Zach tried to drive as quickly as hecould, but his house in Hog Hill was still three hours away from the city andthere was still traffic. It also didn't help that he was skeptical of Andy'surgent call, especially after Jenna had gotten a hold of us.
“He fainted,” she had said.“Dr. Singh isn't worried, but she's going to keep him overnight just in case.”
She and Zach were convincedthat Andy was being unnecessarily alarmist, telling me there probably wasn'tmuch reason to rush back home. Maybe they were right, and we'd get there onlyto find it was nothing at all. But either way, wasn't it better to be there forhim? I thought so. But something told me that wasn't the case. Something toldme that Andy was right, the way she'd been right about his disease, and I wasscared. I was more scared than I'd ever been in my life.
I just hoped we made it intime to say goodbye.
CHAPTERSIXTEEN
ANDREA
“Go grabyourself a cup of coffee,” Vincent told his daughter.
Dr.Singh had told them that Vincent had just fainted and it was nothing to worryabout. But, although Jenna didn’t seem too concerned, she still hesitated athis demand. She eyed him with fearful trepidation, like leaving would allow himto take a turn for the worse. Yet he remained firm in his insistence that shetake a break.
“Andreais here,” he said, gesturing in my direction. “You think she’s gonna letanything happen to me? Come on.”
Jennaturned to me, worry and apology in her eyes. “Do you mind?”
“Whywould I mind?” I asked, reaching out to lay a hand over her knee.
“Becauseyou’re not on the clock and you have to work in the morning and—”
“Jen,stop. I wouldn’t have come if I didn’t want to be here, okay? Now, go get a cupof coffee. Get some air. He’s going to be fine.”
Hereyes searched mine, as if to determine whether I’d just told a lie or not. But Imust have been more convincing than I thought because she believed me. Shegrabbed her purse from the floor and turned toward the bed as she stood fromthe chair. Looking her father in the eye, she held his gaze for a few secondslonger than normal. She probably didn’t know why, she probably didn’t evenrealize, but her soul did.
“You’remy favorite daughter, you know that?” Vincent said, reaching out for her hand.
“Oh,knock it off,” she grumbled, her voice tight with emotion. Then, she added,“You’re my favorite daddy.”
“Ilove you.”
Shelooked away, lifting her eyes to the ceiling and blinking rapidly. “God, Pops,you’re gonna make me cry.”
“Iknow, but I gotta say it. I love you, Jenna.”
Swipinga finger under her eye, she replied, “I love you, too, Daddy.”
Mrs.Marino watched from the corner, allowing her husband and daughter to have theirmoment. Her hands remained folded at her waist, as she waited her turn.
She’dbeen waiting a long time.
“I’llbe back soon,” Jenna said, squeezing her father’s hand.
“I’llbe here,” he said, then pulled her fingers to his lips, kissing her knucklesone, two, three times before letting go.
Shehurried out the door without another word, leaving us alone. I had beendreading this. I was fine in the day-to-day monotony of my life and this partof the job was just another piece of the routine. But tonight, wasn’t a part ofthat usual grind. This was a man I’d grown attached to. A man I’d now built arelationship with. He was my boyfriend’s father and no longer just anotherpatient, and for the first time, I felt a sadness I’d never experienced withthe others. I wanted to tell him to hold on. I wanted to tell him to stickaround, for just a little longer, but the light in his soul was dimming. Icould see it—a hazy glow, flickering like a dying bulb—and I knew it was almostover.
So,I pulled up a chair and asked, “Will you tell me a story?”
Vincentregarded me with an exhaustion he’d hidden well from his daughter. It was myjob that made him comfortable around me and I couldn’t stand it.
“Aboutwhat?”
“Yourwife.”
Hespat a puff of breath into the air. “Nothing to tell.”
