Forever Lost A Family's Secret

CHAPTER 2


It was the day after Thanksgiving when Jack had to be put back in the Hospital.

Because the lump on his back had grown larger and the doctor’s wanted to see if the could remove it.

“So it was about eight o’clock in the evening when Jack went into surgery, and when “Dr. James came out of the operating room it was 5:00 in the morning. “Melinda I have good news and I have bad news, the goods news is that I was able to remove the lump. The bad news is I had some test done and it showed that the cancer has spread to Jack’s brain.
The one thing that did not want was to be hooked up to a breathing machine. So even though the Doctors told Melinda that Jack didn’t have much time. “Jack seemed to find the strength to tell his wife that he wanted to go home.

“Melinda I want you to tell “Dr. James that if I am going to die I want to be at home with my family.

And not stuck in the Hospital.

“Melinda you can tell that stubborn old of yours that unless he can get up and walk out of here,

He is not going anywhere.

“Melinda I think you should go home and come back later, Jack needs his rest, and so do you. I will call you if anything happens to Jack.

I want you to tell Solomon not to worry his Uncle Jack will be home soon. It was about eight o’clock in the morning when Melinda got home.

Everyone was asleep, so she decided to make a fresh pot of coffee and go and watch the girls sleep.

It was the only thing that helped keep her mind off her Husband. So as she sat in the corner watching her nieces sleep, she heard the phone ring.
It was “Dr. James he said Jack needed to talk to Solomon as soon as possible. But I told Jack that he needed to rest.SO tells Solomon that his Uncle wants to see him this afternoon, “Dr. Do you know what Jack needs to talk to Solomon about. “He said it was something about a box. “Do you know what he is talking about Melinda?

Of course I do.



“Solomon will be at the Hospital this afternoon. “Be sure to tell Jack that I need to talk to him also. “All right Melinda I will tell him what you said, and I will see you at noon. Then Melinda hung up the phone, “Solomon wake up we have to go to the Hospital. Jack needs to talk to you alone.

“I told the Doctor that we would be at the Hospital at noon. “Solomon I want you to call Mrs. Herrera and ask her if she can watch the girls for a couple of hours. “So Solomon calls Mrs. Herrera and Skyler answers the phone “Skyler could you and your mother come over here? “Jack wants to talk to me alone and I need someone to look after the girls. “Solomon mother and I will be there but I have to bring my brother and sister,
“that’s fine just get over her as soon as possible.

After Skyler hung up the phone, “she told her mother what was going on with Solomon, they got there things and was over at Solomon’s house in 15 minutes as soon as Skyler rang the door bell,
“Solomon and his Aunt were ready to go. “Mrs. Herrera there is bottles in the refrigerator if the girls get hungry. “All right Solomon just go your Uncle needs you now and don’t worry about the girls they will be just fine.

When Melinda and Solomon get to the Hospital Dr. James was waiting outside Jack’s room.
Solomon did I tell you that Jack keeps talking about a box, do you know what is in the box,

Not yet.

Well I thought you should go in first… So Uncle Jack how are you doing? She asked with a soft smile
not so good.

I am in the one place I did not want to be when I died.
Could we please talk about something else?

He grimaced. How about we talk about the reason why I am here? All right, I wanted to talk to you about the box.
“But Uncle Jack I thought you didn’t want to talk about the box because when I ask you if you could tell me what was inside you told me no.“So are you going to tell me

what is in it now?
I am sorry I can’t all I can tell you is that when you open the box and read the letters I just hope you can forgive me
Uncle Jack can you tell me what are in the letters.
No
I can’t I think that for you to understand you should read them yourself.”
But I want you to wait until after I am gone. Is that all you needed to talk to me about?

That’s it?

All right Uncle Jack I will read them after you are gone. Thank you Solomon, when you go out tell Melinda to come in, I have to talk to her also.

“Jack “Solomon said you wanted to talk to me.

