“I don’t want to wake her,” he said in the hall. His face was pale and drawn under the fluorescent lights. Even though Neely Kate had worked wonders with her makeup, she could only do so much. His eyes lingered on my face, and I knew I’d only added to his list of evidence that I wasn’t fit to be around his family.
I nodded, suddenly unable to speak.
“What happened?” Neely Kate asked.
“She’s pushin’ too hard. She knows—” He cut off his words.
“She knows what?” Neely Kate asked.
But I suddenly knew. Parts of our conversation yesterday came back to me. I was scared.
“How long does she have?” I asked in a whisper.
“When we left Houston, they didn’t know. Weeks.” Hope filled his eyes. “Months? We were hopin’ for months.”
I started to cry, then stopped myself. Mike needed me to be strong. Violet needed me to be brave. “What are they sayin’ now?”
“If she can get through this infection, the same. She needs to get through the infection.”
I nodded. Before thinking it through, I started to reach for his arm. I could have a vision and see if she’d survive this . . .
Then I drew back. We needed to live life the way it was meant to be lived—with surprises, both the good and the bad. I wasn’t sure why I had this gift or curse, but it had no place here. Not in this. Not if I could help it.
I pulled my hand back. “I want to see her.”
Mike nodded. “She wants to see you too. I’ll wait in the hall.”
I walked back into the room, and Violet’s eyes opened this time, but thankfully she didn’t seem to notice my face.
“Rose.” She reached her too-thin hand toward me.
I moved closer and took it in mine.
Disappointment filled her eyes. “You know. Mike told you.”
“You wanted to keep it from me?”
“I didn’t want my last few months filled with people starin’ at me and wonderin’ if it would be the last time they saw me.”
I nodded. “I understand.”
Tears filled her eyes. “I’m glad you know though.” Her chin trembled. “I’m scared.”
I choked back a sob and climbed up onto the bed. I lay down next to her and linked our hands as I buried my own fear. “I’m here, Vi. We’ll do this together.”
Tears rolled down her cheeks and into the pillow. “Can you have a vision and tell me if Mike will be okay? And the kids?”
“I don’t need to have a vision to know they’ll be broken. But they’ll survive. I’ll make sure of it. I’ll be there.”
She nodded.
“You gave up so much for me . . .” I said, tears flowing down my own cheeks now.
“But I couldn’t keep you safe from Momma,” she said. “No matter how hard I tried.”
“But you made me feel loved,” I said. “And that made all the difference.” I sucked in a breath and smiled. “Maybe I can’t save you from this, but you will never doubt you are loved.”
That was the only gift I knew to give.
IN HIGH COTTON
Neely Kate Mystery #2
February 13, 2018
Also by Denise Grover Swank
Rose And Neely Kate reading order:
FAMILY JEWELS
TRAILER TRASH
FOR THE BIRDS
IN HIGH COTTON
Rose Gardner Investigations
FAMILY JEWELS
FOR THE BIRDS
Neely Kate Mystery
TRAILER TRASH
IN HIGH COTTON
(February 13, 2018)
Magnolia Steele Mystery
Center Stage
Act Two
Call Back
Curtain Call
(October 17, 2017)
Darling Investigations
(Humorous mystery romance)
DEADLY SUMMER
January 2018
Rose Gardner Mysteries
Novellas are bonus material
TWENTY-EIGHT AND A HALF WISHES
TWENTY-NINE AND A HALF REASONS
THIRTY AND A HALF EXCUSES
FALLING TO PIECES (novella)
THIRTY-ONE AND A HALF REGRETS
THIRTY-TWO AND A HALF COMPLICATIONS
PICKING UP THE PIECES (novella)
THIRTY-THREE AND A HALF SHENANIGANS
ROSE AND HELENA SAVE CHRISTMAS (novella)
RIPPLE OF SECRETS (novella)
THIRTY-FOUR AND A HALF PREDICAMENTS
THIRTY-FIVE AND A HALF CONSPIRACIES
THIRTY-SIX AND A HALF MOTIVES
SINS OF THE FATHER (novella)
The Wedding Pact
(Humorous contemporary romance)
THE SUBSTITUTE
THE PLAYER
THE GAMBLER
THE VALENTINE (short story)
Bachelor Brotherhood
Spinoff of The Wedding Pact series
ONLY YOU
UNTIL YOU
ALWAYS YOU (November 2017)
Young adult contemporary romance
ONE PARIS SUMMER
Off the Subject Series
(New adult contemporary romance)
AFTER MATH
REDESIGNED
BUSINESS AS USUAL
The Chosen Series
(Adult urban fantasy)
CHOSEN
HUNTED
SACRIFICE
REDEMPTION
Complete CHOSEN Box Set
Emergence (short)
Middle Ground (short)
Homecoming (short)
Curse Keepers Series
(Urban fantasy)
THE CURSE KEEPERS
THE CURSE BREAKERS
THE CURSE DEFIERS
CURSE KEEPERS COLLECTION (box set)
On the Otherside Series
(Young adult sci fi romance)
HERE
THERE
About the Author
Denise Grover Swank was born in Kansas City, Missouri and lived in the area until she was nineteen. Then she became a nomadic gypsy, living in five cities, four states and ten houses over the course of ten years before she moved back to her roots. She speaks English and smattering of Spanish and Chinese which she learned through an intensive Nick Jr. immersion period. Her hobbies include witty Facebook comments (in own her mind) and dancing in her kitchen with her children. (Quite badly if you believe her offspring.) Hidden talents include the gift of justification and the ability to drink massive amounts of caffeine and still fall asleep within two minutes. Her lack of the sense of smell allows her to perform many unspeakable tasks. She has six children and hasn’t lost her sanity. Or so she leads you to believe.
denisegroverswank.com
For the Birds: Rose Gardner Investigations #2 (Rose Gardner Investigatons) Page 30
