AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Well, there may not be much reason to come back.”
“Of course there is. Funeral arrangements, the services...”
“Her father told the Examiner’s Office he wanted her cremated as soon as the autopsy was complete. It might already be done. And he told me he didn’t plan on any sort of services. Real nice guy.”
Grief welled up in Zach’s throat. A young woman with all the promise in the world had been brought to early death by addictions she couldn’t control. And now the man who’d set it all in motion didn’t care enough to give her final respect.
“I want her ashes sent here, Jerry, so I can arrange something for her. Organize it for me and let me know if there’s a problem. She was born in Colorado and never should have been taken away. Maybe her whole life would have been different. It’s the last thing I can do for her.”
Except for trying to be the best dad he could be for her daughter.
After hanging up, Zach dropped the phone on the end table, then buried his face in his hands to mourn the sister he’d lost, and the loss of innocence for the little girl who longed for her mama.
Every night, Katie said the simple prayer he remembered from his own childhood. Now I lay me down to sleep...
After a few days, she’d learned it by heart, and then had started adding a brief litany of blessings—God bless Buffy and my dolly Bonny. And God bless my mommy, an’ please bring her back.
How did one tell a small child that her hopes and prayers for her mother’s return would never be answered?
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“Of course I’ll come. Right away.” Dana handed the front desk phone back to Francie. “That poor man.”
“Is Zach’s daughter okay?”
“She’s fine...so far. He’s heard news of a death in the family, and he’s worried about how Katie will handle it.” Dana reached over to flip back to today’s page in the appointment book. “It’s almost five, so I’m going to head out.”
“If anything important comes in, I’ll call your cell.” Francie glanced at the clock. “I’ll stay until six as usual, then transfer incoming calls to your cell.”
“Thanks, Fran. I’ll tell the kids where I’ll be.” Dana slipped off her lab coat and took it back to the office, then grabbed her truck keys off the desk and jogged the hundred yards up to the house.
Inside, the TV was blaring, and the raised voices indicated that yet another argument was in full swing.
“Just leave my stuff alone!”
“I never touched your stupid computer. Maybe there was a power surge or something.” Molly’s plaintive voice turned sharp. “Anyway, it’s not like you never had problems with it on your own! It’s so old it won’t even take DVDs!”
