I sighed as I got up from my chair. “Have fun in LA. I’ll see you when you get back.”
“Oh, I will. Have fun playing daddy!” She smiled.
“That’s not even funny!” I pointed at her as I walked out the door.
After spending a couple of hours doing some work, I called the hospital to check on Lorelei. The nurse said she had been sleeping all day and that Hope and I could visit tonight but only for a short time. I hated leaving her there all alone.
I left the office around four o’clock and, when I arrived home, Hope and Madeline were in the kitchen baking Halloween cookies.
“Isn’t it a bit early for Halloween?” I asked as I set my briefcase down.
“Halloween is in two and a half weeks. It’s never too early. Is it, Hope?” Madeline asked.
“Nope. Never too early for Halloween. I can’t wait to try on my costume.”
“What are you dressing up as?” I asked.
“Cinderella. My mom is making my costume.”
“I bet it’ll be very nice. Did you cook dinner?” I asked Madeline.
“No. I’m sorry, Jack. We got so involved with these cookies that I forgot about dinner and I have to leave in about a half hour to get ready to leave tomorrow.”
“No worries. Hope and I will stop and get something before heading to the hospital to see Lorelei. I’m going to head upstairs to change.”
“Mr. Sutton,” Hope spoke.
“Yes.” I turned around.
“Would you like a cookie?” She held one out to me.
I stood there for a moment and looked at Madeline, who was smiling at me.
“Sure, Hope. I’d love one. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” she spoke as I took the cookie from her.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Jack
I took Hope to one of my favorite Italian restaurants called Maialino, which wasn’t too far from the hospital. As the hostess seated us, she gave me an odd look. What the hell was her problem?
Hope picked up her menu and looked it over.
“Do you know how to read?” I asked.
“I’m seven. Of course I can read.” She shook her head as she looked at me.
I couldn’t help but smile, because at that moment, she reminded me so much of Lorelei.
She set down her menu and looked at me. “I can’t read this menu. The words are too big.”
“Okay. Let me help you.”
Just as I said that, our waiter walked over. “May I start you off with something to drink?”
“I’ll have a scotch on the rocks, please.”
“And for you, Madame?” he asked as he smiled at Hope.
Hope looked at me for a second and then at the waiter. “May I have a coke, please?”
“Of course.” The waiter gave a small bow.
“So what would you like to eat?” I asked as I set down my menu.
“Spaghetti with plain sauce.”
“Oh. Well, I’m not quite sure if they have that here. How about a spaghetti with clams and a white wine garlic sauce?”
“Yuck.” She scrunched up her nose.
“Okay. The pasta with the lamb ragu, tomato, and grana Padano?”
“Huh?”
The waiter set our drinks down and asked to take our order. After placing mine, I asked him about spaghetti with plain sauce for Hope.
“Do you have spaghetti with just plain sauce?”
“Umm. I’m not quite sure. I’ll have to go ask the chef if he can do that.”
“Thank you and please tell him that I will pay whatever it costs for him to make a plain sauce.”
“Very well, sir.” He smiled.
I pulled my phone from my pocket and started checking my emails and messages.
“My mom said that it’s very rude to have your phone out during dinner and that you should be talking to the people who are with you face to face instead of being on the phone.”
I looked up, gave her a blank stare, and slowly slipped my phone back into my pocket.
“Are you driving me to school tomorrow?” she asked.
“I suppose I have to.”
“Do I have to go to latch key?”
“What’s latch key?” I frowned.
“I go there in the mornings before school starts because my mom has to be at work by eight o’clock and school doesn’t start until eight fifteen. The ladies there watch us until school starts.”
“I see. Well, I suppose you won’t have to go to latch key while you’re staying with me. I can drop you off when school starts.”
She gave me a smile and the waiter walked over and placed our food in front of us.
“One spaghetti with plain sauce for the little lady.” He smiled.
“Thank you.” She giggled.
As we were eating our dinner, I heard a voice behind me.
“I don’t believe it.”
I looked up from my plate and saw Coco and Garrett standing there. I narrowed my eyes at both of them.
“What are you two doing here?” I asked.
“We just came from visiting Lorelei and decided to get something to eat,” Garrett replied.
“How is she? We’re heading over there as soon as we’re finished.”
“She’s still very sleepy and not feeling good. We were only there about fifteen minutes. We brought her some flowers,” Coco spoke. She looked at Hope. “Hi there, sweetie. I’m Coco, Jack’s sister. This is our friend, Garrett.”
“Hi.” She smiled.
“I need a picture.” Coco grinned as she handed her purse to Garrett. “Hope, do me a favor and go sit next to Jack so I can take your picture.”
“Coco, stop!” Jack commanded.
“Oh no, big brother. This is too good of an opportunity to pass up.”
Hope slid next to me and turned so she was facing Coco.
“Jack, lean in a little.”
“Coco, I’m warning you.” I gritted my teeth.
Hope looked up at me, smiled, and Coco snapped the picture.
“That was lovely. One more with both of you looking at the camera.”
I took in a sharp breath.
“Smile, Jack.” Hope placed her hand on my cheek.
