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“The most important things in life are worth fighting for. No matter what fear says.”
She set my sandwich in front of me and sat on the barstool beside me. I thanked her for the sandwich but didn’t pick it up.
“Is everything good here? Are you and Big Paw doing okay? I’m sorry I dropped the ball on calling weekly.”
“Oh, sweetheart, it’s okay. I know you’re busy.”
“No. I’m just selfish. I should’ve called more. But you two are okay?”
She gave me a tight smile and placed her hand on mine and patted it. “No matter what happens, everything is going to be okay.”
What the hell was that supposed to mean?
“Grams,” I said, gripping her hands in mine. My eyes narrowed and I tilted my head. “What’s going on?”
39
HAZEL
Later that night, I glanced out of my front window and saw somebody standing at the end of the driveway, staring up at the sky in the pouring rain. As I opened the door, I noticed it was Ian. His back was to me, but I knew him well enough to know who it was.
“Ian?” I called out.
He turned to face me. His white T-shirt clung to his chest from the pouring rain, and the water from his eyes wasn’t due to the raindrops. He looked as if every ounce of happiness had been stripped away from his soul.
“Ian, what is it?” I asked. Alarm shot through my gut as I stepped onto the porch.
“She’s sick,” he choked out as his body shook from the cold and his nerves. His head lowered as he slid his hands into his pockets. “Grams is sick, Haze.”
The moment the words left his mouth, I stepped down into the rainfall, headed toward him, and wrapped my arms around him. He melted into me as if our bodies were always meant to be one, and he proceeded to fall apart as I tried my best to catch his broken pieces.
The rain hammered against our bodies as Ian’s sadness hammered against my heart.
I brought him inside once he was able to collect his emotions.
“Here’s some towels to dry off, and of course, you still have some of your clothes in your bedroom, if you want to change.”
“Thanks,” he murmured as he stared down at his clenched hands.
“Where’s your mind?” I asked.
“Lost.” He raked his hands through his hair. “It’s ironic, you know? Grams has the biggest heart in this world. She gives herself to anyone and everyone in need. She holds no grudges, no judgments, and no resentment. Yet somehow she ends up with a broken heart. How does that even happen? How does the kindest woman on this earth end up with a heart that doesn’t work correctly?”
“Life’s not fair.”
“Maybe she loved too much.”
“That’s an impossible thing to do. The world should fight to love the way Holly Parker loves. We need more humans like her.”
“We needher.” He sighed. He pressed the palms of his hands against his eyes. “I don’t know what I’d do without her.”
“Luckily, she’s still here. As long as she’s here, we should stay thankful.”
“Did you know? Did you know she was sick?”
I looked toward him, and guilt hit me. “Yes.”
“And you didn’t think to tell me?”
