Page 126 of Perfect Harmony

Gideon glared at him before turning to Kira.“Kiddo, look, I know you think that -”

His phone rang and he grabbed it up fromthe table. “Sorry, I have to take this.” He hit the answer button. “Hey,Sophie. What’s up?”

“Gideon?” Sophie’s voice was so low, hecould barely hear it.

He leaned forward. “Sophie, can you speakup? I can’t hear you.”

She cleared her throat, her voice a littlestronger when she said, “A call came through on 9-1-1. It was… it was Wanda. Something’swrong with Murray. He was having chest pains and then he collapsed. The medicsare transporting him to the hospital right now.”

“Gideon pushed his chair back and stood. “Okay.I’ll head over there now.”

“It sounded bad, Gideon.” Sophie wasstarting to cry. “Can you please call me when you know something?”

“I will.” He ended the call and Kira staredat him anxiously.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s Murray Taber. He collapsed at home andhe’s on the way to the hospital by ambulance. I have to go.” He grabbed hiskeys off the table. “Shit, Tank… he shouldn’t be alone. Kira, can you…”

“I’ll watch him,” Kira said. “Go.”

* * *

“Wanda?”

Gideon eased into the chair next to Wanda’s.The ICU’s waiting room was nearly empty, and he took Wanda’s hand when she heldit toward him. “How long have you been here, Gideon?”

“A few hours. I’ve been sitting downstairswith your church group.”

She squeezed his hand. “You’re a good man,Gideon Walker. The best boss I’ve ever had. During his cancer treatment, Murrayused to tell me how lucky I was that you gave me so much time off, that younever gave me a hard time about needing to leave early or come in late. He wasright.”

“I’m so sorry,” Gideon said.

She wiped at her red-rimmed eyes with atissue. “Me too. My Murray was someone special, wasn’t he?”

“He was,” Gideon said.

“He hadn’t been feeling right all day. Justfelt off, he said. He had a nap this afternoon and then we had supper and hewas doing up the dinner dishes when his chest started hurting. He told me thathis chest hurt, and then he,” Wanda wiped at her eyes again, “he told me thathe loved me and then he collapsed on the kitchen floor. ‘I love you, Wanda,’was the last thing he said to me.”

They sat in silence for a few minutesbefore Gideon said, “It isn’t fair. Murray beat cancer. He beat cancer and thena goddamn heart attack…”

He let go of Wanda’s hand and smashed his fiston the arm of the chair. Anger was heating up his blood, making his skin itchand his muscles buzz.

He hit the arm of the chair again. “It isn’tfucking fair!”

“No, it isn’t,” Wanda took his hand and uncurledit from the fist it was in. “But life isn’t fair. The best you can do ismuddle through it and keep the people you love the most, close to you. Love isalways worth it.”

“Is it?” he rasped. “Murray is gone andyou’re alone and sad and…”

His throat grew tight and he couldn’tswallow past the lump that was in it.

“Grief is the price we pay for love,Gideon.” Wanda squeezed his hand. “You and your sweet sister have paid that price.You’re still paying it.”

She stared at their clasped hands. “Still,I wouldn’t trade a single moment with Murray, no matter how hard and difficultthose moments could be, for a lifetime without him. The time I had with him,the good and the bad, are memories I will always cherish. I can’t speak for you,but I imagine you feel the same about your parents.”

“Yes,” Gideon said hoarsely.

They sat in silence again and when Wandaleaned her head against his shoulder, Gideon said, “I love Grace.”

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