energy. He normally could run circles around men half his age. There was something to be said about how a broken heart could deplete a person. He was beginning to understand how Johnny Cash had withered so completely and quickly after losing the love of his life.
It didn’t take long for his eyes to connect to his wife again, lying so still in her bed. Her motionless form left him wanting . . . wanting her to move, to be safe, to be free from that bed. He wanted to see the normal sparkle in her eyes, the sweet curve of her lips that was more often than not in a smile, and the deep flush of her cheeks as warmth filled them. He wanted her healthy, safe, and with him.
Before he could allow his mind to wander too far down that path, he shook away those thoughts. He couldn’t get lost in self-pity again. He had too much to do. There were doctors to call, his family to update, and plans to be made.
The only way he’d been able to get any sleep lately was in knowing there were many people working hard as he slept. He was a man who liked to get things done himself. It had been difficult to turn his company over to his eldest son . . . at first. Then he’d seen the child, who’d turned into a fine man, take the reins and run with it, and he’d known he’d done his job as a parent.
His son was more than capable of not only doing the job of CEO of the vast Anderson empire, but of making it better. He knew the team assembling to take care of Katherine would be just as dedicated as he was going to be. It would allow him to rest periodically, making him more capable of being there for his wife as she needed him.
Joseph grabbed his phone off the charger so he could turn it on. He planned to be on it a lot with, texts, emails, video chats, and countless calls. As his device woke, a photo of Katherine filled the screen, her eyes sparkling, her lips open with laughter. He could practically hear that joy coming through his device. He clearly remembered the day the picture had been taken. She’d been laughing to the point of tears as their grandchildren had performed a special play for them titled “A Thousand Feathered Pigs,” including homemade outfits, arms and legs going in all different directions, and slapstick humor.
At the end of their performance, the kids had pulled out cans of silly string and covered their grandfather from head to toe in pink, green, purple, and orange strings. Katherine had been snapping pictures, and thankfully, his son had captured the absolute joy on his mother’s face.
Their family had many days filled with joy, and this was simply one of those moments, but this picture had been Joseph’s favorite from the second his son had sent it. This was his Katherine, this beautiful, joyful, God-fearing woman. She was the heart, soul, and true head of their family. She was the one who made them all want to be better. Life couldn’t be imagined without her. He needed to hear her laughter again every single day for the rest of his life.
When his cell woke, it began buzzing, and Joseph sighed as he was pulled from his reverie. When it was done buzzing, he found a lot of texts, emails, and phone messages.
Joseph had spent many, many, many years glued to his phone, to his computer, and to his work. Of course, his wife would rein him in, and he was glad she had, because he also hadn’t missed out on his children’s lives. But to be honest, he’d sat in the bleachers of their games and checked emails, texts, and more, always feeling a need to get just a few more minutes of work done. But a person didn’t build an empire by slacking. He’d had a vision, and he’d been incapable of sitting around and hoping it would happen. He’d thrived on building a business that would become more than he’d ever dreamed possible.
But something had changed when he’d retired. It was almost laughable to use those words, because, although he’d stepped down as CEO of the Anderson empire, it had simply freed him to pursue other things in life, such as travelling with Katherine, and even more importantly, helping his friends with their unruly children