Текст книги "Sometimes It Lasts"
Автор книги: Abbi Glines
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Текущая страница: 2 (всего у книги 11 страниц)
There was a flicker of unease in Jeremy’s eyes that most people wouldn’t have noticed, but then most people hadn’t grown up spending everyday of their life with him. I knew him too well. Because I knew him so well, I decided to let it go for now. He was protecting something and I was going to let him.
“Your homemade chicken salad?” he asked with a pleased look on his face.
“Yep.”
“Hell, yeah,” he replied, and bounded up the stairs without waiting for me.
This was nice. Lately I’d been missing home… Daddy… Jeremy… the past. Not because I wasn’t happy with Cage—because I was, deliriously so. It was just that I didn’t feel like I could talk to him about home. Cage and Daddy still didn’t speak to each other. When they were together, it was awkward. Even though Cage didn’t mention it, I knew he still worried that he would never measure up to Josh. If I ever mentioned Josh, the look on Cage’s face said it all. I just couldn’t be open with him about everything.
I fixed both of us a plate and sat down at the table across from Jeremy. We’d been eating together at this table since I was a little girl. It felt good to still have moments like this. “Tell me about college. You madly in love yet?”
Jeremy glanced up at me then back down at his plate, then he shoveled a forkful of peas into his mouth. Guess that wasn’t something he wanted to talk about. Which meant we needed to talk about it. It had always been Josh’s job to get Jeremy to talk when he had a problem. I had watched their dynamic for years. I knew Jeremy as well as I had known Josh.
“Talk Jer,” I said, setting my own fork down and staring at him.
He let out a sigh and shook his head. “Nothing to talk about.”
“Yeah, and I know better than that. Can’t lie to me,” I replied.
Jeremy leaned back in his seat and leveled me with his eyes. “Fine. I don’t think college life is for me. I thought it was what I wanted. I couldn’t wait to get out of here.… You know, away from this small town. But I miss it. A helluva lot. I miss waking up early and going outside before the dew has dried. I miss the smell of the land and working with the sun on my back while I accomplish something. For so damn long I wanted out of this life and now I know it’s my home. It’s who I am.”
I understood some of that. I missed the land too. Maybe not as much as he did, but it was a part of both of us. “Then move home. If this is the life you want, come home.”
I could see the torn expression in his eyes. “I want to… but Momma is so damn proud of me. For the first time in my life, she acts as proud of me as she was of Josh. I loved my brother, you know that, Eva, but I never was as good as Josh in Momma’s eyes. She adored him. He was the one who everyone loved.” He paused and his eyes flicked down, away from me. “I understand why. I loved him too. But it’s nice to feel like for once I’m doing something that she’s proud of even if she hadn’t wanted me to go in the beginning. She’s glad I did now.”
I leaned across the table and glared at Jeremy hard until he had to lift his gaze back up to meet mine. “Jeremy Beasley, you listen to me, and I mean listen to me good. Your momma thinks you walk on water. She adores you just as much as she adored Josh. How could she not? After everything, you were the reason everyone—me, your momma, your daddy, everyone—grieved for Josh, and you stood there in the gap. When you should have ben grieving and falling apart, you kept us all together. You, Jeremy. You. If you decide you want to come home and live here and have this life, your momma will be thrilled. She wants you close, Jer. But more than anything, she wants you to be happy. Can’t you see that? She wants you to have a chance at life. She wants you to get to live the life your brother didn’t.”
A small smile tugged on the corner of Jeremy’s lips. It was a crooked smile that reminded me so much of Josh’s. “I’m glad you were here today. I needed you to set me straight. Always were good for that,” Jeremy teased.
“We all have our talents,” I replied, and winked at him before picking up my biscuit.
“How are things with you and Cage?” Jeremy asked before taking another bite of his food.
“Good—no, great. He got a full-ride scholarship to Hill State in Tennessee for baseball. I’m so proud of him.”
Jeremy frowned. “How’s that gonna work? I can’t imagine York running off and leaving you behind. Last time I was around, he was pretty damn attached to you.”
The fear eating away at me was back. I wanted to believe the best, but the truth was, there was a chance Daddy could say no. What if he said no? “I’m going with him,” I replied, deciding that speaking it might make it true.
“Wow, really? I didn’t think your dad would be real keen on you running off with Cage.”
Not what I needed to hear right then. I managed to shrug indifferently. “Maybe not, but I love him.”
