Edward Unconditionally Common Powers 3 (26 page)

His eyes filled with tears every time he thought of her dead.

Sammi sighed. “Don't think like that.”

Edward sniffled and wiped his eyes on the back of his sleeve. “Can't help it.”

“You know, I just met my grandmother for the first time a few months ago.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I never knew my mom and dad. I was raised by a string of foster parents until I couldn't stand it anymore and ran away from home at sixteen. I understand how important Olivia is to you.”

Edward leaned over and rested his head against Olivia's hand. “Thanks for understanding.”

Just then the nurse came in, checked Olivia's vitals, took her blood pressure, then left. Edward and Sammi returned to their vigil.

Twenty minutes later, a doctor came in.

“I'm Dr. Franklin, Olivia's oncologist.”

“Edward Beauregard, her grandson.” They shook hands. “Can you tell me what's going on?”

“Well, your grandmother has cancer. I suppose you've already figured that out. It's terminal. In case she didn't tell you, she's signed a living will. It states that she refuses any efforts, any treatments, to prolong her life. She's determined to live her life just as she always has, on her own terms.” He chuckled. “She's one of the most strong-minded people I've ever known.”

“I know.”

“She seems to be resting comfortably for now.” He held up the charts he carried. “To put it bluntly, she's dying.”

“How long?” Edward's voice managed not to break.

Franklin shrugged. “Hours. Days. Not much more. Her numbers are very bad. Her kidneys are shutting down, and her other organs are beginning to fail.”

“I understand.”

“All we can do right now is to be here for her.”

Edward nodded. Sammi stepped up next to him, wrapped his arm around Edward's shoulders, and hugged him tight.

“We're not going anywhere,” Sammi said.

“I'm glad to meet you, Mr. Beauregard. I'm glad she has family to sit with her. I was afraid she'd go through this alone.”

“Thank you for following her wishes.” Edward shook Dr. Franklin's hand.

The doctor left, and Edward went back to his chair.

“Here, it's getting cold.” Sammi found a blanket somewhere and wrapped it around Edward's shoulders. Edward accepted it and pulled it around him.

Sammi sat down, pulled his legs underneath him, and rested his chin on his knee.

Edward resumed stroking Olivia's hand.

Olivia slept.

Somewhere around three in the morning, Olivia's monitors went off. Edward jerked awake and stared at a multitude of red lines and beeping lights. A nurse bustled into the room, checked the frail woman in the bed, and turned off the alarm.

She turned a sad smile to Edward. “It might not be long now.”

Sammi came to Edward. “Give me your phone, honey. Let me make some calls.”

Edward nodded and thrust his phone at Sammi, unable to take his eyes off his grandmother. Sammi slipped out of the room to use the phone.

Scooting his chair closer, Edward took Olivia's hand in his. The temptation to do something, to open the portal between them, to leach away the cancer killing her, built in him along with his anger and helplessness, and the slow, sliding certainty of her death.

Panicking, he closed his eyes and focused on the portal, then stopped.

He'd promised her not to do it. Not to play God.

Edward cried out with the frustration of it all. He
had
the power. He
could
do it. She could stay with him a little longer. They could go on more picnics, ride around in his car, top down, the wind in their hair. He would still feel her love and acceptance of him.

Edward rested his forehead on her hand, his sobs choking him.

No one had loved him as she had, and it terrified Edward to think that no one ever would and that the only love and acceptance he'd ever known would die with her.

“I love you, Meemaw.” Her hand was wet with his tears, but he dabbed at them with the edge of her sheet. “I'm so sorry I didn't come sooner. So mad at Mother and Father for keeping us apart. I'm going to miss you so much.”

She lay silent on the bed, the life fading from her.

“I don't want to be alone, Meemaw,” he whispered to her. “Don't leave me.”

She didn't answer, but it didn't matter. She'd said all she needed to say to him, and that would have to be enough.

There was nothing left to do but pray.

Brian, Rush, and Mitchell met Sammi in the waiting room. Sammi flew into Mitchell's arms and buried his head in Mitchell's neck. “She's dying. It's so sad.”

“It's okay, baby.” Mitchell looked over Sammi's head at Brian. “Edward?”

“I'll check Olivia's room.” Brian left and went down the hall.

