Theodore (Xavier's Hatchlings #2) - Kathi S. Barton Page 0,37

understood how someone would keep finding me when I would try to kill myself. It never seemed to matter where I was or how I’d taken care that no one could find me; I was always found. I know the reason why now.”

“I love you, Pem.” Pem told him that she loved him as well and laid her head on his shoulder. Austin was still staring out the window, and he wondered what the man was thinking. Getting up, he told him what they were going to do. Austin didn’t argue with him when he told him he was going to take a shower. Instead, he got up and followed. Theo was worried about him. And his family. He was going to have to talk to MaryBeth before he made any decision concerning her son. The other one too.

Patrick was already causing trouble, arguing with the men who were set to work on the hospital. He’d either straighten up, or he’d find himself buried under the new facility. Theo had had about enough of his shit too.

Chapter 6

Pem smiled at her grandma when she came into the kitchen. “You’ve gone viral, Grandma. Look. People are loving you because you dressed down that news reporter.” Grandma eyed the video of her and the reporter. “The Internet and the people on television are saying that you’re the greatest thing that has ever hit the airways.”

“I shouldn’t have done that to that young man.” Pem asked her why not. “He was only doing his job. I was angry in the first place, and you know it never ends well when you’re upset and take it out on someone else. My goodness. What those people at the funeral must think of me taking away from what we were doing there.”

“They interviewed Linda this morning.” She backed the news station up until she found the point where they had spoken to Linda on the morning news. “Watch this, Grandma. You’ve made a difference in their lives. Not just Linda’s, but a lot of people.”

“…Yes. Tonight, we’re going to have a meeting, the families of the fallen and decide what to do with the things that have been donated. One television station donated fifty hams and turkeys for us to give away to others in need.” The news reporter asked if they were going to give everything away. “That’s what we’re deciding on this evening. It’s lovely. All of this for us to help others when we’ve had so many generous people giving when they could. Even being able to go to the grocery store for a few things is much nicer since there isn’t a group of men and women on our lawn all the time shoving microphones and phones in our faces. I’m so happy that they’re giving all of this the time to…well, for us to get used to being without our life partners. To grieve. I have thought of being without my husband. He was an officer, but the reality is so much worse than you think it will be. We have Mrs. Black to thank for us having the time to do what we so sorely need right now. Even though I know her heart is heavy too, she came to mine and the others’ aid when we needed it most.”

“Do you think she did that to appease her own feelings?” Pem watched her grandma as Linda stiffened up. Grandma did the same thing. “It was her grandchildren that—”

“Yes, it was. We all know that. Even if we didn’t want to remember, you people would be reminding us all the time. She was at my house that morning, getting me up and out of bed. Making breakfast for the other children when my sister-in-law just didn’t want to move. After arranging a sitter for me, she gently bullied me into getting a shower, getting dressed. Not one camera was there when she sat and cried with me. Telling me that she was so very sorry that it had happened to me. I didn’t want to go to the service, because we’d be seeing my husband for the last time. It would be real then. His death like the others. But she didn’t let me wallow in self-pity. MaryBeth told me that a lot of the people would be watching me and the others, and we had to make our husbands proud of us.” Linda stood up then. “MaryBeth taught me something that day too. That when I don’t care for