[Finding Emma 03.0] Megan's Hope Read Online Free PDF Page A

and sat down across from him. “ You know she loves coming out here. ”
    “ I want to see her graduate. ” He grunted as Jackie handed him a pill. “ I promised. ” Em had called this morning before school to make sure he was going to be there. Despite the rough morning, he ’ d made her a promise and he wasn ’ t about to break it.
    “ You can ’ t drive. ” Jackie stood there, her arms crossed as she waited for him to take the pill.
    “ Then you ’ ll have to drive me. ” He was going, no matter what any of them said. “ But we need to leave soon. I want to stop and get her flowers. ”
    “ I ’ m coming too, then. ” Doug sipped at his tea.
    Jack nodded. That was fine. Em loved Doug and the stories he would tell her and it would mean she wasn ’ t as focused on him. Maybe she wouldn ’ t notice how he was feeling.
    When he went to stand, the room spun. He was forced to grab the edge of the table while Jackie grabbed his other arm to steady him.
    “ Jack... ”
    He shook his head and focused on breathing. In and out. In and out. If it weren ’ t for Em graduating today, he would go and sit in his rocker and fall asleep. But he wasn ’ t sure how much more time he had with her, and he ’ d be damned if he let one more day slip from his fingers without her in it. He was going and that was that.
    “ Doug, there ’ s a small wood box out in the shed. Can you get it for me? It ’ s tied with a red ribbon. ” He ’ d spent the past few weeks making her a small chest for her dollhouse. The last time she ’ d come over, he ’ d found her playing in the blanket chest Dottie had kept at the edge of their bed. He ’ d found some spare quilting sheets Dottie had around the house and made what looked like a blanket, all folded up. At least, he hoped it looked like a blanket. He ’ d had to glue the edges together because his hands weren ’ t steady enough to hold a needle and thread.
    “ I ’ ll meet you out in the truck, then? ” Doug asked.
    Jack nodded his head while Jackie shook hers. “ If you think I ’ m going to drive that piece of junk, you ’ re out of your mind. We ’ ll take my van. It ’ ll be easier for you to get in and out of, anyways. ”
    Jack scowled. “ I ’ m not going in no stinkin ’ wheelchair. ”
    “ I never said you had to. ” She patted him on the shoulder. “ But the lift will make it easier for you to get in and out of the van. ” She reached for her purse and medical bag and held her hand out for him to take.
    “ You ’ re not taking that bag in with us. ”
    “ Of course not. ”
    “ And you ’ re not going to tell her I ’ m not feeling well? ”
    She shook her head. “ Well, I may tell Megan. You know she ’ ll ask anyways. ”
    She was right. Megan would ask. She reminded him so much of his Mary, the way she wanted to take care of him, make sure he was okay...she was the daughter he ’ d lost, in a way.
    “ You know Emma will figure it out though, right? She ’ s a smart little girl. ”
    Jack shuffled his way to the front door where he reached for his cane.
    “ Why don ’ t you suggest they come out here and she can make cookies with me while you relax in your chair, afterwards? She seems to be the best medicine for you anyways. ” Jackie held the door open for him.
    “ I might just do that. She likes to take care of me, saw Dottie do enough of that. But only if you ’ ll make a cake too, to celebrate her kindergarten graduation. ”
    Doug waited by the van for them.
    “ I ’ m sure Megan already has a cake for her, but we could invite them all out here for a barbeque, if you promise to sit and relax and let Peter do the cooking. ” Jackie gave him a stern look and he knew better than to complain or argue.
    “ Just get me to the school and we ’ ll see how it goes. ”
    He would get through this day, doing all he could to see his little girl smile, no matter what.
     

 
     
     
     
    July
    Megan plopped herself down on an empty