Leaning in the doorway, he watched Edward, head bowed, his hand clasping Olivia's. It was very quiet. No beeps, no machines running.

Brian stepped in and went to Edward. “Edward. When did she pass?”

“I don't know. A little while ago.” He straightened and looked up at Brian. “It's okay. She was ready to go. I just wasn't ready to let go.” He gave Brian a sad smile and stood, still clinging to Olivia's hand.

Brian wrapped an arm around Edward's shoulder. “The others are waiting outside. You need to get some rest. We can make all the arrangements later.”

Edward nodded. He let go of her hand, leaned over, and kissed her forehead, then let Brian lead him away.

It was surreal. As Edward walked down the hall, he couldn't feel his body, which was odd. Numbness radiated outward from his heart. And he was cold, so cold. Even Brian's arm on his shoulder, Brian's hand on his other arm, didn't give warmth.

They entered the waiting room, and three big men rushed him. Each one enfolded him in his arms in turn, each offering support and words of comfort. Edward was stunned. They had come for him, to help him through this, even though they'd only just met and barely knew him.

What had he done to deserve such friends? Had he been any different in Atlanta? He didn't think so. Maybe he'd just been hanging with the wrong people. A fast, wild life loaded with bad boys galore. A
Metropolitan Living
sort of life. All he'd done here was show up in Spring Lake and be Edward.

New, welcome warmth spread through Edward. As tears filled his eyes, he smiled at his new friends. Control came easier, and he blinked the tears away. “I'm okay. Really. Having y'all here right now is just... amazing. It means so much to me. Thank you.”

A small voice came from behind him. “Edward. I'm so sorry about Olivia.”

Edward turned. Kristen stood a little way from the group. “Oh, Kristen, thank you so much for coming. How did you know?”

“Brian called me. I wanted to be here for you. To let you know I cared.” She reached out a hand; he took it. She pulled him in for a quick hug; then, her hands on his shoulders, she pushed him back and looked into his eyes. “Anything you need, just let me know.”

“I will.” He nodded. His eyes darted to the door. It would be too much to ask where Jack was and hear any answer except “he's on his way.” His control could only stand so much.

Kristen squeezed his hand, as if she could read his thoughts, but didn't say anything.

What could she say, really? And what did he expect of Jack?

“I guess we should go.” Edward shrugged. He had no idea what anyone did in this situation. Were there papers to sign? Bills to pay? Someone would stop him at the door if they really needed him.

Mitchell tucked Sammi under his arm. “We'll head back to the ranch with Rush, Brian. Don't worry about us.”

Brian nodded. “I'll take Edward wherever he wants to go. Then I've got to go to work.”

The logistics settled, the small crowd left the waiting room and stepped into the corridor.

Jack came through the automatic doors, and Edward dragged in a deep breath and stumbled. Just the sight of the man shook him to his core. His heart soared. He wanted to sing out, “Jack came!” at the top of his lungs. Struggling not to let anything show on his face or in his eyes, he kept walking.

Jack looked as bad as Edward felt. Demons warred in Jack's blue eyes as he stood there devouring Edward. It must have taken so much out of Jack to be here for Edward right now.

“Thank you for coming. Olivia would have appreciated it, Jack.” His voice was almost normal and barely shook at all.

Jack's gaze searched his. “I couldn't stay away. You okay?”

Edward nodded. “Fine. Now.”

As he stared at Jack, Edward wondered if the others could see the hunger in his eyes. Unsure of what Jack had told or what he'd kept secret, Edward had no idea what to do or say next.

Jack ended the uncertainty by stepping up to Edward, saying, “Come here, baby,” as he folded Edward against him. Jack's smell, his warm, hard body pressed against Edward's, his sweet endearment, spoken aloud, not whispered, was too much for Edward. It broke what little self-control he'd found. He was safe in Jack's arms. Jack would catch him when he fell.

Edward fell. “Oh, Jack! She's gone!” he wailed, buried his head in Jack's neck, wrapped his arms around Jack's neck, and wept. Jack held and rocked him as Edward melted against Jack.

“I know, baby, I know. It's okay. She's happy and in a better place. This is what she wanted, remember?” Jack petted his head, stroking his hair, running his fingers through it.

Edward nodded, his face still hidden in the crook of Jack's neck.