“And when Eva loves someone, she loves them hard and with all her heart. I know that. I’ve seen it in action,” Jeremy said with a sad smile that I didn’t understand and didn’t want to dig to deep and figure out. It was odd
CAGE
I glanced down at my phone again for the third time in ten minutes. It was getting late. Eva had texted that she was headed back from her dad’s over an hour ago. I didn’t want to text her and check on her while she was driving, for fear she’d glance down at her phone and take her eyes off the road. If she wasn’t here in the next ten minutes, I was going after her.
“Loosen up. Damn, I finally get you alone for more than ten fucking minutes, and all you do is sit around sulking and checking your phone. I love Manda like mad crazy, but even we have to take breaks from each other. You need to learn to breathe without her under your arm all the time.” Preston was frowning at me from across the table at Live Bay where I’d met up with him and Dewayne to hear Jackdown play. Eva knew where I was and was coming straight here.
“Shut up,” I growled at Preston. He tucked some of his long blond hair behind his ear, and I swear two girls walked up to the table because of it. The dude and his hair were a damn chick magnet. Annoying as hell, since most of them came in pairs and one was always looking at me. Not interested. Never will be.
“Hey, Preston, you’re alone tonight?” one of them said, leaning into him with her double d’s pressed in his face.
“My girl may not be here, but I’m still not available. Go sniff somewhere else,” he replied with a flip of his hand. I didn’t even make eye contact with them. My eyes were locked on the door, waiting for Eva to walk inside.
“Next time point one in my direction,” Dewayne said as he put his beer down on the table and sat down beside me. “I walk off for three damn minutes and miss that. I need a fucking distraction. They’d have done it. Both of ’em.”
“Go after them. I’m sure they’d be all over that tattooed-dreadlocks-pierced lip-and-leather-bracelet thing you got going. You’re scary as hell, D. It’s gonna take more than a Malibu Barbie to take you on.” Preston had summed up Dewayne well. The dude was rough. Females liked it, but then he’d snarl and they’d take off running.
“You’re right. Those two wouldn’t have been able to handle me. Even with two of them.”
Not a mental image I needed. Where the fuck was Eva?
The door opened and in she walked as if I’d summoned her with my desperation. Her long dark hair was loose and windblown, curling around her shoulders. The shorts she was wearing had once been a pair of her favorite jeans. She’d cut them, and although she looked fucking amazing, she had cut them way too short. The snug-fitting shirt she had on was the one she’d bought to wear to my games this past year. It had my number on it.
Dewayne let out a low whistle. “Damn, York, when you decide to fucking settle down, you sure pick some prime-choice—”
“Don’t. Finish. That. Thought,” I cut him off before he could completely piss me off. If Dewayne was looking, so was every other male in the damn bar. I jumped up and went to get what was mine.
“Go get her!” Preston called out with a hoot of laughter. Stupid shit knew what it felt like to have your girl looked at. He dealt with that about as well as I did. He was just an ass when he wanted to be.
“Hey.” Eva’s eyes lit up when she saw me coming through the crowd to get her.
I didn’t reply. I needed her first. Pulling her against me, I licked her bottom lip before I slid my tongue hungrily into her mouth. I’d missed her taste today. She’d been gone too long. Giggling, Eva pulled back before I completely forgot where we were, and smiled up at me.
“I missed you too,” she said.
“Like crazy,” I assured her. I had thought of little else while she was gone.
“Daddy said he’d pay for it.”
I’d meant I wasn’t going to Tennessee without her. I’d been ready to make it happen or not go. But hearing her say that we wouldn’t have that obstacle to overcome was like a shitload of bricks had just been lifted off my damn chest. I could take a deep breath.
“Hot damn,” I growled, and pulled her hard up against me. “I need you. Now.”
I was ready to take her outside and celebrate. Eva, however, fluttered her eyelashes at me, which meant she wanted to do something else and was being adorable so she could get her way.
“Let’s dance first,” she said, grabbing my arm and pulling me toward the dance floor covered up with sweaty bodies. Jackdown wasn’t playing yet, so the DJ was still controlling the music. Nelly’s “Hot In Herre” started playing, and Eva glanced up at me with a wicked grin. I was in trouble. We might end up fucking in the damn Mustang.
I let her pull me into the middle of the moving bodies and I watched as she ran her hands down my chest, stopping to flick both my pierced nipples before she started moving in ways I only wanted her moving in the privacy of our apartment. Damn.
When she started sliding her body down mine until she was squatting with her mouth level with my zipper, I decided we wouldn’t make it until the next song. Reaching down, I jerked her up, and she threw her head back and cackled with laughter. My naughty little girl wanted to play. Fine. We’d play.
