All of Me: Rod & Daisy Duet Box Set

by A. D. Justice

  When I walked into Juliana’s room, she knew right away something was terribly wrong.

  “What the hell have you done, Rod?” She pierced me with her keen eyes. She was weak, but her resolve was still incredibly strong.

  “I sort of lost my shit when Daisy confessed about the baby and about being a tissue match for you. The walls started closing in on me, so I left to take a drive and clear my head alone. I realized I was more upset with her for keeping all this from me when she pushed so hard for full transparency and honesty between us. I’ve done my best to uphold that agreement, even when I wasn’t sure if it would end well for me when I shared with her. Then to find out she’d withheld such vital information from all this time, I didn’t deal with it very well. I felt betrayed.” I move from the foot of her bed to the chair at her side and took her hand. “How can I choose between you and my baby, Jules? That’s an impossible decision to make.”

  “It’s not a choice you have to make, Rod. I’ve already made it for you. You’ve never fallen for anyone the way you have for Daisy. Don’t screw this up. You’ve dedicated your life to taking care of me. Now it’s time for you to let yourself be happy for a change. You’ve run from every chance at having your own life because you’ve convinced yourself you’re like Dad. You’re nothing like him, and it’s time you accept that. You’re stubborn and infuriating at times, but you’ve never abandoned me when I needed you. You’ve always been there for me, whatever I needed. Don’t be a coward and abandon Daisy when she needs you. That’s not something she’ll forgive—and neither will you. You’ll regret it for the rest of your life.

  “Have you asked yourself why she didn’t tell you the moment she got the call?”

  “No, I haven’t gotten that far yet.” I scrubbed my hand over my face, weary from the long night and all the conflicting emotions battering me.

  “She wanted you, Isa, and me to have the best Christmas she could give us. She was afraid of ruining our visit by giving you the news over the holidays. You would’ve been torn in two, and yet another holiday would’ve had negative emotions tied to it. She didn’t tell you because she was trying to protect you and give you something special. Something you’ve never had. The only reason I found out was because I overheard her just before I walked into the kitchen. I told her not to tell you, and I told her I wouldn’t accept her bone marrow donation if she aborted my niece or nephew. You can’t blame her for any of this. You wouldn’t have handled it any differently.”

  “You shouldn’t be schooling me, Jules. I’m the big brother, you’re the little sister. It should be the other way around.” My smirk assured her I was kidding.

  “That’s not like life works, big brother. We learn by our experiences, and you need to experience love and forgiveness yourself. Forgive Daisy. Forgive Dad. Forgive yourself. You have nothing to feel guilty about. My cancer isn’t your fault, and you are not responsible for saving me from it. We can’t change what is meant to be, no matter how much we want to. The next few months may be long and rough at times, but I’m not giving up. Daisy is my light at the end of the tunnel. She’s yours too.”

  I left after the doctor made his rounds and said Juliana would probably come home in the next couple of days. She’s rehydrated and her strength is returning, so she can continue to convalesce at home. She’ll return to my house so I can ensure she’s following all the doctor’s orders. If she needs it, I’ll rehire the home health nurse to check on her daily. Whatever it takes to keep her around until the transplant can occur.

  I’ll do whatever it takes to keep Daisy by my side for the rest of my life too.

  I was prepared for my righteous indignation rebuttal, but that crashed and burned like a lead zeppelin after last night, and the early morning visit to the hospital. My sister is right. I would’ve done the same had our roles been reversed. Knowing my happiness means so much to Daisy only endears her to me more. I’ve screwed up enough in the short time we’ve been together. I’m determined to right all my wrongs and make our future as bright as the sun.

  After making a few phone calls to my close business contacts, I have a solid plan in place to present to Daisy. This venture was inspired by her generosity and amazing heart. Now I can’t wait to share it with her. Just as I save the final version of the document, I hear the front door open, and laughter fills the entryway.

  They’re home. My family.

