Chapter 15 #2
My eyes shifted to Wendy, but I nodded. Not that he could see me. “I’m ending it for her. I need to know how.”
“Fuck. Yeah, alright. I’ll text it to you. What can I do?”
“Nothing for now. Thanks, though.”
We hung up and I sighed as I made the next call.
“Cade here.”
“Cade, it’s Priest.”
The Texas Chapter president must have heard the agony in my tone. “Everything alright, Priest?”
“No, not in the least. I don’t have time to explain right now. I need to talk to Ming.” Ming was one of their member’s wife, and a doctor.
“Alright, give me a minute and I’ll give her my phone.” He didn’t talk while he went to go find her and I appreciated that. That was the thing about the club, both chapters. The men knew when to ask questions, and when to act. Answers could come later.
Rubbing a hand over my forehead, I waited. It felt like an eternity passed before another voice came over the line. “Priest?”
“Ming, hey. I’m sorry to call so late.”
“That’s okay, we were actually having a movie night and just finished up not that long ago. What can I help you with?”
Sucking in a breath, I went over and sat next to Wendy.
Her eyes were closed, but I knew she was listening.
I explained Wendy’s prognosis. “She wants me to help her, but I need to do it in a way where she won’t feel anything and it will look natural.
I have four kids and I can’t go to jail for this. They don’t need to lose both parents.”
“Do you have any medications there with you?” I appreciated her no nonsense approach. I could hear the sadness in her voice, but she didn’t waste time telling me how sorry she was. Her willingness to help me was comforting enough.
I stood and walked over to where the nurse had them locked up in a cabinet. Pulling my wallet out of my back pocket, I opened it and pulled out a small tool. It took me a few minutes to pick the lock, a testament to how this was affecting me.
Listing off the medications inside the cabinet, I listened as she told me which to use, how much, and what would happen once I did. There was a faint buzzing in my ears, but I forced myself to focus.
“Give her the shot under her tongue. By the time the nurse finds her, she’ll be gone and they won’t be able to detect the drug on the toxicology report. If they even run one.”
“Thank you, Ming. I…I don’t know how I can ever repay you for this.”
“You’re welcome. And we still owe you for your help with getting the club out of all that trouble before. Listen, I’ve seen what her future looks like. You’re doing her a kindness.” She paused, then kept going. “It’s not going to be easy for you. Do you have someone to talk with?”
“Yeah. I’m squared away there. Listen, I’d better do this before that nurse comes in for a check. Thank you again.”
“Of course. And seriously, don’t try to take this burden alone.”
I hung up the phone and carefully loaded a syringe with the medication Ming had suggested. I put it back, making sure the bottle was where it had been prior. Closing and locking the cabinet back up, I went back over and sat near Wendy again.
Her eyes opened and she studied me. “You’re a good man, Grant. I’m so sorry that I couldn’t be the woman you needed.”
My lips twitched and I patted her hand. “I’m convinced the only reason we were meant to come together was for those girls out there,” I told her. “And for that, I’ll always be grateful to you.”
Her smile was soft, but tinged with a hint of pain. “You’re a great father. The only reason I’m able to let go is knowing that you’d die to protect our girls.”
“Yeah. I would.”
“But more likely, you’d kill an army first.” She chuckled, then coughed.
Tears dripped down her cheeks as she continued. “I’m really sorry to ask this of you. I know it’s awful, but I can’t lie here withering away in agonizing pain for who knows how long. I don’t want my girls to remember me like this.”
I’d been about to ask her if she was sure, but that was all I needed to hear to know. “This will stop your heart.”
“Will you stay with me?”
I nodded. It was a bad idea, Ming had warned me to leave after the injection. But the fear in Wendy’s eyes, that was a look I had seen far too many times in combat. I wasn’t going to leave her. I would stay here through this.
“Thank you.”
“Okay. Give me five minutes? I’ll be right back.”
She nodded again and let her eyes close. I left the syringe on the nightstand and unlocked the bedroom door. I found Jenny and the girls out in the living room. They were piled on her and each other, pressing close for comfort.
Jenny’s eyes widened when she spotted me. She smoothed a hand over Taylor’s back. They were all asleep except Caitlyn, who watched quietly.
Whispering to Jenny, I picked Cassie up in my arms. “I need you to do me a favor.”
“What?” Jenny whispered back.
“I can’t explain much right now, but I need you to drive my truck a few blocks up the road and wait for me.”
Jenny shifted until the girls were lying on the couch. She picked Taylor up, ready to follow me outside. Caitlyn waited on the couch with Gabby.
“We’ll be right back,” I told her and headed out to my truck. We settled the girls into the back seat before going inside for the other two. Once we had them secured, I quietly shut the door and waited for Jenny to get into the front seat.
There was an understanding in her eyes. She knew what I was about to do. I didn’t see any judgment, only sadness. She laid a hand on my forearm. “We’ll be waiting.”
I leaned in and kissed her. It wasn’t a light meeting of mouths.
It was forceful and desperate. I poured all my twisted emotions into the kiss, letting Jenny hang onto them for a while before I went to do what I needed to.
I couldn’t afford to have the volatile feelings bouncing around inside of me while I did this.
When I pulled away, she brought her hand to my cheek.
Neither of us said anything else as I grasped her wrist, kissing her knuckles, and tucked her hand safely inside the truck as I closed the door as quietly as I could.
We were lucky the nurse hadn’t woken up yet and I didn’t want her catching me at the wrong moment.
I watched as the taillights disappeared down the street. Taking a deep breath of the cooling night air, I went back inside. Detouring to Gabby’s room, I opened the door a crack. The nurse was still asleep.
There was no time to waste. The nurse had brought one of those dry erase boards and written pertinent information on it, including what time checks were to be done. This was so Wendy could see it and become used to her new schedule. The nurse would be coming by in about thirty minutes.
According to Ming, it wouldn’t take very long. I promised Wendy I would stay by her side through it, and I would. I would have a few seconds, maybe a minute tops before the machines went haywire after her pulse dropped off.