I slipped a leg between hers, pressing between those tiny bottoms she was wearing, then grabbed her tight little ass, pulling it up against me before rocking my hips to the music. The fire in her eyes was instant. Eva placed her hands flat against my chest and closed her eyes. When her mouth went lax and it slowly opened, I knew I’d had enough. I grabbed her hand and pulled her off the dance floor and straight for the door.
When we stepped into the warm evening breeze, my pulse kicked up higher. I was taking her in the mustang. I wouldn’t be able to wait.
“Where are we going?” Eva asked breathlessly.
“My car,” I replied, pulling her back to the dark parking lot. “I was hot when you walked in girl. I didn’t need any more encouragement.”
I jerked open the passenger-side door. I slide the seat back as far as it would go then laid it back and sat down, pulling her onto my lap before closing the door.
“In my car, baby,” I growled, grabbing her head and pulling her surprised mouth down so I could invade her with my tongue the way I was about to invade her body. “Fucking shorts. Too damn short,” I muttered against her lips.
She straddled me, pulling her knees up to each side of my legs, and pressed her heat against me. Even through the jeans I could feel how ready she was already. I slid my hands under her shirt and undid her bra, leaving her shirt on in case anyone walked back there. I didn’t want anyone seeing her tits. Those were mine. Only mine. I took small bites of her neck and shoulders. Eva always tasted so good. Everywhere.
“When we get home, I’m gonna enjoy you. Every part. But right now, I need inside you. Get these shorts off.”
Eva pulled back and her eyes were hooded with desire. I watched her as she unsnapped her shorts and began to wiggle out of them and her panties while she sat in my lap.
I reached down and pulled them the rest of the way off. “Lie back,” I whispered, adjusting her in my lap so that her back was against my chest. I opened her legs and ran my hands down the inside of her thighs. Her skin was so soft, it always fascinated me.
“Please, Cage,” she begged just as my fingers teased the crease of her leg barely grazing her center.
“Please what, baby? Tell me,” I said as her head lay back on my shoulder and she let out a sigh of frustration, making me smile.
“Touch me.”
“My fucking pleasure,” I replied, slipping a finger between her wet folds and causing her to jerk in my lap. She was more than ready for me. I slipped my finger into her warmth a few times and let her enjoy the playful teasing before I couldn’t handle it anymore. My zipper was cutting into my damn dick. I had to get some relief.
I wrapped an arm around her waist and lifted her while I undid my jeans and jerked them down with my other hand until I was free of my confinement. I didn’t have a condom, but we didn’t need one. I’d been checked and given a clean bill of health and Eva was on the pill. “Spread them wider,” I said as she adjusted herself over my lap.
I directed it to the wet heat that I knew was going to send me to heaven with one thrust. “Come down on me, Eva,” I instructed, and Eva slammed her hips down on me hard. We both cried out in pleasure as her body adjusted to fit me.
“Damn,” I groaned, not expecting her to be so anxious. “You want it hard tonight?” I asked.
“Yes. I want to be fucked hard,” she whispered, grabbing my upper thighs as she lifted herself again.
“You talk to me like that and I’m gonna blow real damn fast,” I groaned as Eva slammed down on me again. She wasn’t kidding that she wanted it hard tonight. I’d give my baby naughty sex if that was what she wanted.
Slipping my hand between her legs, I flicked her clit, causing a surprised cry from her. “Oh, yes,” she moaned.
“You ride my cock, baby, and I’ll keep this pretty pussy happy,” I said, feeling her shiver against me.
“Oh God, Cage. I’m gonna come fast if you’re touching me.”
I chuckled against her ear. “That’s a good thing, because if you keep slamming down on my cock like that I’m gonna blow pretty damn fast. Especially if you talk dirty.”
She turned her head to look up at me. I could see the twinkle in them. She was excited. I’d just asked for it and she was about to test it. Damn. She lifted her ass again and I squeezed her clit just as she fell back down on me. Her loud cry of pleasure made me smile. “I’m gonna come. Fuck, you feel good. So good inside me. I wanna feel you shoot inside me. Come with me, Cage,” she begged. I was so close. I ran my thumb over her clit a few more times and her body began to tremble. Reaching for her waist, I picked her up and began controlling the rhythm. When her orgasm began, the tight squeezing milked mine out of me as I followed her into release.
Wrapping my arms around her waist, I held her against me as her body jerked with each wave that came over her. She slowly began to relax against me. I was still buried inside her. I didn’t want to pull out yet. I liked feeling her warmth.
