Page 43 of Delivery After Dark (Gansett Island #28)

W inter was Alex Martinez’s favorite time of year.

Other than opening the shop for a few hours each day to sell Christmas trees, they were off until the spring after being straight-out from April through November.

He loved nothing more than lolling about in bed with his wife, Jenny, until their son, George, woke up to start their day.

George was a great sleeper, and sometimes he made it as late as nine a.m.

Alex brought coffee to Jenny in bed. “He’s still asleep.”

“I wonder if his brother will be as good of a sleeper.”

“I sure as hell hope so, because I love my mornings in bed with Mommy.”

He handed her coffee to her and brought his own with him when he got back in bed. “Cheers to winter,” he said, raising his mug to her.

“Cheers to winter, which is something I never thought I’d say as a girl of the summer all my life until Alex Martinez made me love winter.”

“Alex Martinez made you love a lot of things,” he said with a dirty grin.

“And he’s a little full of himself this morning, I see.”

“He’s always full of himself, which you knew before you shackled yourself to him for life.”

“Can he quit talking about himself in the third person?”

“Why would he do that when you like it so much?”

“When did I ever say I liked it?”

“He thought you did.”

“Stop!”

Alex laughed and put his mug on the table so he could snuggle up to her.

Even after waking her with slow morning lovemaking, he still wanted to be as close to her as he could get, like always.

He’d never gotten over his complete obsession with all things Jenny Wilks Martinez, love of his life and mother of his children.

“What’re you up to, Martinez?” Jenny asked as he ran his hand over her naked body, cresting the hill of her pregnant belly and heading south. “Don’t make me spill my coffee.”

“Then you’d better stay very still.”

“Alex!”

He was laughing when his phone rang, turning his laugh to a groan. Turning back toward his side of the bed, he took the call from his brother, Paul.

“What?”

“The care home just called. They think Mom has had a stroke. She’s being transported to the clinic.”

“Oh shit. Okay. I’ll meet you there.”

“What’s wrong?” Jenny asked.

Alex got out of bed and ran for the closet. “They think my mom had a stroke.”

“Oh no. I’m so sorry, Alex.” She got up, put on a robe and was tying it closed when he emerged from his closet after pulling on jeans and a Henley and jamming his feet into boots.

He let her hug him for a full minute, drawing strength from her the way he did any time things went sideways—and they’d gone sideways with his mom a lot over the years. “Is it terrible to hope that maybe this is it? That her suffering—and ours—might end?”

“It’s not terrible. It’d be merciful at this point.”

Dementia had been a ruthless bitch. His mother hadn’t recognized him or Paul in years, but she still called Paul’s stepson, Ethan, and her friend Daisy Lawrence by name any time she saw them.

“Do you want me to come with you? I can get George up real quick.”

“Nah, let him sleep. I’ll call you as soon as I know anything.”

Jenny kissed him. “I love you. I’m sorry this is happening.”

“Love you, too. Thanks.”

“Drive carefully. Please.”

“I will. Don’t worry.”

“Right.”

After withstanding the tragic loss of her fiancé Toby, she’d always worry. And because he didn’t want her to suffer, he checked in with her every chance he got.

Alex drove too fast on icy island roads on the way to the clinic, his mind racing with scenarios as he tried to prepare himself for what was waiting for him when he arrived. He pulled into the parking lot just as his brother ran for the main entrance.

He followed Paul inside a minute later.

Dr. Quinn James and his nurse wife, Mallory, who served as the medical directors for the senior care facility, were updating Paul when Alex joined them.

“We believe she’s suffered a severe stroke,” Quinn said for Alex’s benefit. “David is with her, and we’ll need to thoroughly evaluate her to get a definitive diagnosis. We’ll let you know as soon as we know more.”

“Thank you,” Paul said for both of them as he ran a hand through his hair, trying to bring order to it. He looked as if he’d run out of the house before bothering to comb it.

Alex hugged him, and then they took seats in the waiting room. They were like the survivors of a disaster, only theirs had taken years to unfold, slowly at first and then so quickly, they’d barely had time to react before more was lost.

People referred to dementia as the long goodbye, and truer words had never been spoken.

“What’re you thinking?” Paul asked after a long silence.

“That part of me hopes this is it, because her quality of life is nonexistent.”

“Yeah, me, too.”