  They make this large, cold house into a warm, cozy home.

  When I step out of my office, I watch Daisy help Isa remove her coat and put her backpack away. Landen waits impatiently, knowing Louise has snacks waiting for them in the kitchen.

  “Can I help?” I ask as I approach and slide my arm around Daisy’s waist.

  “Thanks for the offer, but I think we’re all set now. Just have to get some food in these little munchkins before they turn into gremlins.” Her smile is infectious, and I can’t help but chuckle at the mental image.

  “Come on, kids. Let’s see what Louise made for us today. Daisy, I’ll make a snack plate for you too. Can you meet me in my office? There’s something I’m dying to show you.” I waggle my eyebrows to throw her off the real reason I’m trying to get her alone.

  “Um, sure. I’ll take some hot tea, if there’s any. If not, water is fine. I’ll be waiting for you in your office.” Her tentative tone amuses me.

  After I get the kids settled at the table with their finger sandwiches and pita chips, I join a suspicious Daisy in my office. When I close the door behind me, she arches one eyebrow in response. After placing her plate and tea on my desk in front of her, I get down to brass tacks.

  “Thank you for agreeing to meet with me today.” I round the desk, using my best professional tone when I address her, and take my seat. “Your time is valuable, so I’ll get right to the point. I’ve prepared a business proposal that will benefit us both, and I’d like to get your input and blessing to move forward.”

  I steeple my hands in front of my face and wait for the shock to wear off.

  “In that case, I’m all ears. You have my undivided attention.” She leans back in her chair and narrows her eyes.

  “A few weeks ago, an idea popped into my head that I haven’t been able to shake. So I put pen to paper, so to speak, and created an entire business case around it. My excursion last night gave me the final-touch idea this plan needed to pull all the pieces together. I’ve been working on it all day. Your reaction and opinion will make or break this venture, so I’m asking for your honest feedback, no matter what it is.”

  “Tell me. I’m on the edge of my seat here.”

  “I've turned the reins of my company over to Kevin—completely. I’ll remain on the board of directors, but the day-to-day operations are no longer my responsibility. Instead, I’d like to start a non-profit organization that will expand your summer camp venture into a year-round endeavor. We can include food, housing, on-the-job training, and paid internships to the participants.

  “Also, I reached out to a few of my close business contacts and shared the vision with them. They’re all in, willing to help fund the outreach program. Some have offered to start chapters in their own states, under our leadership. You won’t have to struggle with getting corporate sponsors anymore. If you agree to this plan, I’d like to start rebuilding my old neighborhood immediately as a way to offer housing to help families get back on their feet, beginning with the man who helped set me on the right path.”

  Her mouth hangs open, tears swim in her eyes, and her hands shake as she takes the entire business case packet from me.

  “Take your time to read over that. I tried to capture everything you normally include, but you’re much closer to the needs of this program than I am. I’ll give you a few minutes alone to start going over it while I go check on the kids.” Before I leave the room, I place a kiss on her cheek and wipe away an errant tear that escaped from her eye.

  She grabs my arm and stops me before I take a step.

  “Rod, this is an incr
edible surprise. I’m nearly speechless over how much thought and time you’ve given this. Just one question before you leave the office though.”

  “Anything, my love. Just ask.”

  “Is this company name negotiable?” She cuts her eyes up at me and attempts to hide the smile playing on her lips.

  “No, I’m sorry, but that is the only part of the entire deal I won’t bend on. It’s important to me.”

  She looks back down at my proposal. “Rod… you’ve named a charity outreach venture My Heart of Stone.”

  “Exactly. The acronym is ma-hoes.”

  She jerks her head up to meet my gaze head on. “Beg your pardon?”

  “M-H-O-S. Mahoes.” I shrug, holding my palms up in the air, feigning innocence. “What’s wrong with that? My last name is Stone. You are my heart. I named the organization with you in mind.”

