‘Maybe we could do this again sometime?’
I hesitated, feeling torn. I loved the idea of it, but the message from Anna had thrown me off. ‘Maybe.’
His phone went off again and he muttered a curse word. ‘I have to go. You’ll be OK?’
‘Of course. I plan on falling asleep as soon as you leave.’
He smiled as he left. ‘In that case, sweet dreams. And welcome again to Pine Harbor.’
I stood in the doorway as he reversed and drove out of the driveway, watching his taillights until they disappeared around a bend in the road. It was only then that I realized I had no way of contacting him. No last name, no phone number. But maybe that had been his intention all along, I thought, feeling disappointment heavy in my stomach. Was Anna a girlfriend? Wife? He wasn’t wearing a ring, and hehadsaid he was singleback at the restaurant. But it certainly wouldn’t be the first time someone had lied about their relationship status.
8
JONAH
Snow was still falling when I pulled into the hospital parking lot and turned the truck off, pausing for a few moments to gather my thoughts, before I turned the lights off too and opened my door. My boots crunched across the snow as I headed for the main doors. The squat building illuminated from within, almost every window ablaze, like a beacon in the night.
The receptionist behind the front desk pointed me towards the door that led through to the emergency waiting room. Her demeanor was disinterested, her attention focused on the computer screen in front of her, as if my world hadn’t just been rocked completely off its core. I didn’t take it personally. She no doubt saw countless families’ lives thrown into chaos and trauma every day.
‘Thanks,’ I told her, heading swiftly for the doors.
My mother’s face was the first one I saw. She looked like she’d aged ten years in the few hours since I’d last seen her. Her skin ashen, forehead slightly creased. Lips set in a thin line that I recognized. It was the pinched look she adopted when she was trying her hardest to conceal her emotions. Breaking down in a public hospital waiting room was not something that EleanorSawyer would be doing, no matter what the circumstances; that much was clear.
I hurried over the slightly sticky linoleum floors to where she was sitting. My brother and Sophie were on one side of her, Anna on the other.
‘How is he?’ I asked.
‘He’s alright,’ Anna said, her voice cracking. ‘Or at least he will be. That’s what the doctor said.’
‘What happened?’
‘They think he had a stroke. A mild one, thank God.’
‘I don’t understand.’
My mother shook her head, glaring at me. ‘I warned you that something like this would happen. He is too old for the stress of running the business. At his age, he should be relaxing. Enjoying his retirement. God knows he has worked hard enough to deserve it.’
My chest tightened. ‘You’re seriously going to blame me for this?’
‘She didn’t say that.’ Anna interjected.
‘It’s clearly what she’s thinking though,’ I retorted.
My mother’s shoulders deflated. ‘I’m sorry,’ she said. ‘I’m just worried.’
Anna put her hand over our mother’s and squeezed it. ‘We all are. But we need to stick together as a family to help him through this.’ She looked up at me. ‘Right, Jonah?’
My anger departed as quickly as it had arrived. ‘Of course.’ I looked around. ‘Where’s Myles?’
‘He took Isabelle home,’ Anna said wearily. ‘I didn’t want her here. God knows what bugs are floating around in this place. I just want to focus on Dad right now without worrying about her getting sick too.’
‘Mrs. Sawyer?’
I stepped aside to let the doctor who had approached face the family. My mother got to her feet, only a slight tremble of her chin betraying her nerves.
‘How is my husband?’
‘He’s doing as well as can be expected.’
