Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 108165 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 541(@200wpm)___ 433(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108165 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 541(@200wpm)___ 433(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
“Someone’s awake.” The doctor enters the bubble.
“Let’s give him some space,” Luke says.
Everyone exits except Jessica, his other half. The doctor pokes, prods, taps, inspects, shines a bright light in Jackson’s eyes, and asks him a few questions.
“If you stay stable for twenty-four hours, your family can get you out of here, and my brother can move his airplanes back inside.” He winks at Jackson before slipping out of the bubble.
Jessica grins. “Dr. Swen’s brother owns a small aviation company, and his wife sells medical equipment. You can thank Luke for this private hospital. Then, you can thank me for the unofficial medical care in Kansas. And finally, you can thank Slade for the helicopter that got you to the doctors I lined up right after the fire.”
That’s why Jackson was supposed to die. An ambulance couldn’t be called because there was no clean-up team, and “unofficial” medical care was not only exorbitant, but it was also nearly impossible. So, his family had to drain a lot of their savings to do the impossible.
“You should have let me die,” he says with a raspy whisper.
Jessica returns a crestfallen expression. “You’re probably right. I’ve thought that about myself more than once. It’s weird to think of the ways we’ve ended lives in a matter of seconds. Yet, we’ve gone to the ends of the earth to save lives too. What makes one life more precious than another?”
Nothing. It’s all just a game. An awful game.
“Le début,” she says, squeezing his hand.
“The beginning,” he says, turning his hand so their fingers interlace.
CHAPTER FORTY
JACKSON
Wylder toddles along the hardwood floor while Livy chases him. It’s a big open space where Jackson’s piano used to be.
“You should get a new one,” Jessica says, glancing up from her computer while Luke paces the deck on the phone with a patient.
Jackson stands from his recliner and scoops Wylder when he skitters by him. Wylder squeals as Jackson blows on his belly. He knows it’s the most beautiful sound in the world, far exceeding anything that can be played with black and white ivory keys. Livy’s grin reaches her ears, and her eyes fill with emotion as they have since Jackson's been home for the past three weeks.
“I have all I need right here,” he says with a voice that’s almost back to normal.
“What happened to your piano? Isn’t it in Kansas?” Livy asks, picking up Wylder’s toys before someone steps on them.
“It’s gone,” Slade answers her, closing the front door behind him.
She lights up, padding her way to him. Everything about him softens with her. His hands rest on her hips while she lifts onto her toes and kisses him, arching her back to accommodate her pregnant belly.
Jackson sets Wylder onto his chubby bare feet, who dashes toward his mom like a wind-up car, eventually hugging her leg.
“How do you know?” Livy lifts Wylder onto her hip, but Slade steals him from her. He doesn’t like her carrying two children. It makes Jackson despise him a little less.
“I sent someone to clear out the garage. The car was there, but the piano was gone,” Slade says.
Jackson heads to the kitchen, looking for something to throw on the grill for dinner.
“I bet she took it,” Jessica says, hopping onto a barstool.
“Who?” Livy wedges herself between Jackson and the fridge. “We’re having tofu kabobs.”
“We?” Jackson eyes her when she turns toward him, holding a covered bowl of marinated tofu.
“Jessica promised it would taste like chicken.” Livy shrugs, squeezing past him to the counter. “Who took your piano?”
Jackson shuts the fridge door and leans against it, arms crossed, gaze glued to Jessica. She knows the look has nothing to do with tofu’s ability to taste like chicken.
“Your dad met someone,” Jessica says slowly, testing the water.
Jackson’s gaze slides to Slade.
“I told her to take your car and get as far away as possible.” Slade lifts Wylder onto his shoulders.
Jackson knows what he told her, so he nods slowly.
“Hello? Who is she? You met someone?” Livy asks with wide eyes. “Why does everyone keep me in the dark?”
“Because you’re in the business of growing humans, which requires no stress,” Jessica says, rubbing Livy’s back.
Livy rolls her eyes. “I’m not that fragile.”
“Her name is Francesca … Frankie.” Jackson feels a mix of emotions just saying her name. “She’s a professor of music theory.”
Livy’s lips part for a breath before pulling into a huge grin.
Jackson’s smile is more subdued. Things ended too bittersweet. “She got tangled in my business.” He opts not to revisit Frankie’s pursuit of revenge. “She lost her brother and his family. She was in Boone dealing with their things. They were Eloise’s neighbors.”
“And?” Livy’s wide eyes circumnavigate the room, looking for anyone to elaborate.
Jessica and Slade know it’s not their story to share, so they keep their expectant gazes on Jackson.