“What’s latch key?” I frowned.
“I go there in the mornings before school starts because my mom has to be at work by eight o’clock and school doesn’t start until eight fifteen. The ladies there watch us until school starts.”
“I see. Well, I suppose you won’t have to go to latch key while you’re staying with me. I can drop you off when school starts.”
She gave me a smile and the waiter walked over and placed our food in front of us.
“One spaghetti with plain sauce for the little lady.” He smiled.
“Thank you.” She giggled.
As we were eating our dinner, I heard a voice behind me.
“I don’t believe it.”
I looked up from my plate and saw Coco and Garrett standing there. I narrowed my eyes at both of them.
“What are you two doing here?” I asked.
“We just came from visiting Lorelei and decided to get something to eat,” Garrett replied.
“How is she? We’re heading over there as soon as we’re finished.”
“She’s still very sleepy and not feeling good. We were only there about fifteen minutes. We brought her some flowers,” Coco spoke. She looked at Hope. “Hi there, sweetie. I’m Coco, Jack’s sister. This is our friend, Garrett.”
“Hi.” She smiled.
“I need a picture.” Coco grinned as she handed her purse to Garrett. “Hope, do me a favor and go sit next to Jack so I can take your picture.”
“Coco, stop!” Jack commanded.
“Oh no, big brother. This is too good of an opportunity to pass up.”
Hope slid next to me and turned so she was facing Coco.
“Jack, lean in a little.”
“Coco, I’m warning you.” I gritted my teeth.
Hope looked up at me, smiled, and Coco snapped the picture.
“That was lovely. One more with both of you looking at the camera.”
I took in a sharp breath.
“Smile, Jack.” Hope placed her hand on my cheek.
I looked at Coco and forced a smile as she took another picture.
“Okay. Our table awaits us,” she spoke as she took her purse from Garrett. “It was nice to meet you, Hope.”
****
We entered Lorelei’s room and she was sleeping. I told Hope to be very quiet so we didn’t wake her. She looked pale and it hurt me to see her like that. Suddenly, I didn’t care about anything else but her. I didn’t care about the company, what was going on, nothing. I only wanted her to get better.
“Hope, come with me,” I spoke as we stepped out into the hallway. “We have to go home now. It’s getting late. I’ll tell the nurse to tell your mom that we were here and I promise I’ll bring you back to visit her tomorrow after school.”
She gave me a sad look as she slowly nodded her head. “Wait,” she spoke. “Can I lay Luna next to her?”
“You sure can but make sure you don’t wake her up. Your mom needs all the rest she can get right now so she can get better.”
I followed Hope back inside Lorelei’s room and she carefully placed Luna beside her.
“Now my daddy can be with her while she gets better.”
My heart ached when she said that. A feeling washed over me that I’d never felt before. This little girl, Lorelei’s little girl, was probably the most thoughtful person I’d ever known. Walking up to the nurse’s desk, I told Lorelei’s nurse to be sure to tell her that we had been there when she woke up. We met Tony outside and headed home.
I sent Hope upstairs to get into her pajamas. As I was pouring myself a scotch, she came down and sat on the couch.
“All ready for bed?” I asked.
“Yep. Can you read me a bedtime story? My mom reads to me every night.”
Oh shit. She’s kidding, right?
“Umm. Sure. Did you bring any books?”
“Yeah. I brought Charlotte’s Web. Wilbur just met Charlotte.” She smiled.
“Shouldn’t you be reading that yourself? Practicing?”
“I read a lot of other books, but every night, my mom reads me to sleep. She said it’s our quiet time together.”
This was something I didn’t want to do. The only thing I read was the newspaper or the internet. I sighed.
“Only a couple of pages, okay?”
“Okay.”
I walked up the stairs and Hope followed behind. When we reached her room, she pulled back the covers and climbed into bed. I looked at her and narrowed my eye.
“Did you brush your teeth?” I asked.
“Yes. Right after I changed into my pajamas.”
She handed me Charlotte’s Web and I opened to the page that was bookmarked.
“I’ve never read this book.”
Hope laid her head on her pillow and I sat down on the edge of the bed and started reading from the pages. I had read ten pages of the book when Hope asked me to stop.
“I’m going to sleep now.”
I placed the bookmark on the page where I left off and pulled the covers up over her. As I got up from the bed, she reached her hand out and grabbed mine. I turned and looked at her.
“Good night, Mr. Sutton,” she sleepily spoke.
I stared at her for a moment as she closed her eyes.
“Good night, Hope.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
Jack
The next morning, I got up, showered, and woke Hope up to get ready for school. I headed downstairs and made a pot of coffee. A few moments later, she walked into the kitchen.
“What’s for breakfast?” she asked.
Oh shit. “Umm…what do you want?” Of all times for Madeline to be gone.
“Pancakes,” she spoke as she climbed up on the stool in front of the island.
“I don’t have pancakes.”
“What do you have?” She propped her elbows on the counter.
“Let me look.” Opening the pantry, I found it was pretty bare. I walked over to the refrigerator and opened it. “I have eggs.”
“Okay. I’ll have scrambled eggs and toast.”
“I only have wheat bread.”
“Yuck.” She made a face. “Just eggs then.” She sighed.
I took out the carton of eggs and grabbed a frying pan from the bottom cabinet. After cracking them in a bowl, I heated the pan and poured them in.
“Coffee?” I asked as I held up the pot.
“I don’t drink coffee.” She giggled.
“You don’t? I thought all kids drank coffee.” I smiled.
“I’ll have orange juice please because I’m sure you don’t have apple.”
A burnt smell suddenly filled the air. “Oh shit! The eggs!” I ran over to the pan.
“You said a bad word.”
“Sorry. Don’t tell your mom.” I tried to scrape the eggs from the pan.
“Did you put butter in the pan before pouring the eggs in?” she asked.
“No.” I sighed and looked at my watch. “Grab your school stuff. We’re going out to breakfast.”
“But I’ll be late for school.”
“No you won’t. Hurry up.”
I threw the pan in the sink and grabbed my phone from the counter.
“Hello, Jack.”
“Tony, I’m taking Hope down the street to that diner for breakfast. Pick us up there in about forty-five minutes. We have to hurry or she’ll be late for school.”
I heard snickering on the other end. “I will be there.”
“Ready,” Hope said as she walked into the kitchen with her coat on and her backpack over her shoulder.
We walked out of the building and down to the diner. When we were seated, I told the waitress that we were in a hurry and I slipped her a twenty-dollar bill to expedite our breakfast. Hope got her pancakes and orange juice and I just ordered a bagel and coffee.
“I’m going to pick you up from school today and we’ll go visit your mom, but we have to go to the grocery store after to get some food.”
“Okay. Mr. Sutton?”
“Yes, Hope.”
“You didn’t pack me a lunch.”
“Shit!”
“You said a bad word again.”
“I’m stressed, Hope. I can say that when I’m stressed. Just don’t tell your mom. Can you buy lunch?”
“I don’t like the school’s food.”
“Just this once? Please?” I begged.
She sat across from me shaking her head no.