However, many people kept physical ailments to themselves so those who cared about them didn’t worry.
Her mouth bowed. That would be like Steven. He was such a considerate man.
Should she leave the cloth in the tub? If she took it, he might be embarrassed.
But they were family, and family watched out for each other. Besides, he hadn’t minded letting her and Brad help him with the cut on his forehead today.
So she’d replace this cloth with a clean one and see what he had to say about the cause of the bleeding after he realized she’d freshened up his room.
She bent down, picked up the damp square, and added it to the pillowcase on her arm. Both of these would have to soak in the laundry room before being washed.
After taking care of that chore, she stopped at the linen closet, pulled out a new pillowcase and washcloth, and finished tidying up the room.
At the doorway, she looked back at the spruced-up space. Smiled.
One good turn deserved another, after all.
And wouldn’t Steven be surprised by her thoughtfulness?
“NO WORRIES.I was glad to help. You’re making excellent progress with your research, aside from this glitch. But I think we’ve worked that out.”
As Cara spoke, the graduate student seated at the table in her office packed up his laptop and papers. “I do too. My problem was I got too immersed in the trees and lost sight of the forest.”
“That can happen. Call me if you run into another snag.”
“I will. Thanks again, Professor Tucker. Enjoy your weekend.”
“You too.”
As the student left, Cara rose, pulled out her phone, and walked over to the window, scrolling through messages.
Ah.
A text from Brad.
Her lips curved up as she scanned his note.
Sorry again about our date. Hope your meeting this morning goes well. Wanted to let you know Natalie agreed to have two cameras installed. I’ll arrange for that next week.
She put her fingers to work.
Great news on the cameras. How’s your ankle?
Sprained, according to urgent care. It’s wrapped and elevated as I type this. I’m about to crash. It was a long night.
Did you find any trace of the trespasser?
No.
Drat. Get some rest.
That’s the plan. Happy dancing tomorrow. I’ll call you this weekend.
I’ll look forward to it.
She started to slide the phone back into her pocket, only to have it begin vibrating again.
Maybe Brad had decided he’d rather hear her voice than communicate via text.