“The other part of me feels disgusted with myself for even thinking such a thing.”

“I get it. Believe me. In her right mind, she’d never want to live like this.”

“We’ve said that for years now.” He glanced at his brother. “Did you remind them about the advance directive?”

“No, but they’re aware. They won’t do anything crazy to save her.”

Alex sent a text to Jenny to update her on what he knew so far, which wasn’t much.

George and I are praying for you and Marion, Jenny replied. Do you want me to reach out to Daisy?

Yes, please. Tell her to feel free to come here if she wants to.

I will.

Thanks for thinking of that.

“Jenny is going to text Daisy and tell her to come if she wants to.”

“Oh, good thinking.”

Do you want us to come? Jenny asked.

Let me hear what they have to say first, and I’ll let you know.

OK, we’ll get ready just in case.

“Hope is asking if they should come.”

“I told Jenny to hold off until we hear more.”

“Yeah, good call.”

They waited an hour before Mallory came out to talk to them. “David and Quinn are with her and have confirmed she suffered a severe stroke. Without more extensive testing, we can’t be a hundred percent certain, but we know you wouldn’t want to put her through that.”

“No,” Alex said, his voice barely more than a whisper. “So is she dying, then?”

“We believe she’ll pass in an hour or two unless we provide life support.”

Paul was shaking his head before she finished saying the words. “No to life support. She’s suffered enough.”

“I agree. If there’s anyone who should be here with you, now would be a good time to call them.”

“Thank you for everything,” Alex said. “You and Quinn and the staff at the home have been a godsend to us.”

“We love your mom and your family very much. We’ll miss her.”

Alex’s eyes flooded with tears. How could he be so fucking sad over something he’d hoped would happen for years now?

“I just want to add… No mother could ask for more from her sons than what Marion has gotten from you guys. If she knew the full story, she’d be very, very proud.”

“Thank you,” Paul said as he wiped away tears. “That means a lot to us. We wanted to make her—and our dad—proud.”

“You’ve done that a million times over. If you want to sit with her, you can come back with me.”

Alex looked at Paul, who nodded. “We’d like that. Let us just text our wives to tell them to come in with the kids.”

After they sent the texts, they followed Mallory to the exam room, where their mother was hooked to monitors as she seemed to sleep peacefully, her chest rising and falling like usual, but he noticed her breaths were spaced out more now. Each of them took hold of one of her hands.

“You can talk to her,” Quinn said. “She might still be able to hear you.”

“It’s Alex, and Paul is with me, Mom. We’re here, and we love you. If you’re ready to go see Dad, we understand.”

“You must be so tired after everything you’ve been through,” Paul added. “It’s okay to go now if you’re ready.”

They shared old family memories and updated her on what was going on with the business she’d founded with her husband, George.

“Martinez Lawn and Garden is in good hands with us, Mom,” Paul said. “We hired McKenzie to keep the books the way you used to. She’s told us a bunch of times how meticulous your books were. No one can ever take your place, but we think you’d be happy with how things are going.”

“We’re almost sold out of Christmas trees,” Alex said, “and soon we’ll close for the long winter’s nap. Remember how much you and Dad used to look forward to that? Now we do, too.”

“We’re going to take the kids to Disney this winter,” Paul told her. “We’re going together before have the new babies in the spring. You’ll have five grandchildren soon, Mom. Can you believe it?”

Hope and Ethan arrived a few minutes later with baby Scarlett, who was handed off to her daddy so they could give kisses to Marion. Paul had met Hope, who was a nurse, when she’d come to the island with her son, Ethan, to help take care of Marion.

Jenny and George arrived fifteen minutes later.

Alex wondered if they were doing the right thing letting him see his grandmother on her deathbed, but the little guy needed closure, too.

“Grandma sick,” George said as Alex held his lookalike son.

“Yes, she is, and she’s going to go to heaven to be with Grandpa George. That will make her so happy to be with him again.”

“But we miss her.”

“We sure will.”

Normally, George would be trying to break free to run around, but he put his head on Alex’s shoulder, as if he knew his daddy needed his love and comfort.

Daisy came rushing in a few minutes later, seeming relieved to have arrived in time. They made room for her to come in and kiss Marion and whisper some final words to the woman who’d become her friend when she’d ended up on Daisy’s porch in town after she wandered off.

