Sunset on Moonlight Beach - Sheila Roberts Page 0,82
a paperback with a bookmark stuck halfway through it. “Anyway, we have to finish this book.”
“I’d like that,” said Aunt Edie.
The day trudged on, with visitors coming and going, Pete reading to Aunt Edie until her eyes drifted shut. Late in the afternoon, her lawyer was back, along with Sherwood Stern, Patricia Whiteside, who Jenna knew Aunt Edie had as her executrix, and another man Jenna had seen at the bank, who she was sure was a notary public. Once again, the visitors were shuffled out and the door was shut. Jenna didn’t really care what Aunt Edie was doing to her will. She only hoped it would be a long time before they had to read it.
The lawyer and his team finally left, all stopping to say an encouraging word to Jenna.
Patricia hugged her. “Stay strong, darling.”
“I’m sure she’ll pull out of this,” Sherwood said and gave Jenna’s shoulder a wimpy pat.
She murmured her thanks and then went with the others back into the room. She had no idea what to say, so she simply stood by Aunt Edie’s bed and took her hand.
Winston, however, had an observation to share. “Always a good idea to make sure things are taken care of, ’cause you never know.”
Jenna gaped at him. Seriously?
He saw her horrified look and cleared his throat. “Not that we don’t want you to live to be a hundred,” he added.
“Oh, Winston, do go home. You’re wearing me out,” Aunt Edie said.
He blinked in surprise, then flushed red. “Well, uh, yeah. We don’t want to wear you out. We should all go.”
“I’m so tired,” Aunt Edie said with a long sigh.
“She needs to rest,” Mel said. “Come on, sweetie,” she said to Sabrina.
“I want to stay,” Sabrina protested.
“Someone’s got to bake cookies for the reception desk,” Mel told her.
That worked. Sabrina bit her lip and nodded.
“I want Jenna to stay,” Aunt Edie said. “And Pete.”
“I’ll keep an eye on things for you at the Driftwood,” Mel said to Jenna. Then she and Sabrina followed Winston and Celeste out of the room.
Brody was the last to leave. “I’ll check on you later,” he promised, and gave Jenna a quick kiss.
“Thanks for being there for all of us,” she said.
He gave a quick nod and ducked out the door.
Pete read some more to Aunt Edie for a while and then fell asleep in his chair and started snoring.
Aunt Edie’s eyes were shut and Jenna had assumed she, too, was asleep until she spoke. “You are such a treasure.”
Was she speaking to Jenna or Pete?
“You gave the old Driftwood a new life and me, too,” Aunt Edie continued. “So many lovely memories,” she said with a sigh.
“We’ve loved being with you,” Jenna said. Here came the tears. She wiped at an eye. “We’ll make more.”
“Maybe not. I think it might be my time.”
“You don’t know that,” Jenna argued.
“No. But if I go, I go. Anyway, I’m ready to see my Ralph again. But don’t you worry, dear. You’ll be taken care of.”
“That’s the last thing on my mind,” Jenna said.
“It’s the first on mine.”
“Don’t worry about me. You helped me find myself again, and I’ll be fine.”
“I know you will,” Aunt Edie said, and then fell quiet. Soon she was lightly snoring, a faint echo to what was coming from Pete.
They were both still asleep when Seth stopped by to see her. “How’s she doing?” he asked Jenna in a low voice.
“About the same. I feel like she’s losing her will to live.”
He pulled up a chair next to Jenna. “Maybe she’s ready to go.”
“But if she’s careful she could have several more years.”
“Her body’s wearing out. If she’s ready to leave it, it’s her choice. Let her be the captain of her own ship.”
What he was saying made logical sense, but Jenna had no desire to be logical. And she didn’t want Aunt Edie to be logical, either.
“I just want her for a little longer,” she whispered and swiped away a fresh batch of tears. “Selfish of me, huh?”
“More like human,” he said, and put an arm around her. “None of us like to lose people we love.”
She laid her head on his shoulder. The tears were coming fast and hard now.
“It’ll be okay,” he murmured.
Just as Brody walked in, bearing an iced coffee from Beans and Books.
“Waters,” he greeted Seth, his voice as cold as the drink he handed Jenna.
“Green,” Seth said with a nod as Jenna pulled away and grabbed a tissue from the bedside table.