Read Online Just One Drink by Charlotte Sloan - Free Book Online

laid beside her. 
    Her father also tried to remember happier times as he looked at his daughter.  His shaky hand slowly reached out and caressed her long kinky hair.  His wrinkled fingers gently touched her cheek, leaving a part of his soul on her delicately beautiful skin.  He smiled, grateful for such a beautiful daughter.  In that moment, he remembered his wife, a feisty and fiery woman who had stolen his heart while also being his number one fan. It was these memories he clung to as he heard the rhythmic beeps fill the room. 
    But, his time was almost up.  He didn’t have much longer on this Earth, and he would make the best of it.  With what little strength he had left, he slowly shook his daughter, trying to wake her. 
    Cassandra’s eyes fluttered open as she looked around, confused.  For a moment, she forgot where she was and what she was doing in the white-washed room.  As she looked around she spotted her father, laying in the hospital bed, his skin gray and sickly. Reality came crashing back, threatening to take her breath away.  She looked up with red-rimmed eyes from crying and as she looked at her father the tears threatened to return.  She knew she didn’t have much longer with him. 
    “Cassandra.”  Her father wheezed.  Every day it was becoming harder for him to breath.  Talking was becoming an impossible chore for him.  Despite this, he felt the need to speak to his daughter, even if it would be the last time he ever said her name. 
    Cassandra’s whole body went rigid as she heard the pain in her father’s voice.  She stared at him intently before taking his papery hand in hers.  He smiled at her and took a moment to compose himself. 
    “I… I love you… sweetie… always remember that… your mother… and I… loved you with our whole hearts…”  His voice was barely a whisper as he looked at her with translucent eyes.  Tears threatened to escape from Cassandra’s eyes as she heard her father’s words, but she tried to stay strong for his sake.  She squeezed his hand. 
    “I know… dad… I know… and I love you too…”  Her voice was a shaky whisper and she bit her lip to keep from crying.  He smiled again, before gently patting her hand with his.
    “I… I want you to have this…”  Shakily, he leaned toward the small drawer by his bed before grabbing something.  He handed it to Cassandra who took it. 
    “What’s this?”  She asked, looking at the small envelope.  There seemed to be something made of hard plastic inside. 
    “Open it.”  Cassandra nodded at her father’s command before slowly opening the envelope.  Reaching inside, she pulled out a small credit-card looking object that said, ‘Southstead Steady Strikers Fight Club.’  She looked at it curiously.  The Southstead Steady Strikers Fight Club (Triple S) was Southstead’s best MMA fighting club.  It was where her father built his career when he was younger.  She remembered going there all the time.  She had never seen a card like this before, however. 
    “What’s this?”  She asked again.  Her father smiled a knowing smile.
    “I talked to some of my… f… friends… It’s a… a… season pass… you… you can get into… into… an…any game, fight… pr…practice… anything… whenever you wa… want…”  Her father struggled to explain as his breath started to fail him.  Cassandra looked at him with fear in her eyes when suddenly the beeping in the room turned into one long beep.  Cassandra’s eyes grew large and her own heart skipped a beat as she saw the life slowly escape from her father’s eyes and his body go limp.
    ***
    Cassandra’s mascara was running and her eyes were red as she used the Triple S card she had just received from her father to get into the arena.  She felt numb as she entered the building. It was the first time she had been at the Triple S since her father’s diagnosis.  It felt so strange to be in the building without him,