  “Oh, God. Now that name will be on legal documents for all time.”

  Indeed, it will.

  Before I’ve finished asking the children about their day, Daisy joins us in the kitchen, business proposal in hand. She walks straight into my arms and presses her lips to mine.

  “I love this idea. I love that you’ve put so much thought into it. I love that you’re making this a reality. But most of all, I love you. Let’s do this together. I’ve wondered how I’ll be able to do anything this summer since I’ll be a little busy after the delivery. You’ve changing the world with what’s in these few pages.”

  “You’ve changed the world—my world. This is all because of you.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  Daisy

  Landen and I have been staying at Rod’s house the last several nights. Juliana was released from the hospital, but she’s still very weak and doesn’t feel much like eating. Forcing soup down her throat is harder than convincing the kids they need baths every night. Not that I blame her. She’s constantly nauseous, and that doesn’t bode well for her when food is added to the mix. But, because they need all the help they can get right now, I’m happy to pitch in however I can.

  After getting Landen and Isa dressed, I send them down to have breakfast before we leave. My phone rings, and as soon as I see the name on the screen, I know I’m in trouble. I plop down on the bed and answer.

  “I know. I’m the worst best friend in the world. We haven’t been out together in forever. We haven’t hung out in our pajamas and stayed up all night talking about boys and books. We haven’t bitched and complained about our jobs. I’m sorry.”

  “The only way that could’ve been better is if you’d ended that speech with a day and time you planned to rectify your egregious oversight.” Her deadpan reply makes me laugh out loud.

  “When can you get away and stay at Rod’s so we can include Juliana? She needs some girl time too.”

  “Tonight. I can be there as soon as I leave the office today.”

  “Deal. Rod can take care of the kids while you and I look after Jules. Just a heads up, but I don’t expect her to last all night. She sleeps a lot because of the medication, and hopefully that helps her body heal. We’ll be in and out of her room tonight.”

  “We’ll make sure the time she’s able to spend with us is quality girl-talk time then.”

  “How are you and Kevin doing? It feels like we haven’t caught up in forever.” Life has a way of changing on a dime and stealing our plans out from under us, even when we have the best of intentions. I’m looking forward to spending time with my bestie tonight and making up for lost time.

  “Kevin is the best man in the world, but we’re back to daily conversations about meeting my family and winning over my father so we can move forward with our relationship. I’ve tried to explain in every way I know how that even I haven’t been able to win over my dad, so Kevin has even less of a chance of succeeding. He’s a fixer and thinks he can fix my fucked-up family.” Tracy sighs heavily, no doubt reliving one of the many horrible childhood memories she’d rather permanently forget.

  “You can’t blame him when you sugarcoat the truth about your childhood. I was there, and I remember feeling helpless to do anything to stop it. You need to tell him what you went through, so he better understands why you don’t go back to their house. I tried to tell him even I don’t go to visit your family and I’ve known you forever.”

  “Easier said than done, my friend. You were there with me as I went through it, so I don’t have to regurgitate all the details to make you understand. Reliving even one of those memories isn’t high on my to-do list.”

  “Admitting you felt powerless isn’t easy either.” She thinks she’s hiding the real reason she doesn’t talk about it now, but I know her better than anyone.

  “As a kid, I was powerless. But I got away from them the first chance I had. You know I tried to visit them once after I was accepted into law school, but that didn’t turn out so well. You were with me, and they made you wait outside on the porch. I’ve never been so embarrassed. Imagine how they’d treat my white boyfriend.”

  “I remember that day. I was so proud of you and couldn’t wait to tell your parents all about how hard you’d worked for that acceptance letter. When they so callously showed they weren’t one bit proud of you for acing the LSAT and being accepted into such a competitive program, I was horrified for you. I don’t blame you for staying away from them. They’re toxic to you.”

  “Convince my man of that. He’s certain he’s the answer to all my family’s problems. Let’s save the rest of this conversation until I get there, have a few drinks in me, and can really say what’s on my mind.”

