Belong (Seven Year Itch #3)(72)

I didn’t leave right away, instead I sat there on the cold ground, feeling as if we were spending time together. I closed my eyes and pretended we were laying together on the sofa watching a movie. I recalled the way his strong arms always made me feel safe, and how I could use them at the moment to make me feel complete again.

Life wasn’t fair. The challenges we’re faced with are harsh. It’s no wonder some people can’t take it and end their lives, while the rest of us do our best to get by, because it’s the only way we know how to cope.





Chapter 39


Six months.

Six months of grueling treatments, changing medications, and waiting for the inevitable.

Once the cancer spread into her spinal cord, we knew it was just a matter of time before her body gave up.

Veronica’s low-spirited demeanor had only progressed to a stricken state of depression. She literally woke up every morning talking about it being her last. She’d lost so much weight, because she could barely keep anything down.

When I knew it was getting close to being over, I pulled Harper inside the room where Veronica stayed and sat her down on the bed with her mother.

Veronica played with her hair, tears streaming down her sunk-in cheeks. “You look pretty today, sweetie.”

“Daddy learned to braid. He said I’m a princess.”

“You are. You’re the most beautiful princess in the whole world.” Veronica had been wearing a cap to hide the fact that her hair had fallen out. She was very uptight about it, never letting me see her bald head. I know she missed feeling beautiful, so I could appreciate how happy it made her to see Harper full of life.

Harper stared intently at her mother for a second. “Are you going to heaven, Mommy?”

I was shocked. I had no idea she even knew what it was. “Where did you hear about heaven?” I asked.

“Grandpa Charles went to heaven,” she reminded me.

Veronica reached for our daughter’s hand, taking it and lacing their fingers.

“Gracie taught me the braid,” I mentioned. “It took me a few times to get it right.”

“He pulled my hair,” Harper admitted.

“I did my best. Be nice. You promised not to tell.”

Harper giggled, filling the room with happiness for only a few seconds.

Then Veronica spoke. “Sweetie, you know Mommy’s been sick. The doctors are doing everything they can, but I’m getting weaker.”

“So you’re going to die?” She asked in a sad tone.

“Eventually, yes.”

“But I don’t want you to die.”

It was too much for me to handle. I had to get up and pace around the room. When I was a young boy I’d had this conversation with my mother, and up until this very moment I’d blocked out how hard it was to endure.

Veronica pulled Harper into her arms and both of them sobbed. As difficult as it was, I headed back toward them, wrapping my arms around the both of them as I sat down on the mattress. In this moment nothing else mattered, not our lives, or the future. We needed this time to let go, and boy did we ever.

Harper ended up falling asleep in the bed next to her mother. Veronica asked if I’d leave her there for a while, insisting she was fine.

Since I’d been working remotely, I used the time to go down to the office and make some phone calls.

I’d been working on a spreadsheet for tax purposes when the doorbell rang. Thinking it was Gracie, I called out for her to enter.

You can imagine my dismay when Rachel entered the office, carrying a bouquet of flowers. She was dressed in a pair of jeans and a sweater, her hair falling down over her shoulders. “What are you doing here?”

I stood to get her to leave before Veronica could overhear and get upset.

“I got your message.” She seemed just as confused as me.

“I sent it,” came from a weakened voice in the doorway. “I sent Rachel the message from your email. I asked her to come.”

I was astonished. “Why? We haven’t been in contact.”

“I know. That’s not why I went behind your back. I asked her here, and I’d appreciate it if you both sat down and let me explain.”

I did as she said, hoping this wasn’t going to turn out ugly. Veronica had never even mentioned Rachel, so it was absurd to discover she’d contacted her.

Veronica made her way to the other side of the desk, sitting in my leather chair. She coughed a couple times, seeming to be out of breath from coming down the stairs.

“Rachel, I asked you here today because I’m running out of time, and I know Chad wouldn’t do this on his own. He’s been at my side for the past several months, devoting all his time and energy to our family. According to his email account, you haven’t been in contact with one another.”

“We haven’t. He’s completely devoted to you. You have nothing to worry about.”

“Contrary to what you must think of me, I actually do have a lot to worry about. If I died tonight in my sleep Chad wouldn’t know what to do with himself. My family is suffering. They can’t go through this alone. You’ve been where they are. Chad reached out to you in your last email to each other. I read it several times.”

I didn’t even know she knew my password, so you can imagine my surprise when she began admitting she’d gone through my things, my private affairs, to pry and find out dirt. “Why would you do such a thing?”