“Right again.”
Bill offered up a grin. “I’m always right, kid.”
Drew clasped Bill’s hands in both of his. “I love you, old man.”
“I know. Love you, too. And don’t think that after I’m gone I won’t still be watching over you, because I will. Be happy.”
Drew’s eyes filled with tears. “I hope you will.”
He didn’t want to think about how much he was going to miss Bill. They’d talked on the phone often. Bill would call him after his games and either congratulate him or chew him out when he screwed something up. In college, he’d kept him on the straight and narrow. After, they’d become lifelong friends. But he’d always counted on Bill to give him the best advice.
What was he going to do without him?
Bill drifted off to sleep and Drew sat there with him until Ginger and Haven came back in.
“Did you two get a chance to visit?” Ginger asked.
“Yeah, we did. A nice long chat.”
Ginger put her arm around him. “I’m glad.”
“I guess I should go.”
“I’ll walk you out.”
Haven gave him a hug and Ginger stepped outside with him to walk him to the elevator.
“He’s so strong, Miss Ginger.”
She nodded. “He has his moments. He’s fightin’ it to the very end. But he’s very aware that this is the end. He’s accepted it.”
“Well, he has you by his side, and I’ve never known a stronger woman.”
Tears glimmered in her eyes. “We’ll be fine. Now you go home and don’t worry about us.”
He hugged her. “I love you.”
“I love you, too, honey.”
When he pulled back, he took her hands. “If you need anything, call me.”
“I will.”
He started to leave, but then found himself unable to. He ended up sitting in a chair by the lobby. That’s where Haven found him a half hour later.
“Hey. I didn’t know you were still here.”
He lifted his gaze to hers. “I can’t go yet.”
She nodded and took a seat next to him. “I know the feeling. I should get back to work. Mom said she’d call me when—well when it gets closer. But these are his last days. I can’t not be here.”
He took her hand and squeezed it between his. “I’m sorry, Haven.”
“Me, too. Thanks for coming. It’s meant a lot to my mom and me having you and all the guys come by. And it’s been wonderful for Dad to know that he’s that important to all of you that you’d take the time out of what I know are busy lives for all of you.”
“None of us are too busy for your dad. He’s important to all of us and always was.”
She tilted her head and smiled up at him. “We all had good times together in college, didn’t we?”
“Yeah, we did.”
“Though all of you gave me a hard time.”
“What? I never gave you a hard time. That was Trevor.”