“Gran?” Grace’s voice called from the hallway interrupting them. “Are you awake? We brought you some tea.”
Before June could respond, both her granddaughters appeared in the doorway, Grace carrying a steaming mug.
“How are you feeling, Gran?” Grace asked, setting the tea on the nightstand and perching carefully on the edge of the bed. “You scared us when you fainted like that.”
“I’m fine, sweetheart,” June said, smiling. “Thank you for the tea.”
“Gran, I told you not to go walking so far,” Becky admonished her.
“Tyler’s grandfather was really nice,” Grace said conversationally. “He seemed really worried about you when you fainted. I think he felt bad that he startled you.”
“He carried you all the way from the beach,” Becky continued.
Grace’s young brow crinkled. “He looked like he was in pain, because he winced as you fell against him.”
The image of Holt carrying her, ignoring his own discomfort to make sure she was safe, sent an unexpected warmth through June’s chest. Some things, it seemed, hadn’t changed at all.
“Speaking of being okay,” Carmen interrupted, “I think we should get you to the clinic to make sure that fainting spell wasn’t related to your head injury.”
“No, really, I’m fine,” June protested automatically. “I’m just tired from the walk and probably a little dehydrated from the heat.”
“Which is exactly why you need to be checked out,” Carmen said with the kind of authority that came from decades in emergency medicine. “Head injuries are unpredictable, and stress can trigger all sorts of complications.”
“I agree with Aunt Carmen,” Grace said, crossing her arms in a gesture that reminded June of Willa at that age. “You’ve been through a lot lately, and fainting isn’t normal for you.”
“I’m coming with you to the clinic,” Becky announced. “You gave us a real fright when Mom told us you’d had a car accident, and now you’ve fainted.”
“We both want to come,” Grace corrected.
June looked around at the three concerned faces surrounding her bed and realized she wasn’t going to win this argument, and saw she was outnumbered.
“Fine,” June conceded with a sigh that was only partially theatrical. “But I’m walking into that clinic under my own power. No wheelchairs, no fussing, and definitely no calling your mother unless Dr. Tanner says it’s necessary.”
“Okay, let’s go,” Carmen said, standing up. “You girls grab your sweaters.”
Thirty minutes later, June found herself in the familiar waiting room of the Sandpiper Shores Medical Clinic, surrounded by the comfortable chaos of a small-town medical practice. Children played with worn toys in the corner while their parents filled out paperwork. An elderly man read a fishing magazine with the concentrated attention of someone who’d been waiting for quite some time. The whole scene was reassuringly normal, exactly the kind of place where nothing dramatic ever happened. Dr. Lucy Tanner appeared to call her back, and June got up.
“June,” Lucy called out with a warm smile. “Good to see you again, though I wish it were under better circumstances.”
“Hello, Lucy,” June replied, standing carefully and grateful when the room didn’t spin. “I’m sure this is just Carmen being overcautious.”
“Better overcautious than under-cautious when it comes to head injuries,” Lucy said, leading her toward the examination rooms. “Your family can wait out here. This shouldn’t take too long.”
Lucy led her to a small examination room and gestured for her to sit on the paper-covered table. “So, tell me what happened today. Carmen mentioned on the phone that you fainted during a walk on the beach?”
June nodded, choosing her words carefully. “Grace and I were walking near the lighthouse area. I was probably pushing myself too hard after being sedentary for weeks.”
Lucy made a note on her chart and then took her blood pressure. “Your blood pressure is a little elevated, but that’s not surprising given what you’ve been through today.”
“It’s because I saw Holt today,” June said. “It was after that I fainted.”
“Ah,” Lucy said, nodding. “It was bound to happen that the two of you would run into each other here sooner or later.”
“I guess so,” June said with a tight smile.
“You’ve been lucky over the past twelve years,” Lucy pointed out.
“Grace thinks he was hurt.” June watched Lucy intently.
