Sunset on Moonlight Beach - Sheila Roberts Page 0,75
a little before noon and saw that she’d left her egg and only eaten a little of the toast. She thought her great-aunt was asleep, but when she took the tray Aunt Edie murmured a thank-you.
“You didn’t finish your breakfast,” Jenna scolded.
“I’m not hungry,” Aunt Edie said, and grimaced.
“Are you in pain? Where does it hurt?” asked Dr. Jenna.
“At my age, everywhere.”
“How about a cup of chicken broth? We should get some more liquid into you.”
“All right.”
Aunt Edie’s voice was lackluster. It was unnerving.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to call the doctor?” Jenna asked when she returned with the broth.
“No. I’m tired. That’s all. I’ll be fine by tomorrow.”
“I’m worried about her,” Jenna said when she and Sabrina were at her mother’s house that evening. It felt odd to be over there without Aunt Edie, but she’d opted to stay behind, claiming she wanted to read in bed. “She doesn’t want me to call the doctor but I think I should.”
“Wait and see how she is tomorrow,” Mel advised. “Then, if she doesn’t seem any better, you can call the doctor.”
“I guess,” Jenna said. She should call the doctor.
“Is she complaining of anything? Headache, dizziness, pain in her neck or jaw?” Henry asked.
Symptoms of a heart attack in women. “No,” Jenna said, and the worry monster came back full force. “But then, she never complains about anything. I think I’d better get back.”
“Pete’s with her, isn’t he?” Celeste said.
“That doesn’t instill confidence. I’m going back to the house. Sabrina can stay though,” Jenna added, looking at her daughter in the backyard, playing fetch with Nemo.
“It’s not a bad idea to keep an eye on Edie,” Mel said. “You’ll feel better if you’re with her.”
Jenna knew she would. It seemed irresponsible to leave her great-aunt neglected while she had fun with the family.
Not that she was neglected. Pete had been more than happy to keep her company. He had Jenna’s cell phone and had promised to call her if Aunt Edie felt worse, but she still wasn’t comfortable being away from home.
She said goodbye to everyone, then drove back to the house, knowing someone would make sure Sabrina, who’d ridden over with her, got back later.
She heard Pete talking as she went upstairs to her aunt’s bedroom. Only Pete.
She poked her head in to see her aunt in bed, her eyes closed and a smile on her face, and Pete with a book, reading aloud. “‘Her skin ached for his touch. She’d been waiting so long for him. He had to know that.’”
Pete reading a love scene with such feeling struck Jenna as comical and she couldn’t help it. She giggled.
He looked up, his face lobster red, and scowled at her. “Your aunt wanted me to read to her.”
“And who knew you were such a dramatic reader?” Jenna teased. “Do you need anything, Auntie?”
“No, I’m fine,” Aunt Edie said.
She didn’t look like she was in pain. She didn’t look any worse than she had in the morning. She also didn’t look like she wanted Jenna hanging around.
She waved Jenna away, saying, “Go relax, dear. Call Brody.” Then she said to Pete, “Keep reading. It’s just starting to get good.”
Okay, Jenna could take a hint. She did call Brody. “I’m downstairs alone while Pete’s up in Aunt Edie’s bedroom reading a love scene to her. This is weird.”
“Want me to come over and read to you?” he offered. “Or we could write our own.”
“That sounds good,” she said. “I’ve got cookies for you.”
“I’ll be right over.”
Even with Brody’s arms around her she couldn’t stop thinking about Aunt Edie. What if something was seriously wrong with her?
“Only one and a half of us is here,” he finally said.
She sighed. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I can’t stop worrying. If she’s not better tomorrow I’m calling the doctor.”
“I’m sure she will be,” Brody assured her, and kissed the top of her head. “She’s a tough old girl.”
“Yeah, but things happen even to tough old girls.”
“Let’s not borrow trouble,” he said.
He was right, of course, but it was hard not to pull up at the drive-through of Trouble First National.
She didn’t sleep well that night but she was relieved to wake up the next morning to the smell of bacon. Aunt Edie was better.
She arrived in the kitchen to find her aunt at the stove, frying bacon. Pete was by her side, taking toast out of the toaster. Pete helping in the kitchen? Jenna had to be seeing things.