AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Is she married?” Jennifer pressed.
“No.”
“Then why on God’s green Earth hasn’t she contacted me?”
Excellent question.
Gia replayed the conversation with Emily on fast-forward in her mind. She thought Gia and Derrick were her niece and nephew and wondered where their father—her brother—was. She’d told them about her Olympics bid. And when Gia’d asked if she was ever friends with Jennifer, she said, “the best.” And then immediately asked who Jennifer was.
“Well, that’s the sticky part and why I didn’t tell you right away. She has Alzheimer’s.”
The clock on the wall marked time with a loud tick-tick-tick, each second passing with Swiss precision. Jennifer’s eyes were closed again, hands clasped in her lap. Was she scolding herself for not trying harder to find Emily earlier? Was she mad at Gia for finding her—too late? Or both?
“Are you okay?” Gia asked after at least sixty ticks of the clock. One minute to process a lifetime of lost memories.
“Yes, dear.”
“Are you mad at me?”
“No! Not at all. Not even a little bit.” Jennifer opened her eyes to reveal tear droplets in the corners. “I’m sad—for her. I’ve had a few friends succumb to that horrible disease. It’s not a way to go, I’ll tell you that. But I’m not mad at you. I’m so thankful for you. You’ve brought me closure on something I never thought I’d get. You found Emily.”
“Would you like to go see her? She’s at a care facility in Riverside.”
“I don’t know. It’s been a long time and we’re different people now. What would going would do for either of us? Especially if she won’t remember me? I’ve been with people at the end—when they aren’t themselves. It leaves an impression, as you might imagine.”
Fair, Gia thought, and wondered—what would she do? What if the love of her life—whom she likely hadn’t even met yet—disappeared for sixty years and then re-surfaced because of a nosy neighbor who thought it would be romantic to reunite them?
“I totally get it.”
“What was she like?” Jennifer dabbed a tissue at the corners of her eyes. “When you saw her?”
“She was sweet. She welcomed us in and offered us lemonade—which she didn’t have. But we played along, and she hosted us while we talked about all sorts of things. Most of it was on script to what the nurse told us to expect. She misses her brother—he died last year, and she doesn’t understand that. Just thinks he stopped visiting.”
“Johnny,” Jennifer said, matter of fact. “He was a handsome young man. Tall, wavy dark hair.”
“Yeah, she kept asking about John. She’s lonely. But in good spirits.”
Jennifer stared at the clock as it ticked. “I can’t believe she never married.”
“It doesn’t seem like it.” Gia placed her hand on top of Jennifer’s. That had to be heavy news.
“You’re a good girl. You should be out enjoying your youth with your friends tonight. Or at least your friend Roxi. Don’t be a hermit like me. Get out and celebrate that you’re young and alive in a time when you can be yourself, huh?”
Was that a brush off? A way of saying, “the conversation’s over now?” Gia wouldn’t push further. “Roxi’s in L.A.—she’s on that reality show. And really, after the last few weeks, all I want is a night in.”
“I don’t understand why people watch reality on TV. Reality is so grim. I want my programs to take me somewhere better than reality.” Jennifer poured more tea in their mugs.
“True. This one’s fun, though. They’re casting a musical.”
“And your girl is auditioning?”
“She’s not my girl, but yes. I couldn’t believe it. She didn’t let on at all.”
“Is she good?” Jennifer sipped her tea and pretended to care about Roxi. Gia knew her mind had to be in Emily territory.
“Really good. She’s really good. But I’m going to get out of your hair, okay? I dropped in with big news, so—”
“Thank you, dear. And thank you—for finding her. Truly.” Jennifer’s voice crackled, and she brought her hand to her heart. Galileo was in her lap in an instant.
