Chapter 8
MR. DAVIS WAVED A HAND from his place at a table when Anita walked into the dining room with Carly. Anita smile as Carly increased her stride and called out, “Hello, Mr. Davis.”
She wasn’t sure what exactly had connected these two so quickly, but she was grateful for it. Who would have thought her daughter would be sharing her friendship woes with a war vet. But that was what happened when they were halfway through a Scrabble game.
“Have you heard of the phrase, there are friends for a season and friends for a reason?” Mr. Davis asked, pausing before he took his next turn.
“No,” Carly said, tilting her head. Today she wore a high ponytail with one of the scrunchies she’d made herself. The bright pink fabric matched her nearly fluorescent pink T-shirt.
Mr. Davis’s expression was somber when he replied, “You don’t have to regret a friendship, even if it ends badly, or even if you’re sad about it not being something more. Friendships help us grow as a person and they also teach us to be better friends down the road.”
Carly’s eyes brightened. “So if Evie and Samantha keep me out of their friend group, then I should be okay with it?”
“I believe so.” Mr. Davis laid out the next word on the Scrabble board. “They were friends for a season, and now it’s time for you to find another friend. You’ve outgrown the antics of skipping classes or raiding kitchens. I can tell you’re a serious student, and you have a bright future to keep in mind.”
He laid out the word, petri.
“Petri?” Carly said. “Like a petri dish?”
“Exactly,” he said with a nod. “See, you’re already smarter than most kids your age.” He glanced over at Anita. “I’ll bet your mother had good advice about your former friends.”
Carly didn’t hesitate. “Yeah, she said those girls aren’t my real friends if they don’t care about getting me in trouble.”
“Your mother is a wise woman,” Mr. Davis said, then threw her a wink.
Anita couldn’t help but smile.
Then he started in with a story about his high school days, talking about his friends, including Susan.
It was at that moment Wyatt arrived.
Anita immediately noticed his frown at the mention of Susan. It was none of her business, not really, but it still made her wonder. Had Wyatt ever done any investigating into Susan? Maybe looked for her name in phone books? Checked old high school records?
“Hey, Gramps,” he said in a friendly tone, although his eyes darted from Carly to Anita. Had there been a quick furrow of his brows? He hugged his grandpa, then settled next to him. “Looks like your favorite visitors are here.”
“Ah.” Mr. Davis waved a hand. “You’re my favorite. Carly is a close runner-up, though.”
Wyatt’s smile remained in place, but there it was again. A pull of his brows. Anita hadn’t imagined it after all.
Was their visit bothering him, or was it something else?
“I was just telling Carly how to navigate friendships,” Mr. Davis said. “It’s been a while since I was in school myself, but there are some things I’ll never forget. I guess it might be unusual, especially in my day, to have a girl as a best friend. But Susan was just that.”
“Yeah, that’s nice, Gramps,” Wyatt said, dismissing the conversation thread altogether. He slipped off his suit jacket and set it on the back of the chair before sitting down. Both times Anita had seen him, he’d been wearing a suit. Did the man never dress down before coming to visit his grandpa?
“Paula said she’s coming to visit today,” Wyatt said.
Mr. Davis clapped his hands together. “Wonderful. I thought she couldn’t get away.”
“She was able to get the day off from the hospital.”
Mr. Davis looked over at Anita and Carly. “Paula is Wyatt’s little sister. She’s a nurse. Did I tell you that?”
“I don’t think so,” Anita said at the same time that Carly shook her head.
“What kind of nurse?” Carly asked.
The interest in her voice was something Anita hadn’t heard before.
“She takes care of the new mothers and their babies.”
“Labor and delivery,” Wyatt added.
“She works most weekends, so I never see her,” Mr. Davis said, not complaining, but sounding like he missed his granddaughter.
Anita wondered where the parents were—the son or daughter of Mr. Davis?
“Paula saw you last month,” Wyatt said.
Mr. Davis frowned as if he were trying to remember. Then his brow relaxed, and he turned back to the Scrabble game. “Want to join us on the next round?”
“Sure,” Wyatt said with a barely concealed sigh. “I’ll get some drinks.” He rose and paused. “Does everyone want a drink? Punch or water?”
“Punch,” both Mr. Davis and Carly said at once.
“I’ll have some water,” Anita said.
