The Plan Read Online Free PDF

contacted the school, notifying them of Claire’s loss and informing the university that he and Claire and Gia would be missing classes for the next few days. As Gia and she went to pack, Jack contacted the police who’d handled the accident, finding out where her dad’s body had been taken and the next steps Claire needed to take.
    For Claire, the next week was a blur, but the one thing she remembered clearly was how Jack had been by her side every moment of it, walking her through the terrible process of planning her father’s funeral. He handled nearly all of the arrangements, deferring to her for her opinion, but lifting the burden from her shoulders in such a way that all she had to do was grieve. And grieve she did. She could not believe that here she was, twenty years old, and an orphan. What was she going to do? How was she going to go on without either her mom or her dad to help guide her? It was unbearable.
    But every time she felt she couldn’t take one more moment of the pain, she’d look up and see sweet Jack standing right by her side. This man she hadn’t even known eight days ago was her rock during that week and in the weeks and months to come. He’d never disappointed her. And, just as in the days following her dad’s death, in the past fifteen years, whenever she’d had a bad day or was irritated with her job or frustrated with their kids, all she had to do was look beside her, and she knew Jack would be right there, supporting her, loving her, and giving her the strength to keep moving.
    â€œNow tell me again why you always seem to think it’s a good idea to drive into the night?” Jack asked her, shaking her out of her memories. “Wouldn’t it make more sense if we left early in the morning?”
    â€œYou know, as well as I do, if we leave now, in a few hours, the kids will be asleep and we won’t have to hear any more whining or fighting,” Claire said.
    â€œDon’t forget the ‘Are we there yets?’ ” Jack joked.
    â€œUgh,” Claire groaned. “I hate those the most! This way, they’ll watch their movies until dinner and then, if we’re lucky, it’ll just be peace and quiet from that point on.”
    â€œFrom your lips to God’s ears,” Jack said, taking her hand and squeezing it.
    God must have been listening, because everything went exactly as Claire had planned. Truly, this must be a first, she thought, as they pulled into the strip mall parking lot of the Chinese restaurant where they ate every time they took a road trip to West Virginia. Never could she remember having such a peaceful drive to her in-laws’ home, or anywhere else for that matter.
    It was one more sign that her babies were growing up. Claire remembered the first time she and Jack had taken a car trip with Luke. He couldn’t have been more than a month old and had screamed the entire drive.
    The family piled out of the car and into the restaurant.
    â€œWelcome,” a little Asian man called from a table at the back of the empty restaurant, as he rolled silverware into napkins. “Sit anywhere you’d like.”
    The kids hurried over to a large table near the wall, and Claire and Jack followed them.
    â€œOkay,” Jack said, taking off his coat and putting it on the back of his chair. “What does everyone want to eat?”
    As the kids called out their orders, Jack and Claire exchanged glances over the menus and smiled at one another. She knew exactly whathe was thinking. These were the moments they both loved the best. These crazy, chaotic, boisterous moments that screamed, “We’re together as a family.”
    â€œMommy,” Lily said meekly, once the orders were placed. “Can I sit on your lap?”
    â€œOf course,” Claire said, gently smiling at her little girl and pushing her chair back from the table to make room for her daughter. “Come here.”
    Lily