court, eating and drinking without tasting a thing while he moved through the hospital corridors.
When he turned his final corner, a smile formed as he heard the somewhat hushed voices of his family. The Andersons weren’t known for meekness. They spoke with passion and volume. But they could tone it down if need be — but never for too long.
His brother George’s voice stood out as Lucas’s voice joined in. George was saying something about a boat, and Lucas was bestowing the importance of motor size. To an outsider, it might sound as if they were arguing. But Joseph heard the warmth and love between his brother and his eldest son. They were all more than just family, they were friends, and most certainly kindred spirits. He believed in the power of love, and the power of souls aligning. Family was important to a person’s survival.
Joseph was able to stand for a few blinks in time and enjoy the pleasure of gazing at his family. But it didn’t last. Once he was spotted, a wave of people moved to him, arms thrown around him, as kisses were laid on his weathered cheeks. He had to fight the emotional bubble that had been enveloping him for days.
“How’s Mom?”
“What’s the latest information?”
“Is Grandma awake?”
“When can we see her?”
“You’re pale. We need to feed you.”
“You can’t end up in bed next to Mom, Dad. We need you.”
Questions and comments were thrown in rapid-fire succession, giving him no time to answer. He simply took it all in for a few moments, grateful to have his family care so much.
He finally took a step back, holding up a hand to silence them. It took a few seconds for the questions and comments to cease before they stood before him, waiting. He took in a deep breath and looked around the lobby.
His eyes zeroed in on an elderly man who met Joseph’s gaze. There was so much pain in the man’s eyes as he blinked back tears. Time froze for a few heartbeats as Joseph felt the man’s grief. Finally, the man nodded, before bending his head and looking down again. Joseph slowly turned back to his family.
“Sometimes life is chaotic and painful, but I’m more grateful now than ever to have each and every one of you here. I’m incredibly grateful to not be alone,” he whispered, his voice raw with both pain and joy.
His words seemed to rest heavily on Jasmine’s shoulders as her gaze strayed over to the man who’d caught her grandfather’s attention. Her eyes filled and spilled over. “Catch me up soon,” she said before kissing her grandfather’s cheek then walking away to sit next to the man who was alone.
Joseph’s heart swelled at the love and compassion in his eldest granddaughter’s heart. She’d been raised right. She was the hope of the future. And if there were more out there like her, when it was his time for his eternal rest, he’d be able to go with a grateful heart.
“Sorry for making you wait, but I’ve been trying to gather my thoughts,” he said at last. “Katherine’s still in the medically induced coma which they feel is best for her right now.”
“Will she be awake tomorrow?” Mark asked.
“If everything stays on track, which they believe it will, they’ll bring her out of it tomorrow morning,” he confirmed.
“Dr. Whitman gave us a lot of information and I’ve been in contact with doctors from around the world, and though there’s nothing definitive yet, but they all agree with Dr. Whitman that the growth is cancerous. They also believe we can fight it and come out on the other side with her showing no lingering effects. More importantly, I believe this too. I know Katherine isn’t ready to leave this family. And we’ll be there with her each step of the way,” Joseph said, power rising in his voice as he said those words.
His family was still shell-shocked by this news, hoping that the other doctors would’ve given a different outcome. He knew how they felt. So many emotions flowed through him, trying to overtake him, trying to bring him down. His wife had cancer in her brain. It was unthinkable. It was devastating. But it was fixable, he assured himself.
“When does treatment start?”
“What can we do?”
“Did you check the credentials of these doctors?”
Joseph held his hand up. “Stop.” He wasn’t allowing the questions to get out of hand again. He had to stay focused. They immediately stopped and waited. It wasn’t about