A Dad of His Own by Gail Gaymer Martin

Author:Gail Gaymer Martin [Martin, Gail Gaymer]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Steeple Hill
Published: 2011-10-19T20:00:00+00:00

Chapter Two

“Can I go to school today, Mom?” Dressed in his jungle-print pajamas, Cooper leaned his head against his mother’s arm, his thick hair only a memory. His chemo treatments had taken their toll.

“Not today, Coop.” Lexie swallowed her dismay and ran her hand across his bald scalp. She would be overjoyed when he would greet her once again in the morning with his usual bed-tousled hair. “Maybe in a couple more weeks. We have to talk with Dr. Herman first.” She managed a bright smile even though she ached for him. “Brush your teeth and get dressed while I make you breakfast.”

“Cinnamon buns?”

An honest chuckle lightened her mood. Her son had the same propensity that she did for those gooey, fattening treats. “Let’s eat healthy today. How about scrambled eggs?”

He curled up his nose. “Okay.”

While he meandered toward his room, Lexie pulled herself from the table where she’d enjoyed her morning coffee before sitting behind her computer, her graphic design program open. She’d always been grateful that her career as a graphic designer allowed her to work from home and still make a living.

She opened the refrigerator and tackled the eggs, and by the time Cooper reappeared, she’d prepared eggs with cheese—he liked that—and toast with jelly. The jelly offered him the sweet taste that took the place of the cinnamon buns he really wanted. The lesser of two evils. “How are you feeling today?”

“Good.” He grinned.

Good had become his standard answer so she took that with a balance of reality. She would know soon enough by his behavior. Yesterday she’d noticed a small bruise on his arm. Bruises triggered a gut-wrenching fear when she saw them. Bruising had been one of the symptoms that caused her to question Cooper’s health.

“If you’re so good, then you need to study your arithmetic today. Work on your addition and subtraction.”

His nose curled again, but he didn’t object. If she could avoid his whining, it would be a good day for her also.

Cooper’s fork dove into the eggs, and he nibbled on his toast, washing it down with milk. He had eyes shaped like hers, only a slightly darker shade of blue. His brown hair had the same highlights hers had in the sunlight, and she longed to see the day when he had a full head of hair again. She had given birth to him, and no one who saw them together could argue the point.

She smiled as she cleared the dishes, and when Cooper finished, he vanished to his room, where she hoped he was doing his schoolwork. She would check after another cup of coffee. Adding more to her mug, Lexie sank into the chair, her mind once again shifting to Ethan Fox. Questions had arisen since the day they’d met. What had happened? He’d seemed so friendly and more than thoughtful, but when he finished replacing her tire, he’d said goodbye and walked off without a look backward. The memory hurt.

Though foolish, she’d let him add a bit of excitement to her day.

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