The Colonel's Daughter Read Online Free PDF

story you told me.” Diverting his attention, Dorothea’s voice sounded as if she were speaking to a child. “You know that story…”
    Jasmine extended her arm and gently took hold of the Captain’s calloused hand. She remembered not being able to soothe her husband’s pain when he was so brutally killed in the war. But she had a chance to help Javi and her heart warmed with compassion. She slid the guest chair and sat close to his bed. “I’ve never been to New York.” She spoke softly thinking of ways to distract him. “I’ve never seen snow.” She giggled and brought her hand to her mouth. “I used to think snow was just frozen rain.”
    Dorothea unrolled the medical tape. “The worst part’s over now. Just getting you a new bandage and you’ll be all set.”
    Javi spoke nonchalantly as if ignoring his pain. “Snow is pretty cool. I remember standing out on the stoop. I would make a fist and blow on my skin to dry it out.” He brought Jasmine’s hand closer to demonstrate and blew over her soft skin. “The snowflake would fall on my fist and I would catch a glimpse of the tiny design just before it melted.”
    Dorothea removed the latex gloves. “Honey, all I remember is pouring salt all over my driveway and praying my car would start after scraping off all that snow. I am so glad I live in Florida!”
    Jasmine slowly released her hand and noticed his eyes fixed on her. “I have a question. I hope this doesn’t upset you.” Jasmine found herself stalling. “Whatever happened to the cat from your dream?”
    Javi turned his gaze away. “Division Avenue. That’s where I lived, on Division Avenue, on the sixth floor.”
    Jasmine jotted down Division Ave then fidgeted with her pen and waited for Javi to continue.
    “She was my cat, slept at the foot of my bed. It was up to me to care for her and care for myself for that matter. My mother was drunk all the time. Then one day she crawled behind the gas stove to die. I didn’t know what to do. I was a kid.” Javi welled up with tears.
    “How did you get the cat out?” Jasmine bit her lip.
    Dorothea interjected, “You’re goin’ to start seein’ more than cats once you take these, darling,” and handed him two pills.
    Jasmine passed the ice water then Dorothea closed the privacy curtain and exited the hospital room.
    Javi continued, “I picked up a broom and tried to shoo her out. She wouldn’t budge. I pulled the stove as much as I could and climbed it. Then I bent over the back of the oven but as I tried to reach her, she kept clawing at me. I poked her with the broom to get her out of there and she jumped out and came at me as if attacking me. I was so scared. I swung the broom and sent her flying across the room. I killed it…I killed my own cat.” He paused to reflect on his own words as a stream of tears reached his pillow.
    “You shouldn’t be burdened with the guilt of what you did to your cat. You were ten years old. If anything, you acted in self defense.”
     
    * * * * *
     
    The orange glow of the sunrise pierced the hospital room window. Little hands knocked on the already open hospital room door. Emerging beneath the privacy curtain was a pair of untied size three sneakers.
    Suddenly a baseball hit the ground and rolled across the floor. Javi grunted as he twisted his body to catch a glimpse of the ball that was stuck underneath the hospital bed. “You’re going to have to come over here and get your ball. I’m afraid I can’t get up that easily.” Javi pulled himself upright on the bed.
    A petite girl with golden curls slid her body beneath the bed and popped up on the other side. She tossed the ball in the air then caught it in her glove.
    “So, you play baseball. Are you on a team?”
    “Yep,” she twirled her body from side to side.
    Javi smiled then drew his attention to the TV. “What? The Mets lost again. Come on.” He waved an arm in the air.
    She looked up at the monitor. “The news is boring. Do you want