The Secret She Kept by Amy Knupp

Author:Amy Knupp [Knupp, Amy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Family, American Light Romantic Fiction, Romance: Modern, Contemporary, General, Romance, Romance - Contemporary, Fiction, Fiction - Romance, Love Stories, Historical, Computers, Adult, Programming Languages, Juvenile Fiction, Parents, Category, A Little Secret
ISBN: 9780373715374
Google: f7S0NouaUmMC
Amazon: 0373715374
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2009-01-13T00:51:03.750000+00:00

CHAPTER TWELVE

JAKE WASN’T SURE WHAT to expect when he laid eyes on his dad today. Dean had gone noticeably downhill between Jake’s first visit and the night he and Savannah had stopped by. There had only been a week between those occasions.

Jake didn’t slow down as he got to the door of his father’s room. He’d done plenty of hesitating earlier, but Emily had convinced him this might be his last chance to talk to their dad. Jake was going back to Montana tomorrow and wouldn’t return to Lone Oak until Friday, when he would finalize the deal with Zach. His grandma had insisted on putting Jake’s name on the agreement, as well, in case anything happened to her.

“Jake,” his dad said in a steady, strong voice when he entered the room.

“Dad.” He pulled up a chair near the head of the bed, relieved to see him so alert. “How you doing today?”

“Not too bad. Haven’t had to have as much morphine.” He looked better than he had on Monday, just five days earlier. He seemed more alert. His eyes focused better, his coloring was not so pale, and his speech was clearer, more confident.

Jake nodded. He leaned his elbows on his knees and tried to think of something to talk about. What, exactly, did you say to your father during possibly your last conversation ever? Pressure built in Jake’s head.

“Been doing a lot of thinking lately,” his dad said. “Guess that’s normal when you’re in the position I’m in.”

“I suppose it is. What have you been thinking about?”

Dean turned toward the window and stared out at the changing leaves. The trees were showing off yellows, oranges and reds bright enough to rival any sunset.

Jake watched as his dad’s expression saddened, couldn’t ignore his almost translucent skin. Once again he found it hard to believe this was the hearty man who used to let nothing slow him down, let nothing get in the way of his work.

“Rennie.”

The single word, his mother’s name, made Jake’s head pound even more, and something in his chest catch. They had never really discussed her and what she’d done. Jake wasn’t altogether sure he wanted to now. But he waited for his dad to say more. If a dying man wanted to talk about something, the least Jake could do was listen.

Dean relaxed his neck and rested his head back against the raised mattress. He finally spoke.

“I’ve never forgiven her. All the years since she swallowed too many pills, and I’ve held on to the anger.” He shook his head slowly, then met Jake’s gaze with watery eyes. “I’ve let it eat me up, become a part of me.”

“I was mad at her, too.”

“Tough not to be. But I should’ve gotten over it. Should’ve forgiven her. Instead, I became fixated on how her suicide affected me, what it did to make my life worse. Hell, I didn’t know what to do with you kids. I didn’t know how to manage the home. Your mother handled all that.

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