Undeniable by C. A. Harms Read Free Book Online

undergoing radiation and things would be okay. Or at least that’s what I thought.
    “I was hoping maybe you could come over and have that movie night we talked about. This place could use a little bit of your presence.” Forget trying to hold back the tears; there was no hope for that. “I don’t want sadness. I know that’s a hard thing to ask for, but I want the time I do have left to be filled with goodness. Can you help me give that to my kids?”
    “Yes,” I whispered as the tears rolled over my cheeks. “Anything you need.”
    “No tears,” she said in response.
    “Too late,” I said before I took in a deep breath. “But I promise I’ll get it under control before I get there.”
    “Okay, great.” I could hear the smile within her words.
    “What time should I be there?” I asked.
    “Around six. Will that work?”
    “Yes, and tell your brother I’ll be bringing dinner and plenty of junk food, and he can forget about complaining because it won’t stop me.”
    She laughed, and I closed my eyes, committing her happiness to memory. It was something I would always want to have.
    “Okay, I’ll tell him,” she replied. “We’ll see you tonight.”
    The moment the call ended, the tears fell heavy. I may not have known her for long, but the time I spent with her had made a tremendous impact on my life. She was one of those people you couldn’t help but love. She had been through so much and still had so much more to face, yet she pushed through. She was an inspiration.
    The girls wrapped their arms around me and allowed me to just cry it out.
     
    ***
     
    Familiar tension filled me as I raised my hand to the buzzer, remembering the last time I showed up here with food in hand. This time, I went for pizza and lots of other goodies. Since I had no clue what everyone preferred, I chose four different kinds and hoped for the best. My overnight bag was slung over my shoulder, and my hands shook with nerves. This could go one of two ways—a repeat of the last encounter I had in this very same doorway, or I would be welcomed in without hesitation.
    The door came open, and I was greeted by two children jumping up and down in excitement.
    “Callie,” Zoey squealed, and Matthew hugged my legs.
    “Hi, guys,” I said as I tried to balance the pizza and my bags.
    “Let me takes those,” Jude said.
    I looked up and he winked, which completely threw me off guard. I had not prepared myself at all for that type of reaction. “Thanks,” I said as he pulled the pizza from my hand and took the bag that held chips and a box of microwavable popcorn.
    He lowered the bag and gave it to Matthew. “Take that to the kitchen, buddy,” he said before reaching out and taking the heavier one that held assorted bottles of soda. “You weren’t kidding when you said you were bringing junk food, were ya?”
    I shook my head and smiled. “Not at all.”
    Jude chuckled before stepping aside and allowing me to enter. Katelynn sat up in the recliner as I came into view and smiled at me knowingly. I had a feeling she had blindsided her brother with these plans, and I was more than positive she had some others stewing in her mind.
    I looked to the floor in front of the couch and noticed a heaping pile of blankets and pillows. “What’s all this?”
    Zoey took my hand and led me to the blankets. “We’re camping out in the living room,” she said as she sat down in the middle. “Uncle Jude said so.”
    “Wow,” I said as I let my eyes wander toward the kitchen. Jude stood at the side of the small table staring back at us. The tense look he always wore was no longer there. In its place was a sadness I was not used to seeing on him.
    “Okay, Zoe, let’s eat this pizza before it gets cold,” he said. “Then we’ll choose a movie.”
    I watched as she hurried off, and then I turned to face Katelynn. “Did he know I was being invited before you called, or after?”
    She smiled back at me. “I told him—” She