“Jack what is so important that you couldn’t tell me when you get home.
“Look Melinda you know that I am very sick, and you know as well as I do that I may not leave this Hospital.

So I want you take the Life insurance to the bank and put it in a safe deposit box. But Jack it sounds like you are giving up.

“Melinda just do as I ask,
it is very important that you do this or I will be forced to call my lawyer? “Jack I will do it just stay calm.

I just want you to know that your lawyer is a crock


“And how do you know that?

“I over heard him talking to some people in the office about you;
he said he would do whatever it took to get that box away from you.
So what does our life insurance have to do with the box that I gave Solomon,
well a few months ago you told me to put the insurance in a place where I thought that no one would ever look,

So I put them in the box that you gave Solomon.
So where is the box now?
Solomon won’t tell anyone where it is…

“Melinda goes tell Solomon to come here.

“Solomon yes Uncle Jack, Aunt Melinda said that you needed to talk to me, is there anything wrong?

No Solomon I just wanted to know what you did with the box that I gave you. I put in my room, why do you need it back.


Your Aunt Melinda put something in it that I need back. Jack can you just tell me what is in the box, your Aunt Melinda put some Life Insurance papers in the box, and do you understand that it is very important to me.

The bank closes at 5:00, so you and Melinda will have to hurry. I want you and Melinda to come back after you are done.

We are going to have our last talk,
so go and make sure you kiss the twins for me.

See you in about an hour Jack
“When they got home Mrs. Herrera was getting the girls ready for bed.
We can’t stay Carol, we are on our way to the bank, and after we leave the bank we have to go back to the Hospital because Jack said that we wanted to talk to Melinda and I one last time.
“Solomon do you know what Jack needed to talk to you and Melinda about.
IF I knew don’t you think that I would have told you already,
“I have to go and kiss the girls goodbye.

“Carol I will see you tomorrow.” Solomon do you have the papers so we can go to the bank. “Yes Melinda, then let’s go so we can get to the Hospital before visiting hours are over.

“When they get to the Hospital,


Dr. James was waiting for them; he said that I had a chance to look at the X rays that were taken of Jack’s brain. Is everything all right?

Yes I found out what caused Jack’s tumor,
Jack told me that when he was in the military service he was exposed to a poisonous plant,
he said that he thinks that’s the reason why he has the tumor.
And since I didn’t get a chance to talk to you before you left,
I just wanted you to know that Jack does indeed have brain cancer.

I want you to make an appointment for me to see Jack again in a month, so as soon as Jack’s neck has healed I will get him into surgery again.


So did the good Dr. tell you when I could go home?
Jack doesn’t be so inpatient I am sure that the Dr James will tell you when you can check out.
But until that time try to get some rest. Dr. before you go I have just one more question, were you able to remove all the poison?
I was able to remove most of it.

But Melinda I won’t lie to you the tumor could come back
and it could be even worse than before.

Dr. has you told Jack that he is not going to die at least not today.
No but I think you and I should go in and tell him. You are his Doctor I think you should tell him.

And make sure Solomon is in the room when you tell Jack the good news. Why does Solomon have to be in the room he is only a child?
Because when Solomon Shawn and Sheana first came to live with us, Jack is the one who took care of them. And where were you all this time?

I had to be the one to work.

That is still not a reason why Solomon should be in the room when I tell Jack the good news about Jack’s x rays, well another reason why Solomon should be in the room is because when Jack got sick Solomon is the one who took care of him and the girls
So where is Solomon?

He is in the waiting room “Melinda”
why don’t you go and get him. But don’t tell Solomon that I have something to tell him.
And leave it at that
“So Uncle Jack what is so important that you could not tell me at home?


First of all I think that Dr James has to be the one to tell you the good news about Jack’s x rays,
well what is the good news?

The good news is that the X ray’s show that most of Jack’s tumor has been removed and that he should be home in about a month.
Well I guess that means that Jack will be spending Christmas in the Hospital.

