Page 93 of Totally Shipped
“Oh, Rex, thank you, thank you! My baby! I can’t believe it. My heart had died. Nikau and I had both died. We were just empty bodies, but now my heart is alive again.”
She breaks down crying some more, so I confirm further details with Nikau.
“Can I speak to Meemaw, Nikau?”
“Your dad wants to talk to you again, Rex,” he answers.
My body chills.
“Dad?”
“I’m sorry, Rex.”
No.
“I’m so sorry. She’s in the hospital. Heart failure. She probably only has a few days left.”
“GO TO HER!” I’m screaming. “GO TELL HER TO WAIT, TELL HER I’M COMING.” Then managing to lower my voice I add. “Tell her I love her and will be there as soon as humanly possible.”
“I will. Do you need resources to get here?”
“No. Just tell me which hospital.”
He does, and I switch the phone off and pass it to Killian.
After the phone call, Keyara looks as stunned as I feel. “I want Mami now,” she whispers.
“Soon, Key. First we have to fly to America. You’ll see your parents, and I’ll see my meemaw, so soon.”
Gray comes over and puts a hand on my shoulder.
“So, we’re off to Overlook Bluff?”
“Yep.”
“Me and Thea are coming, too,” Daisy says, looking like she’ll punch anyone who tries to stop her. “Thea will want to meet her great-grandma.”
My eyes fill with tears.
Leander takes the phone from Killian. “We’re all going,” he says. “I’ll book flights for us all.”
“Even you?” I ask Killian.
“Of course. Your family is my family now. I’ll just call Mam and Da and let them know I’m safe, but I’ll catch up with them once we have everyone else sorted.”
I have to step away and look out of the window to stop myself bawling like a baby.
KILLIAN
“Ababy?”
I think Mam was more excited learning she is a gran, anactualgran, than learning of my survival. She wants me to measure Thea, so she knows how big to make the booties and cardigans she will soon be knitting. For a woman who is doing a Doctorate in Irish Literature, she surely has an affinity to humble crafts.
“So is she a Lonergan, or will she have her mother’s last name?” Mam asks. “Not that it matters either way; I just need to know because I’ll embroider her initials.”
I love that Mam thinks that way.
And her question is a reasonable one. Thea’s full name has been a hot topic today.
