Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 86972 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86972 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
When I didn’t walk away, he ran a hand through his messy curls. “I need to do the rest alone,” he said, understanding why I hadn’t moved.
“Why?” I asked him because I disagreed. He needed help.
“Because, Henley. This is what I fucking do. Just go.” It wasn’t the cold pitch in his voice that sent me away; it was the warning glare in his eyes. He did not want me here.
By the time I reached my car, the tears were freely streaming down my face. Not because Saul sent me away but because it was all he knew. He didn’t trust people enough to rely on them. He did it himself. Except when Gran came along. He hadn’t been able to send Gran away.
Twelve
I never made it to Wanda with the photo album. The rest of the day I had spent trying new recipes in hopes baking would make things better. It hadn’t, but in the end, I had been distracted. Being back at work today was a relief. Hillya’s great-niece, Emily, was visiting for the summer, and I had spent the morning training her to work the register. She was a year younger than me and just finished up her second year at Florida State.
Her hair was a deep shade of auburn and it made her pale skin appear porcelain. I would have hated her for that alone if I hadn’t immediately liked her. She worked hard and had a good sense of humor. Something about her felt familiar but I couldn’t place it. By lunchtime, we had bonded and by three when she got off work, we had planned a beach day the next time we both were free.
Hillya had sent me home after four because she was closing early today. I would be off again tomorrow, but then on Thursday, the store was hosting a book signing and would be open late. I was needed to work the bar that night. Hillya served red and white wine along with a signature cocktail at signings. This would be my first one and I was looking forward to it. I’d never been to a book signing before.
I texted Rio that I would be home and available after six tonight if he wanted to bring the letters over. When he texted that he would be there at seven thirty, I decided to head to the address Gran had left me for Wanda and get the album delivered. I smelled of baked goods and coffee, but I doubted Wanda would mind that.
The address led me to a nursing home and I sat in my car for several minutes after parking, staring at the building. I was vaccinated, but I wasn’t sure what the protocol for visitors would be at a nursing home. I reached over and opened my glove compartment to takeout a mask. Although the world had slowly begun to become normal again, especially in the southeast, I kept a stash of masks for the places still requiring them.
I grabbed the album and headed for the entrance. There was a nurse at the door and the sign on the door clearly stated masks were required. I slipped it on and took my vaccination card from my purse to show her.
“I need to get this album to a Wanda Sellers. My gran passed away and she left instructions to bring Mrs. Sellers this album,” I explained.
The nurse smiled. “Oh, Mrs. Wanda will love this. A visitor and a gift. Come right on in,” she said as she pointed down the hallway. “You can find her right down there. Third door on the left. Room number fourteen.”
“Thank you,” I replied and headed down the hallway toward door fourteen. The resident of room eleven was sitting at her door holding a doll with brown curls and wearing a large wide smile. She was running her hand over the dolls curls and whispering something to it when she noticed me. Her head snapped up as if I was there to take her doll from her and she looked ready to defend the baby.
I smiled at her. “You have a beautiful baby,” I said.
The lady’s fearful expression vanished and she beamed up at me from her wheelchair. “Thank you. She looks just like her daddy,” the lady replied.
“He must be very handsome,” I told her.
She nodded her head vigorously. “Oh, he is! He’ll be here to get us soon.”
I held my smile and then waved at her before continuing on to door fourteen. It was across the hall and one door down from eleven. There was an older lady with pearls around her neck, white hair in a neat bob, and a yellow dress trimmed in white standing there observing me. I didn’t know if this was Wanda Sellers or not. Although she was dressed as if she were about to go to church, she was much older than I expected. This lady had to be ten years older than my gran had been.