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."I'm tired.""Go slow, Danny.We have time, now.Plenty of time." She covered his hand with hers."I had this strange dream," Danny murmured."I met my dad.He came back to us."Luke stepped up to the bed so Danny could see him."I'm here, Danny."Danny's eyes widened."Dad?" He looked over at his mother."It's true then?"Jenny nodded."Yes, it's true."Dr.Lowenstein came in and checked Danny's eyes and reflexes.He gave commands to which the boy sleepily responded, moving first his arms then his legs.Jenny held her breath, afraid to believe that Danny was going to be all right after so many weeks of waiting.Dr.Lowenstein questioned Danny about his name, his birthday, and what grade he was in.Danny answered every question correctly.Then the doctor looked at Jenny and Luke with an incredulous smile."Wow," he said.Luke and Jenny laughed."Is that your professional opinion?" Luke asked.Dr.Lowenstein shook his head in amazement."He looks good.We'll run a complete set of tests just to make sure, but right now I would have to say that I think he'll make a complete recovery.""I can't believe it," Jenny said."Did you hear that, kiddo? You're going to be fine.""How long have I been here?" Danny asked."A while, honey, but you're back now, and that's all that counts." She pushed down the cowlick at the back of his head.Danny brushed her hand away."Aw, Mom," he said."I never thought I'd hear you say that again."Danny frowned."Did I miss your birthday? I had the best idea for a gift.""You gave me a gift, Danny.""I did? What was it?"Jenny exchanged a tender look with Luke."It was your father.""Are you together again?""Yes, and we're going to be a family, the three of us," Luke said firmly."The way it was meant to be.""I feel like I died and went to heaven," Danny said in utter delight.Jenny stepped backward and tripped over something.Down at her feet was a baseball.She picked it up."Danny, your next home run is on me," she read."Where did this come from?"Danny took the ball out of Jenny's hand.He looked down at the end of the bed and saw an old man in a baseball uniform, the man from his dream."Jacob," he whispered.Jacob tipped his cap at Danny."Have a nice life, kid."Reader’s GuideIf you enjoyed this book and would like to talk about it in your book club, I've enclosed some questions to hopefully inspire some great discussion! (Following the Reader's Guide are several excerpts from some of my other books.)1.Danny wants to meet his father because he believes knowing his father - whether he ever played shortstop, hall tall he was, when he started to shave - will help him know himself.Luke is a doctor like his father before him and like the generations of men before his father.To what degree is destiny predetermined by parental influence? Had Danny grown up to be raised by Luke, how do you think he would have been different from a sweet, smart boy who loves baseball? Do you think the expectation of being raised in a family of doctors would have made Danny more serious, more studious?2.When Daniel sets off to meet his father, Luke and Denise have recently quarreled because Luke is upset Denise underwent a medical procedure so they cannot have children.Even though Luke did not want children when they married, he's recently decided he would like a family.If Daniel had decided to find Luke several years earlier when Luke was focused on his career over family, do you think Luke would have wanted to be his father? How would the story have been different?3.Denise doesn't want to have children because she raised her own family of brother and sisters growing up, and Luke was in the same mindset when they married.Luke has since changed his mind about wanting a family.Is it fair for Luke to expect children from Denise now? Have you been in a relationship where your desires and needs changed over time? If so, what was the outcome?4.When Alan suggested Matt might be responsible for Danny's hit-and-run, Jenny slaps him and insists her brother couldn't have hurt Danny despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.Do you think Jenny's defense of Matt was naïve? How much do you think her faith in Matt might enable his bad lifestyle choices?5.When Jenny confirms to Luke that Daniel is his son, Luke believes he has a right to be in Daniel's life.Both Jenny and Alan tell Luke he gave up his rights before Daniel was born.Luke counters he has more rights to Daniel than Alan.What gives someone a right to raise a child? Is this a right than can be discarded? Does a parent who abandons a child have a right to re-enter the child's life? If so, under what circumstances and who should decide when it's appropriate?I hope you enjoyed Daniel's Gift! If you would like to print out this Reader's Guide, please visit my website.JUST A WISH AWAYExcerpt @ Copyright 2012 Barbara FreethyALL RIGHTS RESERVEDPrologueFifteen years earlier …"Race you to Dragon Rock," Braden Elliott challenged.Twelve-year-old Alexa Parker barely heard him.Her attention was focused on the pile of pebbles and shells that had washed ashore.She was looking for tiny shards of sea glass or mermaid tears, as the locals called them.The Sand Harbor Beach on the coast of Washington State was known for the glass that the sea tossed up after years of being tumbled and turned by the waves and the salt water, finally landing on the sand as beautiful, colorful gems.When she grew up, she wanted to become a glassmaker, turn all those broken pieces into something amazing."Come on, Alexa," Braden urged.She looked up at him, her determination wavering as she stared into his beautiful green eyes, that sometimes reminded her of the glass she collected.Braden had grown three inches over the summer, now towering over her at nearly six feet.His brown hair was thick and wavy and messed up by the wind.He was so cute; sometimes she just couldn't stop looking at him.They'd known each other since they were ten, but this was the first summer she'd looked at him as more than just a friend.In fact, her stomach did a little flip flop every time he smiled at her.She didn't really know what to do about her new feelings.Part of her wanted to say something and the other part of her was just too scared.A couple of her friends had boyfriends, but she wasn't sure she was ready, and she only saw Braden in the summer.While Braden lived at Sand Harbor year round, she only came for holidays and summers.Every June, she and her mom packed up the car and left Seattle to stay with her Aunt Phoebe at the beach.Her dad would come down on Thursdays and take long weekends in July and August.It was the perfect way to spend the summer.She'd met some of Braden's Sand Harbor friends over the years, but when she was in town it was mostly just the two of them.They would meet up every morning on their bikes and take off to explore one of the three beaches that dotted the coastline.They'd search for sea glass, fly kites, build sand castles and make up stories about the people who vacationed in the big houses along the bluff.Sand Harbor was a quiet fishing village in the winter, but in summer, the town filled up with tourists and celebrities looking for a summer escape.Every year there seemed to be new houses being built along the bluffs."Alexa," Braden said impatiently."You're daydreaming again."It was a bad habit of hers, but one that didn't usually make him mad.Braden put his hands in the pockets of his jeans and stared out to sea, and she realized Braden's bad mood was more about his dad than about her.Braden's father was a soldier in the Army, and he was supposed to have come home by now, but they kept postponing his release date.Now they were talking about Christmas
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