the stuff I bought.”
“Make that dinner and you’ve got yourself a deal.” Gail was going to church with Greg in the morning and knew she wouldn’t be free for lunch.
“Dinner’s fine. Early or late?”
“Why don’t I come over around four? We can eat at five and lounge around the pool or something.”
“That’s a good time. Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow at four.”
“Until then, take care and cheer up,” Gail told her.
“You, too.”
When Crystal hung up the phone, she turned to see Rashid standing there. She wondered how long he’d been present and how much of her conversation had he heard.
“Was that Gail?” He pointed, indicating the phone.
“Yes. I called to let her know we were back.”
“Is she well? Are the babies alright?”
Crystal rolled her eyes. “She’s fine. We were only gone for two weeks. She’s coming over tomorrow evening for dinner so you can see for yourself. I’ve got to go. I have some running around to do, and I need to stop by the office to see how things are going. You want me to get you anything while I’m out?”
“No, I have need of nothing. Thank you. I may go by my office as well.”
“Okay, if you do call me and let me know what time to expect you home.” She kissed him on the cheek, grabbed her keys and left, still wondering how long he’d been standing behind her.
* * * *
“What happened to you?” Crystal asked. She reached out and took the beach bag Gail was toting.
“Too much sun,” Gail whispered. “My head is killing me.”
“Oh man, that sucks. Have you taken anything for it? You know you get migraines when you get overheated,” Crystal reminded her as she pulled Gail inside of the air-conditioned house.
When Gail pulled off her sunglasses, Crystal winced. From the look of those eyes, if Gail hadn’t taken any medication, it may already be too late. They narrowed against the light and filled with pain.
“Not yet. It wasn’t that bad earlier. My air conditioner picked today of all days to go out in my car. It must be at least 95 degrees today. And of course, the traffic was stop and go the whole way here,” Gail complained softly, as though the sound of her own voice was painful.
Crystal dragged Gail into the kitchen and pulled the pain reliever out of the cabinet. She passed the bottle to Gail and poured her a glass of water to down the pills with. Gail shook out three and popped them in her mouth, then pulled her hair out of the ponytail it was in, a sure sign of the pain she was feeling.
“Come into the family room and sit in the recliner. It’s not as bright in there. I’ll go upstairs and get the things I wanted to show you.” Crystal waited until Gail had herself situated before walking off.
As she walked past the office, she stuck her head inside. “Rashid, Gail’s here. She’s in the family room trying to cool off and relax. If you go in there, try to be quiet. She’s got a bad headache because she got overheated and she’s prone to migraines. Hopefully the medicine that I gave her will take effect in time.”
Humming to herself, she went upstairs and gathered the items together. There were pictures and a video, things Rashid purchased for her, etc. Now where did she put the seashell she’d bought Gail? She looked all over the room before remembering that she’d stuck it on the shelf in the closet. Once she had it, she was ready.
As she neared the family room, she heard the quiet murmur of Rashid’s voice. “You need to take better care of yourself than this. If the heat makes you sick, you need to stay out of it. You are especially vulnerable to its effects right now.”
“I know, Rashid, and usually I do but stuff happens. I had no control over the air in my car malfunctioning. It will be Wednesday before I can get it to the shop to have it fixed. Thank you, that feels good.”
When Crystal entered the room, Rashid had a damp towel lying on Gail’s forehead and was giving her a
“Make that dinner and you’ve got yourself a deal.” Gail was going to church with Greg in the morning and knew she wouldn’t be free for lunch.
“Dinner’s fine. Early or late?”
“Why don’t I come over around four? We can eat at five and lounge around the pool or something.”
“That’s a good time. Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow at four.”
“Until then, take care and cheer up,” Gail told her.
“You, too.”
When Crystal hung up the phone, she turned to see Rashid standing there. She wondered how long he’d been present and how much of her conversation had he heard.
“Was that Gail?” He pointed, indicating the phone.
“Yes. I called to let her know we were back.”
“Is she well? Are the babies alright?”
Crystal rolled her eyes. “She’s fine. We were only gone for two weeks. She’s coming over tomorrow evening for dinner so you can see for yourself. I’ve got to go. I have some running around to do, and I need to stop by the office to see how things are going. You want me to get you anything while I’m out?”
“No, I have need of nothing. Thank you. I may go by my office as well.”
“Okay, if you do call me and let me know what time to expect you home.” She kissed him on the cheek, grabbed her keys and left, still wondering how long he’d been standing behind her.
* * * *
“What happened to you?” Crystal asked. She reached out and took the beach bag Gail was toting.
“Too much sun,” Gail whispered. “My head is killing me.”
“Oh man, that sucks. Have you taken anything for it? You know you get migraines when you get overheated,” Crystal reminded her as she pulled Gail inside of the air-conditioned house.
When Gail pulled off her sunglasses, Crystal winced. From the look of those eyes, if Gail hadn’t taken any medication, it may already be too late. They narrowed against the light and filled with pain.
“Not yet. It wasn’t that bad earlier. My air conditioner picked today of all days to go out in my car. It must be at least 95 degrees today. And of course, the traffic was stop and go the whole way here,” Gail complained softly, as though the sound of her own voice was painful.
Crystal dragged Gail into the kitchen and pulled the pain reliever out of the cabinet. She passed the bottle to Gail and poured her a glass of water to down the pills with. Gail shook out three and popped them in her mouth, then pulled her hair out of the ponytail it was in, a sure sign of the pain she was feeling.
“Come into the family room and sit in the recliner. It’s not as bright in there. I’ll go upstairs and get the things I wanted to show you.” Crystal waited until Gail had herself situated before walking off.
As she walked past the office, she stuck her head inside. “Rashid, Gail’s here. She’s in the family room trying to cool off and relax. If you go in there, try to be quiet. She’s got a bad headache because she got overheated and she’s prone to migraines. Hopefully the medicine that I gave her will take effect in time.”
Humming to herself, she went upstairs and gathered the items together. There were pictures and a video, things Rashid purchased for her, etc. Now where did she put the seashell she’d bought Gail? She looked all over the room before remembering that she’d stuck it on the shelf in the closet. Once she had it, she was ready.
As she neared the family room, she heard the quiet murmur of Rashid’s voice. “You need to take better care of yourself than this. If the heat makes you sick, you need to stay out of it. You are especially vulnerable to its effects right now.”
“I know, Rashid, and usually I do but stuff happens. I had no control over the air in my car malfunctioning. It will be Wednesday before I can get it to the shop to have it fixed. Thank you, that feels good.”
When Crystal entered the room, Rashid had a damp towel lying on Gail’s forehead and was giving her a
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