Total pages in book: 143
Estimated words: 138287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 691(@200wpm)___ 553(@250wpm)___ 461(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 691(@200wpm)___ 553(@250wpm)___ 461(@300wpm)
“I know you are, Em,” he said, then admitted, “Doesn’t mean I’m not gonna worry about you.”
“Don’t worry about me,” I told him. “Worry about her. She needs it more than I do.”
A comfortable silence encased us as we exchanged glances.
“You talk to St Jude’s?” Jim asked politely.
“Yes, this afternoon. They’re going to take her next week.” And that was that.
Jim watched me closely, taking in my dejected expression. He took a deep breath in then spoke softly, “You know what? I’ve changed my mind. I think this will be good for you. It’s time to start living again, Em.” He smiled and the lines around his eyes creased. “Guess I didn’t expect you to jump into the deep end.” He threw me a shrewd look. “With the sharks.” His brows rose. “Holding a bucket of chum.”
Laughing under my breath, I let out a fatigued sigh. “I’ll call at every stop.”
“No. Don’t do that.” He shook his head. “Don’t you worry ‘bout a thing. Fay and I, we’ll be fine.” His soft gaze landed on Nanna. “I’ll visit all the time. Hell, if she wants me to be Bert, I’ll be Bert.”
It was that very moment my suspicions were confirmed.
“You love her very much, don’t you?” My words were softly spoken.
Jim didn’t answer for a long time but when he did, his response was just above a whisper. “That I do.”
In the thick of the silence that followed, Jim piped in with, “Now, don’t be calling me Pawpaw or nothing like that. I already feel older than a crusty white turd. I don’t need that.”
Covering my mouth, I laughed as quietly as I could so as not to wake Nanna. When Jim spotted me, his body shook in silent mirth.
I truly loved Jim. He was a great man.
He wasn’t a sap so I couldn’t tell him that. Instead, I uttered, “I don’t know where I would be without you, Jimbo. Spent a lot of time saving this quietly confused girl.”
But Jim narrowed his eyes on me. “That girl is neither quiet nor is she confused. She made a tough decision at a tough time. She’s strong and, from my experience, bullheaded as they come.” He took in a deep breath then let it out slowly. “That girl is a firecracker. One day, the world is gonna know it and wonder how in hell they never saw it the first time ‘round.”
It was overwhelming, hearing that.
I discreetly took a tissue from my pocket and blotted my eyes.
“You’re not crying, are you?”
I shook my head but my response was faint, unsteady. “No, sir.”
“Good,” he said gruffly. “No room for sissies at this table.”
My shining eyes met his. Pawpaw Jim winked and, for a single moment, I wished I didn’t have to leave.
Chapter Four
Born to Run.
Emily
I was sweating. This had been going on a while now. Before I even stepped into the cab, I’d been sweating. The entire ride over to the depot… sweating. Now that the tour bus came into view, one could take a guess at what I was doing.
Yep.
Sweating.
“Right here, please.” I stopped the cab a way back, handed the driver some cash and exited the vehicle, throwing the inconspicuous-looking duffle over my shoulder. The driver got out, removed my luggage from the trunk, and I thanked him.
My mouth was drier than the Sahara. The longer I looked at the big black bus, the more nervous I became.
This was the craziest thing I’d ever done. I suppose that didn’t say much considering my version of crazy meant buying a vanilla latte rather than a regular.
Are you really doing this?
My thoughts drifted to Nanna. She was a good woman, one who dedicated her life to me, to raising me right, and she did the best she could with the resources she had. I spent the last few years watching her health decline and at the time, all I could offer was my company.
I took a deep breath in and released it slowly.
Nanna needed St Jude’s. And if I had the power to make that happen, I was going to do whatever it took to make the last years of her life comfortable, regardless of the fact that Nanna’s comfort was costing me mine.
I felt like a coward, leaving without an explanation, without a single word. Gutless is what it was. The nurses at St Jude’s were sweet and reassured me that even if I had, she’d likely not remember moments later. It didn’t help the weighty feeling I had in my stomach.
This was it.
My tongue felt rough against the roof of my mouth and I tried to swallow past the feeling of anxiousness rushing through me. My feet started to move and I was on my way. When I got close, my anxiety soared.
What are you afraid of, Emily?
Quite a lot, actually.