Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 88220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88220 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
“Don’t give Beau a big head,” my mom said, still disgruntled. “He and I are going to talk about this when they come home.”
“She looks serious, Beau,” Amelia said, drawing her feet up on the sofa. “Do you remember packing Dash’s shoes to move to Chicago. We had to wrap each shoe individually.”
“I remember,” I said. “Then you were the only one allowed to pack them in the truck. Dash told me about when he was younger, and he was afraid of lookin’ pretentious.”
Amelia smiled so big that a laugh followed from both of us.
“For a time, he only wore clothes that came from the GAP. He felt like everyday people shopped there.” She shook her head at his silliness. “He was always so clueless in his attempts to appear normal.”
“I agree with that,” I said and reached over to take Dash’s hand. “I’d say he’s still like that. He can’t shake his wealthy upbringin’.”
“No, he can’t,” Amelia agreed. “I watch the girls grow and see so much of him inside them. Livie’s a younger Dasham. She has his smarts and willingness to follow the rules. Ava’s an older Dash, testing life’s limits. Mia will have his charm, his need to be grounded to the world. He’s always been so good to me. I hope I’ve given the same to him.”
“You know you have,” I said, immediately. “He loves you. You know that. We all do.”
She swallowed deeply, a trickle of tears spilling over again.
“Why does Abuela call Daddy Dasham and no one else does?” Mia asked.
“Dasham’s your dad’s full name. When I met him, I thought he was dashin’, so I shortened his name to Dash,” I explained. “And it took.”
“Like Prince Charming?” Livie said. “They said he was dashing when we were on the ship.”
“Yup, just like that.” I grinned at the comparison.
“Tell us more about what Dash was like when he was little,” I said, happy to listen to anything Amelia had to say. I had nothing but time from now until they checked in. Mia popped up beside Amelia, giving the tablet to Ava, getting straight in her grandmother’s face.
“Don’t cry, Abuela,” she said. “We love you.”
“I love you too. Do you want to hear about when your daddy was your age?” she asked, running a tissue over her eyes. Ava came in beside Mia, holding the tablet. Livie crawled on the other side.
“Yes,” they said in unison.
Amelia launched into her storytelling, gently tiptoeing around the secret bits of Dash’s life. I leaned in, hoping Dash could soak up all the love swirling around him—the life he cherished above all else.
An hour sprang forward as I basked in Amelia’s recounting of Dash’s escapades. From his attempt to save the turtles, his efforts as a young boy to take on the stock market, to the happiness he experienced after meeting me. I’d never heard many of the stories before. Amelia focused on the good times and stayed away from any of our difficult periods. Duke and Dixie didn’t even try to assert themselves into the conversation. They listened patiently too.
Suddenly, the night nurse pushed through the door, juggling fresh blankets in one arm, and a dinner plate in the other. “Everything about to happen is being performed around the new rules. Someone important cares for you two. The isolation protocols have been removed so your rule breaking self doesn’t have to be escorted out. I wasn’t sure if you’d eaten,” she said, yanking me back to reality as she placed both items on top of the rolling cart.
“I have to go,” I said. “Daddy’s nurse is here. Can we continue this tomorrow evenin’?”
The girls turned instantly forlorn when I said I had to go, then gleeful when I mentioned another evening spent together in this way.
“That’s a good idea. I feel better talking about our guy,” Amelia said. “Thank everyone at the hospital for all they’re doing for us.”
“I think she just heard you.”
The nurse smiled as she checked Dash’s vitals and his equipment.
“I’m signin’ off. I love, love you, and miss you.” I waved and smiled then pushed the end button on the screen and got to my feet, moving the multi-purpose rolling cart out of the way.
“I brought you a dinner tray and new bedding. They’ve explained to you how to lower the chair, right?”
“I figured it out. I slept a couple of hours this afternoon,” I said. “Thank you for bringin’ food.” My perfectly timed stomach grumbled its appreciation too.
“The staff’s been watching. They didn’t remember you eating anything today. Your father-in-law’s getting a bed sent up here for you. I thought it would be here by now. It’s against hospital policy but we’re in a new set of rules…” She let that hang there. I knew the pull Carter had and he wasn’t afraid to flex his abilities either. “It’s interesting to watch the top brass bend like they are. All of us are laughing behind their backs.”