  We disconnect after making firm plans for our long overdue slumber party. I step into Juliana’s room to check on her and give her the news.

  “That sounds perfect. I’ll sleep all day so I can stay up all night, or at least most of it. Do you mind inviting my best friend Karen over?” Her voice is weak, but her smile is still bright.

  “My pleasure. The more, the merrier.” After I send Karen’s contact information to my phone from Juliana’s, I leave to let Jules go back to sleep.

  Rod and Louise are entertaining the kids when I join the family in the kitchen. He’s more than supportive when I tell him about my plans for the evening. He thinks having Karen over along with other encouraging friends will help lift Juliana’s spirits. After a quick call and introduction to Karen, we have a date for four ladies on the books.

  “Before all the excitement of a girl’s night in, don’t forget we have an appointment after lunch for the ultrasound. We have to confirm how many weeks along I am. When we get the pictures, we should sit down and explain what’s happening to Landen.”

  “Do you want me to drive you today? I can pick you up at the school and take you to the doctor. I’m happy to be your chauffer any time.”

  “That would be nice. Pick me up at twelve-thirty. We’ll probably be finished at the doctor’s office just in time to pick the kids up after school.”

  “Look at us, being all domestic and shit.” He has the biggest grin on his face.

  “How did I get so lucky to find the most romantic man in the world?”

  “It’s because you have such a nice ass. I liked it from the first time I saw it.” He waggles his eyebrows and cops a feel at the same time. “Now it’s all mine. I’d do anything for that ass.”

  “Again with the romantic gestures. My ass will always be here for your viewing pleasure.”

  We laugh together, which feels amazing, and gather Landen and Isa to leave for school. Riding to work with Rod is a new experience. He holds my hand while he chats with the kids. I can’t help but wonder if this will become our new life soon. I’m both excited and nervous about my appointment today. Will Rod freak out when he sees the baby on the screen, or will it further cement our future together?

  I try not to let these doubts creep in, but I’m only human.

  With a kiss goodbye and a reminder of what time to come back, we part for the morning and I head into the school to start my day. My
classroom settles without a fuss and begins working on their assignments. When lunch rolls around, I have to double check my watch against the clock on the wall because I can’t believe how fast the first half of the day flew by.

  These butterflies in my stomach are more than a tiny baby flittering around.

  The substitute arrives and I give her the instructions for the rest of the day. I walk out of the school with a smile I couldn’t hide if I tried. I’ve spent so much time in fear and dread of telling Rod about our baby. Now I can’t wait to talk about it all the time. My hand automatically finds its way to my stomach, and I only realize it when I notice something I haven’t before now.

  I’m starting to show.

  It’s a small bump, but a noticeable one, nonetheless. I’ve been so preoccupied with everything else, and wearing my baggier clothes the last few weeks, so I haven’t noticed my expanding midsection before now. When I slide into the passenger side of Rod’s waiting car, his smile mirrors mine, but his eyes question what we’re grinning about.

  I place his hand on my belly and his eyes fly open wide when he realizes why. “Is that… our baby?”

  “It is. I didn’t realize I was starting to show until just now as I walked out here. This makes it feel so much more real. What you’re about to see on the monitor will be amazing. But it’ll be scary too. I need you to talk to me if you’re feeling overwhelmed.” I hesitantly hold his gaze, waiting for a sign of recognition of what we’re doing.

  “I know what an ultrasound is, babe. Even before Gabriel took off on Juliana, I went with them for one of her scans. You and I are in this together. I’m not going anywhere. You’d have to enter the witness protection program to get rid of me, and even that wouldn’t be enough to make me stop loving you.” He leans across the center console to kiss me before driving away.

  While he navigates through traffic, I jabber nervously about anything and everything. But my subconscious recognizes we’re getting closer and closer to the doctor’s office. He slides his hand over mine and squeezes, getting my attention.