'Can I get you something else?' said Cindy.
'No, thanks. Better be going. Here.' Offering her the box.
'Oh, I don't need it,' she said. 'Maybe someone at the hospital can use it. They're very expensive-that's why Dr. Ralph used to give us samples.'
Us.
'That's very nice of you.' I picked up the box.
'Well,' she said, 'we sure can't use them.' She shook her head.
'How strange, your finding them-kind of brings back memories.'
Her mouth turned down. Cassie saw it, said, 'Uh,' and squirmed.
Cindy replaced the pout with a wide, abrupt smile. 'Hello, sweetie.'
Cassie poked at her mouth. Cindy kissed her fingers. 'Yes, Mama loves you. Now let's walk Dr. Delaware bye-bye.'
When we got to the entrance I stopped to look at the photos, realizing there were none of Chip's parents. My eyes settled back on the shot of
Cindy and her aunt.
'We were walking that day,' she said softly. Along the dock.
She used to take lots of walks. Long ones, for her diabetes-the exercise helped her control it.'
'Did she have it pretty much under control?'
'Oh, yes-that wasn't what... what took her. That was an S-T-R-O-K-E.
She had really great control-careful about everything that went into her mouth. When I lived with her, I wasn't allowed any sweets or junk.
So I never developed a taste for it, and we don't keep much around the house.'
She kissed Cassie's cheek. 'I figure if she doesn't get a taste of it now, maybe she won't want it later.'
I turned away from the photo.
'We do everything,' she said, 'to keep her healthy. Without health, there's... nothing. Right? That's the kind of thing you hear when you're young but it's only later that you start to believe it ' ol' Anguish filled her eyes.
Cassie wiggled and made wordless sounds.
'True,' I said. 'How about you and me getting together tomorrow, right here.'
'Sure.'
'When would be a good time?'
'With or without... HER?'
'Without, if possible.'
'Then it would have to be when she's asleep. She generally naps from one to two or two-thirty, then goes down for the night at seven or eight. How about eight, in order to play it safe? If that's not too late for you.'
'Eight's fine.'
'Chip will probably be able to be here, too-that should be good, don't you think?'
Absolutely,' I said. 'See you then.'
