Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 95421 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 477(@200wpm)___ 382(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95421 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 477(@200wpm)___ 382(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
Frannie’s nose wrinkled. “Who makes recycling bins any other color but green?”
I laughed. “That’s what she said. But whatever she threw herself into was never about it needing to be done. It was about not wanting the people she loved to see how upset and nervous she was. She was trying to protect us by treating us like we had the cooties.”
Frannie’s shoulders slumped. “The kids are worried enough.”
“Of course they are. You’re their mom, and they were dealt a shit hand losing their dad. But the last thing you need is to get run down dragging yourself around town and stressing. Maybe you can find a way to keep your mind occupied while you’re with the kids. I bet Ryder would keep you on your toes playing a few rounds of cards with him.”
“That he would. Especially if there was ten bucks at stake.”
I shrugged. “I don’t have any kids, but doesn’t all your money wind up spent on them anyway?”
She smiled. “Good point.”
I gestured to the thick envelope in her hand. “Let’s get your papers notarized so we can get you home.”
It took less than five minutes for me to stamp and sign a half-dozen documents. When I was done, I tucked them all back into the envelope and held them out to Frannie. “Here you go.”
“Thanks.” She took the papers, lifted her pocketbook strap to her shoulder, and started to get up, but then lowered herself back down to the chair. “I know I don’t know you very well, but can I ask you a favor?”
“What do you need?”
“Will you remind my sister to take care of herself, too, while I’m in the hospital? She’s going to have the kids. Plus, she’ll be worried about me and running back and forth to the hospital, even though I’ll tell her she shouldn’t visit every day. And I’m sure she wants to work sixty hours here because she’s new and cares about you—but also, she loves her work.”
I nodded. “I’ll do better than that. I’ll make sure she takes care of herself by helping her out with stuff at home and making sure she doesn’t put extra time in here at the office. I’ll kick her ass out if I have to.”
Frannie smiled. “Thank you.”
“It’s my pleasure.”
She walked to the door of my office, then stopped and turned back. “Is your friend’s health better now? The one who treated you like you had the cooties before going into the hospital?”
My face fell before I could stop it.
Frannie’s fell, too. “Oh,” she said. “I’m sorry.”
I shook my head. “I shouldn’t have…”
She forced a smile and waved me off. “It’s fine. You didn’t do anything wrong. Take care, Dawson.”
“You, too, Frannie.”
I sat at my desk, kicking myself in the ass for a long time after she left. I never talked about Bailey. And the one time I did, I told a cancer patient about another cancer patient who died. What the hell was I thinking?
Chapter 32
* * *
DAWSON
12 years ago
“Dawson, can I talk to you a minute?” Bailey’s mom stood at her front door, holding it open. I’d been on my way home from the bus stop after baseball practice.
“Sure. What’s up, Mrs. A?”
She gestured to the house. “Come in.”
“Is Bailey home? She usually has violin lessons on Thursday after school, right?”
“She does. She’ll be home in about twenty minutes. But I wanted to talk to you alone.”
My stomach sank. “Is Bailey okay?”
Her smile was resigned. “There’s nothing new with her health. I wanted to talk to you about something personal.”
“Oh-kay.” I walked up to the porch.
“My daughter would kill me if she knew I was having this conversation with you.”
“I can keep a secret.”
Mrs. Anderson smiled. “It’s about the junior prom.”
“What about it?”
“Well, Bailey will never admit it to anyone at school, but she really wants to go.”
“I don’t think Ben asked anyone yet. I’m sure he would take her. You want me to talk to him?”
“Actually, Bailey would really like to go with you.”
“Oh.”
She held up her hands. “That is, if you don’t have a date yet. Bailey didn’t seem to think you did.”
That was only because I hadn’t yet mentioned that I’d asked Allie a few days ago.
Mrs. Anderson’s eyes watered. “I’m sorry to even ask you, but I just really want to give her everything she wants before she…”
The unspoken words hung heavy in the air. Before she dies. I swallowed. “I didn’t think she’d want to go with me. That’s why I mentioned Ben. Of course I’ll take her.”
“Are you sure I’m not imposing on your plans? You didn’t have your heart set on going with another girl or anything, did you?”
Allie was going to kill me. Yet I shook my head. “Nah. All good.”
She smiled and pulled me into a hug. “You’re an angel, Dawson. I honestly don’t know what she would’ve done without you these last three-and-a-half years. Thank you so much.”