I knocked on Lila’s door and waited.
Then I waited some more.
Until finally I heard the locks being turned.
Expecting to see her, I had my mouth opened ready to ask what the hell was going on?
Cause the woman I knew, the woman that I planned on making mine for the rest of my life, the very same woman thatI wanted to plant my babies in, wouldn’t have bailed on one of Cole’s games.
But it wasn’t Lila standing there with a sad smile on her face.
It was her mother, Kendra.
“Where is she?” I asked.
She looked at me and then at Cole and Madalyn and said words that would brand themselves deep in my heart.
She lowered her voice and said, “I’ve never seen her like she is with the three of you. You’ve all captured her heart. When she speaks of y’all, her eyes shine so bright that sometimes I have to wince. It’s truly a magical thing. I want you to take those words and hold them close. Okay?”
I frowned, “What’s going on?”
She smiled sadly at me, “She’s sick, Bronson. I just found out a few days ago.”
“What’s wrong?” Cole asked.
“Does she need medicine?” Madalyn asked.
“We can run to the store?” Cole offered.
Both of my kids held worried expressions that matched their tones.
“She’s doing this to protect y’all. She plans to tell y’all, but she needs time. Okay?” she said.
But her words did nothing to ease the tension that was forming in my body.
None of this made any fucking sense.
“Don’t be angry with what she says.” And with that, she locked gazes with the three of us and then closed the door and locked it.
I stood there staring at the door.
My mind racing.
It wasn’t until Cole and Madalyn urged me away from her front door, down her front walk, and out to the truck that my mind started spinning.
The kids were both quiet as we loaded back into the truck.
I sat there, unseeing the little white cottage with red accents in front of me.
Thinking about that nightmare.
My only thought... I wasn’t going to make her mine only to lose her too soon.
What a crock of shit that thought was.
If I knew anything, it was that time was fleeting.
And what kind of man would I be if I walked away knowing she wasn’t feeling well?
