Page 58 of Dancing in the Rain

Sara regarded the yogurt without interest but took it from Isabelle. She scooped up one spoonful and ate it. Another bite followed but then she stopped.

Drew’s gut clenched. Peyton had mentioned the lack of appetite, but seeing Sara eat so little and have no interest in more was awful. He tried not to let his feelings show on his face, though.

“Drew.”

“Yeah?” He sat in the chair near the bed.

“Do you like Chloe?”

“Yeah,” he said. “I do. I like her a lot.”

“Do you…love her?”

He hesitated.

“Do you think youcouldlove her?” Sara rephrased her question. “I know it’s soon.”

“Yes.” This answer was definite. “I definitely think I could love her.”

“Peyton will be her legal guardian,” Sara said, though it was clearly an effort for her to talk. Fuck, she’d deteriorated even since that first Saturday he’d come by.

“I know.”

“But if she wants a relationship with you…will you do that?”

“I will. I’ll do whatever she wants, Sara.”

“Thank you.” Her smile was fleeting. She set the yogurt cup on the nightstand.

“Can you eat a little more?” he asked.

“No.” She leaned back into the pillows. “It’s okay, Drew. I just can’t.”

He nodded; his teeth sunk into his bottom lip. He glanced at Isabelle and she gave him a sad smile.

“I’ll hang around a bit, if that’s okay,” he said. “Your grass needs cutting. Okay if I do that?”

“Sure. Thank you. That’s nice of you.”

It had been a while since he’d mowed a lawn; he paid a landscaping service to come and do his. But what the hell. He felt a strong need to make himself useful.

Isabelle followed him to the hall.

“Is she in pain?” he asked quietly.

“No. Our focus is on keeping her comfortable.”

“She needs to eat.”

“I know it’s difficult to watch someone refuse food and drink. The truth is, as her body shuts down, she’ll be more comfortable without food to digest.”

He stared at Isabelle. “We just let her starve?”

Her sympathetic expression didn’t change. “She’s dying, sir. As I said, our focus is on making her comfortable.” She tipped her head. “Do you want to talk to the social worker? She’s been here a few times to talk to Ms. Watt’s sister and daughter.”

Drew paused, emotions tangled inside him. “No. That’s okay.”

“We offer spiritual support as well as physical support to the patient,” she continued. “You might find it helpful.”

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