When she didn’t answer, I tried the doorknob, surprised when it opened so easily. Shoving inside, I practically rushed into the house, searching for the old woman. Veering off to the right, I looked all around the living room, hoping she was just sleeping in her chair.
“Mrs. Abernathy! It’s Josie!”
“Over here!”
I spun around, rushing into the dining room, gasping when I saw her on the ground in a pool of urine. “Mrs. Abernathy! Are you okay?”
“Do I look okay, you witch doctor?”
Well, her temper was fine.
“What happened? Are you hurt?”
“Of course I’m hurt. I didn’t just lay on the ground all night for the fun of it. Help me off this floor right now.”
“But—”
“You’d think with your hoodoo power, you would have been here sooner.”
I gripped her under the armpits and tried to lift her. “I’m not a witch,” I grumbled, doing my best to haul her up.
But it was no use. I was only a small person, and she wasn’t able to lift herself at all. After struggling for a few minutes, andfending off her verbal attacks, I finally conceded that I was not able to do this on my own.
“Mrs. Abernathy, I need to call the paramedics.”
“You’ll do no such thing. I don’t need those hippies in my house, telling me I need to go to a nursing home.”
“They’re not going to tell you that. They just need to help you off the floor and check to make sure you’re okay.”
“They’ll help me into an early grave,” she hissed. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing.”
“Helping you!”
“Bah! You’re just like the rest of them. You just want my money!”
Sighing, I didn’t know what else to do. “Mrs. Abernathy, I don’t want your money. Would it help if I wrote out a document for you with my signature, promising I’m not here to take your money?”
She studied me for a moment like she was actually considering it. When she didn’t answer, I turned on my heel toward the door.
“Alright, have fun trying to get up on your own!” I called over my shoulder.
“Wait! Fine.”
I popped my head back in and cupped my ear. “I’m sorry. What was that?”
“I said fine!”
Pursing my lips, I walked back into the room. “Fine, what? I don’t quite understand what you mean.”
The old lady rolled her eyes at me. “Fine, you can call an ambulance.”
“And?”
“And what? I gave you the ambulance. Don’t push me.”
“You’d better watch it, old lady, or I’ll put a spell on you.”
I bit back a smile as she glared at me. The old woman could give even the most grouchy teenager a run for his money.
