truly are…but you’re more than that. Your determination is awe inspiring, your heart is genuine, your smile is infectious, and you might have been told this before…but you take one hell of a good picture cowboy. You’re a friend who I admire and can count on. Thank you for just being you and always having my back and making me smile.

Molly McAdams – As I write this I’m having Molly withdraws ‘cause we haven’t had lunch in like…Two weeks! Thank you Molly for always making me laugh. You have no idea how much I look forward to our weekly lunches. You’re an amazing friend…a kick ass author…(Can I just say……oh my god I can’t wait for Stealing Harper BTW) and a beautiful person inside and out. Thank you for everyone! Love you girl! P.S. Gus, Rose, Fergie and Pumpkin want another sleep over!

Sarah Hansen – Thank you for another beautiful book cover. I’m so proud to say that you’ve done my book covers. You rock and are the best!

Rutheah Rodehorst – You are an amazing photographer. Your pictures have truly brought to life these books. Thank you for allowing me to share your work on the cover of my books.

Jovana Shirley – Girl…you amaze me! You did a fabulous job on editing Saved. You made me smile numerous times throughout. For that…I thank you from the bottom of my heart! Now on to Faithful we will go!

Kim Bias, Lisa Kane, and Denise Tung – Thank you girls SO MUCH for your support. It means more to mean than words could ever say.

Heather Davenport, Jemma Scarry, JoJo Belle, Rosa Saucedo – Thank you so so SO much for helping with Saved. I love you girls and I love how you have my back. I’m just so damn blessed to have you Friends. Rosa my photo pimp….LOL! I love you!

Amanda Orozco – I can thank Gary for bringing you into my world. I’m so glad we have become friends. Thank you so much for answering all of my questions about horse breeding. I love you girl and would do anything for ya! Keep sending me those couple pictures!

Sue Sunderlin – Girl you know I love you! Thank you for being there for me….your friendship means so much to me. Thank you for letting me use you and Mark as my inspirations for Ari’s parents.

Alexandra Louk – Thank you for sharing your story with me. Thank you for being my inspiration and teaching me that it just takes touching one person’s life to make a world of difference.

My street team, Kelly’s Most Wanted- Holy shit…I don’t even know what to say to y’all. Thank you will never be good enough. I wish I could name each of you but you know who you are. I’d be lost without you girls…please know that. I love each and every one of y’all.

Dedication

This book is dedicated to my husband Darrin, my daughter Lauren, and my mother.

First I need to thank you Darrin…for reading your first ever book and making that book mine! I hope you see the bits and pieces of us together in these books and smile. Thank you so much for supporting me in this journey, even when it’s taken me so far away from you. (BTW I really am listening to you talk…it just looks like I’m not) Thank you for letting me share a bit of you also with the world. I love you more than life itself…always have….always will. Thank you for yet another star wish too! LOL! You are my true romancer Darrin. I love you more.

Lauren – Oh. My. God. You’re growing up before my eyes. I’m not gonna lie… some of our “adult” conversations on the way to and from school…yeah they freak me out just a little bit. You make me laugh, you make my cry, and you make me mad as hell sometimes…but I look forward to your smile every morning. Never change who you are to make someone else happy. You’re a beautiful person inside and out…stay that way. I love you so much Lauren and I am so proud of you.

Mom – I wish you were to see all of this. I hope you would be proud of who I am. I miss you.

***

In this story you will meet a young man named Matthew Peterson. Matthew is a very special little guy and is very near and dear to my heart…he has Fragile X Syndrome. Matt was based off of my best friend’s son, Logan Howard.

For those of you who don't know, Fragile X Syndrome is a genetic disorder that causes mental impairment, intellectual disability, poor eye contact, hand biting or flapping, learning and behavioral challenges, sensory processing disorders as well as anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorders. It also happens to be the most common known genetic cause of Autism.

Fragile X syndrome can range from moderate learning disabilities, typically seen in girls, to very sever intellectual disabilities typical found in boys but some girls as well. It can cause physical features such as a long face, velvet soft skin, large ears, hyper flexible joints, as well as connective tissue problems, and seizure disorders. Children and adults with Fragile X are visual learners and learn best from peer models. It's imperative that they are exposed to typical social situations to develop strategies for appropriate social interactions.

Fragile X syndrome is detective by a simple blood test, screening for this is strongly recommended as 1 out of 260 females and 1 out of 800 males carry the FMR1 permutation gene which can cause Fragile X syndrome. The genetic test is also strongly recommend to those who have received a diagnoses of autism.

Approximately 1 in 3600 males and approximately 1 in 4000 females are born with Fragile X.