Page 104 of The Wedding Favor

“Also, no.”

“Play an instrument?”

“Does the recorder I learned to play in the fourth grade count?” I’d been terrible at that, too.

Gloria frowned. “Juggling?”

I shook my head.

“Then there is nothing for it. You’ll have to sing.”

I cringed. Jonathan cringed. Which I thought was kind of rude. “Gloria, I can’t sing.”

“Oh, we know, honey.” Mary patted my arm.

“You’re downright awful,” Jonathan added.

“You all are so very good for my self-esteem,” I said.

“Singing is all in the stage presence.” Gloria frowned. “We’ll have to work on that, too. How many weeks do we have?”

“Three.”

“Three?” Gloria looked horrified.

“Technically, I was supposed to tell them what my talent was last week but again, I got nothing. I do not want to win. I just don’t want to make a fool of myself.”

She threw her hands in the air. “Why don’t you just ask me to harness the moon for you, too.”

I stood. “Okay, well, this has been a real joy. It might be time for me to head home though.”

“Oh, stop being so dramatic,” Gloria said.

I stared at her in disbelief. “I’m the dramatic one? Me? Have you looked in the mirror?”

“Of course I have. As often as possible. I’m telling you you’ll need to sing. There’s nothing for it.”

“I can’t.”

“You will.”

“My dad could help,” Hallie said. “He plays the guitar and sings to his plants. Maybe he could help you learn a song.”

I groaned. This was getting worse by the second. Yes, please, let’s just ask the man I have a raging crush on to play the guitar and sing for me. Maybe he could do it shirtless, too.

“Excellent.” Gloria clapped her hands once like a discussion was closed. She stood. “I can see we’re done for the day. Come help me back to my room. I need a nap.”

I frowned. She did look pale today, the skin around her eyes sallow. “Are you feeling okay?”

“I’m fine. Just tired. Stayed up too late at movie night last night.”

“Hmm.” It has been the annual showing of The Wizard of Oz at Shady Cove. I’d brought Hallie with me although she’d fallen asleep halfway through, drooling adorably on my shoulder. But I wasn’t sure about the movie being the cause of Gloria’s exhaustion. I’d been noticing it for months, but the woman shrugged it off every time I asked.

Hallie ran off to be entertained by a few of the residents. They’d taken to her quickly. Many of them missed their own children and grandchildren. Some visited regularly but even more only came once or twice a year, if that. One, Miss Judy, was a sweet woman who didn’t talk much. But last week, Hallie was helping put a puzzle together and she turned to me and said, “I would give up everything I owned to see my son again at that age.” Then she’d gone quiet again, her eyes shiny with memories and unshed tears. I’d decided to bring Hallie with me to Shady Cove whenever I could. She was good for them, and they were good for her.

“How is that young man of yours?” Gloria asked after she’d gotten settled in her bed and then demanded I “fetch” her a glass of water. I sat on her throne and propped my feet on the edge of her bed.

“Who?” I asked, playing dumb.