I looked at Coco and forced a smile as she took another picture.
“Okay. Our table awaits us,” she spoke as she took her purse from Garrett. “It was nice to meet you, Hope.”
****
We entered Lorelei’s room and she was sleeping. I told Hope to be very quiet so we didn’t wake her. She looked pale and it hurt me to see her like that. Suddenly, I didn’t care about anything else but her. I didn’t care about the company, what was going on, nothing. I only wanted her to get better.
“Hope, come with me,” I spoke as we stepped out into the hallway. “We have to go home now. It’s getting late. I’ll tell the nurse to tell your mom that we were here and I promise I’ll bring you back to visit her tomorrow after school.”
She gave me a sad look as she slowly nodded her head. “Wait,” she spoke. “Can I lay Luna next to her?”
“You sure can but make sure you don’t wake her up. Your mom needs all the rest she can get right now so she can get better.”
I followed Hope back inside Lorelei’s room and she carefully placed Luna beside her.
“Now my daddy can be with her while she gets better.”
My heart ached when she said that. A feeling washed over me that I’d never felt before. This little girl, Lorelei’s little girl, was probably the most thoughtful person I’d ever known. Walking up to the nurse’s desk, I told Lorelei’s nurse to be sure to tell her that we had been there when she woke up. We met Tony outside and headed home.
I sent Hope upstairs to get into her pajamas. As I was pouring myself a scotch, she came down and sat on the couch.
“All ready for bed?” I asked.
“Yep. Can you read me a bedtime story? My mom reads to me every night.”
Oh shit. She’s kidding,
right?
“Umm. Sure. Did you bring any books?”
“Yeah. I brought Charlotte’s Web. Wilbur just met Charlotte.” She smiled.
“Shouldn’t you be reading that yourself? Practicing?”
“I read a lot of other books, but every night, my mom reads me to sleep. She said it’s our quiet time together.”
This was something I didn’t want to do. The only thing I read was the newspaper or the internet. I sighed.
“Only a couple of pages, okay?”
“Okay.”
I walked up the stairs and Hope followed behind. When we reached her room, she pulled back the covers and climbed into bed. I looked at her and narrowed my eye.
“Did you brush your teeth?” I asked.
“Yes. Right after I changed into my pajamas.”
She handed me Charlotte’s Web and I opened to the page that was bookmarked.
“I’ve never read this book.”
Hope laid her head on her pillow and I sat down on the edge of the bed and started reading from the pages. I had read ten pages of the book when Hope asked me to stop.
“I’m going to sleep now.”
I placed the bookmark on the page where I left off and pulled the covers up over her. As I got up from the bed, she reached her hand out and grabbed mine. I turned and looked at her.
“Good night, Mr. Sutton,” she sleepily spoke.
I stared at her for a moment as she closed her eyes.
“Good night, Hope.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
Jack
The next morning, I got up, showered, and woke Hope up to get ready for school. I headed downstairs and made a pot of coffee. A few moments later, she walked into the kitchen.
“What’s for breakfast?” she asked.
Oh shit. “Umm…what do you want?” Of all times for Madeline to be gone.
“Pancakes,” she spoke as she climbed up on the stool in front of the island.
“I don’t have pancakes.”
“What do you have?” She propped her elbows on the counter.
“Let me look.” Opening the pantry, I found it was pretty bare. I walked over to the refrigerator and opened it. “I have eggs.”
“Okay. I’ll have scrambled eggs and toast.”
“I only have wheat bread.”
“Yuck.” She made a face. “Just eggs then.” She sighed.
I took out the carton of eggs and grabbed a frying pan from the bottom cabinet. After cracking them in a bowl, I heated the pan and poured them in.
“Coffee?” I asked as I held up the pot.
“I don’t drink coffee.” She giggled.
“You don’t? I thought all kids drank coffee.” I smiled.
“I’ll have orange juice please because I’m sure you don’t have apple.”
A burnt smell suddenly filled the air. “Oh shit! The eggs!” I ran over to the pan.
“You said a bad word.”
“Sorry. Don’t tell your mom.” I tried to scrape the eggs from the pan.
“Did you put butter in the pan before pouring the eggs in?” she asked.
“No.” I sighed and looked at my watch. “Grab your school stuff. We’re going out to breakfast.”
“But I’ll be late for school.”
“No you won’t. Hurry up.”
I threw the pan in the sink and grabbed my phone from the counter.
“Hello, Jack.”
“Tony, I’m taking Hope down the street to that diner for breakfast. Pick us up there in about forty-five minutes. We have to hurry or she’ll be late for school.”
I heard snickering on the other end. “I will be there.”
“Ready,” Hope said as she walked into the kitchen with her coat on and her backpack over her shoulder.
We walked out of the building and down to the diner. When we were seated, I told the waitress that we were in a hurry and I slipped her a twenty-dollar bill to expedite our breakfast. Hope got her pancakes and orange juice and I just ordered a bagel and coffee.
“I’m going to pick you up from school today and we’ll go visit your mom, but we have to go to the grocery store after to get some food.”
“Okay. Mr. Sutton?”
“Yes, Hope.”
