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This surprised him. “Good choice.” He pushed the game box toward her. “Get us set up, and your mother can keep score. My eyes aren’t what they used to be.”
Carly eagerly opened the box and set up the game.
“Tell us about yourself, Mr. Davis,” Anita said in a polite tone. “Are you from Seattle originally?”
“I was born and raised here,” Sam said. “Joined the Air Service out of high school to put myself through college.”
Carly actually looked interested. He was impressed. He gave them the shortened version of his life. “Married, had a daughter, served a tour in the war, ran a furniture business after I retired from the Air Force, then I sold my business, and here I am in my golden years.”
“How old are you?” Carly asked, her eyes wide again.
“Carly, that’s not polite to ask,” her mother cut in.
Sam lifted a hand. “I just turned eighty-three. Seems I have a balance problem, and my eyes are losing some vision. Can’t be trusted on my own.”
“Oh, that’s terrible,” Carly said.
It was probably the most accurate and sincere thing that had been said to him in a long time. “It is terrible. I have to read books with large print.”
Carly wrinkled her nose.
“And they make me use a wheelchair in here,” he complained. “Makes me feel like I’m eighty-four.”
Carly laughed.
Sam chuckled.
Anita smiled.
Maybe game night with some strangers wasn’t so bad.
Over the next couple of hours, they took turns beating each other in Scrabble. Carly came up with a few clever words too. “You must be a proud mom,” Sam told Anita at one point. “You’ve got a smart daughter who’s easy to talk to.”
Anita’s brows lifted, and Sam didn’t miss the pleased look in her eyes.
“I assume she takes after you, unless there’s a spelling-whiz Mr. Gifford?” he asked.
“My dad’s a bad speller,” Carly said. “I once got a birthday card from him, and he spelled ‘sincerely’ wrong. Turns out it was the last time I heard from him.”
Sam blinked. “What?” Then his mind clicked. “Oh, are your parents...”
Carly filled it in for him. “They’re divorced.” She shrugged as if it were the most natural thing to tell a near-stranger. “Dad has another family now.”
Sam was almost afraid to look at Anita—was this line of conversation upsetting her? He took a peek, and her expression was completely neutral. She caught him looking at her, though.
“Carly’s dad and I were high school sweethearts,” she said, “and I honestly don’t remember if he was a good speller. He got okay grades.” She looked at her daughter and said in a quieter tone, “I hadn’t noticed the misspelling on that birthday card.”
“You’re a smart girl to notice those kinds of details,” Sam continued. “I think it’s safe to say your talent comes from your mother.”
Both mother and daughter shared a smile, then Anita did an extraordinary thing. She looked at Sam and mouthed, “Thank you.”
THREE PHONE CALLS ON SUNDAY morning had put Anita in an excellent mood. They were all art commissions, and she’d be set financially for the next couple months. Besides, Carly had done her assigned chores without complaint, and now it was time to head to the assisted living center. Now, if only the car would behave.
“Do you think we’ll be assigned to Mr. Davis again?” Carly asked as they climbed into the Bug. She’d also baked some cookies because one of the conversations she and the older man had gotten into was how much he missed home cooking.
Since Carly had made a double batch, Anita had told her to take a plate over to Phyllis. That had led to a longer conversation between the two, so now they were running a little late. It’s fine, she told herself. Surely they wouldn’t get turned away if they showed up late for the activity night.
“I don’t know how it all works at the center,” she said. “I think he was at our table because his family hadn’t come. Maybe today they’ll be there.”
