“Be very gentle,” Quinn tells Lily as she carries her to my bedside. “Don’t hit her hip or squish her oxygen tube.”
Lily puts her arms around my neck and gives me a wet smooch on the cheek. My eyes grow full.
“Grams! You’re crying!”
“It’s because I’m so glad to see you.” I kiss her back, and Quinn lowers her to the floor.
“I love you, Grams,” Lily declares.
“Oh, I love you too, honey.”
Lily turns to Zack. “Hello, Mr. Zack.”
Zack squats down. “Hi there, peanut.” He, too, gets a big hug from Lily.
As he releases her, Lily spots the brunette standing in the bathroom doorway, the vase of flowers in her hands. Quinn notices her, too.
“This is Zack’s wife, Jessica,” I say. I’m pleased that I remember her name.
“You’re the pretty lady from Auntie Quinn’s shop!” Lily exclaims.
Zack’s eyebrows rise in surprise. He looks at Jessica. “You were in Quinn’s shop?”
“I went by a couple of days ago.” The color in her cheeks rises. “We met, but we didn’t introduce ourselves.” Jessica crosses the room, puts the flowers on the window ledge, then holds out her hand to Quinn. “Nice to officially meet you. I’d heard a lot about you and I was in the area so I thought I’d run in, but then it just seemed awkward to explain the connection, so...”
“No problem,” Quinn says, smiling and shaking her hand. “It’s nice to meet you, too.”
Jessica bends down and extends her hand to Lily. “Hello again, Lily.”
Lily shakes it. “Hello, ma’am.”
“Birthday party coming through!” calls a voice from the hallway door. I look up to see some of Brooke’s and Quinn’s friends entering the room.
Lily jumps up and down like a frog on a pogo stick. “Miss Sarah brought cake!”
Sure enough, the salt-and-pepper-haired lady I remember from Brooke’s funeral is carrying a bakery box. Behind her is the sweet, petite young woman with big glasses who’s always been so kind to me. She’s carrying a present and a bag of what looks like paper plates and forks. Another woman I’ve met before, older than the others, trails in behind them.
“Sarah, Annie, Terri—some of you have already met Zack. For those who haven’t, this is Zack—and this is his wife, Jessica.”
Hellosare said all around.
Another woman I remember as being a part of that group comes in, carrying a small green plant. She’s dressed as a nurse. Quinn touches her arm. “Lauren, this is Zack and his wife, Jessica. Lauren works in the pediatric oncology department here.”
They all say hello. “I’m on my break, so I can only stay aminute, but I wanted to pop in and wish Miss Margaret a happy birthday.” Lauren comes to my bedside, bends down, and gives me a kiss. “You’re looking so much better than you did when you first got here.”
I didn’t remember seeing her, but then, I don’t remember anything about the accident or much about the first few days after it.
“Thank you, dear.”
She lifts the plant. “I brought a bit of greenery to cheer up your room, but it’s mighty cheerful already. Look at all these flowers and balloons!”
“That was very thoughtful of you,” I say.
A man with short, bristly gray hair hesitantly enters the room. “Mac!” Quinn exclaims. “So great to see you!”
“Welcome back!” Sarah says.
“I got the email about the birthday party and came straight here from the airport,” Mac says. He holds himself very stiffly and looks in my direction, but not quite at me. He doesn’t smile, but he dips his head in a “hello” bow. “Happy birthday, Miss Margaret.”
