And she sighed, not bothering to hide her disappointment.“Fine. We want to get there by five. If you’re late, we’re going without you.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I said with a military salute.
She turned on her heel to head back inside, when shesnapped her head in my direction, glaring at me. “By the way, I saw the mess inthe kitchen. So nice of you to leave that for me to clean up.”
“I was going to clean up before I went back to work,” Isaid through gritted teeth.
“Well, don’t worry about it, because I already did it,after I had already done the laundryandcleaned up after you in thebasement.” The basement, she said, but she meant my bedroom.
I knew what she was doing. She was picking a fight, tryingto get me to back out of going to the movies. But I wasn’t going to fight withher in front of Meghan, and I wasn’t going to back out when I had already saidI would go. I wasn’t a perfect husband—so far from it—but I tried to make upfor it by being a perfect father. Or damn close to it.
“Well, thank you fordoin’ allthat. I appreciate it.”
Her eyebrow twitched. “The least you could do is put yoursocks in the laundry basket.”
“I’ll try to remember before I collapse into bed after afourteen-hour work day.”
“You haven’t remembered in ten years, Pat. Don’t know whyyou’d start now.”
I grinned up at her. “Well, your birthday iscomin’ up. Maybe you’ll be lucky and get your wish.”
Meghanmade an attemptat stiflingher giggles, and in a huff, Christine walked back into the house, slamming thedoor behind her. I looked down at Meghan, changing the subject to somethinglighter. Something likeMy Little Ponyandwhat she wanted for Christmas, even though it was six months away.
It was never too early to plan for Christmas.
?
Five minutes before I had to leave, I was fixing the braidin Meghan’s hair, when a call came through on the radio.
“Kinney, you out there?”
“One sec, honey,” I said to Meghan, and spoke into the mic.“Yep, what’s up, Hannah?”
“Are you at home?”
“I am, indeed.Killin’ it withthis French braid as we speak.” Meghan giggled, turning to look at me over hershoulder, and I grinned.Shameless.
“You still have to show me how to do one of those,” Hannahscratched through the speaker.
“Whenever you’re ready, girlfriend. I’ll bring the littleelastic thingies, you bring the Merlot.”
“Another day,” she said with a little laugh. “Anyway, Icome bearing bad news: I was told to tell you that John McKenna is at thehospital.”
My body tensed at the name. My forehead perspired at thatword:hospital. “What? Is he okay?” I asked, my heart ricocheting offthe walls of my chest.
“Don’t know the details, Patrick. I’m sorry.”
“Right. I’ll check in with the family, thanks.”
I took my hand off the mic, and I looked to Meghan as shescooted from between my legs. I smiled apologetically at her, my heart achingwith guilt and worry. “Sorry, kiddo.” She smiled back with understanding, andreminded me not to be late for the movies. I swore I wouldn’t, kissed her onthe head, and tried not to walk too fast to the car as my panic began to makeitself at home.
Mr. McKenna had been a second father to me for most of mylife. He was still someone I saw daily. He was still the man I interrogatednearly every day, asking him how his daughter was those days.
The daughter I couldn’t get out of my head.
The thought of something happening to him, the thought ofsomething being wrong, the thought ofherheart breaking. Those were the reasons for the siren and the lights as I drovethe ten minutes to the hospital.
?
