“What’s wrong with your mom?” asked Candace.
“She’s… She got severely dehydrated earlier in the week. She probably shouldn’t have come today.”
“I feel bad for talking them into coming.” Spencer debated offering to help Gherring get her back to the car.
“It’s not your fault,” said Emily. “He tried to talk her out of it. She can be very persuasive when she puts her mind to it.”
The Gherrings made their way to the group, stopping once on the way for Anne to rest. Gherring looked like he was about to pick her up and carry her, but she stepped away and began to walk again.
“I’m fine. I just got a little overheated. I should have worn shorts.” True to her statement, Anne’s forehead was beaded with sweat.
Gherring was quiet while everyone climbed into their seats and buckled up. He drove back a little faster than the speed limit, glancing at his wife frequently to check her condition. The ride might have been interminably quiet, but for Candace and Becca gossiping about all the people in the hiking club and forecasting potential hookups within the group.
Spencer noticed Emily was smiling and nodding her head in response, but kept watching her mom in the seat in front of her. From his vantage point, Anne appeared quite grey. Gherring made it back in record time and unceremoniously deposited Candace and Becca where he’d picked them up. They were still trying to talk to Spencer through the window when he drove away.
“Where would you like to be dropped off?” he asked Spencer and Emily. “We’re going to the hospital.”
“No, we’re not,” Anne protested.
“I’ll go with you,” said Emily.
“No!” Anne’s alarm was evident in her voice.
Gherring said, “Right now, it would be easier to go by ourselves to the emergency room. I’m sure she won’t be admitted. They’ll probably give her another IV and let her go. But if they admit her, I’ll call you.”
“Okay, but I want you to call me as soon as you know what they’re going to do with her.”
“Hello,” said Anne. “I’m in the car. Stop talking about me in third person.”
“Do you think she’s just dehydrated again?” Emily disregarded her mother.
“Yes, she’s definitely dehydrated, and she’s not eating enough. I don’t think her medicine’s working,” Gherring replied.
Spencer cleared his throat. “Why don’t you drop us off at Papa’s Place? We’ll grab a bite to eat. It’s walking distance to the hospital if you call.”
They hopped out on the curb next to Papa’s and watched Gherring speed off. Emily was obviously worried, but at least he finally had her to himself. The morning hadn’t gone well, but lunch at Papa’s ought to be a slam-dunk.
Emily tried not to worry about her mom. Hopefully she’d hear from Steven by the end of lunchtime.
“This hike turned into a bust,” said Spencer. “Sorry about that.”
“It’s not your fault. I have a feeling she’d have been back at the hospital today whether or not she’d gone on the hike.”
“Well, I’m also sorry about Becca and Candace.”
“There’s no need to apologize for your friends.”
“They’re not my friends—not really. They’re just part of the hiking club.”
“Just part of the club? Even Becca?”
Spencer’s frown was severe. “I never dated Becca. We didn’t spend a night together camping, and we didn’t go on any private hikes.”
“It’s okay. It’s none of my business, anyway.”
“It’s the truth. I never dated her.”
Spencer held the restaurant door open for Emily. She was about to respond to his declaration when they were suddenly bombarded.
“Spencer!”
“Hey look, there he is!”
“Spencer!
“Who is this? Is this your new girlfriend?”
Four attractive girls surrounded them, pulling Spencer inside. Emily was immediately overwhelmed. Three were as tall as her, but one stood about chin-high at five feet two inches. The taller girls were lean and lanky, but the short girl was curvaceous. She was evidently the spokesperson for the clan, because she held up her hand for silence.
“Spencer, you can have lunch with us and introduce us to your girlfriend,” she spoke in a commanding voice.
Spencer’s eyes were apologetic. “Emily, these are my sisters. And this is Emily, my friend.” He looked pointedly at the shorter girl. “Not my girlfriend.”
“You didn’t tell me you had four sisters.”
He shrugged. “I told you I had four siblings.”
“Why didn’t you tell her about us?” asked the short one. “Hi, I’m Grace, by the way.”
“Gracebytheway—that’s a funny name,” she quipped.
Grace linked her arm around Emily’s and led her into the restaurant. “Ah—a sense of humor. We’re going to be best friends. Spencer, why did you keep this one from us?”
“Does he usually bring lots of girls to meet y’all?”
“Y’all? How cute—she has a southern accent. No. He never brings a girl to meet us. I can’t imagine why not.”
“Can we use the back room today, Aunt May?”
“I don’t have it reserved… Unless your mom and dad are coming?” May gazed expectantly at Emily.
Emily shook her head in answer, but Grace asked, “Who are your mom and dad? They get to sit in the back room?”
The blood rushed to her face—she hated attention. And she especially hated the kind of attention Steven Gherring garnered. Spencer came to the rescue.
“Grace, please. Can we sit down before you grill Emily further? And maybe you shouldn’t be quite so nosey.”
“Me? Nosey? Surely you’ve gotten me mixed up with Olivia.”
“Hey,” objected one of the tall sisters with long, brown hair hanging in a mass of curls. “I’m not nosey.” She pulled up a chair next to Emily. “But I’m great at keeping secrets. So you can tell me anything, and I’ll go to my grave with it.”
“Right, Olivia,” teased Grace. “But on your way to your grave you’ll tell your secrets to anyone who asks.”
“That’s a lie… Don’t listen to her.”
“Where did you two go today?” asked a tall girl whose curly hair looked similar to Olivia’s, but auburn. She had fair
