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“Sit.” She waves her hand at the only chair in the room after releasing my cheeks.
I plant my ass in the seat. The five years have been kind to her. Even under the nursing home lights, she doesn’t appear to have aged much.
“It’s been a wild week for you?”
“Understatement,” I reply with a grimace.
“You’re doing fine.” She waves her hand at me. “It’s not an easy thing that I’ve asked of you, but you’ll find your own pace.”
“I hope so.”
“You’re doing alright staying with the Daxons?”
“Yes, but how much longer do I need to do this? I’m anxious to go home.” Her expression dithers. “I don’t mean Texas,” I assure her.
“Oh.” She touches her chest. “You mean our home?”
I nod.
“I’m so happy to hear that. I was hoping you’d stay in Florida for a while.”
“I don’t have plans to leave anytime soon.” It’s the truth. When I came a week ago, I was counting the days to leave, but after seeing her and experiencing her dedication and life, I want to explore more.
“I talked to the detectives, and they have assured me they will find Joel. I’ll be out of here in a week. If they don’t find him by then, I’m sure we can work something out so you may come home with me.”
“I’d like that.”
A nurse enters the room. “Ms. Riley,” she says, holding a tablet in her hand. “There’s some redness around your incision, and you’re running a low-grade temperature. The doctor wants to start you on an antibiotic. It says here” —she looks at the tablet— “you had a reaction to doxycycline when they gave it to you after your pregnancy, so—”
“Oh no, dear,” Aunt Willa says with a chuckle. “You’ve got it all wrong. I was never pregnant. It was after my appendix burst.” Aunt Willa smiles. “And it was azithromycin, not doxycycline.”
“I’m sorry. I’ll be sure to make the correction,” the nurse says, tapping on the tablet.
“No problem,” Aunt Willa says as her cell on the nightstand starts ringing. She picks it up. “Oh dear.” She looks up at the nurse. “I have to take this call. Could you give me a few minutes?”
“Yes. Of course.” The nurse smiles and leaves the room.
Aunt Willa holds the phone up to her ear. “Hello…Okay, Lisa…Yes. Send me the information, and I’ll take care of it. Thanks. Goodbye.” She turns, puts the phone down, and picks up the other cell on her nightstand. “That was Lisa. She has an escort call. She’s sending it to me now.”
I hear a ding.
She clicks on the cell to make a call. “Hello, Mary, this is Jane. I’m from the escort service…Is your abuser there…Are you okay… Do you need me to call an ambulance or the police…Is there anyone else in the house…Are there any weapons in the home…Okay. Could you please send me a photo of you and your abuser…Good. Now, you can’t take much with you…Oh, good. It sounds like everything was explained to you. Your escort will be there within the hour. If at any time you feel threatened, please call the police or you can call me at this number….Okay. See you soon.”
I sit and watch in awe as my aunt takes charge.
“That was the victim, Mary. She’s sending me the info. Once I get it, I’ll reach out to the Daxons to see who is closest and available. Then I send them the information I receive from the victim.” Her cell dings. She goes to town again, tapping and making another call. “Hi, Brett….Yes. Main Road in Sun City.” She puts her hand over the cell. “Brett’s checking with Lix.” She pulls her hand away. “Okay, I’ll send it to him. Harper is here now. I’ll have her text him the drop-off location…Okay, thanks.” She clicks off the cell just as Cole comes strolling into the room.
“Oh, good. You’re here. We have an escort call. Lix is doing it, but we need to get Harper to the drop-off site.”
Cole looks at me, then Aunt Willa. “Where is it?”
“Sun City,” she replies.
“Alright. Ruskin is about forty minutes from there. We’ll find somewhere off 674 an hour out from Sun City.”
“Sounds good. Harper.” Aunt Willa looks at me. “Text Lix when you find out where.”
“Will do.” I stand, walk over, and kiss her on the cheek.
