I told Ernesto that you’re taking the day off.
No arguments!!
I left some things that you might find helpful in George’s study. If you want coffee, all you have to do is push the button. Ifyou want tea, I’m afraid you’ll have to wait until I get home. I’ll have my phone on all day if you need me.
Please try to relax and get some rest.
X
Dan
PS: When you’re in the study, please don’t take my knight. His name is Fred, and he has a wife and three kids.
A laugh that sounded like a snort erupted from my chest and I read the note for a second time. The smell of brown, bubbling salvation filled the kitchen as the mug that Dan thoughtfully placed under the spout of the machine filled with coffee.
With my mood lifted by Dan’s note and helped by the expertly prepared coffee—how is this man so good at everything?—I made my way to my grandfather’s study. My eyes immediately traveled to the chessboard on the desk. Dan was correct about his knight being in prime position to be taken by my rook, but I also noticed his queen was vulnerable. It was possible he’d left the note to try to distract me from making such a devastating move. Without his queen, I could end the game in three moves; but the thought of the game ending so soon made me sad for some reason. I could still beat him easily if I took his knight, but it would take a little longer. I stared at the board for a few moments before I made a decision.
Sorry, Freddy. You fought the good fight.
After making my move, I turned my attention to the rest of the study, looking for the helpful things Dan described in his note. Myeyes fell upon a leather-bound journal that I was sure wasn’t on the desk the last time I was in the study. I settled myself in my grandfather’s chair and opened to the first page.
It was dated the spring of 1997. I would have been two years old. Annie would have still been alive. The first thing I got from the entry was confirmation that Dan was telling the truth.
April 22, 1997
Damn, that girl is as stubborn as a mule. After months of trying to convince her to try to use cannabis to treat Annie, I’m at my breaking point. I raised her to be strong and believe in her convictions, but I can’t understand why she just won’t try it. My grandbaby is suffering, and there is something that could help. Hell, we’re all suffering.
I would have thought showing her all of the articles and studies I found would have convinced her, but she didn’t budge. For months, she argued that there wasn’t enough “science” to support my claims. I went out and found some damn science and it still wasn’t good enough for her.
I told Harry that I was gonna get through to our daughter. We all see the toll it’s taking on her and the toll it’s taking on Annie and Emmaline.
I’m not gonna give up on my girls. I can’t give up.
I closed the journal after reading a few pages. It was a lot to take in. Could my grandfather’s obsession with using cannabis to treat Annie be the cause of the rift between him and my mother?
There was only one person I could ask, but, again, I wasn’t sure that I was ready for the answer.
The air seemed to grow thicker with each trill of the phone ringing from the speaker of my cell phone. I let out a long exhale when a familiar voice answered.
“Baby girl,” my dad crooned, sounding genuinely happy to hear from me.
“Hey, Daddy.” I felt a little guilty about how relieved I was that he’d picked up the phone instead of my mother.
“How ya been?” Those three innocent words were heavy with all the unanswered questions about the events of the last two weeks of my life. My God, was the will reading really only two weeks ago? It felt like a lifetime.
“I’ve been okay,” I began cautiously. “Hanging in there.”
“Well, you didn’t have to tell me that.” I could hear the smile in his voice. “My baby is tough and smart. You can do anything you set your mind to.”
“Thanks, Daddy.” A smile tugged at my lips, and I glanced at my left hand to realize that I was absentmindedly toying with Dan’s captured knight, making it dance atop the closed journal. My smile faded and I let out a sigh. “Can I ask you something?”
“You just did.” I pictured one of his mischievous smirks with his eyes crinkling at the corners.
“Ha ha,” I deadpanned. “Well, I’m sure Mom has told you that Grandma and Grandpa King left me the farm…”
“She has…” he answered with a sigh, waiting for me to continue.
“Well, since everything that happened at Laramie and with Teddy—”