After she had the chance to see Marion, Daisy hugged her husband, David, while she cried softly, and he did his best to comfort her.

All the people Marion loved best were by her side when she took her last breath at two fifteen that afternoon.

“She’s with Dad now,” Paul said through his tears.

“They’re having one hell of a reunion.” Alex couldn’t believe how heartbroken he felt to realize they were both gone.

Jenny was right there to provide love and comfort while Mallory and Victoria entertained George and Scarlett in the room next door.

“Grandma was ready to go,” Ethan said as he stared at Marion. “She told me she was ready.”

“When?” Alex asked.

“Last week. She said it was time.”

Alex would never get over the way Marion had taken to Hope’s son. Their bond had been immediate and deep. Long after she stopped speaking to anyone else, she still had something to say to Ethan any time she saw him.

“She loved you very much,” Paul said.

“I loved her, too. I’ll miss her.” He glanced at Paul, who was now his dad. “She’s the reason we’re here, that we’re part of this family and get to live on Gansett.”

Alex had noticed that his nephew had gotten taller in recent months, and his voice was starting to get deeper. “We’ll always be thankful for the joy you brought to her final years.”

“I won’t forget her,” Ethan said, his chin quivering as his parents hugged him.

“We’ll take care of calling the funeral home on the mainland,” David said. “They’ll be in touch with you about arrangements.”

“Thank you all for everything,” Paul said.

“I know I speak for my brother when I say we never would’ve survived these challenging years without all of you.

David, for your never-ending care and compassion as Mom’s condition came on.

Mallory and Quinn, for making her final years so peaceful and for helping us to keep her close to home. ”

When Paul became choked up, Alex took over for him.

“Daisy, for your unwavering friendship to Mom and to us. Hope, Ethan, Jenny, George and Scarlett, for all the love and support, for helping us to focus on the joy you all bring to our lives, and Jenny, for helping us so much at work. Thank you all. We’re incredibly grateful to you guys. ”

Jenny hugged him, and Alex held on to her, the love of his life, the woman who’d saved him from the utter despair of his mother’s rapid decline with her unwavering love and devotion.

“Let’s go home.” Jenny took his hand to lead the way, and with a backward glance at his mother, he followed his wife from the room.

“Marion Martinez has passed away,” Jared told Lizzie when he sat next to her at the kitchen table while Violet napped.

“I’m sorry to hear that. People say such nice things about her. How are the guys doing?”

“Okay, from what I hear. I’m sure there’s a bit of relief after the long illness.”

“Yes, for sure.”

He put his hand over hers and was shocked by how cold she was. “You’re freezing.”

“Can’t seem to get warm.”

“Come with me.”

“That’s okay. I’m fine.”

“Come.” He helped her up and led her to their room, tucking her into bed and then getting in next to her to wrap himself around her. “I can’t bear to see you suffering like this.”

“I can’t breathe, Jared.”

“I know, honey. I can’t either. We just have to get through tomorrow, and hopefully that’ll be it.” Violet’s biological father was coming to meet her. That was all they knew about his planned visit, and not knowing his intentions was sucking the life out of them.

“What if it isn’t the end of it?”

“We’re taking this one step at a time. If we try to speculate on all the scenarios, we’ll lose what’s left of our minds. Dan and Kendall are confident something can be worked out. Perhaps he’ll ask for visitation once or twice a year, which would be no problem to accommodate.”

“What if he wants full custody?”

“We’ll fight him.”

“On what grounds?”

“That she’s bonded to us after living with us for all this time, and he’d do irreparable harm to her if he tried to uproot her life at this juncture. We have rights in this, Lizzie. Don’t think we don’t.”

“He has more rights as the biological father who didn’t even know about her until recently.”

“If a judge is considering Violet’s best interests, he or she will see that we have her best interests at heart.”

“I can’t even allow myself to get to the point that a judge could be involved.” She shuddered at the thought of a protracted fight. “I can’t bear this. Any of it. I used to think I was a strong person, but I’m not.”

“Yes, you are. You’re the strongest person I know, and together, we’ll fight for our girl. Don’t give up, Lizzie. I need you to stay in the ring with me.”

“I’m here, but I’m hobbled.”

“One more day and we’ll know what we’re up against. Let’s just keep breathing until then, okay?”

“I’m trying.”