“Then you’ll handle it.”
Cal wanted to laugh, but it stuck in his throat.He didn’t know how to handleanythinganymore, so of course that was the time Landon would trust him to.But it seemed… imperative he do this.
For whatever reason, Glenda communicated with him in ways she didn’t anyone else.So, he felt somehow honor bound to make sure this didn’t blow up in her face.
He hopedthatdidn’t blow up in his.
Chapter Nineteen
Harrington Cabin
Jill stared blearilyat the coffeepot’s slowdrip, drip, drip.She usually chose tea in the afternoon, but she hadn’t slept last night, and she wasdragging.
Just as she’d been about to doze off last night, she’d heard avoice.Faint, but definitely someonespeaking.It had scared the life out of her, but considering she was the only full able-bodied person in the house, she’d had to jump into action.
God, she hadn’t wanted to.She’dwantedto pull the covers over her head and hope it all just went away.
Instead, she’d crept out of her bedroom and flipped on the hallway light, only to realize the muffled sound was… coming from Grandma’s room.Terror had jolted her down the hall.If someone was talking, someone wasinGrandma’s room.Because Grandma didn’t talk.
Even though Jill had never heard her grandmother speak, there was something about the low, raspy voice that had her holding her breath as she’d inched the bedroom door open.She’dtoldherself it had to be an intruder.
Something deep inside of her had known better in that moment.
In the dim light from the hall into the room, she could make out her grandmother’s mouth moving.Glenda’s eyes had been closed.Her body still.
Grandma had been talking.Actual talking.In her sleep, sure, but sounding out actual words.For a moment, Jill had thought she’d been hallucinating.Or maybe having a dream.
But it had been very, very real.
Sleep talking made some sense, since Grandma wasn’t conscious she was doing it, but Jill telling herself that still hadn’t settled the insistent beating of her heart.She’d stood there and tried to listen to whatever Grandma was saying over the echoing in her ears.
Most of the words were gibberish—actual words but not strung together in a way that made sense.Jill thoughtmaybeshe’d heard Grandma sayMarie, but then she’d talked herself out of that.Grandma was just… sleep mumbling about birds or flowers or both.
Jill had stood there, not quite sure what to do.Should she wake Grandma and try to get her to talk?Accept that in sleep her grandmother’s trauma might not have as much of a hold as it did when awake?
Not that in three years of living here Jill had heard her grandma speak, eveninsleep.
It reminded her of this summer, when Cal had said she’d been humming.But Grandma had been awake then, aware of what she was doing in a way.And humming was different thantalking.Humming was just a noise.Talking waswords.
Eventually, Grandma had quieted down and Jill had tiptoed back to her own bedroom, but she hadn’t been able to fall back asleep.Her mind had whirled, and that old hope she’d thought she’d finally given up on tried to sprout.
That there was somecurefor what Grandma had gone through.That Jill could reach her.Somehow.Someway.
But Jill had brought it up to Grandma in the morning, that hope a hard, heavy thing in her throat.
Grandma had just shrugged.Just like when Jill had asked about Grandma’s meeting with the detective.Just likeeverythingof importance.
A shrug.A brush-off.Jill felt like everything she’d built here after three years was crumbling.Her grandmother had always been alittlemysterious, but ever since last spring she’d gotten more and more…
Jill didn’t even know.That was how cut off she felt.
“You’re just upset because you’re sleep deprived,” she muttered to herself.
She was always a little emotionally unsteady after a night without sleep.It was natural, and no time to make declarations or decisions.Tomorrow she’d… feel better, get a handle on this.
The coffee was done brewing, but before Jill could pour herself a mug, a knock sounded on the door.Jill just sighed.
Random knocks in the middle of the day were almost becoming par for the course.She dreaded them, but they didn’t frighten her anymore.She really hoped it wasn’t the detective again though.Jill was afraid she’d just… break down and cry if it was.Either way, she was glad Grandma was out back filling her birdfeeders so Jill could get a handle on whatever this was before Grandma had to deal.
