The Crimson Dagger - Vatican Knights Series 23 (2020), Rick Jones [free ebooks for android txt] 📗

neutral, appeared dire. “I was told you returned not too long ago. I wanted to catch you as soon as you left the pontiff’s chamber.”

Kimball looked at the multiple wall screens and watched the mayhem play out all over the planet: wars, fighting, chaos, rogue bands conscripting children for their legions while killing off their parents. The world was a mess. “All right,” he said, pointing to the multiple screens, “what have you got?”

Father Auciello closed his eyes and shook his head. “What I have to say is not up there on the monitors, Kimball. It’s something far more personal, I’m afraid.”

At first, Kimball did not understand.

“I received a call from the United States. From FBI Director Johnston, who I believe is a friend of yours and to Shari Cohen.”

Kimball’s mouth started to drop. “That’s right.”

Father Auciello, swallowed, then hesitated as if he was trying to find the right words.

“What happened? Is she all right? Is Shari all right?”

And then: “I’m sorry, Kimball . . . I’m so sorry.”

CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE

Medstar Washington Hospital Center

Washington, DC

. . . Breathing . . .

. . . Breathing . . .

. . . Breathing . . .

And then the snort of coming to.

Shari’s eyes fluttered, opened, the world a blur.

Above, a face that was both familiar and alien to her at the same time as she tried to get a fix on her memories. The features, now coming into focus, was that of a man she knew and recognized. It was the face of Kimball Hayden. In his hand he held hers while casually stroking her hair lovingly with the other. His eyes had a red and rheumy look to them, either from tears or from fatigue, she didn’t know which.

Laboring to remove her oxygen mask, she smiled as best she could, light and faint, then stated weakly, “Hi.”

For a moment, Kimball’s face appeared as though it was about to break. Though it didn’t, his eyes did well with tears. “How are you doing, baby girl?”

“Just fine . . . Be jogging in a day or two.”

“That’s good to hear.”

Then her smile evaporated as new concerns took over. “You spoke to the doctor?”

He nodded. “I have.”

“Cancer.”

A tear slipped from the corner of his eye as he continued to stroke her head with loving caresses. “You’re going to be fine,” he told her. “Early stages. The cyst that erupted wasn’t cancerous. The other cyst was, though they were able to remove it before it spread. The stage is early. You’re going to beat this. Doctor says that the outcome looks good.”

She folded her brow as though confused. “Is your face dirty?”

He chortled. “Yeah. Just got off a mission. Didn’t have time to shower.”

“You came back.”

“For you? Of course.”

Then she started to cry, her tears streaking along her face. That was when Kimball took the point of his index finger, wiped a tear from her cheek, then streaked that tear against his cheek to leave a wet trail. The message was obvious: Your pain is my pain. And we’re in this together. I will share your grief, your passions, and your undying love.We are bound together as one.

Shari started to sob, her delight overwhelming.

“It’s all right,” he told her softly. “There are a few spots, but the doctor assures me that a few bouts of radiation will take care of everything. You’re going to live a long time.”

She stopped sobbing, though the tears continued. “I can’t have children.”

Kimball smiled at this, the meaning behind it to calm her fears. “It’s all right,” he said. “We have each other.”

“But your dream. The American Dream. A white-picket fence. Children. A dog.” She sounded extremely tired and Kimball knew that she was starting to fade, her exhaustion too great.

“Look, the fence is nothing more than the image of what the American Dream should be, right? But it’s not. My American Dream is to be happy with the woman I love. I’m already there. Besides, the white-picket fence around the cabin looks ugly. I want to take it down.”

“I thought that’s what you wanted. The fence.”

“It was until I realized that you’re all I really wanted or needed. In fact, I really do want to take the fence down. It’s ugly.” He smiled.

But her face once again began to crack. “I wanted us to have children.”

Now, it was Kimball’s turn to square off with warring emotions between stoicism or giving in to raw emotions. In a compromise, as his chin barely quivered, he decided upon taking the center road. He would show enough to want to sob but held back. “We can adopt if that’s want you want,” he said softly, soothingly. “There’s a solution for everything.”

As Shari’s words started to drift, Kimball patted her hand and laid it against her chest, kissed her forehead, then gingerly returned the oxygen mask, where he watched it fog up with every wonderful breath.

The physician laid a hand on his shoulder. “She’ll be fine,” he told Kimball, whose eyes continued to well as he watched the woman that he loved struggle.

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely. Stage one. Blood count is good. The radiation treatment is simply a tool to kill off any errant cells before they have a chance to attach themselves to tissue. She’s in a good spot, Mr. Hayden.”

“How long for the treatment?”

“Maybe three months.”

“And she’ll be good?”

“She’ll be just fine.”

Kimball nodded as he clearly fought back the tears, which was evident by the way his features twisted and then collected itself. “That’s good,” he said. “That’s really, really good.”

* * *

Kimball was standing on the deck of their cabin that overlooked the lake. Somewhere, a loon cried out, a call he got used to over the months they’d shared the cabin together. But on this night, the cabin seemed hollow and empty without her. In fact, he wasn’t sure if he wanted to sleep in a bed that now seemed too large because she was not there to share it with him. So, he decided that he