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A sound came from the doorway. Stuart strolled in, shocking everyone and murmuring as he passed, “It was nice of you folks to drop by for a visit. Momma loves company.” Sitting on the side of the bed, he picked up a small brush from the nightstand and ran it gently through a lock of her hair. “Wake up, Momma. You have visitors. I told you my Tiffany would come back to me.”
Ryder whispered in her ear, “Shit, the dude’s really lost it.”
“I can hear you, Mister Staunton,” Stuart said over his shoulder. “Momma does not like cursing, so keep a civil tongue if you want to stay and visit.”
Tiffany’s hand flew to her mouth to smother a strangled sound. She’d always known something strange was going on with Stuart. Somehow, she never expected it was this. How long had this been going on? Her mind literally couldn’t process what she was seeing. Her knees went weak, and Ryder wrapped one arm around her to help steady her.
Clearly, no one knew what to say. Finally, timid Sarah stepped forward. Putting a hand on Stuart’s shoulder, she asked, “How long has Miss Suzie been sick?”
“My father tried to get rid of her in that boating accident, but I wouldn’t allow that to happen,” Stuart monotoned. “I pulled her out of the water and took her to a safe place. Only she didn’t do so well after that. No matter what the doctors did for her, she just kept getting sadder. The doctors wanted to put her in a home, but I learned how to take care of her. Sometimes, she talks like it’s old times, and sometimes she just ignores me. She’s been ignoring me for days now, and I can’t get her to eat a thing.”
Sarah spoke kindly like a mother would. “You did real good by your mother, Stuart. She’s real proud of you, but you have to let her go now. You do know that, don’t you?”
Pulling the blankets up around her, he murmured despondently, “Maybe tomorrow.”
Tiffany stepped forward. Grabbing his hand, she hauled him to his feet. “Not tomorrow, Stuart. You’re going to let go today.”
“I can’t, Tiff,” he said sadly.
“Why not?”
“The undertakers will drain her blood and cram her in a metal box. I can’t let them do that.”
Recovering from the shock of hearing that, Tiffany felt as if all the oxygen had been sucked from the room. Hauling in a much-needed breath, she suggested, “I think we should bury her under the huge oak tree behind your house. We’ll keep her in the nice nightgown she loved so much and wrapped in her bed clothes, so she’ll be nice and comfortable. How does that sound?”
Looking down at her, Stuart teared up. “You’re not coming back to me, are you?”
“No, Stuart,” Tiffany admitted with a shake of her head, “I’m not. I promise to take you somewhere safe where you can rest and get the help you need to get over your mother’s death.”
“Death?” he said, his voice rising. “She’s not dead. She’s just sleeping, Tiff. Saay it. Say it now!”
It was obvious he was a scant inch from losing it. Reaching out to touch his arm, she intoned, “You’re right, she’s only sleeping. I don’t know why I said that.”
As if speaking to himself, Stuart returned his gaze to his mother and mumbled, “She’ll have a nice long sleep, and then wake up in heaven.”
On some level, he must have understood she was dead. He just wasn’t ready to accept it.
“Come on upstairs,” Tiffany suggested. “I’ll make you a nice coffee, just the way you like.”
Ryder chimed in quietly, “I say we give him a nice little dirt nap as well, ‘cause this is all kinds of crazy.”
Shooting him an annoyed look, Tiffany said sternly, “We are not giving my friend a dirt nap.”
Ryder shot back, “So he’s your friend now that we discovered how crazy the dude really is?”
Ignoring his jibe, Tiffany pointed to the door. “Get with the program. If everyone thinks she’s dead, his father has already collected the insurance money. When the police start crawling all over this, they’re going to interrogate the man who has been moving heaven and earth to take care of her. Look at the man,” she snapped, pointing at Stuart whose hinges were clearly coming unglued. “Does he look like he’s in any condition to get into all that with them?”
Ryder was clearly not on board with helping her ex whatsoever. “Since when are we caring about that?”
Taking a frustrated breath, she stated calmly, “There are probably shovels out in the shed.”
Stubbornly refusing to move, Ryder stated flatly, “This isn’t remotely legal. You can’t just go around burying people wherever you want, you know that, right?”
“You’re an outlaw. Since when has breaking the law been a problem for you?” she retorted, knowing full well she was hitting below the belt. But come on, who was he to judge?
Scowling, Ryder’s mouth opened and closed before he replied, “Good point.” Stepping back, he shot the newly released hostage an annoyed look. Come the fuck on, Walter. I ain’t digging this grave all by myself.”
Shaking his head, the man lifted his hands. “I don’t want any part of this.”
