She remembered his sweetness the night before, how he had sat beside her, silently offering steady comfort and strength while she relived that horrible night when her parents had died.
He was the kind of man a woman could count on. Not her, though. She wasn’t cut out for happy-ever-after.
By the time she drove to the address Nate had given her for Sophie’s friend McKenna, she had almost convinced herself that that moment in the waiting room when he had looked at her with heartbreaking tenderness had never even happened.
Almost.
As soon as she pulled up to the house on a quiet street a few blocks from the ocean, Sophie raced out the door, hair flying out behind her, and jumped into the passenger seat.
“How’s Gram?” she demanded. “Dad won’t tell me anything, other than they’re running tests. I want to see her.”
“That’s all we know right now. Those tests all take time to get results. I’m afraid you can’t see her until they move her out of the emergency department and to a regular room. They only allow one visitor at a time and no minors.”
She had learned that much during her time in the waiting room when she’d heard the receptionist turn others away.
“Maybe they’ve moved her by now. I want to go to the hospital.”
“I’ll take you,” Jess promised. “First you have to give me a minute to say thanks to McKenna’s mom for picking you up, okay?”
Sophie huffed out an impatient breath but nodded. The two of them hurried to the front porch, overflowing with containers of flowers.
Even before she could ring the bell, a woman with short red hair opened the door.
“Hi there. You must be Jess. Rachel’s sister, right?”
That wasn’t the response she expected. “Yes.”
“Sophie told me you were coming. I’m Tess Peterson, McKenna’s mother. I’m on a few charitable boards with Rachel. The library board, Arts and Hearts on the Cape. That kind of thing. I just love that woman. She’ll do anything for anyone. You only have to say the word.”
Maybe that was part of Rachel’s problem. She was so busy trying to take care of the world, she didn’t spend nearly enough time taking care of herself.
“She’s pretty terrific,” Jess said. “Thank you for picking up Sophie.”
“Oh, that was no problem at all. She’s only been here a few moments. It’s good you got here so soon, though. I was having a tough time keeping her from walking to the hospital herself.”
“I want to see my grandma,” Sophie said, unrepentant.
“How is Eleanor? I’ve been so very worried. She’s such a dear.”
“Yes. She is. Doctors are running tests now. I don’t have much more information than that.”
“Well, give her our love. Everyone in town will be pulling for her.”
“I’ll tell her. Thank you again.”
Tess waved her hand. “It’s what we do here in Cape Sanctuary. Tell Nate I’ll bring dinner over one night next week, okay? I’ll be in touch with him to find out what night works best.”
“I’ll do that,” she said, warmed by the woman’s concern.
Cape Sanctuary was a nice place. It was no wonder Rachel loved it here so much. Beautiful scenery and kind people. It made a lovely combination.
“We’re not going to the hospital,” Sophie said as soon as Jess turned toward Whitaker House.
“Not yet. I need your help.”
“Now? We can’t! We have to go see Gram! What if she dies and I’m not there, like I wasn’t there when Grandpa Jack died?”
Her mouth wobbled like she was going to cry and her eyes looked scared. Poor girl! No wonder she was in such a rush.
Jess reached out and grabbed her hand. Sophie’s fingers were trembling.
“Eleanor isn’t going to die,” Jess insisted, praying that was true. “She’s in a good place with caring medical professionals who are doing all they can to figure out what’s happening with her. Your grandmother is a tough cookie.”
“I can’t lose her.”
“I know, honey.”
She turned onto the driveway at Whitaker House and pulled up in front of the house. “Eleanor might have to stay in the hospital for a few days, so I need your help.”
“Doing what?”
“You know her better than just about anyone. What are some of the things she might find comforting while she’s in the hospital? What do you think she would like most with her?”
“Besides Charlie? I don’t know.”
“Charlie! I forgot all about him. I left him in his crate when the paramedics came. Poor thing. We had better let him outside.”
“We can take him over to be with Cinder. She always likes his company.”
“Good idea. Since we can’t take Charlie to the hospital, what else do you think your grandmother might like?”
Sophie’s brow furrowed as she considered. “Maybe a picture of Grandpa Jack. She has one by her bed and she’s always looking at that.”
“Great idea. You could also help me find a few of Eleanor’s favorite nightgowns and maybe her robe and slippers.”
She had always found that people functioned better during a crisis if they had a task to distract them. The theory worked in Sophie’s case, too.
At the house, they first took an anxious Charlie down the road and back to exercise him then left him in the fenced backyard at Nate’s house with Cinder for company. The dogs had a dog door leading to the kitchen and plenty of food and water.
“Gram will be okay,” Sophie said, hugging the little dog close. “She has to be.”
Back at the house, Jess and Sophie gathered a pretty flowered robe, two soft nightgowns from her dresser and a pair of pale green slippers as well as Eleanor’s reading glasses, a few toiletries, the mystery novel by the side of her bed and her knitting, just in case. By the time they stowed it in a leather overnight bag they found in the closet, Sophie seemed more calm. As they drove the short distance to the medical center, her anxiety returned.
“I don’t know what I’ll do if I lose Gram. She’s...well, she’s like my mom. I don’t even remember my real mom.”
Jess tried to give her a reassuring smile. “She’s been terrific, hasn’t she?”
Sophie nodded, clutching the overnight bag to her chest. “Do you have a grandmother?” she asked Jess.
She shook her head. “My father’s mother died before I was born. My mother’s mother died when I was about Ava’s age. Five. Maybe six. I only met her once or twice. I just remember that she smelled like roses, gave the best hugs and that my mom cried a lot after she died.”