A Hart To Call Home

Chapter Twenty Nine

Kit was working in the rose garden late into the afternoon when Andre came out to join her. It had grown hot into the afternoon, and she'd worked up quite a sweat.

"You need a water?" He tossed a cool bottle at her as she stood up. She caught it gratefully and drained a big gulp of it.

"Thanks."

"You know you can take the afternoon off if my father isn't here, right?"

"Dad," she corrected with a grin, "and I know, but I wanted to get some things done around here."

"I can always hire a gardener," he pointed out.

"I enjoy this, actually," Kit admired the small garden. "It's nice to have stuff to do when he's napping. So I don't.. never mind."

"So you don't what?"

"As Luca would say. Don't worry about it."

"Very funny," Andre said dryly, "you were going to say so you don't think about how he's dying, right?"

"Andre, I shouldn't have"-

"You don't have to tiptoe around it. I know, I've known he's dying. I focused so hard on taking care of him, on fighting this thing with him, that I didn't have to think about the end."

He let out a long, defeated sigh, breaking Kit's heart.

"But, now I know we're here. We're at the end, and can't fight it, so what do I do? I feel helpless."

"That's normal to feel that way," She assured him, "but you're not helpless. What he wants now is memories, and that's what you focus on. They'll mean everything to you down the road."

"You're right," he agreed. "I'm glad I took the break from work and school."

"Me too. Hey, what if we all went to the lake on Saturday? Maybe you could even rent a boat?"

"Saturday?" Andre raised an eyebrow at her. "Don't you have other plans?"

"Why would I?"- her eyes widened as it came to her. "How did I manage to forget?"

"Kit! You did not forget your birthday, did you?"

"I did," she laughed out loud. I've been so preoccupied it slipped my mind.

"Wow," he chuckled, "well, if you and Luca want to go out of town, that's fine. I'm interviewing some nurses tomorrow."

"I can't think of a better way to spend my birthday than at the lake with everyone."

"Really?"

"Yes! I want memories with Leo too. We can invite my dad and Jase along too."

"Maybe I can rent a boat," he offered.

"That'd be perfect!"

"It looks like that one is about to bloom," Andre pointed out a small bud forming on one of the bushes.

"Hopefully soon," Kit admired it as she gulped the rest of her water bottle.

"When it blooms, can we take it to his room for him?"

"Of course, we can."

"I wish... I hope he lives long enough to see these all bloom."

"So do I," she sighed sadly.

****

After a long day in the sun and dirt, Kit helped herself to Luca's shower. The hot water felt good, beating down on her. She closed her eyes and enjoyed it for a long moment. She was just about to shampoo her hair when she heard the bathroom door open.