“I love you,” she said breathlessly.
She was my home.
Chapter Four
EVA
The next two weeks went fast. Cage finished his last season with the Hurricanes and I passed all my finals. We were going to be going to Tennessee in two days to look at apartments and Cage had to meet with the team and coach. He would start working out with them and practicing with them over the next month.
Although it would be a long time before next season he would be worked hard to get into shape to play college ball on that level. I was prepared for it and I was happy for him. I had never seen him so excited. Apparently excitement made him even more horny which I didn’t think was possible. It was rare that I walked past him that he didn’t have me pressed up against a wall or sprawled out on top of boxes. I loved his enthusiasm and it was hard not to be just as giddy as he was.
Today I was left to pack my things and Cage had gone to get his oil changed and car checked out for the long drive this weekend. I was planning on going to see Daddy tomorrow. I wanted to spend time with him before we left. I would be back again in a month to see him but I was used to seeing him once a week. I was going to miss that.
My phone rang as I taped up another box. Jeremy’s name lit up the screen and I grabbed the phone and quickly answered. Jeremy never called me.
“Hello?”
There was a pause on the phone. A knot slowly formed in my stomach.
“Jeremy?” I asked when he didn’t respond.
“Eva. Hey. I… You need to come home. We need to talk.”
We need to talk? “What? You’re scaring me Jer. What’s wrong?”
“I, I talked to your dad today. He needs me to take him back to the doctor today. He’s sick, Eva. You need to come home. We should be back by five this evening. Come talk to him.”
Sick? I’d just been to see him last week. He was fine. “What’s wrong with him?” I asked as I moved to grab my purse and keys.
“Eva, I don’t want to talk to you about this over the phone. I’d have come there but your dad needs me with him. Come home and we’ll talk.”
My heart was racing as I locked the apartment door behind me and ran down the stairs toward the parking lot. “Should you call an ambulance?” I asked as a horrible bad scenarios ran through my head. Was he having a heart attack?
“No. He doesn’t need an ambulance. It isn’t that kind of sick. He just needs you, Eva. I’m taking him to the County Hospital for a procedure. He doesn’t want you to know but I found him today bent over and he was… He was throwing up… He was throwing up blood, Eva.”
It was if my heart stopped. Throwing up blood? That wasn’t normal. Oh God that was so not normal. Tears filled my eyes as started the engine to my Jeep and pulled out onto the road. “When are you leaving for the hospital?” I asked anxiously. I needed to get to my dad. “He needs to go now,” I snapped.
“He’s changing his clothes right now. I’m outside waiting on him then we are headed that way.”
“Go inside with him, Jer. Please. Go inside with him,” I couldn’t keep the sobbing in. “Don’t leave him alone. I’ll meet you at the hospital. Hurry Jeremy. Hurry, please,” I begged.
“Drive careful. I’m going inside to check on him now. I got him, Eva. Just meet us there. We will figure this out. I swear we will.”
Jeremy’s words didn’t ease the fear clawing at me. My daddy, my big strong invincible daddy was throwing up blood. What did that even mean? Why would someone throw up blood?
I couldn’t fall apart. I had to be strong. I had to show him that I believed he was going to fine. If he saw me cry he’d worry about me. He didn’t need to be worrying over me. Swallowing the sob in my throat I took several deep breaths.
I was going to have to tell Cage. He would be looking for me. I dialed his number and waited. It rang twice.
“Hey, baby,” he drawled. The ease and happiness in his voice only made the tears burn my eyes.
“I’m headed to the hospital. Daddy’s sick. Jeremy called me. I have to go,” I managed to get out with only a few small sobs.
“Where are you? I can drive you. You don’t need to be driving upset.” I could tell he was moving. Probably running for his car. I couldn’t wait on him. I loved him for wanting to come with me but I couldn’t wait.
“I’ve already left. I have to get there. I can’t wait. He’s throwing up blood. He,” I hiccupped, “he was going to the doctor today anyway for a procedure. Something is wrong with him and he hasn’t told me. That can’t be good. I can’t lose my daddy, Cage. I can’t.” I was freely sobbing now.
“I know, baby. He’s gonna be okay. We gotta believe he’s gonna be okay. Please pull over and let me come get you. Driving like this is dangerous. I need you to calm down. Okay, please, please calm down and pull over.” The panicked pleading in his voice was hard to ignore. But I had to get to my daddy. I couldn’t do this for him.
