Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 105846 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105846 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
I stare at Charlie so hard the power of my gaze could split her in half, and she actually has the good grace to laugh. “I know, I know. But I’m just a messenger. You know that old saying about not shooting them?”
I shake my head. “Charlie, I don’t know if I can—”
“You can. Read the note. Hear what she says. Live your life. None of it will be easy, but I promise it’s all possible.”
I nod, a shaky, frightening motion from even my own point of view, and she hands me the folded piece of paper.
And then, with a sweet wave and a friendly hug of a smile, she walks back to her car, gets in, and drives away. Almost like she was never even here in the first place.
I toss the wood I was about to chop to the side and set down the axe before taking a seat on the big log I’ve been using as a block. My skin is clammy with sweat, and the dusty pieces of fine wood stick to my skin. I ignore the feeling, opening the fold of the paper to reveal the note on the page.
It’s written in Charlie’s handwriting, and it only takes the first two words to send me into a full-blown crying jag that makes every muscle in my face hurt with overuse.
Hi, Daddy.
Hello, my sweet Summblebee. By God, I have missed you.
It’s hard to let go, isn’t it?
Fuck.
It sure is for me. You’re the best dad on the planet, and every time I think of leaving you, I don’t want to go. But now that Norah’s here, I feel like I can. She’ll take care of you, and you’ll take care of her, and hopefully up in heaven, someone will take care of me. And it’s okay if you’re scared because I’m scared too. Just like you always said, it’s okay to be scared sometimes because sometimes the best stuff happens right after the scary part leaves. And well, I’m thinking that, for you, this is a really scary part, being without me. But that means the good part is coming. Don’t miss it, Dad, okay? Get to the good part. And if you can’t do it for you, do it for me.
Love you forever, Summer
Ten pounds of stress and ten more of uncertainty leave my body in a wave, and my head falls back, the paper and my hands landing in my lap.
Get to the good part.
Summer took my meager little whisper and turned it into a shove. As of today, I can’t ignore Norah anymore.
46
Norah
Wednesday, September 29th
Josie stares at me while I stare at her, her position in her bed disturbed only by my psychotic, uninvited entrance into her room.
“Let me get this straight,” she says through a sleep-clogged, scratchy throat. “You called a doctor two towns over and made an appointment before normal business hours—before dawn—because you’re worried about someone seeing you going to the doctor and blabbing to Bennett about the impending bundle of joy before you get the chance?”
I follow along with her entire ramble, counting off the words for validity and completeness on my fingers, and then pause briefly when she’s done to consider before replying, “Yes. Exactly.”
“Norah—”
“No, no, Josie. You don’t get to tell me I’ve lost my mind when I’ve already been in the newspaper three times after living here for less than half a year, okay? You know I’m right to do it this way.”
“But today was my only day to sleep in while Todd opens. Whyyyy?”
“Because this was your only day to sleep in, silly. And I need you to go with me. Plus, this is the absolute earliest I could bribe this doctor into opening for me, and I had to promise a one-of-a-kind Bennett Bishop painting to her in order to do it.”
“Norah! And just exactly how are you going to follow through on that one, huh?”
I shrug. “Easy. I’m still doing all the legwork for Bennett’s day-to-day, and Breezy likes me. I’ll tell her where the painting is going, and she’ll send me the label to ship it.”
“Bless it. I need just an ounce of your energy for insane ideas.”
“Please.” I roll my eyes. “So says the woman who is furthering our Grandma’s legacy by selling mass-produced candles in a handmade Ponzi scheme.”
“Norah…”
“Josie, get up. I need a support person with me, okay?”
Josie sighs. “What? Handing me the stick with your pee on it four days ago wasn’t enough for you?”
“I need official confirmation. I need a reason to get up the courage to tell Bennett. I need…this. Can you just get out of bed…please?”
Josie shakes her head, but this time, she smiles. “Okay. But seriously, I’m not looking forward to the harebrained ideas you’re going to come up with while you’re hormonal.”
Twenty minutes later, just as the sun is rising, we’re in the car and on our way to Burlington. The last time I drove this way, I was in Bennett’s truck, following Summer’s helicopter to the hospital. I expect it to hurt like hell, but instead, I feel this weird sense of kismet. Almost like Summer herself is guiding me through this crazy time.