“You didn’t pack me a lunch.”
“Shit!”
“You said a bad word again.”
“I’m stressed, Hope. I can say that when I’m stressed. Just don’t tell your mom. Can you buy lunch?”
“I don’t like the school’s food.”
“Just this once? Please?” I begged.
She sat across from me shaking her head no.
“Okay. Don’t worry. I’ll make sure your lunch is delivered. What do you like?”
“Peanut butter and jelly is fine. Or I like ham and cheese.”
After rushing through breakfast, I told Tony to step on it.
“We’re going to be late,” Hope said.
“No, we aren’t.”
“Yes, we are.”
“Hope, we won’t be late.”
We were late. Just as Tony pulled up to the building, the doors shut and we were locked out.
“Ugh!” I placed my hand on my head.
“Told ya we were going to be late. Just push this button.”
I did and the door unlocked. As we stepped inside, there was a manly looking woman standing at the entrance with her arms folded.
“I apologize. Traffic was bad.”
The woman glared at me and then looked down at Hope. “You may go to your classroom, honey.”
“Bye, Mr. Sutton.” Hope smiled as she waved.
“Bye, Hope. Have a good day.”
****
By time I got to the hospital, I was exhausted. I had no idea how Lorelei did this full-time and by herself. I carefully opened the door to her room and saw she was awake. As I stepped inside, she looked at me.
“Jack,” she softly spoke.
Walking over to her bed, I placed my hand on hers. “How are you feeling?”
She shrugged. “Like shit.”
I gave her a small smile.
“How’s Hope?”
“She’s good. I just dropped her off at school.”
“Thank you.” She picked up Luna. “I’m sorry I missed you both last night.”
“Don’t apologize. You need your rest. I’ll be bringing her by after school.”
“She isn’t giving you a hard time, is she?”
“Nah. She’s a good kid.”
“Good. Words can’t express how grateful I am that you’re looking after her. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.”
I gave her a tender smile as I lightly squeezed her hand.
“It’s the least I can do since you do so much for me.”
“What do I do for you, Jack?”
“God, I don’t think there’s enough time to list everything. You get my coffee every morning, you put up with my yelling, you pick up my clothes from the cleaners. Hell, Lorelei, you even buy my condoms.”
“All those things are part of my job.”
“Maybe so, but this is my way of repaying you.”
“Can you do me a favor?” she asked.
“Anything.”
“Could you go back to my apartment and get my phone. It’s on my nightstand.”
“Of course. I’ll bring it by later. I better get going. You need your rest and I have to get to the office.” I leaned over and pressed my lips against her forehead. “I’ll see you later, Lorelei.”
“Bye, Jack.”
After Tony dropped me off at the office, I handed him the keys to Lorelei’s apartment and asked him to get her phone and bring it to me. I also asked him to grab her sketchbook. Maybe once she started to feel a little better, she would want it.
My first mission was to get Hope’s lunch to her. Sitting at my desk, I called the deli down the street.
“I need to order a ham and cheese sandwich on white bread. Also, throw in a bag of chips.”
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“Is there anything else, Mr. Sutton?”
“Do you have any fruit?”
“We have apples.”
“Put an apple in the bag and one of your fresh baked chocolate chip cookies. I need it delivered to Hope Flynn at Sunnyview Elementary School in Harlem.”
“We don’t deliver that far.”
I sighed. “Okay. Have it delivered here to my office at eleven fifteen sharp.”
“Will do, Mr. Sutton.”
After ending the call, a text message from Coco came through.
“On my way to LA. I thought you like to have these. They’re sweet, Jack.”
She sent the two pictures she took of me and Hope. I closed out of it as Garrett walked in my office.
“How’s Hope?” he asked.
“She’s fine.”
“She’s an adorable little girl.”
I smiled. “Yeah. She looks so much like Lorelei.”
“Anyway, do you need me to call the temp agency to send over someone until Lorelei gets back?”
“Nah. Lorelei is such a good PA, I’m afraid she’s spoiled me. Anyone that would replace her wouldn’t be good enough and I’d end up making them cry.”
“Okay. That’s all I wanted to know.”
“How was dinner with my sister last night?”
“It was good. Why?”
I shrugged. “I was just curious. That’s all. It was odd running into the two of you there.”
He narrowed his eye at me. “We talked earlier in the day and I told her I was going to visit Lorelei. She said she was going as well and that we should go together. Neither one of us had eaten, so we decided to stop and have dinner after. Is that a problem, Jack?”
“No. No problem.”
Shortly after Garrett walked out of my office, Tony walked in with Lorelei’s phone.
“Ah, good. I’m going to need you to drop off Hope’s lunch to her at school as soon as it gets here.”
Tony gave me a small smile.
“What? What’s that look for?” I asked.
“Nothing, Jack.” He continued smiling.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Jack
Hope walked out of the school and approached me with a sad look on her face. Patting her head, I asked, “What’s wrong?”
“I’m one of the top ten students in the school who made the final spelling bee round. It’s tomorrow for all the parents and my mom can’t be there because she’s in the hospital.” She looked down and slumped her shoulders as we headed to the car.