I fought back the tears again. “I’m okay. I am. I can’t stop. I can’t I need to get there.”
Cage swore under his breath. “What hospital?”
“County Hospital,” I replied.
“I’m on my way. Be careful. For me and your daddy be careful,” he begged.
“I will. I promise,” I assured him.
“I love you.”
“I love you, too. Always,” I replied then hung up. Gripping the wheel with both hands I focused on getting to the hospital then I started to pray.
*
I was pacing the entrance to the hospital when I saw Jeremy’s truck pull into the parking lot. I wasn’t sure if he’d told Daddy I was going to be here or not. Either way he was going to fuss. He didn’t want me to know about this obviously.
I waited on them to get to the door before stepping forward to greet them. Daddy’s pinched frown at seeing me wasn’t one of surprise. Jeremy had told him I was going to be here. Good.
“Stubborn boy wasn’t supposed to call you. I was gonna talk to you before you left. I just wanted to wait until you had your new life ahead of you before and were ready to move on before I explained all this,” Daddy said. His voice still sounded as strong and rumbly as always. My fear eased some at the reminder he was alive and he didn’t look like he had been throwing up. Except the circles under his eyes weren’t normal and the pale color of his skin wasn’t that noticeable but it was there.
“I can’t believe you were waiting to tell me you were sick. I could have been the one to take you to the hospital. You don’t have to be sick alone,” I said walking up to him and wrapping my arms around his waist to hug him. I needed to smell his aftershave and the feel his strong body. All the thoughts that had played out in my head on the way here had messed with me. I was afraid I was losing him. But he was here and we were going to get him fixed.
“We need to get him to the third floor. His appointment is in ten minutes,” Jeremy said. It was the first time he’d spoken since they’d gotten here. The haunted look in his eyes bothered me. He knew something. Or maybe I was imagining it. I grabbed Daddy’s hand and we walked to the elevator.
“I was coming over tomorrow and I was leaving on the next day. Were you gonna wait until tomorrow to tell me? That was a bad plan,” I informed him pressing the three when we got into the elevator. I didn’t look at Jeremy. The look in his eyes was scaring me. I couldn’t look at him. I had to focus on how my dad was alive. He was fine.
“I didn’t want you to have time to back out of leaving. It’s what you want. I think it’s what is best for you right now.”
My dad thought me running off to another state with Cage York was what was best for me. Did he have a fever? Was this a bad case of pneumonia?
Before I could ask him about that the door opened and we walked out of the elevator. The first thing I saw was a woman standing there with a bandanna around her head. She was bald. I could tell that much. She didn’t even have eyebrows. Her skin was a sickly color but she smiled at me when our eyes met then she walked past me and got in the elevator. I followed Daddy but I could feel Jeremy’s eyes on me. I wasn’t going to look at him. Even if he wanted me to. Then a couple came by us and this man was bald too but he wasn’t covering his head. He was also in a wheel chair and I realized his leg was missing. Glancing up I saw the lady pushing his wheel chair toward the elevator. Two bald people… I stopped. I didn’t look to see where Dad was going. Instead I slowly scanned my surroundings. They were all the same. Each one of them. Maybe they were all in different stages but they all had a sickly pallor to their skin. And they were all bald. I reached over and grabbed the closest thing I could find. It was Jeremy’s arm.
At some point he’d walked over to me. He had expected me to figure it out. He had known where we were going. It was hard to take deep breaths. Everything started to get blurry. Jeremy’s arm came around me and he was talking to me. I didn’t understand what he was saying but from the tone of his voice he was trying to ease my mind. That wasn’t possible. I knew where we were. I knew why my daddy had been throwing up blood. The cool hard plastic of a chair touched my back as Jeremy eased me down into the seat.
“Breathe, Eva. Take slow even breaths,” he encouraged. I understood that. So that’s what I did. I focused on breathing. I didn’t think about where we were.
“He’s gonna need you to be strong. When he isn’t around you can scream and cry and let it all out. Completely break down and I’ll be there to help you but when he’s around you gotta be strong. You hear me, Eva. He needs that from you,” Jeremy’s words confirmed my worst fear.
I lifted my eyes and looked at Jeremy’s worried face. “How bad is it?” I asked.
The sorrow etched in his face answered for him. “You need to let him talk to you. But right now get it together. He’s going to need you to be strong.”
I looked around and my eyes were once again focused. “Where is he?” I asked.
The nurse saw your face when you realized where we were. She saw me take you and she got your dad’s attention while I dealt with you but he’s gonna realize you’re gone any minute. You gotta be strong here. For him.”
