Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 80176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 321(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
He looked relieved.
Darren and Trixie didn’t put the same importance on school that most parents would.
Baseball, yes. The farm and doing chores, absolutely. School? That would be a big fat no.
Trixie and Darren barely graduated high school, and they felt that school, although a necessary evil, wasn’t something that was crucial. Especially if there was farming business to be done or they needed the extra hand that DJ could offer.
How my sister got her nursing degree still baffled me. Then again, it baffled me that she didn’t use it. I would have.
It was sad, really. Although farming was our way of life, I didn’t think that it needed to be the way of life for everyone.
Hell, my own personal story of how my meager farming income was killed off—literally—in a little less than a few hours was proof enough that you should always have a backup plan.
Sure, I had gone to college and graduated with a degree in business, but I hadn’t worked an office job with a boss in well over a half decade.
“Sounds good, Aunt Kennedy,” he hesitated. “I’m glad you’re here.”
My face softened at the sweet boy’s words. “I’m here if you need me. If you ever need me…just call, okay?”
DJ looked away before I could get a gauge on how he was really doing, but the small glimpse that I did see was enough to tell me that he wasn’t doing anywhere near as well as he was making himself out to be.
Dammit.
I’d have to have a talk with Darren.
After this was all over. I’d have him keep an eye on DJ to make sure that things didn’t get out of hand.
***
Turns out, the cafeteria did have amazing cookies. We all had two, and when the cafeteria workers got a load of Lucy’s beautiful blue eyes, they gave her some hot ones from the back. And a glass of milk.
Everyone was a sucker for Lucy’s blue eyes.
Hell, I was, too.
“Y’all ready to head back?” I asked as I gathered up our wrappers, napkins and cups and headed for the trashcan that was only a few feet away.
When I turned around, all three were still sitting there, shaking their heads.
“How about we run down to the gift shop…get something nice for mommy?”
That got a bunch of head nods, so that’s what we did next.
Thirty minutes later, we were on our way back up to the room, when a nurse flagged me down.
I gestured for DJ to keep walking, thinking that it was something to do with Trixie.
“Head on down there. I’ll be there in a minute.”
DJ nodded, the big stuffed octopus in his hands as he lightly shoved Jack in the right direction.
I watched for a few seconds before turning at the sound of the woman’s cleared voice.
“Ma’am?”
I turned, a smile on my face.
“Yes?”
Those kids made my heart happy, even when I was sad.
“Can you meet me on the other side of the station?”
I agreed, but held up a finger. “Let me make sure they get in the room all right.”
She nodded thoughtfully, and I watched as Jaxon finally turned the corner to Trixie’s room, and then turned on my heel and met the woman on the other side of the nurses’ station, nearest the exit.
When I met her at the corner, right at the opening of the nurses’ station, she started to wring her hands.
“I’ve been asked to explain to you that you’re not allowed back inside the room while the family is there.”
My mouth opened in surprise.
“What?”
She visibly winced.
“The family has requested that no visitors be allowed back until they say.”
“But…but she’s my twin sister.”
The woman looked torn, but she held strong. “I’m so sorry.”
Fucking Darren.
Why did he hate me?
If I was being honest, he’d always disliked me, and I could never figure out exactly why.
I was good enough to watch his kids. I was good enough to do things for him and help around the farm when he needed it.
“Are you okay?”
I looked up, not realizing that I’d dropped my head, and gave one firm nod.
“Yeah,” my voice cracked.
“Are you sure?”
No, I wasn’t okay. And no, I wouldn’t be okay.
My sister was dying, and I’d never get to see her alive again because her husband was a douche bag.
“Will you…will you call me?” I asked, my throat thick and my hands clenched tightly.
Her eyes filled with sorrow.
“I will. The moment that anything changes, I’ll give you a call,” she hesitated before saying what she said next. “I’m not supposed to give you any information on her, but she won’t make it through the night.”
I closed my eyes for a few long seconds, then nodded once mutely. “Thank you.”
My voice cracked, but I held strong.
I made it all the way to my truck, which thankfully had started today, before I broke.
***
Evander
I watched her cry.
I watched her cry for so long that I worried for her health.