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He walked slowly on purpose so he could breathe in the earthy scents mixed with the fragrance of blooming flowers. It reminded him of Norma, when she had to quit her full-time job because of her heart condition. She’d wanted to stay busy, just on a more restful scale. Although some days that she spent in the garden, he worried she’d overtax herself.
Boy, he missed her. They hadn’t been in love when they’d married. No, the circumstances were a bit unusual, but looking back, he didn’t regret anything. Susan had been out of his life for years, and he was available to help Norma. His heart would follow later.
Once Sam made it back to his room, a copy of Little Women in hand that he’d found at the center’s library, he settled into his recliner, intent on reading until lunchtime. He got caught up in the story well enough, smiling because Jo’s personality reminded him of Susan—giving and industrious. Not afraid to speak her mind. But as his eyes grew heavy and he slipped into a nap, it wasn’t Susan who was on his mind, but Norma.
She’d been the girlfriend of David Gerber, who Sam had crossed paths with a couple of times when a large group of them went bowling on Saturday nights. Norma was tall, willowy, and bookish. They got into more than one conversation about books, and Sam had never considered it flirting, but apparently David did.
They’d had a confrontation one night after the bowling alley that almost came to fisticuffs. David had shoved Sam, and he shoved the guy back. They were evenly matched, but a crowd had gathered, and Norma had tearfully pleaded for David to back down. It seemed he’d been in trouble with the cops for something else, and she didn’t want new charges brought against him.
It was the last time he saw Norma or David for a few months. They hadn’t disappeared exactly, but they stopped coming to bowling night. Then one evening, after Sam had finished working the late shift, he’d stopped by the diner on the corner just on the edge of his neighborhood. He knew the kitchen of his college apartment probably only had a box of crackers, and he was starving.
He ordered enough for three people and sat down to wait while Hal prepared his order. That’s when he noticed the far table in the corner, where a young woman was sipping a drink, tears streaking her cheeks. His heart went out to her, but he aimed to mind his own business and leave her to her own troubles, when he realized it was Norma.
She looked up and recognized him too. They ended up spending the next two hours talking and eating—Sam had plenty of food to share. She was still dating that doofus David, but Sam remembered coming away from talking to her thinking how her boyfriend didn’t know how lucky he was. Norma was a great gal with a bright future. She was acing her classes in clerical school and planned to work for either a hospital or law firm when she graduated.
David had no such aspirations and was working as a part-time mechanic. It was honest labor, though, and nothing that Sam could criticize. Only his personality needed some work. Apparently he hated reading and thought it was a waste of time for Norma. Which was why she brought a book with her to the diner while David hung out with his buddies on card night.
Over the next few weeks, Sam would randomly run into Norma at the diner. They’d share a table and food, which he insisted on paying for. He ordered extra if he saw her sitting in the corner booth when he arrived. She always had a book with her, but she bookmarked it as soon as he came over to her table. Sam supposed he should have felt a twinge of guilt spending so much time with another man’s girl, but there was nothing romantic between them.
She was pretty and sweet, sure, but he knew from the get-go that she was taken.
Until she wasn’t.
A tap on the door pulled him from his circling dreams about Norma. He drew in a sharp breath. It was the second time that day that someone had awakened him from sleep.
“Come in,” he called in a rasp. “I’m presentable.”
The door opened, and Ginny walked in. It took her only seconds to assess the situation. “Having a nap?”
“Something like that.” He stifled a yawn. “What’s this? Blood pressure time?”
“Yes, I’m afraid so.” She didn’t look apologetic, though. All smiles, she bent to strap on the blood pressure cuff. In moments, she was finished. “Everything looks good. You ready for lunch?”
“I suppose,” he said.
Ginny smiled and adjusted the walker so it would be easier for him to grip and stand. Her gaze didn’t miss much because she said, “You switched books, huh? Little Women is a classic.”
“I’m in a book club.”
Ginny didn’t even look surprised. “I see Kathy and Debbie snagged you.”
“That’s right. I hope I know what I’m getting into.” Sam nodded toward the book on the side table. “How much trouble can there be with discussing Little Women?”
“With Kathy and Debbie as part of the discussion?” Ginny chuckled. “Just make sure you’re a huge fan of Louisa May Alcott or there’ll be trouble.”
He shuffled toward the door. “I’ll be ready for it.”
The afternoon passed quickly, which pleased him, because he was looking forward to Wyatt’s visit. Sam wasn’t expecting him to bring Anita and Carly, though, so it was a nice surprise when the three of them showed up.
“Well, I wasn’t expecting a whole crew,” he said, smiling as they approached the table where he waited. Then he remembered. “Your car was having trouble, right?”
“Right,” Anita said. “It’s in the shop. Needs a new starter.”
Sam didn’t miss the crease of her brow. Car trouble was never a pleasant thing, but he was happy to see them, nonetheless.
“We got a ride with Wyatt,” Carly said. “Mostly because we wouldn’t let him come without us.”
“Oh?” Sam wondered at the excitement in her eyes. He wanted to ask her about school and how her quest for new friends was going, but Wyatt had already settled on one side of him.
