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"I thought it best you didnt know, thats all. To protect you. Memories . . . theyre important sometimes, more important than the truth. But Anita paid the price. We all did. "
"Daddy--"
He started coughing hard, gasping.
"Sshh, Daddy," she said. "Theres plenty of time for talking. You just rest now. "
"Youre the best part o me, Birdie. You always were. From the moment your mama put you in my arms, I knew. I fell in love with you so hard I practically cracked my head. I reckon I should have told you more often. "
"You told me all the time, Daddy. "
He tried to come forward off the pillows, to sit up. It was heartbreaking to see his failure. With a sigh, he sank back down. "I need you to do somethin for me, Birdie. It wont be easy for you. "
"Anything, Daddy. You know that. "
"You take care of Anita. You hear me?"
"Dont say that," she said, hearing the sudden desperation in her voice. "Youll be around to take care of her. "
"Dont sass me. This is important. " His breathing became shallow, labored. "Promise me youll take care of her. "
"Okay. " Elizabeth leaned down and kissed his forehead. "I love you, Daddy. "
He looked at her, but his eyes were glassy now, unfocused. As if hed spent all his energy and had nothing left. "That lovell carry me through the Pearly Gates, sugar beet, it surely will. Now, ask Anita to come in here. "
"No . . . please. "
"Its time, Birdie. Now go get your mama. "
Elizabeth stood there a minute, unable to leave him.
"Go on," he said gently.
She forced herself to move. At the door, she gave him a last smile, then left the room. "He wants you," she said to Anita.
Her stepmother made a sound that was half sigh, half sob, and hurried into the room, closing the door behind her.
At the window, Elizabeth stood close to the glass, on the outside of their love, looking in. She prayed hard. Be strong, Daddy. Be strong.
An alarm on one of the machines went off.
Anita stumbled back from the bed, screaming, "Help us, help us!"
Elizabeth jerked to open the door, but nurses and doctors rushed past her, filled the tiny room, pushed Anita out of the way. People clustered around her father. The noise turned into a dull roar in Elizabeths ears. She pressed the glass, hard. "Dont you die, Daddy. Dont you dare . . . "
Phillip raced into the room, elbowed his way to her fathers side. He reached for the heart paddles.
Elizabeth squeezed her eyes shut. She couldnt breathe. Her own heart kept skipping beats, unreliable now that her fathers had stopped. Please, God, please dont take him. Not yet . . .
When she opened her eyes, the doctors and nurses were standing still; the machines were cold and black. Anita was sitting by Daddy, her cries had dwindled down to soundless gasps and occasional shudders. The makeup on her face had been washed away in streaks.
Anita looked through the glass at Elizabeth. "Hes gone," she mouthed helplessly. The words made her start to cry again. This time, her sobbing was a shrunken, heart-wrenching sound.
Slowly, Elizabeth walked into the room, went up to his bed. She pressed a hand to Anitas frail shoulder, clutching hard, though shed only meant to squeeze reassuringly.
Daddy lay there, his eyes closed, his great barrel chest sunken and still. "Hey, Daddy," she whispered. It was a split second before she realized that shed expected an answer. But, of course, there wasnt one.
His heart--the one that had loved her so well--had finally given up.
