"American Family"

Chapter Eight




“So, how long did you spend with her?” Chrissy asked Jolene. Jolene sat at the kitchen table with Chrissy. The kids were watching TV in the living room and Danny was out at the hospital. Jolene and Chrissy sat exactly across from each other, which demanded a lot of eye contact.

Jolene finally answered, “Well, till the nurse finally kicked us out and said that visiting hours had been over an hour ago.” Jolene smiled at Chrissy, thinking about the young girl.
“So, how do you feel?” Chrissy asked. It was as if her sister was interrogating her. Jolene didn’t mind. Now that the worry of her husband being unfaithful was gone, she actually felt quite good.

“I feel better. At first I was angry and I truly only wanted to see the girl for all the wrong reasons. After I met her, well, I grew to like her and I’m ok. Sure, I’m still a bit disappointed with Danny and we still have to take it step by step, but I think we’ll make it,” Jolene said.

Chrissy smiled and said, “You always do! Have you told any of this to Lyd?”

“No, I haven’t. I should, shouldn’t I?”

“She’d have a heart attack if you didn’t.”

“I will,” Jolene said. Silence fell into the room and the sound of the TV was all that remained. Finally, Jolene said, “I really feel like we need to help this girl.”

“Why don’t we?” Chrissy asked.

Jolene smiled and suddenly she had an idea. She could help the young girl. All of them could help the girl. All it took was maybe a week’s worth of effort and work. Thinking of how easy it would be to help the girl she was a bit angry that Danny had waited this long to tell her. She could have done this before.

“Chrissy, I need you to call the Pastor and ask him if he could come visit me. I’m going to call Lydia and Kiral. I’m sure they’d be willing to help save a life,” Jolene told Chrissy. Chrissy nodded and turned to her cell phone. Jolene got up and found her house phone. She dialed Lydia’s house and Kiral answered.

“Hello,” He answered.

“Hey Kiral, is Lydia around?” Jolene asked.

“Yeah, you want me to put her on?”

“Well, I really want to speak to both of you.”

“Oh, ok, hope you have good news. Hold on,” He said.

Jolene told Lydia and Kiral everything. She was a bit tired of reciting the story, but she new Lydia was dying to know. Once she was done telling the story she let the information sink in before giving them an offer. “So, now I need your help,” Jolene said, then continued. “I want to pay for that girl’s surgery. I’m going to donate money, Chrissy will,” Jolene said then glanced at Chrissy. Chrissy shrugged and nodded, then continued what she was saying on the phone. “I want you guys to give some money too,” She said.

“Oh, well, ok, how much?” Kiral said.

“As much as you’re willing,” Jolene said.

“Well, we’ll just talk and then call you back with how much,” Lydia told her. Jolene agreed and hung up the phone. She took a seat at the kitchen table and waited till Chrissy hung up the phone. When Chrissy was done on the phone she told Jolene that the pastor said he’d be there in an hour.

“So, just how much is Chrissy giving?” Chrissy asked Jolene with a raised eyebrow.

“As much as Chrissy’s little heart desires,” Jolene said with a smile.


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At the hospital Danny sat in a char next to Danielle’s bed. On the other side of Danielle’s bed, sat her mother. They looked at each other and gave a small smile. Danny looked at Danielle and saw that she was watching him.

“I really liked your wife,” She said to him. She licked her lips and smiled.

“That’s really good to hear,” He responded to her. He reached for her hand and held it.

“I only wished I would have been here too to meet her,” Brianna announced to Danny.

“Maybe sometime,” Danny said. He only hoped not. He guessed it would be awkward and painful for Jolene. He couldn’t imagine meeting an ex of Jolene’s. He also couldn’t imagine finding out Jolene had a child with some one else.

“She was nice, mom,” Danielle said. “You would like her.”

Brianna nodded her head and bit down on her lip. She looked at her daughter then glanced down to the floor. Sighing and looked at her watch. She finally raised her head and said, “I’m going to go use the bathroom.” Both Danny and Danielle nodded and waited till she left to begin speaking.

“She spoke to me like a person and not a long cancer patient,” Danielle said.

“She can be quite amazing,” Danny agreed with a smile.

“I want her to come to my funeral,” Danielle said with no emotion on her face.

The words sent a shiver down Danny’s spine. To hear her say that was mind boggling. She was still a little girl. He couldn’t imagine how hard it must be for her to look death in the eyes and accept it. He didn’t want to hear her speak like this. He wanted her to live. “Don’t talk like that, God works miracles,” Danny told her.

“Not for me, he doesn’t,” She said coldly.

“You’ll see, he will,” Danny said. He squeezed her hand and smiled at her. She didn’t return the smile but he understood.

Suddenly, Kiral came walking through the door followed by a man holding a camera. Danny stood up and waited for him to speak. Brianna came out of the bathroom and stood open mouthed at the sight of Kiral.

“Hey Danny,” Kiral said. “We’re here to do an article on Danielle. We’re looking to interview you guys and get some pictures. Then we’ll go down to the church and take some pictures of the charity they’ve put together for Danielle,” Kiral said with a smile.

“Charity?” Brianna asked in a low tone.

“Yes,” Kiral said “The local church has started a found raiser in honor of Danielle here. They’re aiming to raise the money for the surgery.”

“Oh my God,” Brianna said before running to Kiral and hugging him. Danny stood shocked. He felt this must have something to do with those three amazing girls. They always managed to pull through. They always managed to do what was right.

“So, my picture is going to be in the New York Times? You guys are going to pay for my surgery?” Danielle asked tears coming to her eyes. Kiral nodded and she looked up at the ceiling. “Just when I have given up on you, you save me!” She said. She looked at Danny and said, “I guess you were right, dad.”

Danny smiled at Kiral and said, “Thank you.”

“It’s no problem, now, why don’t we get started. I’ll let Bill here take his photos and then, we can do interviews,” Kiral said.


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Danny held his wife in his arms and whispered into her ears, “I don’t know how you did it, but thank you. You are amazing, I love you and I don’t think I could function with out you.”

The words gave warmth to her heart and she remembered what was so great about him.
She held onto him just as tight and told him, “As are you, Danny. You can’t imagine how my world was crashing at the thought of loosing you. I need you.”

Danny pulled away slightly and smiled at her. “We are just as much in love as we were from the beginning,” he said.

“Yes, and I’m not surprised. I’ve always known you were the one for me, Danny. It’s you and only you,” Jolene said.

They sat on the couch in each others arms. Sure of the love they shared. Danny laid a kiss on her forehead and his lips continued down. His lips found their way to hers and they found themselves engaged in passionate kissing.