“Please let them in, and if there’s enough, it would be nice to share the meal with them. Thank you.”
“There’s plenty.” The woman scurried off, seeming pleased to have something to do.
Maeve stood there at the rail. If Amanda had been a few minutes earlier, she might have seen the dolphin pod too. Hailey would have gone wild over the baby dolphin. She’d have to be sure to tell them to use these binoculars. No reason to take them with her.
Amanda, carrying a spritzer like the one the nurse had given Maeve, came outside. “Hi!”
Hailey carried hers with two hands.
“Hello, Amanda. What a nice surprise.” Maeve locked eyes with Hailey. “It’s marvelous to see you, my best friend.”
Hailey giggled.
“Where’s your brother today?” Maeve asked.
“He’s with Paul. Mom and I are doing girl stuff with you,” Hailey explained.
“I’m very happy that you are.”
“Your helper is very nice,” Amanda said. “She’s going to bring us soup so we can join you.”
Maeve rolled her eyes. “Soup isn’t exactly summer food. I guess she thinks sick people eat soup. Whatever. Come, let’s sit.”
The chairs screeched against the slick worn wood beneath them as they sat down.
Amanda lifted the glass to her lips. “Oh, this is good. Apple, pomegranate? Maybe a dash of grape juice and seltzer water?”
“I have no idea. We don’t talk much. I think she respects I like to be on my own. I like that she respects that.”
“Well, that’s good.” Amanda took another sip, then set the glass back on the table. “You look well today.”
“I feel well.”
Amanda paused. “Maeve, I want to talk to you about our discussion yesterday. Were you serious about us moving here?”
“Very. I’ve got an appointment with my lawyer in the morning. I want to be sure no one can hassle you about it. I talked to Tug about it too.”
Hailey clenched her fists, her feet swinging so much she practically wiggled out of her chair. “I’m going to be able to live in this house with the shell room?”
Maeve nodded. “Will you take care of all my treasures?”
“Forever!” She crossed her heart. “I promise.”
Maeve leaned over and hugged Hailey. “You are as special as your mother. Don’t let anything or anyone change you.”
“Yes ma’am, and I’m going to love Methuselah for you too.” Hailey straightened in her chair, glancing at Amanda in a way that told Maeve she’d been encouraged to be on her best behavior.
Amanda put her forearms on the table. “I thank you so much for the generous offer. I’d love to take you up on it. I promise we will take wonderful care of it and carry on the kindness you’ve shared in this town.”
“I have no doubt that you will, and Hailey, too, as she grows up.”
Amanda grabbed Hailey’s hand. “I’m as excited as she is.”
“Can I go tell Methuselah?” Hailey pointed to the scruffy dog lying in the shade in the backyard.
“Yes. He should definitely hear it from you,” Maeve said.
Hailey raced down the ramps to the backyard. Her feet pounded on the boards.
“Maeve, how will I ever thank you?” Amanda lifted her hair off her neck. “There’s so much room here, and air-conditioning too.”
“Oh goodness, you don’t have air-conditioning down there? Amanda, you all need to come stay immediately. It’s so muggy this time of year.”
“We’re fine. I promise. I have a little window unit and fans. The kids haven’t even complained. We’re managing.” She leaned back in her seat. “I do want to ask you a favor, though.”
“Okay.”
“I’d like for you to let me talk to your sister.”
Maeve wasn’t so sure about that. She took a deep breath in, but before she could respond, Amanda rattled on.
“I’d love to accompany you to Georgia, Maeve. Please? We could make a girls’ trip out of it. I was thinking it would be a much nicer ride if we split it into two days.”
Maeve agreed that two short days in the car would be easier than one marathon ride.
Amanda continued. “I want to leave here on Friday and take you to Charleston. I want you to see the trees and all the Spanish moss. We’ll stay the night. I’ve already looked into it, and Paul will stay here with the kids. Then we’ll drive the rest of the way the next day after a nice leisurely morning. Please. Please say yes. I promise it won’t be a lot of walking, and if you’re tired, you can just look out the window at them.”
Maeve lifted her glass to her lips, then flopped back into her chair. “That might be the kindest thing anyone has ever thought of doing for me.”
“Please. It will be wonderful. A memory I can cling to, and you too. Please?”
Maeve sat there, rubbing her finger along the condensation on the side of her glass. “Yes. Yes, we should do that. I feel good enough to do it, but frankly the long trip, sitting in a car all that time, did seem a bit daunting even if Judy was going to send a limo.”
Amanda squealed, leaping to her feet and running around to the other side of the table. She wrapped her arms around Maeve, laying her head against her shoulder. “Thank you! You won’t regret it. Thank you!”
The helper stepped outside with the soup.
“I’m so excited!” Amanda scurried back to her chair. “This is wonderful!”
The woman placed the soup in front of Amanda and another bowl on the table for when Hailey returned.
“Thank you.” She watched the nurse leave and shut the sliding glass door behind her. “I can’t eat. I’m too excited. My stomach is full of butterflies. Our trip is going to be so beautiful.” Maeve smiled so wide she could feel her bottom lip tremble.
Amanda picked up her phone. “Can I call Judy now and discuss it with her?”
“Yes. Use my phone. She