Did you hear what the doctor just said of course I did, and that’s great news but I need to talk to Jack alone; if you are going to talk to him about the box then you don’t have to worry about hiding something

I know what is in it?


Melinda could you please tell me what else is in the box because the only thing I know about the box is that it has a stack of letters in it.

Jack has asked me not to read them until after he dies, and that he hoped I could forgive him.
So do you think that Jack would get upset if I read them now he is not going to die at least not today?

I think that you need to talk to Jack because if I told you what were in the letters Jack would never speak to me again.
You should let Jack get some rest; it has been a very long day. You can talk to Jack in the morning.

Besides you has not been away from you sisters this long before. I think that we should just go home and come back in the morning.
By the time Solomon and Melinda get home it was close to 10:00 that was just enough time to go and take a shower, kiss the twins good night grab a bite to eat and then go to bed,

but before he went to bed he asked his Aunt Melinda to please tell Skyler that I will see her in the morning.
Also tell Mrs. Herrera that they are welcome to stay the night.
Solomon I think I can speak for myself, and don’t worry me won’t let Skyler or her mother goes home. It is just too cold for them to be out in this weather. They could get lost in the dark. I will make up the couch for .them, and you can ask Mrs. Herrera about looking after the girls while we go to the Hospital to talk to Jack
It was early in the morning when Solomon got up because he heard Shawn and Sheana playing in their room.
They wanted Solomon to play with them. I just want you to know that your Uncle was right when he said that you get up early. But I didn’t think he meant 6:00 in the morning, and that’s when the girls begin to laugh, and as Solomon is standing their, he too begins to laugh because he knows that the girls don’t understand a word he is talking about.
IT was about two hours later when Melinda gets up. Solomon did you make any coffee this morning?
No Aunt Melinda I have been in the girl’s room. I want you to go and make some coffee because I want to spend some time alone with Shawn and Sheana, Melinda I hope you haven’t forgotten what today is.
No of course not, so what are we going to do for the girl’s birthday?

I think Jack would love to have the birthday party in his room, and then after the party I will take the girls home.

Then you and Jack can talk all you like.

But I have asked Carol to stay at the Hospital with you, and I will take Skyler home with me so she can help me with the twins.
If you have any problems just tell Carol to call me.

But Aunt Melinda I am thirteen years old don’t you think that I am old enough to stay at the Hospital by myself?
I can call you when I am ready to come home. And that way you will have all the help you need.

No! Carol is staying and that’s it, not another word or I will be staying here too


By the way where the girls are?

They are in the car with Carol, they are just waiting for you to set everything up in Jack’s room, and we want it to be a surprise when the girls get to see their Uncle Jack. Dr. James is it still all right for us to have the party in Jack’s room?
Just as long as Jack doesn’t get too excited? Or he might go into a comma and never come out of it.
Don’t worry the party won’t last more than hour
and besides Jack has to get some rest in order for him to get better,
so tell me how old are Shawn and Sheana, they are two years old today. Solomon you have to make sure your sisters are very careful while they are around Jack,

do you hear me?

I know Dr. James
So what time are you going to have the party?
2:00 my sisters Aunt Melinda and Skyler will be leaving as soon as the party is over.

But for now we have to go and get everything ready, we want it to be a surprise.

Why don’t you go down to the gift shop to get what you need, and that way your sisters will not have to wait for a long time in the car?
Nurse Anne please goes to Melinda and tells her that Solomon and Skyler are going to the gift shop to get what they need for the party.

then I want you to go to Carol’s car and tell Carol that the only thing we need is the cake, and then tell her to come in, it is just too cold for her to be sitting in the car with those two girls?

That’s when they come inside the Hospital. Anne did I hear you say we don’t have a cake, don’t worry I know a couple of people who can bring us a cake. Their names are Tina and Steve Hart they own a bakeshop just down the road from the Hospital.

Well just don’t stand there call them and tell Tina and Steve Hart that we need a cake too since they are part of your family, and you can tell them they can stay if they want