“I've got him,” Edward heard Jack say. “I'll take him home to my house. I've got Winston there.” Then to Edward, “You want Winston, baby?”

Edward nodded, but this time he choked out, “Yes.”

Jack's hands smoothed up and down his back.

“He's all yours, Jack,” Brian said.

“Yeah.” Jack leaned back, lifted Edward's tearstained face, and kissed him. Right there in the hall of the county hospital emergency room. With a crowd of people watching. With Jack's secretary standing there, for God's sake. Even a passing nurse or two.

Hell and damnation, Chief of Police Jack Whittaker kissed him. In public.

Edward broke their kiss as his eyes darted around the hall. “Jack. People.”

Jack kissed him again, stopping any words from Edward. Only a soft moan managed to escape from Edward.

“I told you, honey. Just give it time.” Sammi chuckled.

It seemed all Edward could do was cry, nod, or speak in monosyllables. How could his heart hurt so badly and rejoice so completely at the same time?

“Sure?” Edward asked Jack.

“Never been surer in my life. Let's go home.” Jack tucked Edward under his arm and they left the hospital, followed by their friends.

Edward had no recollection of his feet touching the ground or of saying good-bye to the others or even getting in Jack's truck. All he knew was that he was with Jack. That Jack had come for him and been there when Edward had needed him. That Jack had claimed him in front of their friends and assorted members of the hospital staff.

“Jack. Everyone in town will know by lunch.”

Jack was silent.

“You did think this through, didn't you?”

“Let me handle it.”

Edward's stomach tightened as a gaping black sinkhole began crumbling away under his feet. “Tell me you'd made a decision to come out before you got to the hospital. That you didn't just let your emotions get the better of you. That this wasn't a huge mistake you're going to regret later.”

More silence.

The sinkhole grew, huge, black, the ground beneath him disappearing.

“Jack?”

“I wanted to be here for you, Edward.”

With nothing under Edward except black air, Edward threw out a lifeline. “But you didn't mean to let everyone know you're gay, did you?”

There was a long sigh. “Edward. Since you've come into my life, I don't know anything anymore. Not how to fish, not how to be content in my own house, not even how to sleep at night. All I know is that without you, all those things have become impossible. I tried to fight it, I did.” His voice rose, anger seeping into his words. “I lost. If I mean not to go crazy, then I have to admit it.”

“Admit what?”

It was now or never. Jack screwed his courage up. If he couldn't say it to Edward, how the hell was he going to say it to anyone else? Like Brian? Or his old friend Bill Lansing, the mayor of Spring Lake?

“I'm gay, and I love you, Edward. All of you. Just like you are. No changes. No training. You're perfect as is, and if I can't deal with that, then I don't deserve you.” Jack caught the rope and pulled Edward out of the abyss.

Edward slid across the seat toward Jack as far as his seat belt would let him. He placed his hand on Jack's warm, muscular thigh. “Thank you, Jack. I know that must have been hard for you.”

Jack chuckled. “Well, you know how they say, ‘You can't teach an old dog new tricks'? I guess it took a little bulldog to teach this big dog that a person can be perfect just the way they are.”

Edward leaned over and pecked Jack on the cheek. “I have a confession to make. Without you, I never could have helped Meemaw. Before you, I would have rushed in, done my thing, taken on the cancer, and probably gotten myself killed, or worse, hurt her in some way. Maybe spread it instead of taken it away.” Edward shrugged. “But you taught me a little control goes a long way, and I used it, learned how to take just her pain. You saved me, Jack. In more ways than one.” He squeezed Jack's leg. “So, maybe an old dog can teach a young dog a few new tricks.”

Jack growled. “You saying I'm old?”

“Well, older than any of the men
I've
ever been with. Older than me.”

Jack slung his arm over the back of the seat, his fingers playing in Edward's hair. “Age has its privileges, you know.”

“Like age before beauty?” Edward quipped.

“Edward.” Jack gave another warning growl.

“With age comes experience?”

“That's better.”

“How about age will win out over youth and beauty every time?”

“More along those lines; that's what I was thinking.”

Edward leaned back, happy but exhausted. “I need some rest, Jack. I just want to curl up in a warm bed and get some sleep. Then I need to tackle the arrangements for Olivia's funeral.”