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“I’m calling to see if you could switch with me and take a flight for me tomorrow.”
That’s when I heard it. Her voice sounded somewhat different.
“Why?” I asked, though I had a clue.
“I’m sick.”
“Are you out of leave?” Because that excuse seemed a flimsy reason to call me.
“Not exactly. I’ve been out all week. I’m afraid if I call out again, it could hurt my position. I just thought if I made arrangements for my spot to be covered, I’ll have less problems with HR.”
I didn’t dislike her, even though she and her cohorts had made a point to exclude me just because of Cal.
“I hope the thing with Cal won’t stop us from being civil,” she said.
I rolled my eyes. Of course, she would say that. I’d gotten serious pie in the face over that failed relationship.
“Cal plays no bearing on my decision. The thing is, my grandmother is in the hospital. I just can’t leave her right now. I’m really sorry. Can’t you ask someone else?”
I did feel bad because she sounded awful.
“I have and the only people available are already on the roster.”
It made sense I would be her Hail Mary call.
“I’m really sorry,” I said again.
“It’s fine. I’ll take some cold medicine and go in.”
She ended the call pretty quickly. When I returned to the room, Gran was sitting up, looking stronger than she had when I first arrived.
“I’m not dead. And if you presume to make choices for me, be aware I’m of sound mind and body. I can make changes to my will at any point.”
Gran eyed a man in the corner who hadn’t been there when I left. He must have slipped in when I was on the phone.
Aunt Tasha gave me a scathing glare before exiting the room in a huff.
“Charles,” Gran said. “Please make a note that I’ve gifted my granddaughter jewelry of mine. I don’t want anyone to think otherwise. Jo, please show your father and Charles said jewelry.”
I pulled the necklace free of my shirt, holding out the rings. Charles nodded.
“You two are my witnesses.”
I tucked the rings back into my shirt and spent the rest of my time in the chair talking to Gran when she wanted to and writing.
Before evening, Gran had grown tired of being cooped up and demanded to be released. The doctor finally gave in and told her if she continued to not need oxygen and didn’t have a fever, he would release her sometime tomorrow.
“You don’t have to stay,” Gran said to me.
“I don’t, but I want to.”
“You should be out there experiencing life. I’ll be fine.”
Though I wanted to ignore the voice in my head, I couldn’t help but think about Suzanne. She’d asked for a favor. And true enough, I’d been her last resort, but that shouldn’t matter. Doing the right thing was and getting away from my aunt was also a bonus.
“A coworker of mine who is sick did ask me to take her flight.”
Gran’s smile was approval enough. “Go.”
