Free Topaz Heat (Christian Romance) (The Jewel Series) by Hallee Bridgeman Page A

head slowly turned toward him. The disease that attacked her heart had stolen years from her, adding lines to her face and gray to her hair. As far as the doctors could determine, she had never received treatment for it. Derrick knew without anyone telling him that she wouldn’t be leaving the hospital alive.
    “Derrick,” she whispered. “ Mio figlio .”
    “English, mamma, I can’t understand you.”
    She patted his hand. “ Mio figlio .”
    He had never learned Italian. She had insisted that they only speak English so that she could learn it too. “I don’t understand.”
    “She said, ‘my son.’” Derrick whipped his head around and saw Tony in the doorway. “Is this a bad time?”
    Derrick’s eyes went back to her pale face. “She’s dying.”
    She gripped his wrist and tried to sit up. “ Non l’ho mai detto …”
    Desperate, he looked to Tony, who walked into the hospital room and stood on the other side of the bed. “‘I never told you.’”
    Derrick stood and gently pushed her shoulders back down. “Don’t try to talk now. Just rest.”
    “ Non ero una madre buona .” Her eyes fluttered closed but she opened them again.
    Without waiting for Derrick’s plea, Tony translated, speaking softly. Derrick never even took his eyes off his mother’s face. “‘I’ve not been a good mother.’”
    “Don’t say that. Just rest.” He wasn’t hollow any more. Something inside of him opened up and flooded his heart, making his throat ache and his eyes water. “Just rest, mamma.”
    “ Non ero una madre buona, ma l’ho amato sempre
.” Her eyes fixed unblinking on his. “ Lei capisce
?”
    “No, no, I don’t understand.”
    Tony cleared his throat to ease some of the tightness. “‘I’ve not been a good mother, but I’ve always loved you.’”
    His hand trembled as he brushed her hair off her forehead. “I love you, too. I’m sorry, mamma.”
    “ Capire che sono orgoglioso di lei
. ” Her eyes closed.
    “‘Understand that I’m so proud of you.’”
    “Mamma – ”
    “
Sono molto orgoglioso di lei
. ” She barely spoke above a whisper. “
Devo andare adesso
.”
    “‘I am very proud of you.’” Tony’s voice sounded harsh. “‘I must go now.’”
    “No.” He grabbed her hand and held it to his wet cheek, letting the tears fall unashamedly down his face. “No, mamma, not yet. Not yet. I haven’t told you about Jesus, yet, mamma.”
    She patted his hand back, her touch like that of a little child. Struggling to speak in English, she whispered, “I know Him, Derrick. You tell. I read every letter you send me. Over and over again, I read. Mio figlio .”
    He didn’t see Tony leave and didn’t look up as the monitor attached to his mother’s heart sounded the alarm.
     

    DERRICK leaned against the wall of the gymnasium, one foot propped against the wall behind him. He’d shed his shirt and wore only a sweat-soaked white T-shirt. He’d battled hard for his loss against boys half his age, and let them mock him for being old while they each gathered belongings and went home.
    He’d given Tyrone, Alfonso, and Benny his phone number, and business cards. He’d told them to call him if they ever needed him, or to come to the hotel if they couldn’t call.
    “You going to be here Sunday morning?” he asked as they started out of the gym.
    They shrugged, almost in unison. But Benny spoke. “Maybe.”
    Derrick smiled. “Well, maybe I’ll bring some doughnuts for breakfast.”
    He caught their pleased smiles as they left. The slamming of the gym door echoed through the empty gym. Derrick looked at his watch. Nine-thirty. No wonder he felt so fatigued.
    He was glad he went to the funeral this morning. He fought the desire to go visit Sarah now, to offer her comfort, maybe a shoulder to cry on.
    Instead, he slipped on his shirt and jacket, found his tie and shoved it into his pocket, and rolled his head on his neck. She didn’t want to see him. He would leave that