out of shape, middle-aged man while her baby got hit by a car.
She took a deep breath, a difficult thing to do with the heavy weight pressing on her conscience. It didn’t matter how much she told herself she had no choice—and she didn’t; she knew she didn’t—she still hated leaving Jess and Karlee with a baby-sitter. This one had proven so undependable. The foolish woman had let a four-year-old go to the store alone.
“But she told me she wanted to, Ms. Fitzmeyer,” the woman had said. “Karlee likes to help.”
Help, schmelp. A four-year-old needed closer supervision. Celia needed to find another baby-sitter by Monday at the latest. Her headache intensified.
A knock roused her, and she blinked as a slim woman in black jeans, a red shirt, and a black blazer came hesitantly into the room.
“Ms. Fitzmeyer?”
Celia nodded. “Yes?”
“I’m Abby Patterson.” The woman’s eyes settled on the bed. Her face crumpled as she saw Karlee.
“It’s not as bad as it looks,” Celia hastened to say. “Brush burns. Bruises. They’ll hurt for a while, but they aren’t serious. She’ll probably go home tomorrow.”
“Really?” Abby turned a hopeful face to her. “I’m so glad! I couldn’t sleep without seeing for myself that she was all right.”
Abby Patterson. Why did that name sound familiar? “Ah. You’re the eyewitness.”
Abby looked pained. “So they tell me. I’m afraid I don’t remember. It’s like this curtain of gray gauze is strung across that part of my memory.”
Celia stood, Jess a dead weight in her arms. “Come on, let’s pull that other chair over here so you can sit down.”
Abby looked uncertainly at Celia. “I don’t want to impose. I—” She hesitated. “I was afraid I might upset you.”
“Why?”
“Because I can’t tell the police who the driver was.”
Celia saw Abby’s anguish. She made her smile gentle. “Neither can I.”
Abby gave a little bark of laughter at the unexpected answer. “But you weren’t there.”
“But God was. When He wants you to remember, you will.”
Abby visibly relaxed, her shoulders lowering, her mouth softening. “Thank you. That was a kind thing to say.”
“But true.”
Abby nodded. “I agree. But I have to tell you, this waiting for His time is terrible.”
Celia decided that she liked this woman who had caredenough to come see Karlee, even if it was—she checked the clock on the wall—eleven-thirty at night. Curiosity struck. “How did you get up here? Visiting hours are long over.”
“I checked the hospital map in the lobby and came right to this floor. There was only one nurse at the nurses’ station, and she was busy doing something on the computer. I just walked down the hall like I belonged here.” Abby grinned. “It worked.”
“Now that you’re here, stay a while. Keep me company. It’s going to be a long night.”
Abby looked at Celia as if she was trying to decipher whether the words were merely polite or truly meant.
“Please. Stay. We have no family, and I’ve been alone all evening.”
Abby gave a single nod and walked to the other padded chair in the room. She slid it across the floor, coming to a stop not far from Celia’s own chair. Abby sat stiffly, slowly, like she was in pain, like she was the one who had been hit by the car.
Celia moved to Karlee’s bed, lowering Jess over the bed rails until she was lying beside her little sister. She pulled at the covers to get them out from under Jess, but they wouldn’t budge.
“Here,” Abby came to the bed. “You lift her. I’ll pull the blanket and sheet free.”
Celia lifted Jess, straining under the combination of dead weight and odd angle. “She’s getting too big for this.”
Abby gave a hesitant smile and pulled the covers free. When Celia put Jess down, Abby tucked her in, turning the top of the sheet over the blanket and smoothing both until all the wrinkles were gone. Celia leaned over and kissed Jess on the forehead.
She took a deep breath, a difficult thing to do with the heavy weight pressing on her conscience. It didn’t matter how much she told herself she had no choice—and she didn’t; she knew she didn’t—she still hated leaving Jess and Karlee with a baby-sitter. This one had proven so undependable. The foolish woman had let a four-year-old go to the store alone.
“But she told me she wanted to, Ms. Fitzmeyer,” the woman had said. “Karlee likes to help.”
Help, schmelp. A four-year-old needed closer supervision. Celia needed to find another baby-sitter by Monday at the latest. Her headache intensified.
A knock roused her, and she blinked as a slim woman in black jeans, a red shirt, and a black blazer came hesitantly into the room.
“Ms. Fitzmeyer?”
Celia nodded. “Yes?”
“I’m Abby Patterson.” The woman’s eyes settled on the bed. Her face crumpled as she saw Karlee.
“It’s not as bad as it looks,” Celia hastened to say. “Brush burns. Bruises. They’ll hurt for a while, but they aren’t serious. She’ll probably go home tomorrow.”
“Really?” Abby turned a hopeful face to her. “I’m so glad! I couldn’t sleep without seeing for myself that she was all right.”
Abby Patterson. Why did that name sound familiar? “Ah. You’re the eyewitness.”
Abby looked pained. “So they tell me. I’m afraid I don’t remember. It’s like this curtain of gray gauze is strung across that part of my memory.”
Celia stood, Jess a dead weight in her arms. “Come on, let’s pull that other chair over here so you can sit down.”
Abby looked uncertainly at Celia. “I don’t want to impose. I—” She hesitated. “I was afraid I might upset you.”
“Why?”
“Because I can’t tell the police who the driver was.”
Celia saw Abby’s anguish. She made her smile gentle. “Neither can I.”
Abby gave a little bark of laughter at the unexpected answer. “But you weren’t there.”
“But God was. When He wants you to remember, you will.”
Abby visibly relaxed, her shoulders lowering, her mouth softening. “Thank you. That was a kind thing to say.”
“But true.”
Abby nodded. “I agree. But I have to tell you, this waiting for His time is terrible.”
Celia decided that she liked this woman who had caredenough to come see Karlee, even if it was—she checked the clock on the wall—eleven-thirty at night. Curiosity struck. “How did you get up here? Visiting hours are long over.”
“I checked the hospital map in the lobby and came right to this floor. There was only one nurse at the nurses’ station, and she was busy doing something on the computer. I just walked down the hall like I belonged here.” Abby grinned. “It worked.”
“Now that you’re here, stay a while. Keep me company. It’s going to be a long night.”
Abby looked at Celia as if she was trying to decipher whether the words were merely polite or truly meant.
“Please. Stay. We have no family, and I’ve been alone all evening.”
Abby gave a single nod and walked to the other padded chair in the room. She slid it across the floor, coming to a stop not far from Celia’s own chair. Abby sat stiffly, slowly, like she was in pain, like she was the one who had been hit by the car.
Celia moved to Karlee’s bed, lowering Jess over the bed rails until she was lying beside her little sister. She pulled at the covers to get them out from under Jess, but they wouldn’t budge.
“Here,” Abby came to the bed. “You lift her. I’ll pull the blanket and sheet free.”
Celia lifted Jess, straining under the combination of dead weight and odd angle. “She’s getting too big for this.”
Abby gave a hesitant smile and pulled the covers free. When Celia put Jess down, Abby tucked her in, turning the top of the sheet over the blanket and smoothing both until all the wrinkles were gone. Celia leaned over and kissed Jess on the forehead.
Similar Books