Wyatt tilted his head toward her. She took the hint and said, “I’ll help.”
As they walked toward the refreshment table together, he looked at her. “Did you ask my grandpa about Susan? Or did he start talking about her on his own?”
Anita wasn’t sure how to respond at first. Was Wyatt accusing her of something? “He barely brought her up when you arrived. My daughter and I aren’t asking him those types of questions.”
He must have caught the defensive tone in her voice because he paused in his step. “I appreciate you spending time with Gramps. He seems to enjoy the company and playing games with someone other than me. But I don’t want his false memories encouraged.”
Anita didn’t answer for a moment. The intensity of his green eyes told her that Wyatt wasn’t just concerned his grandfather was dealing with memory loss, or false memory creation, but he was worried about something deeper.
They reached the table, and she poured a cup of punch for Carly, then looked over at him. “You know, you can find out pretty easily. Wouldn’t the city library have copies of old yearbooks? Why don’t you look up your grandfather’s class?”
Wyatt folded his arms, a frown marring his face. “That’s actually a good idea. But I don’t think it’s necessary.”
“Because you don’t think Susan is real?”
“He never mentioned her before,” Wyatt said firmly. “And the postcard wasn’t even addressed to him.”
“What are you worried about? That she’s real or that your grandfather is dealing with memory confusion?”
Wyatt glanced over at his grandfather. “Either one, I guess. He’s been through a lot in life, and I don’t want him hurt any more.”
Anita supposed there was a lot of depth to that statement. She wondered why Wyatt thought that his grandfather’s memories of an old friend would hurt him.
“I think you should find out once and for all,” Anita said. “It would put your mind at rest, and you’d know how to better respond to the stories he’s sharing.”
“Maybe you’re right,” Wyatt said, studying her. “I just hate that all of his conversations turn toward a woman we’ve never heard about instead of my own grandmother.”
“Maybe it’s how he’s coping?” she suggested. “Thinking of his life before he met your grandmother?”
“Maybe.” Wyatt turned toward the refreshment table and gathered a plate of cookies and the rest of the drinks.
Anita walked with him back to where Carly was apparently winning in Scrabble against Mr. Davis.
When Wyatt joined in the game, it moved much faster, and Mr. Davis started laying down more complicated words. Maybe he’d been holding back in his playing with Carly.
By the time his granddaughter showed up, he had beat them all more than once.
“Hi, Gramps,” Paula said, bending to kiss him on the cheek.
Anita’s first impression of her was a small fireball. She laughed easily, asked a dozen questions, and teased mercifully. Her dark hair, brown eyes, and petite frame were similar to her grandfather’s, making her older brother even more of an anomaly.
“I wasn’t sure if you were here for Gramps or my brother.” Paula gave Anita a broad smile.
She had to laugh. “We’re here to visit the residents and ended up at your grandpa’s table.”
“Ah.” Paula’s eyes flashed with amusement. “I told Wyatt coming here on the weekends was no excuse not to date. He acts like he’s too busy for all of that, but now that I see you, I understand why he’s here two weekends in a row.”
“Hey,” he cut in. “I can hear you, sis. You know I try to come every weekend.”
Paula grinned. “I came more than you last month, so that’s not true at all.” She leaned toward Anita. “He’s one of those numbers guys. Stiff and boring. Doesn’t even know how to flirt.”
Wyatt’s ears pinked, and Anita wanted to laugh, but she held back.
She guessed Wyatt to be close to her age, yet he could still get riled by his sister. And what did Paula mean he didn’t know how to flirt? Had he never had a girlfriend before? She found that hard to believe. He was articulate, handsome, hygienic, and although he seemed a bit opinionated, he was well-mannered as far as she could tell.
She’d also caught him watching her more than once. Not that she could read his expression or decipher his thoughts, but she didn’t think he was someone to back down from a challenge. Which meant if he was interested in a woman, surely he’d pursue her.
“I’d rather not be known as a lady’s man,” Wyatt told his sister. “We can’t all be flirty like you or no one would ever be in a serious relationship. Which means that neither of us would exist.”
“You’re such a sweet talker,” Paula said. “When you’re not literal about everything.”
“Don’t make me sit between the two of you,” Mr. Davis said. “You’re setting a bad example for the kid at our table.”
