Poppy's Present (Poppy's Place) by Stephanie Beck Read Free Book Online

thing to do. Isn’t that why you brought me home after Mother died? It was the right thing to do?”
    Rose ran her hands through her hair, her discomfort showing more and more in her choppy movements. Poppy held her father’s gaze, the brown eyes so different from hers. She took after her mother—a fact that he’d admitted once made it even harder to look at her.
    “Rose, I’m ready to leave. You’ll take me home.”
    Poppy turned to her sister. If she backed down and didn’t tell the truth, it wouldn’t be the first time, but this would only lead to more trouble.
    “Tell him,” Poppy whispered.
    “Tell me what?” her father yelled.
    She and Rose jumped.
    “Watch your tone, old man,” Trevor said. “You pull that shit when you’re at my house, and I’ll turn off your fucking cable.”
    “Our mother won’t allow you to speak to Poppy that way,” Michael continued. “And you’ll piss our fathers off as well. They love her very much.”
    Her father’s face grew red. “I don’t want to hear anything about this.”
    The situation began spiraling out of control as the men added their two cents. Poppy refused to tell her husbands to ease off, not when they’d guarded her back for so many years. She shoved her elbow into Rose’s side.
    “Rose,” Poppy whispered. “You have to do something.”
    Her sister looked over, eyes wide. Poppy swallowed back any harsh prompting. “Father, you have to be reasonable.”
    “I am always reasonable. Leave and take those imbeciles with you. Staying with you has never been and never will be an option. This is between Rose and me.”
    His cold expression couldn’t hide the fear in his eyes. Poppy stepped forward. “The other girls already made it clear they have no place for you, didn’t they? That’s why you’re holding out. They won’t have you. Rose can’t take care of you, and I am the only one here who can do the things you need.”
    His gaze narrowed a moment, but then flew to Rose. “What do you mean, she can’t take care of me? What’s going on?”
    Rose swallowed so hard it echoed through the room. Poppy patted her shoulder and took a step back. It was on the eldest to make things right now.
    She folded her arms. “I, ah, I have cancer. It’s not terminal, but the next few months will be a challenge.”
    Their father stood, leaning heavily on a cane, but still able to use both sides of his body. “Why didn’t you tell me? What kind of cancer? Breast?”
    His arms shook with exertion, but he managed to cross the floor to her. Rose took him by the elbow, led him to the bed, and sat beside him. “It’s in my neck, not lymph nodes, just a random lump that has cancerous cells in it. Oral medications have helped, but the doctors still anticipate surgery at some point. I want to take care of you, Dad.” Her voice cracked. “But I can’t. Not right now.”
    He patted her knee. Poppy felt like an intruder watching their moment, but she stayed to see it finished.
    “I understand,” he said and cleared his throat. “Yeah, I do. I, ah, I’ll go to the assisted living for a while, at least until I get my strength back, and then I’ll move in to help you get well. Give me a few weeks, and I’ll be there to do the cooking and cleaning so you can rest.”
    “Oh Dad, I’d never ask you to do that.” Rose rested her head on his shoulder.
    “I know you wouldn’t. I’m going to do it anyway.”
    Poppy patted Trevor’s arm and led the men toward the door. Rose could manage from this point. Her throat stung at the father-daughter picture she’d hoped to one day have for herself, but never would. Rose needed their father’s support as much as he needed her. Poppy snuggled close to Trevor as they walked down the hospital hall in silence. She had who she needed, and her blessings soared. She couldn’t begrudge Rose their father.
    “Poppy?”
    She stopped and looked over her shoulder. Cody and Michael stepped aside. Rose hurried down the hall, wiping