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“We’ll be right here.” Maggie pointed to a set of chairs near the nursing station.
She went in quietly. His eyes were closed, and his skin tone had changed from red and splotchy to ashen, almost translucent. She could see death creeping in.
“Hi Daddy,” she said. She didn’t move closer.
His eyes flickered but didn’t open. She thought he was listening, though.
“I brought Emma with me today,” she said, speaking a bit louder. “Your granddaughter. I want you to meet her, but you will treat her with kindness, or I will take her home,” she warned him, not sure if he’d be able to respond. But he finally opened his eyes, then nodded slowly.
Emma jumped out of her chair when she poked her head out the door.
“He’s on a lot of medication,” Hannah warned.
“You already told me that, Mama.” Emma walked past her into the room. “Hi Grandpa,” she said, pulling up a chair next to his bed. She placed her hand on his, and he flinched. “I’m Emma. I’m so glad to meet you.”
Hannah saw a tear stream down from his eye, but he didn’t speak.
Emma kept talking, telling her grandfather everything about her life. “I ride a horse named Trigger… I’m in seventh grade, but I’m already taking algebra… I want to be a teacher when I grow up.”
When the nurse came in again to check his vitals, Emma leaned over old, hard, Joel Destin and kissed him on the cheek.
“Sleep well, Grandpa,” Emma said softly near his ear. “We’ll be back tomorrow.”
* * *
To say that Hannah had been distant would be an understatement.
“She does this,” Olivia said from the kitchen door, when Jake “stopped by” to see if Hannah was at the farmhouse. “She has trust issues, not a few of them because of that man who’s lying in the hospital.” She swung the door further open. “Come in and have some coffee.”
Jake removed his hat. “I’m sorry to intrude.”
Jesse, who was sitting at the table with his breakfast, shook his head. “Actually, I’m glad to see you.”
This surprised Jake. He took a seat.
“I’m looking for an extra hand, someone who can work full time.” He took a bite of scrambled eggs, then pointed his fork at the stove. “There’s plenty of food.”
“No, thank you, though.” Jake shook his head. He couldn’t eat. He was still rattled by the whole situation with Joel, and how Hannah had stopped talking to him just when he had thought she was really opening up. His head kept reminding him of all the rational reasons why she hadn’t called. Her father was dying! Of course, he wasn’t on her top priority. But in his heart, he felt that her distance was due to something more.
“So, would you be interested?” Jesse asked.
“Did someone leave the ranch?” He was almost certain Hannah had set this up. He had worked and volunteered enough at the ranch to know they had plenty of hands already.
Jesse shook his head. “Just hitting the busy season, need more people.”
It was true that one could never have enough help on a ranch, but he was determined not be a charity case. He didn’t have much left, but he still had his pride.
“I’m actually thinking of finding something in construction.” He might have just decided it then and there, but working on the Gunderson barn, putting the project together from beginning to end had been satisfying. And he’d beengoodat it.
“We were just talking about redoing all the bathrooms!” Olivia’s voice rose in excitement. “Would you be willing to do some renos?”
He hesitated. “I haven’t done a bathroom before. You’d probably want to hire someone who knows what they’re doing.”
“She’s serious. We’re really looking to hire someone.” Jesse scooped a spoonful of oatmeal and put it in a bowl for Mae. “We’d like to build a master suite on the main floor, for Maggie.”
“That would be nice,” Jake said, looking around the old farmhouse. “Would you like to extend off the side there?” he pointed.
“Yes, exactly.” Olivia indicated a pantry and bathroom. “We’d like to take this wall out.” She gestured for Jake to follow her and showed him the wall. “And have a little sitting area here with a gas fireplace, a bathroom here.” She swept her arm to the other side of the hall. “Then a bedroom, with a door leading outside.”
