Page 238 of Smooth Sailing

Harlan got all his momma. That thick, leonine hair. That long, strong body. Like she willed it, and maybe she did, there was nothing of his father in him.

Harlan McCain was all Jackie.

“I don’t regret it. Not a second of it,” she declared.

“I know.”

“Got him out of it, no regrets in that.”

“I know, girl.”

“No regrets,” she whispered, her eyes fluttering.

“Nothing to regret, Jackie.”

“He’ll do you boys right,” she promised.

“Not a doubt in my mind.”

Her frail fingers curled a bit around his then went slack as her eyes closed.

Pete instantly felt panic, but when he raised his gaze to the heart monitor, he saw the slow but steady blip.

He took her in, seeing her there in that bed, but remembering how she used to be. Tall and golden, not beaten down by a life that would break most, standing strong because that was Jacqueline McCain, and because she had to for her boy.

Then Big Petey bent in, kissed her forehead and whispered, “Don’t worry about a thing, Jackie, we’ll take it from here.”

He lifted her hand and kissed her fingers too.

And he got out of her room before Harlan returned.

He didn’t leave the hospice though.

He found a shadow and became one with it, so he saw Harlan return with the Dairy Queen cup in his hand.

Pete gave it time before he moved stealthily down the hall, positioned himself outside her door and peered around the jamb.

Harlan’s back was to him, but he saw him bent to his momma, giving her a taste of Blizzard.

She’d woken up for him, because they were eking out the last dregs, trying to make a miracle by making what was proved finite, last longer.

Then the tall, handsome man sat in a chair beside his mother’s bed, and he ate the Blizzard, chatting with his mother until she fell asleep.

It didn’t take long.

Big Petey watched as Harlan then got up, and he knew by the sound when that DQ cup hit the trash can, there was a lot of ice cream left.

He was right, it had tasted like dust.

Harlan went back to sit by his momma.

Big Petey moved away from the door, out to his trike, and he waited to call Rush until after he got home.

Present day…

Big Petey stood by the graveside, looking down at the arched, ivory marble headstone with the pretty flowers etched in at the top, and underneath, it said:

Jacqueline Mary McCain

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