He was right. I had to keep it together. I didn’t know everything. People were cured from this all the time. I didn’t even know the specifics. I was cracking without even talking to my dad about it. He was perfectly fine. He had his hair. Why that made me feel better I don’t know but it did.
“Eva?” Dad’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts and I stood up and hurried back around the corner to see his worried expression as his eyes found me.
“I’m right here, Daddy,” I said, walking over to him.
“Do you want to go into the room and speak with the doctor with me? If you don’t want to then you don’t have to but he can explain it better than I can.”
I nodded wondering if I needed Jeremy with me in case I started to melt down again. Daddy didn’t mention Jeremy going in with us. This was just us then. I could be strong for him. My phone started ringing in my purse. I handed it to Jeremy.
“That’s Cage. He’s probably here. Could you talk to him and bring him up here to wait with you?”
Jeremy nodded and took my purse and walked back to the waiting area where he’d taken me earlier. I would have Cage when I came out of this room. He’d be here and he’d make everything okay.
I reached down and grabbed Daddy’s hand as we walked into the room the nurse directed us to. I didn’t let go of his hand as we walked over to sit down in the two chairs sitting beside each other against the wall. We were in an examination room. Were they going to give him a treatment today? Was he taking something that would make this all go away?
“I want you to listen to what the doctor has to say. Then I want you to listen to me. Can you do that, Eva? ‘Cause what you’re gonna hear ain’t gonna be easy, baby girl. It’s gonna be tough. I need you to be tougher.”
I managed a nod although I wasn’t sure I could be tough. Not with this. Daddy reached down and took my hand and held it between both of his. I always thought my daddy had the biggest hands. He could beat anything. Noting was bigger than him. But this was.
“We’re gonna be okay, me and you. We always are,” he told me.
We sat there and waited together without saying anything else. I leaned my head on his shoulder and we just waited.
CAGE
The elevator door opened on the third floor and Jeremy was standing there holding Eva’s purse waiting on me. I didn’t have to ask to know this was bad. The look on his face said it all. Damn, this was gonna break Eva. She loved her daddy.
“Where is she?” I asked looking around. Instead of seeing Eva I saw several Chemo patients. My stomach twisted. Oh fuck. This was not good. “Oh, no, man. Please tell me this ain’t what I think it is,” I said looking back at Jeremy.
“No. It’s actually worse,” he replied.
“How the hell is it worse?” The ache in my heart and need to go find Eva and hold her was overwhelming. I needed to sit down. “Is she with him?”
“Yeah. She went back with her dad to see the doctor. He’ll tell her everything and I’m gonna warn you now she’s gonna be a mess. A complete mess.”
“He’s on the chemo floor. They can beat this shit these days. Can’t they? I mean I hear about it all the time.” He had to beat this. Eva wouldn’t be able to bear it if he didn’t.
“He isn’t taking treatments. He refuses to. He found out two months ago,” Jeremy’s words sliced through me. Holy fuck! What was the man thinking? He was gonna kill Eva.
“Why? Why won’t he try and beat this? His gonna kill her.”
“He was only promised maybe six more months with the treatments. It’s too far gone. He said he don’t wanna spend his last days sick from the treatments. He wants to spend it at home not in a hospital.”
This couldn’t be happening. Not this. Eva wasn’t strong enough to handle this. Didn’t God have a fucking limit on how much loss one person could take. She’d lost her momma then she’d lost Josh. It wasn’t fair dammit. I couldn’t sit here I stood up and walked over to the window. I had to calm down. I was furious at the fucking universe and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about that.
“Why her? Why does she always gotta lose someone?” I swore and slammed my hand down on the window seal.
“It sucks. She’s been dealt too much shit. I lost Josh. I can’t imagine losing my parents, too.”
She wouldn’t be leaving with me now. No… neither of us would be leaving. I couldn’t leave her to deal with this alone. She needed me and I needed her.
“I won’t leave her side. She’s not losing me,” I said more to myself than anyone else.
“Good. She’s gonna need you.”
“She’s got me. Always.”
“Eva doesn’t deal well with grief. Just remember that. No matter how hard it gets remember that. Josh was with her when she lost her mom. He and I both were. She was a kid but she lost herself for awhile. Josh reminded her how to live. When she lost Josh I thought I’d never get her back. I went through the motions and stayed by her side but she was lost… until you came. You helped her find life again. I figure you’re the only one who can pull her through this. I wasn’t enough with Josh but you were.”
