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He leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Me too, baby girl.”
Jodi and Madge returned a few minutes later. They unhooked the line from her port. They gave her pain meds for the migraine. “She’s going to be very sleepy, boys.”
“I’m already sleepy,” she informed Madge.
Jodi and Madge helped Sophie into a wheelchair. “We’ll help you get her in the car. Then you’re on your own. Any questions?” Jodi asked.
“We’re good,” Brad replied.
Madge pushed her to the entrance while her dad got the car. Jodi and Madge helped Sophie get into the backseat. She laid down and Jodi covered her with the blanket. She was shivering. She took off her chemo hat and handed it to Brad.
“I can’t handle it on my head, right now. It even hurts. If I had hair, it would hurt too.”
Brad chuckled but it wasn’t a happy sound. Neither man was aware that she went through this every time Sophie got chemo and it was breaking their hearts.
“I feel terrible Sophie.”
“Why?”
“Because I was so hard on you about being grumpy.”
“Dad, don’t. It’s fine. I can’t wallow. I needed that shot in the rump to get myself back on track. Now let me sleep.”
He chuckled. “I still feel bad,” he said to Brad.
“I feel like I should have been doing more,” her father-in-law replied.
“Stop it, you two. You’ve done plenty.”
She pulled the blanket over her head and fell asleep. When they got home, Brad uncovered her. She had been moaning most of the way home. “Come here Sophie. I’ll carry you inside.”
She went into his arms. He lifted her gently and she settled against his broad chest. “You are light as a feather, kiddo.”
She chuckled. “Don’t tell Josh,” she mumbled. “But you are better at this than him.”
She laid her head against his shoulder. Her dad opened the door. He was grumbling at the puppies who needed to go outside. “I see you ladies. Give me a minute.”
Brad laid her down in the bed. “I’ll let Cleo and Delilah out. You help Sophie get settled.”
Duke took her sweatshirt from her leaving her in a tank top and her sweatpants. He covered her with the weighted blanket when she turned to her side.
“Why is this thing so heavy?” He asked.
“I have a lot of pain in my legs from the chemo. It helps ease the pain.”
She felt the mattress dip next to her and she opened her eyes. “Mind if I sit here with you?” Her dad asked.
“Nope,” she replied and closed her eyes.
Eventually, she moved and laid her head in his lap. He ran his fingers across her bare head not sure if he was helping but wanting to touch her just the same. Then he moved his hand to her shoulder. Sophie was sleeping but restlessly when Brad came to the bedroom.
“Hungry?” He asked Duke.
“No. Brad, this breaks my heart,” he said to his friend.
“I know Duke,” he replied. She opened one eye and saw Brad sit by the window in the chair that Josh usually occupied if he wasn’t on the bed with her.
He leaned over and picked up the girls holding them both in his lap. They were content while he rubbed their ears. “I’ve loved that girl since she started coming to my house with Josh.”
