AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’ll be just on the other side of the door.” He spoke to both of them, but his stare was fixed on Sloane.
She got the message. He trusted her, but he wasn’t taking any chances—not with Gaia.
“That’s fine,” she replied calmly. “We’ll let you know when we’re finished.”
Finally, finally, he was gone. The door was shut, but not completely. It was slightly ajar, presumably so “Delphi” could listen to every word that was said.
Sloane had anticipated that. She didn’t care what he heard, only what he saw.
She started the bath on the far side of the bed, where the wheelchair sat to Lillian’s right, knowing that the sooner she got to that cell phone, the better. She’d had Luke set up the tub in that very spot, and she now stooped over to dip in the sponge, soak it with water.
“Let’s see which soap you’d prefer,” she said aloud, sorting through the products with one hand, groping in the wheelchair’s seatback bag with the other. “We have lavender or vanilla. We also have a coconut-scented body wash.”
Bingo. Her fingers closed around her cell phone.
In one swift motion, she pulled it out, palming it until she brought it down to the floor, where the bed hid her and what she was doing. She flipped open the phone and slid it down the front of her chiton, hooking it over the front clasp of her bra, then snapping it shut like a clamshell.
Her phone was thin and small. The billowy chiton would keep it well hidden.
The next part of her mission was accomplished.
“Lavender is so relaxing,” Lillian was saying. “I think I’d like to use that.”
“I agree.” Sloane rose, the wet sponge and bar of lavender soap in her hands. “Lavender is known to soothe the senses and relax away stress.”
She undressed and bathed Lillian with the dignity and gentleness due the poor, dying woman. All the while, she chatted with her, filling Lillian in on current events, and updates on her favorite soap opera. Anything she could do to help Lillian die in peace made Sloane’s heart feel good. She’d lived a hard personal life, and Sloane was almost relieved that she would die without ever knowing how unbalanced her wonderful son really was.
“Aren’t the mountains beautiful?” Lillian murmured at one point. “They make me feel closer to God.”
For the first time, Sloane looked around and really took in the room. She’d been so focused on getting her cell phone that she’d barely noticed anything else.
The bedroom was a suite, filled with all the things Lillian held dear, from photos of Luke to gifts she’d received from her John Jay family. Her bed, which had its headboard against the wall adjacent to the door, faced a panorama of windows that spanned the entire far wall. The scenery was breathtaking, overlooking tall, lush green mountains. Sloane turned to scrutinize them, as much for her sake as for Lillian’s. She was looking for any landmarks that could tell her where they were.
“I can understand how this would make you feel close to God,” she replied. “The mountains are exquisite.” As she spoke, Sloane noticed something that looked like a mini Washington Monument in the distance. Whatever it was, it made a great landmark.
A short while later, the bath was finished, and Lillian looked exhausted, and yet happier and more peaceful than even Sloane had expected—as close to glowing as a dying woman could be. Sloane wasn’t naive. Lillian was on the verge of passing. And yet, it gave her pleasure that her skin and hair were clean. That, in turn, brought Sloane pleasure.
“Come in, Luke,” Sloane called as she finished brushing and drying Lillian’s hair.
The door opened instantly, and Luke hurried in. One glance at his mother, and his entire being lit up.
“You look lovely,” he told her. “Ten years younger than you did before.”
Lillian mustered a smile. “Then perhaps I should bathe more often.” She turned her head toward Sloane. “Thank you so much—for the bath and for the chat. I’ve missed that…” Her eyelids were drooping.
“Well, I’ll be spending the night,” Sloane told her. “So we’ll have more time to talk.”
“Really?” Hope flickered in Lillian’s eyes, even as they started to close.
“Really. So get some rest. I’ll visit you later on this evening.”
Out in the hall, Luke turned to Sloane. “I haven’t seen her this happy since the night of her retirement party. I can’t thank you enough.”
“Just seeing her reaction was thanks enough. But I do have a request.” Sloane feigned a tad of embarrassment. “I haven’t used the facilities all day. Plus, I feel so grungy from all the hours I spent in the basement. Would you mind if I used that magnificent bathroom you built for me?”
Luke frowned. “How rude and thoughtless of me. Of course you need the facilities. And I want you to use the tub.” A brief hesitation. “I have to prepare dinner. So I won’t be able to stand guard outside your bedroom door. I’ll have to lock it from the outside. But don’t worry. I’ll check on you in a short while.”
“That’s fine. Remember, I ate later than you and the others. So I’m not famished. I’ll soak in the tub until you come back.”
