Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 127715 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 639(@200wpm)___ 511(@250wpm)___ 426(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127715 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 639(@200wpm)___ 511(@250wpm)___ 426(@300wpm)
Harry was careful not to react.
Ronetta kept going.
“But he was bad news. No backbone. That family strayed far away from the straight and narrow, and more often than not, it walked right up to our girl’s door, and he didn’t do a thing about it. I cannot tell you the relief we felt when she got shot of him. We should have expected it, one thing Lillian always had was a good head on her shoulders. Both her parents gave her that. But there was relief all the same.” She gave Harry’s knee a squeeze. “We haven’t had any of those feelings recently.”
“I’m not certain I can express how much that means to me,” Harry murmured the god’s honest truth.
“No need, son,” she replied. “You get stars in your eyes, you can’t see. You’re not a man who gets stars in his eyes. You see clear. That’s the hallmark a relationship will work. You can’t make it work if you don’t see your partner clear.”
Having said that, she straightened from his shoulder, tucked her hankie in her sweater sleeve and sniffled, indicating her moment of mourning and leaning on someone had passed.
“You’re the bedrock of all of them,” Harry pointed out. “But you’re allowed to have a reaction to all that’s happening.”
She finally looked at him. “Oh, I know.”
“What I’m saying is, they’re strong too, and they all worry about you.”
A small smile hit her lips. “I know that too. That’s family, Harry. All of it is. I suspect you know that as well as me, what with your dad and brother coming at such short notice to be sure someone was seeing to you while you see to Lillian.”
“So Dad grumbled about that to you,” Harry observed.
Her smile got bigger. “Nothing left when our kids are grown, and we’ve raised them right, but to find little things to moan about. Just serves to remind us how little those things are, and what good jobs we’ve done in raising our kids.”
Harry smiled back. “So that’s how it goes.”
“That’s how it goes.” She gave his knee another squeeze and her face got very serious. No, stern. “And I hope you figure that out sooner rather than later so I can hold some babies in my arms before I’m too old to open a can a soup, which will already be indication I’m too old, if I can’t make my own danged soup.”
Now he and Lillian were going to get it.
He didn’t mind in the slightest, which was why he chuckled.
She stood and he came up with her.
She then took both of his hands and tipped her head back to catch his eyes.
And she dealt an unexpected blow when she stated, “My heart clean broke for you when you lost your wife.”
“It was a long time ago,” he reminded her.
She gave his hands a squeeze. “I know, honey. Just saying, I’m not the only bedrock around here. I thank God every day I found a good man and he’s been mine for a long time, and if God keeps smiling on us, he’ll stay that way. I don’t know what you’re going through, finding your love, and then years down the road, running into the next one. I just know it all has to be a lot for you, especially how it’s happening.”
“I stopped to give you a shoulder to cry on, not the other way around,” he quipped.
That got him another smile, then she said, “Just know, Harry, I see you. George sees you. Shane and Sherise see you. And in case you’re not getting it, I’ll make it official and welcome you to the family.”
That meant so much to Harry, he released her hands so he could hug her.
She relaxed into his embrace and hugged him back.
When they stepped away, he asked, “You walk here?”
“Yes. Needed a constitutional.”
“You want a ride home?”
Her gaze warmed, or he should say it warmed more. “No, darlin’. I want to pop into Kimmy’s and see what Halloween stuff she’s put out.”
Harry nodded, bent and kissed her cheek.
When he straightened, she lifted a hand to lightly pat his.
“Stay warm,” he bid. “And see you later.”
“That you will, Harry. That you definitely will.”
He smiled at her again.
And then Harry left Ronetta in a park that memorialized a strong, honest, honorable woman who made a difference in her life.
Which seemed fitting.
THIRTY-SIX
Where This Is Going
Harry
Harry was in his office, dealing with email, thinking one thing he knew for certain about his future. When he retired, he wasn’t going to have a fucking email.
He sensed someone coming, looked up and saw Sean knock on the frame of his door.
Harry did not like the expression on his deputy’s face.
“Hey, Sean,” he greeted.
Sean knew that was the invitation it was, and he entered Harry’s office.
He sat across from Harry and said, “As you asked, ran down the gun found in Clifford Ballard’s hand.”