CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Sawyer
After washing our hands at the station, Grace knocks on Lucy’s hospital room door and peeks her head in.
“Hey, y’all, is it okay if we come in?” she says.
I have no idea who is all in there. I’m praying her asshole sperm donor isn’t one of them. It’s one thing to accept this for Lucy’s sake but I refuse to accept him. Anytime I’m around him I want to knock his ass out.
“Yes, of course, come in.”
Grace and Hope enter first. With a hand on Parker’s shoulder I urge him in after them, knowing he’s still hesitant even after the talk I had with him earlier. Can’t say I blame the kid, I felt the same way…still do, but after meeting Lucy I feel a little differently and hopefully he will, too.
“Oh my gosh, who do we have here?” Lucy’s frail voice barely echoes through the room as she struggles to sit up and greet everyone. She looks even worse than when I saw her yesterday. Her face is paler and eyes more sunken in.
Shit!
Her mom and sister are with her and both look like they’ve been crying. Thankfully, no sign of the old man. They quickly wipe their tears away and Grace starts the introductions with Barbara.
“Hello, Miss Barbara, nice to meet ya,” my Shortcake says, putting her tiny hand out all businesslike to shake Barbara’s.
“Well hello, little Miss Hope, it’s a pleasure to meet you. What good manners you have.” She shakes her hand before moving to Parker next. “And you, Parker.”
“Hey,” Parker mumbles, accepting her hand for the sake of pleasantries.
“And this is Piper,” Grace says next.
Piper kneels in front of them. “Hi, Hope and Parker, it’s so nice to meet you. I’m glad you guys could come. We could sure use the company tonight.”
“Is everything okay?” Grace asks, concerned.
“Everything is fine,” Lucy croaks.
The look Barbara and Piper give each other says it’s clearly not but they leave it alone.
“My turn.” Lucy looks at the children, eagerly waiting for her introduction.
Hope doesn’t wait for Grace to introduce her and walks right up to the bed. “Hi, Miss Lucy, my name is Hope Catherine Evans. Me and Mama baked you a special pie today.” She thrusts the pie toward her that she’s been holding. “It’s one of my most specialist creations. It’s called Healin’ Pie. It’s gonna heal you for when Mama helps with your osperation.”
Lucy stares at her, her sunken eyes wide and glossy with tears. “You made this for me?”
“Yes, ma’am. Mama helped of course, ’cause only the best pies are made when we do it together.”
She gapes at her, tears spilling down her cheeks. “Thank you so much. This is one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me.”
She’s about to take the pie from Hope but Grace intervenes, grabbing it to set it down on the stand next to her.
“You’re welcome,” Hope says. “I wasn’t sure what your favorites were so I took a guess. Do you like bananas, chocolate, marshmallows, and…” She pauses, thinking. “Oh yes, and caramel?”
Lucy smiles. Her body might look weak but her smile sure isn’t. “Yes, I do. Those were great guesses.”
Hope beams, proud of herself.
“Can I have a hug, Hope?”
Hope walks into her arms before she finishes the question, hugging her tight. “Everythin’ is gonna be okay, Miss Lucy. I’ve been prayin’.”
A bunch of muffled sniffles sound throughout.
Jesus, now my fucking throat is on fire.
“Thank you,” Lucy whispers. “Prayers can be powerful and I need all the ones I can get right now.”
Barbara turns away to hide her emotion and moves for the door. “I’m going to go get Dr. Schaefer and let her know Grace is here.”
That puts me on alert. It’s clear there’s something going on.
After the door closes Hope steps back and Lucy looks at Parker. “Hi, Parker.”
“Hey,” he greets her, his voice softer than before.
“You’re as handsome as your daddy,” she tells him.
“I know.”
Everyone chuckles at his honesty.
Can’t blame the kid for being confident. I urge him forward to give her what he has.
“Um, I got this for you.” As he hands her the big folded piece of paper Grace comes to stand next to me, wrapping her arms around my waist. I pull her in close and drop a kiss on the top of her head.
Lucy opens the picture and a single rose falls out. Picking it up she brings it to her nose, her eyes closing as she inhales it. A smile forms on her lips when she looks at Parker. “You bought me this flower?”
He nods. “Yeah, my dad took me.”
“He even used his own money,” I tell her, knowing he won’t.
Her smile brightens. “I’ve never gotten flowers from a boy before. Thank you, Parker.”
“You’re welcome,” he mumbles, ducking his head.
Barbara and Dr. Schaefer come walking in at that moment.
“Hi, Grace,” she greets her with a smile before nodding at me. “Sawyer.”
I return her nod, my heart pounding like a fucking drum in my chest.
Grace introduces her to the kids.
“Very nice to meet you both,” she says, shaking each of their hands before looking at Grace and me. “Can I speak to you for a moment out in the hall?”
I glance down at the kids, not wanting them to hear whatever the hell she’s going to say.
Piper waves us away. “Go ahead, Lucy and I will keep them company.”
“Is that okay with you guys?” I ask them, mainly looking at Parker.
When they both nod, Piper brings Parker over to the chair beside her while Hope crawls up on Lucy’s bed next to her. Feeling certain they’re okay with it, Grace and I follow the doctor and Barbara out into the hall.
“What’s happening?” Grace asks, her voice trembling.
A look of regret washes over Dr. Schaefer’s face. “Lucy is deteriorating even faster than I expected. I’m nervous to wait until Friday. What are the chances of you being able to come in sooner?”
“How soon?” Grace asks.
“Tomorrow afternoon.”
“Fuck,” I breathe, feeling like someone’s ripping my fucking guts out.
Grace looks up at me with fear in her eyes. I pull her against me and try tamping down the panic threatening to suffocate me.
“Yes,” she whispers. “If there’s no other choice then I’ll be here tomorrow.”
Tomorrow.
One fucking night before my wife gives a part of herself she’ll never get back. An act of selflessness that could very well cost her, her own life and there’s not a damn thing I can do about it.