Anita didn’t mind the banter between the siblings, and she noticed that her daughter was soaking it all in. After another round of Scrabble, with Carly beating everyone, it was finally time to go.
“I’ll walk you two out,” Paula said, pushing up from the table.
After saying goodbye to both Mr. Davis and Wyatt, they headed out of the dining room. Paula looped her arm with Anita’s.
“Thanks so much for spending time with Gramps,” she gushed. “He’s tickled that you’d play games with him. He doesn’t get any other visitors.”
“It’s been fun,” Anita said. “And as long as Carly wants to keep coming, I’ll keep bringing her.” She paused. “If that’s all right with you and your brother.”
“It’s wonderful.” Paula squeezed her arm. “Now, just ignore Wyatt’s fussiness. He always overthinks things, and I think it’s fine if Gramps’s mind wanders a bit.”
“Do you think Susan is real?” Carly asked suddenly.
Paula bit her lip. “I’m not sure, but I’m surprised my brother hasn’t launched an all-out investigation yet.”
“What would be the downside if Susan was real?” Anita asked.
Paula released her arm as they reached the outer doors. “Wyatt was really close to Grandma, so I think he sees it as a nuisance. Or maybe even a betrayal.”
“Well, either Susan was real or she wasn’t,” Anita said. “It might give you and your brother peace of mind to know once and for all.”
Paula nodded. “I agree. Thanks again for visiting Gramps.” She hugged both of them, then waved them off.
Anita and Carly headed outside into the cooling evening air. The sun had nearly set, the sky darkening with deepening twilight.
As they climbed inside the Bug, Carly said, “I like Mr. Davis.”
Happiness swelled inside of Anita, who was pleased her daughter had found so much value in visiting the assisted living home. “Me too.” She started the car, but the ignition only clicked, then nothing.
She released the clutch, then pushed it in again. Turning the key, she whispered, “Please start. Please start.”
Nothing.
“The parking lot’s flat,” Carly observed, otherwise sounding nonplussed that they were once again faced with a dead car.
“The battery is brand new,” Anita complained. If it was another issue, then that would just be more expensive.
She opened the door and climbed out, surveying the parking lot. Carly was right. There wasn’t a slope or hill in sight.
“I’ll check with the front desk to see if any of the employees have jumper cables.”
“Okay.” Carly climbed out of the car too, but seemed content to wait in the parking lot.
Anita hurried inside. Paula was still in the front lobby, chatting with one of the employees. “Did you change your mind?” she asked. “Want a rematch in Scrabble?”
“Our car won’t start.” Anita glanced from the employee to Paula. “Do you happen to have jumper cables?”
“No,” she said, “but Wyatt should. He’s like a Boy Scout in everything. Always prepared. I’ll be right back.”
“Oh, I could ask him...” Anita started, but Paula had already headed toward the dining room.
A moment later, Wyatt strode out, his gaze landing on her. “The battery?”
“I had a new battery put in last week,” she said. “So I don’t know what’s going on.”
He only nodded and moved past her, pushing through the front doors. “Can I see the keys?”
She handed them over and watched as he slid into the front seat. He tried to start the car, but no such luck.
“There’s nothing, not even any lights coming on,” he observed. Then he popped the hood and climbed out. “Do you have a flashlight?” He rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt.
She sorted through the jockey box. “No.”
Wyatt continued with his inspection. “The battery is hooked up fine,” he said. “Might be something else, like the starter. It will have to be towed to a repair shop.”
Dollar signs seemed to float in front of Anita’s eyes. “All right. I’ll go inside and call a towing service.”
Wyatt straightened from the car. “I can get you both home after the towing service gets here.”
“Oh, I don’t want you to have to wait,” she said.
He closed the hood of the car. “You’ll need a ride home anyway.”
“No luck?” Paula asked, crossing to them.
“We need to call a tow truck,” Wyatt said.
“I can call Jimmy,” Paula said. “He owes me a favor.”
“Jimmy?” Anita asked.
“Her boyfriend,” Wyatt said. “Unless you’re just friends right now.”
Paula flashed a saucy smile. “We’re currently dating. I’ll go call him, and he’ll take care of all of this.”
Before Anita could ask any questions, Paula hurried back into the center. “That’s really nice of her, and generous of you both.”
“It’s no trouble,” Wyatt said, and he seemed sincere. “Let’s say goodbye to Gramps, then we can be on our way.”