“Rebecca, I need you to understand.”
“Understand what?” she snapped. “How you thought I could possibly live with this?”
He wanted to explain to her that there was nothing else he could have done. He needed her to know that he could not have lost his wife and her on the same day. She needed to know the type of woman Vera was. She would never have allowed anyone to die if she could’ve prevented it. She needed to know how much losing her would hurt. But making her understand everything she needed to know would have to wait until she was stronger.
“Please don’t upset yourself.” He released her hand and took a step away from the bed. “You need your rest. I’ll check on you later.”
“Nick,” she called out when he turned to leave.
When he turned to look at her, the sadness in her eyes nearly broke his heart. She reached out for him.
“Please… please, come back.”
Unable to refuse her anything, he returned to her bedside. He leaned over, closing the distance between them. He was hit by a bolt of emotion when she ran her soft hand over his unshaven jaw.
“I am sooo sorry,” she whispered with tears trickling down her face. “I’m so very sorry for your loss.”
He swiped a tear from his own cheek and covered her warm hand with his. “I know you are, sweetheart. Thank you.”
She shook her head slightly and gazed up at him with sad, brown eyes. “Oh, God, no. I thank you.”
18
KING
Rebecca was eating the nastiest green beans ever when Nick popped his head in her room.
“How’s our patient today?”
She shoved a green bean in her mouth and responded with, “Highly disappointed.”
He laughed and entered the room. “Can’t be that bad.”
“Hmph! It’s that bad,” she retorted, patting the edge of the bed. “Come. Sit by me.”
“Actually, I was wondering if you were up for some company?”
Rebecca looked up. He sounded strange. For the past week when he visited, he’d normally walk right over and give her a kiss. But instead of his usual greeting, he was standing by the door, looking very nervous.
“What’s wrong, Nick?”
“Nothing is wrong. You have a visitor. That’s all.”
“O- kay…”
He held the door open a bit wider and in stepped a tall white man with ink-black hair and a matching beard. He was well dressed in a blue shirt and black slacks.
“Rebecca, I’d like you to meet Vincent Crane.”
“Hello. It’s nice to meet you.” She chuckled, pushing her wild hair from her face. “Nick could’ve warned me he was bringing someone by.”
Nick moved close to the bed and took her by the hand. “Rebecca, Vince is Vera’s brother. He wanted to meet you.”
Rebecca inhaled a breath and pulled her hand from Nick’s. “Oh, my God.”
She clutched her chest. It could’ve been because of the shock of having Vera’s brother standing less than ten feet away or she could have been subconsciously protectingherheart. “Hi, Vince. I’m so very sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you. I hear there’s no one more worthy than you to be walking around with my sister’s heart.”
