Page 55 of Heartless
Carrying her to our car, I noticed she held new baby pictures from the examination and she was staring at them in silence.
I carefully placed her on the passenger seat and just as I was about to close her door, she pushed it open with the little strength she had left.
“Will you take me to The Gem?”
My heart stuttered and my instincts told me to say no, but when was I really able to say no to that woman. “Are you sure? You could probably use some rest.”
“I’ll be fine. You are going to make sure of that.”
I smiled and sighed. “Just for a little while, okay?”
The Gemstone was a wedding present for us. Her father had built and developed it alongside a few other luxurious locations. Ever since she was little, Franny wanted to be the one in charge when the time came. Her father died when she was in high school and her mother took care of everything until we got married. We were supposed to take over, but the diagnosis ruined every plan we ever had.
The staff of The Gem gave us polite nods as I carried Franny through the lobby and into the gardens.
“Do you want us to walk around or sit somewhere?” I asked.
“I’m not going to make you carry me around,” she said with a smile.
“I don’t mind.”
I would have carried her non stop for the time she had left if that would make her happy.
“I want to sit somewhere and talk.”
“Okay.” I sat down at a bench, with her in my lap. “Comfortable?”
She nodded. “Remember our wedding day? I think the arch was right over there,” she pointed to the left.
“I couldn’t care less about the damn arch. All I saw was you.”
“I remember,” she paused and looked around for a moment. “I had big plans for this place. I always thought we had to change it a bit and focus on weddings more. Ours was so beautiful.”
A chuckle vibrated through my chest and I placed a kiss on her cheek. “Is that why we’re here? You want to drop hints about the things you want changed?”
“Maybe,” she smiled and she looked so tired, I wanted to kick my own ass for agreeing to bring her there.
“I don’t know if I would have the heart to change anything,” I said honestly.
“I know,” she cupped my cheek. “It will be hard but you‘ll do it. One day. When you’re ready to move on.” I remained silent, because I didn’t want to burden her last days with stupid worries about my future. But she knew me well enough to read my mind and pressed me for an answer. “Promise me you will move on, Parker.” Her voice broke, then she tried to sound cheerful. “Promise me you will make The Gem the best wedding venue in the state.” I still couldn’t react to her words, and she added. “I know you will do it in your own time.”
We stayed silent for a while, enjoying the gorgeous sunset view we got from the bench.
“I think I’m ready to stay at the hospital now.”
And there it was. The moment I dreaded. “If that’s what you want,” I whispered in her ear.
“That’s what I want. I talked with the doctor again. After you left the room. It’s the right thing to do.”
“Can I come stay there with you?”
Franny looked at me and started crying. “Yes,” she barely got out between sobs.
I rocked her on that bench until her eyes dried. That was our last night sleeping at home. Three weeks later the doctors performed an emergency C-section. Our son died three days after his birth. Franny died a week later. And I buried my soul with them.
Chapter Nineteen
Madison
