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He stepped aside, and there was Phyllis, propped up by a few pillows in bed. Her normally immaculate hair was flat, and her eyes were like hollows on her face. But she lifted her right hand.
“Carly...” she said slowly. Her expression brightened as Carly moved tentatively toward the bed.
“Hello,” Carly said. “I’m sorry you’re in the hospital.”
“I’m . . . sorry . . . too.” Phyllis’s mouth lifted on one side. “The . . . food . . . isn’t . . . great.”
Carly smiled and simultaneously wiped at a tear on her cheek.
Anita moved close and wrapped her arm about her daughter’s waist. “It’s good to see you, Phyllis. Thanks for letting us visit.”
Phyllis reached her hand toward Anita, and she grasped it, holding on tight.
“You . . . found . . . me,” she managed to say.
“I did.” Anita released a breath. “You had all the lights on in the house, so I decided to check up on you.”
Phyllis squeezed her hand. “I . . . don’t . . . remember . . . much . . .”
“It’s all right,” she said. “The important thing is that you’re okay, and you’ll only get better.”
“Cameron . . . came . . .”
“Anita called me, Mother,” he said, moving into view on the other side of the bed. “Remember? And of course I came to the hospital.”
Tears filled Phyllis’s eyes. “He’s . . . a . . . good . . . son.”
Cameron smiled at her, tears in his own eyes.
Anita’s heart expanded. She knew that Phyllis was in good hands with her son. They kept the visit short, and when they left the hospital, her step felt much lighter. She’d watch over the house for her neighbor and stay in touch with Cameron. She and Carly would visit as much as possible and hope for a full recovery.
As they drove back home, Anita finally broke the news to her daughter. “Your father called early this morning. It was actually why I was awake and saw the lights on at Phyllis’s house.”
Carly looked over at her, knowledge written all over her face. “He’s not coming tonight, is he?”
“No.” There was no other way to say it. “He said maybe next week.”
Carly’s shoulders slumped. “Probably not then, either.”
Anita didn’t say anything. She didn’t want to confirm that was her belief, too. She didn’t want to douse the smallest of hopes.
“Well, I guess his calling to cancel led to one good thing,” Carly said quietly.
“Yes, it did.” Anita reached over and squeezed her daughter’s hand. “Now, what should we do for the rest of your day off?”
“Bake cookies?”
Anita smiled. Who knew such a simple thing with her daughter sounded like the best thing in the world? “It’s a deal.”
But when they turned onto their street, a red Cadillac sat parked in front of their house.
“Wyatt’s here!” Carly said.
Anita’s heart beat double time. It looked like the man had just arrived, or was waiting for them. As she pulled into the driveway, he climbed out of his car.
“This is a surprise,” she said, wondering if this was a good visit or something to be worried about. It was the middle of the day—had Wyatt come over on a lunch break?
“Sorry I didn’t call first,” he said. “Well, I did and there wasn’t an answer, so I figured you were at the hospital.”
