Autumn Promises Read Free

breathing was shallow. The thought of Jack, and all of them, losing her was too immense.
    Dear Lord, I don’t know what You’re up to, but please don’t let Beth die. I don’t want Jack to feel that kind of pain. I know he’s up to the test, but he’s been alone for so many years.
    “Mom?” Jack said from the hall behind her.
    Meg whirled and held out her arms. Jack hugged her for all he was worth. “How is she doing?” she asked.
    Jack stepped back and shook his head, tears in his eyes. He took her hand and pulled her from the room, closing the door behind them. Across the hall was a sun-drenched solarium. He led her in there, and they both sat on the wide slate windowsills overlooking the snow that covered the area. It was clear Jack needed to unload.
    “She’s not getting better, Mom,” he said, sounding stuffed up from fighting tears. His eyes were red rimmed from the moments when he’d obviously failed. “This morning there was a doctor from the CDC in with her when I got here. He said it looks like something he called a superbug. That means it’s resisting conventional antibiotics. He had them change her medication again. I don’t think I’ve ever been more afraid in my life.”
    “How are Beth’s spirits holding up?”
    Jack winced and looked away out the window. “Before she fell asleep about an hour ago, she made me promise to find a mother for the twins.”
    “I hope you told her what utter nonsense that is.”
    “I did but she just kept insisting.”
    Meg sighed. “So you promised.”
    Jack shook his head, pursing his lips, and still stubbornly fought the tears pooling in his eyes. “I toldher I’d never find anyone else, so she’d better start planning to make a full recovery.”
    Ah, that was her stubborn son talking. “Well, good for you!”
    “It feels like a nightmare,” he whispered, and turned to lean the back of his head against the cool glass pane. “Three weeks ago we were the two happiest people in the world. And now I’m losing her.”
    Meg straightened and stood in front of him. “Jack, look at me.” He opened his eyes. “You are not losing her,” she insisted. “And just to make sure, I called Pastor Jim and he’s started a prayer chain. All your friends at the Tabernacle are praying for Beth. Until we call and say she’s better, not a minute will go by that someone won’t be praying for her. Tabernacle members are strong prayer warriors, son. They won’t let you down, and neither will God. Now you go back to your wife, and when she wakes up again, it’s your job to convince her that this is a fight worth winning. I’m going on to the ranch so you two can concentrate on getting Beth well. You tell her I was here, and that I said she’s to stop this gloomy talk about leaving you behind. And tell her I’ll come see her soon to make sure her attitude has changed.”
    Jack grinned a little and stood to hug her again. “That alone should scare her into getting better. I love you, Mom. I thank God every day for letting me find you.”
    She stepped back and cupped his cheek. “And Ithank Him for leading you back to me, son. Now, you take care of our Beth, and I’ll see to those grand-babies of mine.”
    “Mom,” Jack said as he raked his fingers nervously through his hair. “Uh…could you take it easy on Dad? He really has tried these last months. He did everything he promised to do about the Circle A. And he’s been a rock through this since Beth got sick.”
    Meg blinked. She’d have to brush up on her acting skills. Jack wasn’t supposed to have noticed her hostility toward Evan Alton. She smiled sweetly. “Why, darling, if you have no problem with Evan, why should I? I’m here to relieve him. That’s all.”
    Jack nodded, but he didn’t seem completely convinced. She’d have to work harder at masking her dislike for the man her son called father. As far as Meg was concerned, Evan Alton had been a poor substitute for Wade Jackson. Wade would have